But Why is the Rum Gone?

Found this on both Melissa's and Terri's blogs and of course have to join in!

The Recipe For Darla

3 parts Slyness 2 parts Recklessness 1 part Genius Splash of Warmth Serve over ice

What's the Recipe for Your Personality?

I know I usually try to post the weekly progress on Sunday, but it's nearly the end of both the month and the year, so I've decided to wait a couple more days. Didn't make it to the Y today, but I did visit a nice bike shop in Fountain Valley before cruising by Mile Square Park. It looks like the bike path at Mile Square is pretty much limited to the sidewalk that goes all the way around the park. There's also some construction going on there, and I thought that would complicate things. So I opted to take my Sunday ride at Cerritos Regional again. As long as I wasn't moving, it was a pretty nice day, but once the bike got rolling the windchill really brought the temps down! I felt like I could have gone 20 miles today but for the windchill, so I only did 15. And no, I didn't try out my new shorts, although I did take them with me. Definitely need some kind of windbreaker for the upper body and leggings or tights or something to extend the shorts, 'cause I don't think the sweats will do the job.

Here it is

and I stopped at the nearest Anaheim FD station to get the license on my way to work this morning.

I think...

…I need to increase the incline on the treadmills at the Y. I don't know what the setting is on the one here at home—it's manual, doesn't have a readout, and just isn't very fancy at all—but it definitely seems to be a bit steeper than my usual 3.0 choice at the Y. Anyway, I spent about 35 minutes on the treadmill here at home this morning, and walked 1.32 miles. Puttered around on the computer for a while, then did a bit of stitching, then went out for a ride. Went over to Cerritos Regional Park and rode around there for 10.4 miles, then came home to our Xmess dinner.

Oh, and have I mentioned yet that I ordered a pair of bike shorts online from Terry's Bikes? Thank you, Terri, for the recommendation!

I'm also seriously considering signing up for the 5k to benefit the Speech and Language Center in Buena Park, where BFF-M is employed when she isn't on disability with a broken ankle she acquired just before Thanksgiving trying to make sure one of her students didn't slip and fall and get hurt.

Weekly Report

Wow, a week's gone by already?
Saturday 15 Dec: rest day.
Sunday 16 Dec: Managed to bump the magnetic safety key thingy about a mile and a half into my treadmill time, and my poor grammarian's brain can handle adding .25s and .50s and .75s but gets stretched when it has to do the other stuff like the .28s, so I figured another 40 minutes would get me at least to 5k, and I was right: 3.46 miles on the treadmill. And then 13.26 on the stationary bike.
Monday 17 Dec: Actually hit the home treadmill for .83 mile to start the day! Then the Y in the morning for 1.07 (only 18 minutes including the 3-minute cooldown, so I chose a higher level than I'd normally use) miles on the elliptical to warm up again for the weight-machine circuit. Then the evening stop put 9.45 miles on a bike.
Tuesday 18 Dec: Only managed to put in 30 minutes on the elliptical, for 1.68 miles, on the morning stop, then 1.8 miles on the treadmill for the evening visit.
Wednesday 19 Dec: 25 minutes on the elliptical for 1.47 miles and this time kicked up the final four minutes before cooldown to Level 8! And the weight machines.
Thursday 20 Dec: 25 minutes at Level 4, alternating forward and reverse in 5-minute blocks (so yes, that's 10 minutes going backwards!), then 5 minutes (forward) at Level 5, plus cooldown, for 2.20 miles. The evening treadmill lasted 40 minutes, with 5-minute blocks of time spent at 2.5, 3.0, 3.3, 3.0, 3.5, 3.0, 2.5, and 3.0 mph and a 3-minute cooldown, for 2.06 miles.
Friday 21 Dec: .80 mile on the treadmill at home because it was payday, rent day, and the last banking day (I bank at a credit union) before a major holiday, so I knew I would have to skip the Y. And, of course, it turned out to be the day I picked up my new bike.
Saturday 22 Dec: normally a rest day, but a friend was laid off Thursday and when the four of us were at breakfast Saturday morning, we decided that three of us would hit her gym with her membership and her two guest passes. So 1.5 miles on an elliptical I didn't like at all—ours at the Y have a shorter rise and a longer stride, so those differences were throwing me off my stride. And a little time spent on the weight machines. But then my friends, who don't spend as much time at the gym as I do and who've never been particularly athletic anyway, pooped out before I could get through the whole Cybex circuit. Oh well, a little is better than none at all, and I missed Friday's weight circuit with the banking and the bike-buying, so this helped make up for that.
Sunday 23 Dec: Normally I hit the Y on Sundays for a little mindless biking and walking, but today I opted to take my new bike out to the bike paths at El Dorado Regional Park in Long Beach instead, for 10.4 miles. I had a ball, and will probably go riding Christmas Day, too! I'll just have to remember to bring along some water.

Current mileage on the Walk Beyond Rivendell: 776.42. It's 143.58 miles more to Lothlorien.

I really had a lovely time at the park, but the parking's outrageous! $7 on weekends to park in the lots on the east side of the park. There's free parking on the west side, but no bike paths on the west side and no really good access, that I could see, from the west side to the east side via bike. (The park is divided on the north-south axis by the San Gabriel River, which also has a bike path, and something like three or four times on the east-west axis by major streets.) Maybe I'll go over to Featherly Park in Yorba Linda/East Anaheim on Christmas.

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Came in to work today a bit early because it's payday and the rent's due, so I needed time to get to the credit union to get the rent check. I'm still reeling in shock from the surprise of the bonus check! Do I really need to say that I visited the bike shop on the way to the CU? Dunno if they'll have it ready to be picked up this afternoon, or if I'll have a chance to get away from the office if they do, but definitely will have my bike in my possession tomorrow!!!!!!!!!! They're installing a rear rack, head- and tail-lights, and computer. Gotta buy a helmet. Good thing I was planning to do some shopping after work! I just never expected it to include stuff for me!

