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!