Another Week Done

I guess if I normally hit the gym five days a week on the way to work and also as many as four times each week on the way home from work as well as most Sundays, I think I'm entitled to blow off the occasional Friday morning stop, right?
Tuesday AM: 35 minutes on the elliptical, 2.40 miles
Tuesday PM: an hour on the treadmill, mostly at 2.5mph but also 15 minutes at 3.0, all at an incline of 3.0, 2.68 miles
Wednesday AM: got there later than I should have, so although I did get the whole weight-machine circuit done, I only had 10 minutes on the elliptical to get me warmed up. That was all at Level 4; 0.92 miles
Wednesday PM: on the bike for an hour, 10 minutes at Level 7, 10 minutes at L9, 5 minutes at L11, 10 minutes at L9, and 5 minutes of cooldown, 9.56 miles
Thursday AM: 40 minutes on the elliptical, back to the 10 minutes of Level 3 forward, 5 minutes L3 reverse, 5 minutes L3 forward, 10 minutes L4 forward, 5 minutes at L3 with two of those minutes in reverse, and 5-minute cooldown, 2.51 miles
Thursday PM: a total of 50 minutes on the treadmill mostly at 2.5 and 3.0 mph on a 3.0 incline, but with a few short periods at 3.1 mph (3 at one minute each and 1 energetic burst of 2 minutes), 2.30 miles
Total mileage from Bag End: 726.44 (268.44 miles from Rivendell toward Lothlorien).

OMG! I did it!!!

I registered for the Surf City 5K on February 3. Gotta speed up on the treadmill now.

And I've already started buying toys for my bike. Okay, a toy: one of those pouches that hang, via hook-n-loop straps, to the handlebars.

Gettin' Back in the Groove

Well, okay, I took it easy on myself this morning and only did 20 minutes (plus 5 cooldown) on the elliptical, and all of it forward and only Level 3. But I also got through the weight circuit for the first time in over two weeks. And tonight I got a bit more energetic on the stationary bike: 10 minutes at Level 7, 10 at L8, 5 at L9, 5 at L10, 5 at L11, then down to L9 for 5, down to L7 for 5 more, then the 5-minute cooldown. Over 11 miles in that 45-minute ride!

I didn't check the whole total, but that definitely puts me up over 700 miles from Bag End.

Envy!!!!!!

The green-eyed monster reared its ugly head earlier this week, and yesterday at the LNS had it roaring. Hearing Melissa's tale of her bike purchase just made it all the more agonizing that I don't yet have one. And after listening to her tell of the craptacular treatment she received at one of the bike shops nearest us, I didn't feel even the tiniest smidgen of guilt when I asked the young man at that same shop to haul a couple of different bikes down off that rack (unfortunately, only the middle rack, not the top-most one) for me to take to the parking lot to test the adage that you never do forget how to fall off a bicycle.

Well, okay, I didn't really fall off! But the smallest frame size is definitely too small. I was still looking at the Sedona at that shop, so both of the two sizes I test rode were that model. Then I headed over toward the Y, but ended up going on over to Carson Cyclery, the shop near work, to talk to Katie and Steve again. Katie set me up with a Giant Cypress W rather than the Sedona, since she believes, and I now agree with her, that this one will suit me better for accompanying Terri and Melissa on training rides and for doing my own riding. I plunked down a payment, taking advantage of their three-month layaway plan, and Katie said she'll also honor the free-gift offer that they currently have running. I'll definitely need a helmet, and I'm thinking of some kind of basket or something for carrying stuff, and maybe one of those snap-on/snap-off fender sets so I can ride through puddles without showering myself. And a cable type of lock, of course. The bike I'm buying has a dark grey-easing-to-beige finish on it.

Still easing back into workouts at the gym. Today I took a nice leisurely stroll to nowhere for a full hour, but kept the speed to 2.5mph, and held steady with the 3.0 incline. A leisurely bike ride to nowhere, too, though I did get a little more energetic with that, spending a total of 55 minutes (plus 5-minutes cooldown) on the bike mostly at Level 7 but with a 15-minute stretch at Level 8.

Easing Back In

Felt well enough last night to stop at the Y for a 45-minute bike ride to nowhere. More of the same tonight, probably. Or maybe a walk. Not quite feeling up to a full cardio workout or full cardio and weight circuit workout, but getting there.

Congratulations to Melissa on her new bike!! That model's the next step up from the one I'm looking at, the Sedona! Melissa's has the narrower road tires, whereas the Sedona has the wider comfort tires.

I'm Sick!

Went to the Y on the way to work last Tuesday morning and haven't been back since. And I think that makes me feel even crappier. But working out doesn't work so well when you have to keep stopping to hack up a lung. Well, okay, not really, but that's sure what it feels like!

I have found a bike shop near work that sells a better grade of bikes than the big-box stores do, and even has layaway!! After the creeping crud goes away, I'll go do some test drives and make a decision about which model.

Total mileage through November: 667.40

Latest Report

Monday 11-19: 40 minutes on the elliptical, at the same ol' same ol' 20 minutes at Level 3, 5 at Level 6, 5 at Level 3, 5 at Level 6, and 5 cooldown. 2.64 miles. Then the weight-training circuit. After work I stopped by and spent something like 30 minutes on the treadmill bouncing back and forth between 2.5 and 3.0 mph at an Incline of 3.0. 0.82 miles.
Tuesday 11-20: 8.75 miles on the stationary bike, but I didn't get out of the office early enough to make a repeat visit.
Wednesday 11/21: didn't get to the gym at all, but I don't remember why. Lazy, I guess.
Thursday 11/22: Y was closed for Thanksgiving Holiday. Worked on my holiday cards all day.
Friday 11/23: 40 minutes on the elliptical, at the same ol' same ol' 20 minutes at Level 3, 5 at Level 6, 5 at Level 3, 5 at Level 6, and 5 cooldown. 2.85 miles. Then the weight-training circuit. Didn't get away from work early enough for a return visit.
Saturday 11/24: day of rest.
Sunday 11/25: Back to my normal "wear myself out because the only time constraint is when the gym closes" Sunday. This time I went for the treadmill first. Set the Incline for 3.0, but the machine told me when I was done that my average incline was 2.5. Baffles the heck outta me, 'cause I never touched the Incline setting! Anyway, today I decided that I would go for a minimum of 5k, instead of arbitrarily stopping at 60 minutes. The first 5 minutes I spent getting warmed up, working up to 2.5mph. Then I alternated 10 minutes at 3.0mph with 5 minutes at 2.5mph until I reached 60 minutes. I kicked it up to 3.5mph, but only held that for 2.5 minutes, then dropped back down to 3.0. My 5-minute cooldown consisted of 2.5 at 2.5mph, then 2.5 at 2.0. It only took about 65 minutes to do the 5k. Total mileage: 3.33. Then an hour on the bike, starting at Level 7, then up to Level 10, down to Level 9, down to Level 7, up to Level 9, and the 5 minute cooldown that drops to L2 and then L1. 12.24 miles.
Total mileage from Bag End, through Rivendell, toward Lothlorien: 658.57.

Day One...

…of the new program was today. Met with Terry yesterday (Saturday) and was congratulated profusely not only by Terry but by anyone within hearing range. Don't know yet what kind(s) of congratulatory goodies are involved beyond the certificate of completion. Terry said this was her first finish in this particular Y.

The last day of the 12-Week Fitness Program was spent on the elliptical and the weight machines. I managed 2.75 miles Friday, and moved the level up one step. So, same old program for the elliptical, but at Level 3 and Level 6 instead of Level 2 and Level 5. Still only spending 5 minutes in reverse, but my speed is definitely increasing. Not as fast as forward, but better than it was.

Today I spent an hour on a bike ride to nowhere for 12.64 miles. Twenty minutes at Level 7, 5 at Level 10, 5 at Level 7, 5 at Level 10, 5 at Level 7, 15 at Level 9, and finally a 5-minute cooldown. Then an hour on the treadmill, bouncing back and forth between 2.5 and 3.0 mph, all at Incline 3.

Monday I start work 3 hours earlier, so I'll be getting up 3 hours earlier and hitting the Y three hours earlier. The cool thing about this shift is being able to stop at the Y on the way home, too. At least some nights. I'm sure not going to count on using the after-work time for my main workout; it'll just be used for extra time, like maybe getting back on the treadmill on a more regular basis. Even if I leave the office right at 8pm, by the time I get to the Y there's only about an hour left before they close.

A Week? Already?

Wow! Can't believe it's been so long since the last update.
Friday (11-9) was the usual cardio and weight training, continuing the "new" routine (which is now not so new). 2.92 miles.
Saturday (11-10) was my day of rest. Spent it at the LNS at the all-day Open Stitch Class, and Melissa and I walked the 1/3 or so of a mile to the restaurant and back during our lunch break. So I generously gave myself a half-mile of walking credit for the day. Not that shabby for a "day of rest."
Sunday I ended up not making it to the gym because friends invited me to lunch, then I went to run an errand and ended up having to visit two other stores to get what I needed. By then, it was too late to get to the Y. The main disadvantage to using the Y is the limited hours when you compare it with places like 24-Hour Fitness and Bally's. No walking credit for shopping.
Monday was pretty much a repeat of Friday, but with only 2.91 miles.
Tuesday (11-13) I got "lazy" and went for an hour-long bike ride to nowhere. 25 minutes at Level 7, 15 at Level 9, 5 at Level 10, 5 at Level 9, 5 at Level 7, and a 5-minute cooldown. 11.94 miles.
On Wednesday the battery in the MP3 player died and I discovered that rechargeable batteries have to be charged before use. 2.82 miles on the elliptical with the "new" routine and then the weight circuit.
Thursday I got to the gym and realized I'd forgotten to charge the batteries, so I went over to the CVS just up the block a bit and purchased a pack of batteries. Returned to the gym, got changed and ready to get to work, and found out the batteries had passed their freshness date. So it was a lonely journey, with just the machines to listen to. The same old "new" routine on the elliptical, for 2.99 miles, and then went for a walk to nowhere for the rest of the time available to me, for an additional 1.21 miles.
Total mileage from Bag End: 618.11
Mileage from Rivendell: 160.49
Current number of Shields: 24
This Saturday I meet with my trainer again, for the final week of my 12-week fitness program (and it's only taking 14!). Not sure when I get my completion certificate, or if this will be the meeting in which we establish my on-going fitness plan. After this the meetings will be quarterly. And yes, the rechargeable batteries are charging.

The Week So Far

On Wednesday, I continued with the new elliptical routine. And followed that up with the weight circuit. Then on Wednesday night I discovered I could now wear a pair of jammy pants that I'd never been able to wear before! I guess not wearing them will make them get bigger.

Thursday was all cardio, and I again continued with the new elliptical routine. Time on the stationary bike consisted of 10 minutes of Level 7, 5 minutes of Level 10, 5 minutes of Level 7, 5 minutes of Level 9, five minutes of Level 7, and then the 5-minute cooldown, which was pretty much Level 1.

Friday is cardio and weight training.

Fair Start…

…to the week. Could have been better, but then I'd still be dealing with electrical-system issues in my van if I hadn't taken Monday off from the gym to get that taken care of. Today I decided to vary my elliptical routine a bit and after 10 minutes at Level 2 going forward, 5 minutes at Level 2 going backward, then 5 minutes at Level 2 going forward again, I spent the next 5 minutes at Level 5, then 5 minutes back down at Level 2, then the final 5 minutes before Cooldown at Level 5. On the bike today, I spent 25 minutes at Level 7, then the final 5 minutes before Cooldown at Level 9. Tomorrow is weight circuit day. Have I mentioned how glad I am to have the van's assorted issues resolved and to be back at the gym?

Because of the van issues last week and because I'll be spending Saturday at the LNS at the all-day stitch class, I've scheduled my last meeting with Terry for the 17th of this month. Then there's one more week of the 12-week program left to do. And it's only going to take 14 weeks to get done! I'll get a certificate of completion and then set up a new fitness program that will have me meeting with a trainer every three months.

And it's because of the van issues that I'm having to put a hold on my bike acquisition. October was an expensive month, and the registration's due in December. At least I don't have to smog it this year! Although it'd certainly pass quite handily this time around.

I'm a Loser!!

Okay, so I don't recall exactly what the scale's ugly and depressing figure was last month, nor whether I weighed myself with or without my shoes, so I don't know how much the actual loss was. But it was somewhere between 7 and 10 pounds. And considering that I missed 4 days at the gym last week because of transportation issues, I think that's pretty darned good! For the record, it was shoes-off this time.
Finals for October:
14.85 miles walked on treadmills
121.11 miles on ellipticals and stationary bikes
135.96 total miles
555.95 cumulative miles from Bag End by way of Rivendell
As for today, I arrived a bit later than I'd originally planned, so again no time in the pool or spa. And again went for just stationary bike and treadmill. An hour on the bike, with 50 minutes at Level 7, 5 at Level 9, and the 5-minute cooldown at both Level 2 (2 minutes) and Level 1 (3 minutes). A full hour on the treadmill, too, with a bit over 8 minutes at 2.6 mph, about 44 minutes at 2.8 mph, and a hair over 7 minutes at 3.0 mph. And like last week, I opted not to take the whole 5-minute cooldown because the last couple of minutes are less than 1 mph. All but the cooldown period was at an Incline of 2.0.

What an Ugly Week…

…it's been. Only made it to the gym on Sunday and Monday because my poor van has been in the shop. I'll be picking it up tomorrow (Friday), and will pretty much consider this week a virtually total loss. I'll start over on Sunday for certain and may put in a bit of time at the gym on Saturday just to be able to say it wasn't a complete and total washout. What's really sucky about the whole thing is that when I started this week, I was down to the final two weeks of my 12-week fitness program!

Also, I went ahead and ordered the book Goal Sisters, and it arrived yesterday. I'll start reading it next week.

Weekly WrapUp

And, given the kind of week it's been, likely to include some reruns.
Monday: skipped the gym for some more pre-work errands. Which means two consecutive weight-training days skipped.
Tuesday: late start, so just the elliptical, 35 minutes at Level 2 and a 5-minute cooldown at Level 1; 2.84 miles.
Wednesday: another late start, so the elliptical, 35 minutes at Level 2 and a 5-minute cooldown at Level 1; 2.70 miles. And the weight-machine circuit.
Thursday: A little bit better showing, with an earlier arrival at the gym. Elliptical, 35 minutes at Level 2 and a 5-minute cooldown at Level 1; 2.74 miles. Stationary bike, 15 minutes at Level 7 and a 3-minute cooldown at Level 2; 3.54 miles.
Friday: Elliptical, 35 minutes at Level 2 and a 5-minute cooldown at Level 1; 2.69 miles. And the weight-machine circuit.
Saturday: rest day.
Sunday: Wear myself to a frazzle day: no time on the elliptical, but the Stationary Bike for 35 minutes at Level 7, 5 minutes at Level 8, 5 at Level 9, then a 5-minute cooldown at Level 1; 10.11 miles. Treadmill at Incline 2.0 and 2.5mph for 60 minutes, followed by a cooldown of only three minutes, because the first minute of cooldown dropped the incline to 0.0 and 2.0mph, the second dropped the speed to 1.5mph, and the third dropped the speed to 1.0mph. But when the speed dropped to 0.5mph, I decided that was just too damned slow and shut the machine down. 2.57 miles. Then I opted out of using the pool and/or spa, changed my clothes, and came home.

I'm now 553.14 miles from Bag End. That's a bit over 100 miles past Rivendell. I also increased my time on the elliptical to 35 (plus the 5-minute cooldown) this week, so all the (pre-cooldown) elliptical time was at Level 2.

This is the one I want

(today, anyway) Schwinn Cimarron
• Ladies’ Cimarron 21-speed bike by Schwinn features Inspired Comfort-Tuned 7005 Aluminum with SR M2000 suspension fork
• Shimano rear derailleur with SRAM 21-speed grip shift; alloy linear pull brakes; Suntour alloy crank
• Spring saddle seat on alloy suspension seat post for maximum comfort
• Schwinn riser handlebar with alloy adjustable stem; rustproof alloy rims with stainless steel spokes

Sunday Roundup

Catching up:
Friday: Had a bunch of errands to run before work so I skipped the gym, thinking maybe I could squeeze in a visit on Saturday. Ha.
Saturday: The best-laid plans… Spent the day having my van worked on, and they still aren’t finished, so I’ll be taking it back next Saturday.
Sunday:
Elliptical: L2 for 25 minutes, L3 for 5 minutes, + 5-minute cooldown (L1); 2.57 miles.
Stationary Bike: L7 for 40 minutes, L8 for 5 minutes, + 5-minute cooldown (L2); 9.91 miles.
Also decided to spend some time in the pool, so I changed into my suit, stuffed my hair into swim cap, doused myself in the shower, then went into the pool. For about 5 minutes. I'm sure it’s all—or at least mostly—in my head, but I felt the water was pressing in on my chest and my breathing was nowhere near smooth and relaxed. Kinda hard to swim when you’re feeling like that. And it’s literally been a couple of decades since I was last in a pool. Baby steps. Climbed out and parboiled myself for about 10 minutes or so in the spa.
Current mileage on the road to Lothlorien: 525.95.

One of the stops I made on Friday was a bike shop. Much as I’d love to have a Trek bike, they’re just a bit out of my price range right now. So I'll be looking closer at the offerings at WallyWorld and KMart. WallyWorld carries Schwinn and Roadmaster. I like the looks of the Schwinn Avalon, but the women’s version comes in a purple that tends toward the red range, though not closely enough to be a true red-violet. That is just so not my color! The clerk said the men’s version is green and pointed to another bike and said, “Like that,” which turned out to be about DMC 699 or 700, or perhaps 910ish, but I don’t think it was that blue a green. I could live with that. But I’ll keep looking. I was so intent on the Avalon model that I didn’t really pay much attention to the Roadmaster bikes. I also need to see what KMart carries. And maybe Sears, Target, and Jacques Penné. I can’t see spending the bigger bucks for the Trek bikes if I don’t know how much time I’ll actually be riding. At this point, it’s certainly not going to be more than two days a week—Saturday and Sunday—if that.

Mid-Week Update

Monday:
Elliptical: Level 2, 30+5 minutes, 2.18 miles
Weight Circuit
Tuesday:
Elliptical: Level 2, 30+5 minutes, 2.26 miles
Stationary Bike: Level 7, 25+5 minutes, 5.67 miles
Wednesday:
Elliptical: Level 2, 30+5 minutes, 2.34 miles
Weight Circuit
I keep forgetting to mention that starting on Sunday, I increased the "reverse" time on the elliptical to 5 minutes.
Total mileage from Bag End: 513.47
Location on the journey: 55.47 miles from Rivendell. We'll soon reach a stream and turn west on the trek to Moria.

Is it true?

I found this in the "Fitness Tips" on my Google homepage. Should I be hitting the home treadmill when I get up in the morning?

Do Cardio. The overall best way to shed fat fast is to do cardio (30 min minimum) right when you wake up. Your body will search for energy to use, when it finds nothing in your stomach, it will go directly to your fat storage for energy and the fat will burn up so fast!

Catching Up

Friday, the last day of a long, stressful week, was weight-circuit day, so the mileage was only from the elliptical: Level 2, 30+5 minutes, 2.31 miles.
Saturday was my day of rest and consisted primarily of sitting and stitching and walking around my favorite needlework shop spending money. Melissa and I opted to walk to the restaurant where we had lunch, so each of us gave ourselves 0.25 mile of walking credit for the day.
Sunday is the day I usually overwork myself at the gym, since it's pretty much the only open-ended day I have for working out, limited only by what time I get there and the 6pm closing time.
Elliptical: Level 2 for 30+5 minutes, 2.39 miles
Stationary Bike: Level 7 for 45+5 minutes, 10.70 miles
Treadmill: Incline 2.0, Speed 2.5-2.6mph, for 35 minutes, 1.50 miles
Total mileage for the day: 14.59
Mileage on the Road to Lothlorien: 501.02

Hectic Week

And a stressful one at work. I don't think one night has gone entirely smoothly. Yuck.
Monday the 8th was weight-circuit day, so only 2.31 miles on the elliptical, at level 2 for 30+5 minutes, and then the weight machines.
Tuesday:
Elliptical: Level 2 for 30+5 minutes; 2.07 miles.
Treadmill: Incline 2, Speed 2.4 mph; 1.40 miles.
Wednesday:
Elliptical: Level 2 for 30+5 minutes; 2.10 miles
Weight-training circuit.
Thursday:
Elliptical: Level 2 for 25 minutes and Level 5 for 5 minutes, plus 5-minute cooldown; 2.14 miles.
Bike: Level 7 for 30+5 minutes.
It was a really lazy day Thursday. I think the stressful week is catching up with me, because I just couldn't get any decent speed going on the elliptical. Plus there was some lower-back tension/stiffness, which is why I opted to go for a bike ride instead of a walk. I've also been sleeping half an hour later each morning than I normally do, which means I'm getting out of the house a bit later, and that's cutting into my workout time and the reason I haven't done any biking or walking on weight-training days so far this week. It was the inability to get up to and maintain a decent speed on the elliptical this morning that made me punish myself with the higher level for that last 5 minutes before cooldown.
Total mileage on the Road to Lothlorien (from Bag End): 483.87.

Two Months

It’s been two months since I joined the Y and started working out. And since I like Melissa’s listing of the various activities, I think I’ll start doing the same, beginning today.
Elliptical: Level 2 for a total of 35 minutes (30 minutes plus a 5-minute cooldown)—2.46 miles
Treadmill: Incline 2.0, Speed 2.3 mph for 35 minutes—1.34 miles
Stationary Bike: Level 7 for 25 minutes (20 minutes plus a 5-minute cooldown)—5.09 miles
Total mileage today: 8.89
That’s a new level on the elliptical; I’ve been exercising at Level 1 until today, although last week I began increasing the level for part of my workout. And still only 4 minutes of that time is spent in reverse (and at a slower speed than forward).
And I'm on my way from Rivendell to Lothlorien.

I'm There!!

Made it to Rivendell this morning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Closing in on Rivendell

Good day today, though I felt a bit slow on the elliptical. But that may be variations in individual machines, since my mileage was about average for this week, and the slowness may actually have been in my head. I then went for 40 minutes on the bike, and decided I could spare 5 more minutes and spent that time on the treadmill. Based on past performance, I should make Rivendell Friday, even though it's a weight-machine day (I've never figured out how to convert my weight-machine time to mileage). I also figure I need better walking shoes. The problem there is deciding which shoe type is best for what I'm doing right now: walking, running (don't actually plan on doing much of that any time soon, but who knows?), or cross-trainer. Now where do I go to buy a good jock bra? I also keep eyeing the bike trails along the rivers and flood-control channels as I'm driving from the Y to work. Is there a bike in my future?

"The task ahead of you…

…is never greater than the strength within you." Scott Bassett, challenged athlete

I found that one yesterday at the gym while perusing a magazine while on the bike. The magazine is Competitor (or maybe Competition; now I can't remember!), and is geared to runners, walkers, bikers, and triathletes, and this particular issue included an extensive discussion of challenged athletes. This isn't the first copy of this magazine I've scanned while biking, and I always think of Terri and Melissa (and Terri's Kahuna) when I'm looking at it. And am thinking of getting myself back on the treadmill (I can't believe how I've neglected that since joining the Y!) and training and preparing to join them some time in one of their walks.

It's Day 27 on the journey from Bag End to Rivendell, the 14th day from Weathertop. Within the next few miles we'll be confronting the Nazgul. And since Aragorn has always been one of my favorite characters in The Trilogy, I think I'll join him when the Fellowship leaves Rivendell.

Brand New Month

But off to a kinda mediocre start. I'm not sure if I was late getting to the Y or just pokey today, but I didn't get any bike time at all. 35 minutes on the elliptical, including 4 minutes in reverse, and the weight-training circuit and I needed to head for work. I'll make up for it tomorrow.

And, since it was the first of the month, I got on the scale. I keep telling myself that I'm building muscle—and I know I'm losing girth—but I'm down only about 3 pounds since the last time I weighed, a month or so ago, IIRC.

I'm now within 36 miles of Rivendell. It's October 19, the 26th day since leaving Bag End, and the 13th since Weathertop. I've passed the Stone Trolls and Frodo is now on Glorfindel's horse.

Congratulations to BunnyRunner Melissa on her day at the gym today, and to Girly-Girl Terri on running in the rain!

Past 400!!!!!!!

I totaled up my distance for the last two days, then added that to the previous mileage, and I'm now within 50 miles of Rivendell!!

Another Slow Day

Once again I was a few minutes late getting away, so that cut back on the bike time (18 minutes again), but today was also weight training. The mileage is now up to 392.7. Goodness, only a fraction over 65 miles to Rivendell! But I still think it's odd that some days the 3 sets of 10 reps on the machines are nothing, but other days it's hard to get through them all.

Week 6, Day 2

Technically, I suppose, I should have posted the weekly update yesterday, but my friends and I were busy celebrating the Angels winning their division. I sacrificed most of the game because I went to the gym, but caught the important parts. I went into the gym knowing they had a 3-0 lead and came out (what was up with ESPN Sunday, anyway? not even a scroll on the bottom of the screen!) to a 5-2 lead. Got home in time to actually watch the last 9 outs. And the clubhouse celebration.

Today I got out of the house a bit late so I only had 15 minutes to spare for the bike after the 30 on the elliptical and then the weight machines before I had to leave for work. I've now gone 377.27 miles and am 80 and a fraction from Rivendell. With still no clue which path I'll follow from there.

Current Mileage

…is 360.91, and it's 97.09 miles to Rivendell. I now have 14 shields on the "Walk to Rivendell" site. Tomorrow's my day off from exercise and I fully intend to relax as completely as possible! 30 minutes on the elliptical, then the weight-training routines (and the Leg Press is finally back in service!), then 30 minutes on the bike today. My right leg/knee is still a bit stiff/tight, but it loosens up quite nicely after a warmup.

The new NHL catalog came today, and I looked through it thinking of rewards. Can you say "Ovechkin jersey"? Yeah, I thought you could!

Ain't Much

But I discovered today that at least one pair of pants is looser than before.

A Touch of Slack

Okay, just a little touch. I blew off the bike time today. The added effort yesterday, coupled with the weight machines today, left my legs pooped. So it was just the elliptical (did I mention that "reverse" is hard on leg muscles, too?) and the weight machines today. And the Leg Press still hasn't been repaired, so I have to use the one in the other room. Where they apparently don't believe in fans, so instead of doing everything in that room, I did everything but the Leg Press in the usual room, then wandered over to the Lifestyle Center (or whatever the name is) only for the Leg Press.

I keep forgetting…

…to mention that I've begun including some "reverse" time in my elliptical time. Got up to 3 minutes going backwards today. My bike time today was again at the higher-effort rate instead of the "fat-burn" option, and my total mileage is now up to 373.74. It's the 22nd day from Bag End and the 9th from Weathertop. It's 84.26 miles more to Rivendell, where I'll have to decide which route I'm continuing on.

The Best-Laid Plans

Overslept on Friday just a bit and then ran into traffic problems on the way to Van Nuys, so I skipped the Y on Friday. I'd promised some of the people that I'd be there by a certain time so we could go visit the LA County Coroner's gift shop, Skeletons in the Closet, which turned out to be a very popular destination. Saturday was studio-tour day and with a knee that was making "I'm being abused" noises (or maybe not making noises, since it felt like it needed to pop, but wouldn't), I didn't want to risk injury on Saturday. And then, of course, FanFest hours coincided with the Y's operating hours for Sundays, so today was the first day back to the gym since Thursday. So weight training got bumped to this morning from the usual Sunday. And I did some extra time on the bike after the initial cardio on the elliptical and then the weight machines. Again, I used a different setting that was more cardio than fat-burn. And I'll keep doing penance this week to make up for my slacking last week. But I had a really good time at FanFest!

Another New Quote

...also from Melissa's blog: “You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you.” –Brian Tracy

Since FanFest started today, I opted to utilize one of the other Ys, one in a more practical location with respect to where I was starting the day (at home in Anaheim) and where I was going (to Van Nuys). This was especially important to me today because it's a strength-training day and because the FanFest events for Sunday won't allow me to go to the Y on Sunday, which means missing the first day of Week 5. I think if I had to use the Van Nuys Y on a regular basis, I'd be hard pressed to make myself go. Of course, I suppose that if I lived in that area I'd be accustomed to their equipment, so I guess it's really a matter of what you're used to. I had to increase the weights on the weight machines because with most of them I just didn't feel any resistance. Well, one more day of Van Nuys, and tomorrow's just cardio. Then it's back to normal.

Lazy Today

Still feeling a bit whooped today, so I spent 50 minutes on one of the bikes, on a different setting, and no time at all on the elliptical. I chose "Manual" and set the level for about 6, which requires a lot more effort than the "fat burn" setting I normally use. So only about 8 miles farther along on my trek to Rivendell.

Tomorrow is the first day of the NCIS FanFest, so I'll have to get up earlier and hit the gym on the way to Van Nuys.

Another Mantra

“Ambition is the path to success but persistence is the vehicle you arrive in.” Found this one in a blog in Melissa's FitRoll.

On Sunday the cable on the Leg Extension machine snapped (and three of us stopped what we were doing and scrambled around the corner to check on the fellow who was using the machine when the cable broke) and it’s still awaiting a new cable. And I arrived at the Y too late today to utilize the other room of equipment. So today’s weight-machine routines lacked the Leg Extension machine. I dropped the weight on the Abdominals machine: it was taking too much effort to operate the machine, and getting hurt isn’t in my plan. So that one’s down from 50 pounds to 30. Better to start again a bit lower and work my way up. For some reason, I was really tired (physically) today, so I was a bit poky on the elliptical. And a little slower on the bike, too, I thought, but my bike mileage for today is the same as yesterday’s.

300!

Miles, that is. It's day 3 from Weathertop, Day 17 from Bag End. Approximately 2/3 of the way to Rivendell.

I added a bit of walking today, since I had to take the van in to find out why the climate-control fan was making strange noises and had such a low output, and took public-transit from the heating & air-conditioning shop to the Y. The usual 30 minutes on the elliptical for cardio and then 40 minutes on a bike (the conventional style bike, not the recumbent style) at the training heart-rate (between fat-burn and cardio). I select the fat-burn option on the bike, then just go like a bat outta hell, and that really jacks up the distance covered.

Week 4, Day 1

Today I started the new weight-machine routine. The last three weeks have consisted of Leg Extension (20 lbs), Leg Curl (20 lbs), Hip Adduction (60 lbs), Hip Abduction (50 lbs), Tricep Extension (25 lbs), and Arm Curl (20 lbs). Today I added 5 pounds to each of the lower-body machines, and started on 5 more machines: Leg Press (50 lbs), Chest Press (15 lbs), Back Extension (50 lbs), Abdominals (50 lbs), and Rotary Twist (50 lbs). Each of these is 3 sets of 10 reps, with the Rotary Twist consisting of 3 sets in each direction. The usual 30 minutes on the elliptical to start with, and because I didn't have to be anywhere after the elliptical and the weight machines, I then spent 35 minutes on one of the bikes.

One reward: an authentic Angels jersey, numbered 11 and named Fregosi. The goal: When I get down to a 2X that'll fit over my hips.

Saturday Update

It's the second day from Weathertop now, and 270.74 miles from Bag End in Hobbitton. More than halfway to Rivendell.

Got to the Y early enough today to do 30 minutes on the elliptical before meeting with Terry. We talked about my progress—how would I evaluate my 3 weeks so far? And I have to say it's been completely successful, with me more than meeting the 3-times-per-week recommendation. We also discussed my work on the various weight machines and how those were going. I am going to up the weight on the lower-body machines by 5 pounds, and we set weights and routines (3 sets of 10 reps, just like the others) for 4 other machines. Or maybe it was five; I forget! Then I did another 35 minutes on the recumbent-style bike (the other kind, of which there are only two in that section, wasn't available). Saturday is supposed to be my resting day, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to make up for the 3 days of rest last weekend.

The other night while I was perusing the latest catalog from Daedalus Books, I came across a book called Goal Sisters, by Ann Leach and Michelle Beaulieu Pillen. "What woman has ever achieved a goal, made a change, or survived a transition without the support of her friends?" I Googled the title and am sorely tempted to order the book.

But what are my goals? Beyond the honestly rather vague long-term goal of "better health," what am I hoping to achieve? Do I have any short-term goals? What are they? What are my rewards to myself for achieving those short-term goals? I'm still pondering the answers to those questions.

Why is it…

…that some weight machine days are easier than others? Some days (and yes, I'm alternating cardio-only and cardio-and-weights days) the routines go so easily that I wonder if I've actually done all the sets, while others it's almost impossible to complete that third set. Oh, well, I guess it's one of those deep philosophical puzzlers, like The Meaning of Life. Anyway, today I dawdled a bit on the way to the gym, so I only had time for the cardio and the (will I make it all the way?) weights, and no time for a bike ride. My worst nemesis is the arm curl and its wimpy 20 pounds. I can't believe how hard it is to finish that last set each time. And I'm thinking of adding a bit of weight to both the hip adduction and hip abduction, and just can't decide if it should be 5 or 10 pounds (one is currently 50 and the other is 60). That's one of the things I'll talk with Terry about on Saturday, along with maybe adding some more machines.

I love you, Melissa! Your comments were just what I needed!! I'm going to avoid the nasty little metal devil.

Weathertop!

I reached Weathertop today! I've also made the appointment to meet with Terry, the trainer, on Saturday. And, ugh, I also made the mistake of getting on the scale at the Y today. Since I don't know what my starting weight was, it's pretty meaningless in terms of "what have I accomplished," but I also know that I'm building muscle right now more than I'm burning fat. So I'll stay away from that thing for at least another month. Or maybe longer.

Mantra

This came from Terri, who found it in Duane's blog and is a comment to him from Kim:

“Lose weight (you are not losing anything… you are GAINING health and fitness) - Diet (has negative connotations, you are fueling), working out (it is not work it is fun and you ARE an athlete so you TRAIN), you are not fat (you are an Olympic caliber athlete whose body is surrounded by a foreign mass that is keeping you from being in optimal health - it is NOT YOU).”

And, like Terri, I think it rocks. Tomorrow breaks the 3-day long fast from my workouts, and I honestly can't wait to get moving again. I've missed it and am feeling just a bit incomplete at the moment.

Long Weekend, Long Break

And I miss my workouts! The new schedule is really trying to mess me up, but I'm not going to let that happen. Yesterday (Sunday, one of my weight-machine days) I stopped at the Carson-Gardena Y to check on their Sunday hours. They open at noon on Sundays, so I'll just start work a bit late and do my Sunday workouts there for the time being. No time today, but it's nice knowing I can continue with my Sunday workouts even though I'm working Sundays and the Ys are open limited hours. And for the rest of the week, I'll just keep going in the morning on the way to work.

Wow!

Over two hundred miles now! And a discovery last night at the ballpark which proved it's all been worth it: while the stadium seats are still snug, they're not compressively so, and for the first time in several years I came home without my hips in agony from the squeezing!

Midgewater Marshes

I'm traversing the Midgewater Marshes now, and am reaching the point where the company can see flashes of light on Weathertop.
Didn't get to stop at the gym tonight on the way home as things were pretty crazy at work for way too long. Up to 25 minutes on the elliptical now, with speed increasing daily. And the mileage really racks up when you put the bike on "Fat Burn" mode. I'm still not very good at keeping my heart rate down at the FB mode, still tending toward somewhere between "Fat Burn" and "Cardio." 35 minutes this morning in the "Fat Burn" mode cranked the daily mileage up past 14 after I added the elliptical mileage. But I still wish I'd been able to get out of the office a bit earlier.

Bree and Beyond

Bree is now 3 days behind me. And I really didn't want to have to put up with another schedule change! It seems the new guy is leaving us already, and so I'll be starting later and staying later again. I stopped at the Y on the way to work this morning, and will continue doing so until we find a replacement and get that person trained. I also managed to get out of the office just early enough to give me 30 minutes of workout time, so I did another 25 minutes on the elliptical on the way home. I'll need those extra workouts until the replacement is trained, since I won't be able to visit the Y on Sundays.

Ouch!

Why is it that the third day of weight machines hurts worse than the first two days of weight machines?

Approaching Bree

Yesterday I did just cardio, on both the elliptical and one of the bikes (again, the recumbant style). Today I did cardio on the elliptical, 3 sets of 10 reps on each of the weight machines, and then finished up with cardio on the bike. Tom Bombadil is returning home and Strider is watching but staying away.

12-Week Fitness Program

Week One, Day One: 18 minutes of cardio on the elliptical. 3 sets of 10 reps on each of 4 lower-body weight machines and 2 upper-body weight machines. Then 25 more minutes of cardio on one of the recumbent-style bikes. And just under 10 miles more toward Rivendell. It's about a dozen or so more miles to Bree.

Meeting the Trainer

Yesterday I met with the trainer, Terry, and we discussed my goals and my barriers (to achieving those goals), and then established the beginning routines (weights, reps, and sets) on 4 lower-body and 2 upper-body machines. Didn't get started yesterday, but did learn that the Y is open on Sundays for a few hours. I'm planning to head over there later today. They don't open until 1pm on Sundays, so there's no point in leaving much before then. I don't really want to do the grocery shopping before then, as I'd have to leave the groceries in the van while I'm in the gym. I'm just not sure how much distance those machines are worth and how much distance credit I should give myself toward Rivendell for using those machines. Anyway, this 12-week program is pretty much a self-guided program. Terry and I will meet again in 3 weeks to evaluate my progress and to make whatever adjustments are necessary in my routine.

My Butt Aches

The so-far typical 10 minutes (plus 3 minutes cool-down) on the elliptical, then 10 minutes (again, plus 3 cool-down) on the taller stationary bike, both with the heart rate between fat-burn and cardio, then on the shorter (recumbent?) bike, I set it for "fat burn" mode for 15 minutes (plus 3 minutes cool-down). Over 9 miles closer to Rivendell, and now nearly a quarter of the way!

Tomorrow's Friday, so it's just the morning treadmill walk, but I did get up to .75 mile on this morning's walk. Also, some time tomorrow I'll need to call the Y to confirm the appointment with Terri for Saturday morning.

Oh yeah: HP1 is finally on its way to me. Some time next week I'll begin listening to that during my workouts.

I've also just checked the Shield Maidens site (but can't get logged in; they must be having server issues again), and I've left Tom Bombadil's and am entering the Barrow-Downs. I'm guessing that some time next week I'll be in Bree and will finally meet up with one of my all-time favorite characters: Aragorn.

Latest Update

I made an appointment with the trainer for Saturday, but have to confirm it on Friday. My workout currently consists of 10 minutes (plus 3-minute cooldown) on the elliptical, and 10 minutes (again, plus the 3-minute cooldown) each on two different styles of stationary bike. My heart rate, on each of these devices, is about midway between the rate for fat-burning and the rate for cardio. I'm not as pooped tonight as I was last night, but I selected a lower level on the elliptical tonight. Of course, I'm still doing my morning walk here at home.

And they've posted a sign stating that they'll be closed on Labor Day. Already I'm missing my workout, and it's 3 weeks away!

Trainer Time

I stopped in at the Y on Saturday morning to talk with a trainer about all those Rube Goldberg contraptions and will be setting up an appointment tonight for next Saturday to get all the paperwork going for a 12-week personal fitness thing.

Slouching toward Rivendell

Last night my progress, scattered among the elliptical and two different types of stationary bike, exceeded 4 miles. I'm not even in agony, though I am a bit stiff in spots. Admittedly, though, I'm not trying to kill myself, but to increase each workout gradually. I'm planning to stop in this weekend to talk with some trainers about how to use those other Rube Goldberg contraptions.

Life Changes

I did it: Last Friday I joined the "Y." And on Monday made my first visit. Couldn't go Tuesday because of work, but went today. I stop there on my way home. Just taking baby steps because, of course, I need to be able to crawl out of bed the next day and actually move around and function. I need to stop by there some time when the trainers are around so that they can show me how to operate the assorted Rube Goldberg contraptions found in gyms. I have the elliptical, the bike, and the stairstepper thingy figured out. I'll also generally only be able to go four days each week as work permits--although work shouldn't interfere very often; I think this occasion was a fluke. But that's four days more than zero days! I even bought myself a MP3 player device and subscribed to an audio-book rental program. I'm waiting for Harry Potter 1 right now.