No Rub?

    I just realized that my thighs don't rub together when I walk. Okay, that may not sound like a big deal to a lot of people, but to me it is a Big Friggin' Deal. I can't remember a time when I didn't hear the faint soughing of fabric keeping time with every step like a hissing metronome. I am not sure how long my thighs have been Rub-Free, it may have been a little while, it is not as blatantly noticeable when something is missing. So, just to test it out, I did several laps around the office. Yes, I was alone, there were no witnesses. Still No Rub. I will get out and walk the great outdoors soon to further test this anomaly. Hopefully, it is here to stay and not an aberration. Yes, I am tweaking on this more than just a little bit.

Aqua-Jogger

    Just two workouts in and I am kind of enamored of the flotation belt. Aptly named "The Aqua-Jogger" it holds me in a vertical position and lets me "run" and "cycle" on the deep end of the pool. I have been doing 3/4 laps, cycling down and running back, for a solid 20 minutes at a stretch, working muscles and cardio hard. Moving my legs in the circular bicycling motion is working my glutes and hamstrings, as well as hip flexors. When "running" I am working my quads and core hard. An advantage of doing these exercises under water is the added resistance on the "upstroke" of every stride. When running, having the extra strength to lift and move the leg forward is paramount in having an easy stride. When cycling, being able to lift and pull as well as push through the whole circular motion of pedaling will add speed, strength and stamina to my cycling. As I do both strides I am working my arms and core, being cognizant of all the muscles of my body working together to make motion happen. Moving arms and shoulders, activating my core and abs helps to power my legs. I have known this theoretically, and have tried to implement it when running and cycling, but being essentially weightless, and not distracted by incidentals like footing or knee pain, lets me really notice how my entire body is engaged in moving forward. It is revealing, educating, an epiphany. And if nothing else, it is adding another asskicking element to the Winter Regiment.  

Long and Strong

    Winter Workout Regiment has been implemented and active for a week now. Today I am pleasantly sore from head to toe, so it must be working. After monday's Cycle and Run, and Leg Workout I felt fantastic. My legs felt great, my stamina was decent, and my breathing was good. Last night was Swim Night, and I did a repeat of last thursday: swim 20 laps, 20 minutes "cycle" and "run" with float belt, swim 20 laps, 20 minutes with the float belt, swim 10 laps. True, I did fewer laps, but I ran out of time. The last 10 laps were hard, I won't lie, I didn't want to do them. But I tell myself that it is the last few laps, whether swimming or running, that I am almost too tired to complete, that are the laps that really matter when building strength and stamina. It is really no different than lifting weights "to failure." I felt good during my swim and find that I can push myself harder and longer. I was amused to realize that I was almost overheating, I was pushing myself that well. Funny to feel "hot and sweaty" in a cool pool. I think I was doing something right.
    After my swim I came home and broke out the mini Slosh Tubes for 30 minutes of ab and core work. 3 sets, 20 reps each: standing with 5' across shoulders, bending at waist and rotating tube in figure 8; standing, 24" tube in each hand, moving arms  in large figure 8 from side to side;  full sit-up with 5' tube held straight armed and up towards the ceiling; twisting crunch with 5' tube held against chest and rotated in a figure 8; twisting crunch with 24" tubes, touching tube to the floor on either side. I gotta say, after a hard swim it is not easy to get in an ab/core workout. It was fatiguing.
    During each swim I am trying to focus on one small aspect of my technique. Of course, every swim I work on good stroke technique; long, strong and good speed. Last night I also worked on hand positioning throughout the entire stroke, including where and how my hand enters the water. I need to keep my hands relaxed, fingers slightly separated, hand cupped, and "grabbing and holding" the water to pull myself through. Sometimes I get so focused on technique that I almost forget to breathe.
    I am also incorporating Fartlek/Speedplay in some of my laps. To swim faster I know I need to move my arms faster, but I also have to lengthen my stroke. I am trying to find the perfect balance of long, easy stroke, and quick, powerful stroke. For endurance swimming I need to find my Race Pace; a steady, long, strong stroke. I need to use the rotation of my torso in the water, as well as my core muscles to lend power and perpetual motion to my swim. There is so much to be cognizant of for a successful endurance swim that it is nearly mind-boggling. For now, I am focusing on my arms and body, using a pull buoy so that it takes my legs entirely out of the equation. I am trying to build muscle memory as well as strength, power and endurance. I am succeeding, slowly but surely. By next season's first Tri I should be able to kick ass on my previous times. Now to get over the whole Creature-lurking-in-the-murk-waiting-to-drag-me-into-the-weeds-and-suck-the-flesh-from-my-bones Phobia. But one thing at a time. For now, Swim Long and Strong.

Cycle And Run

    In constant pursuit of new things to do to my body in the name of fitness, I am always experimenting with variations on a theme. Last night I put the spare bike up on the roller stand (no, sadly, Not Joshua, his hubs won't fit into the roller's brackets). I confess, cycling indoors is even more tedious than running on a treadmill, but I am adding it to the regiment. I am wanting to run more, but need to be cautious with my delicate knees. The knees have been aching a bit lately, but then so has the rest of my body. I call it "The Princess and the Pea Syndrome," when my whole body gets hypersensitive, even slight pressure can make me ache, and gods forbid I should have a tag in my clothing, it will make me crazy. But as for my knees, I am trying to be gentle, or as gentle as I can be, and continue to train for trail runs and other upcoming races. So, out comes the bike. Yes, I need to train on the bike for Triathlons as well, but it is also a great way to build strength and stamina for running without the impact.
    So last night I decided to do a routine to combine both cycling and running. 10 hard minutes on the bike. Run 1 mile at good speed. 10 hard minutes on the bike. Run half mile with Fartlek/speedplay/hills. 10 hard minutes on bike. Half mile run at near race pace. I was surprised at how hard I worked my legs, heart and lungs. Not to mention that it left me trembling and dripping sweat. It was great! I followed this with some legwork, 3 sets x 15/20 reps: Kettleball swing; wide lunge, knee to floor; front leg lift; jump squat; calf raise; ass to grass prisoner squat; single legged squat; side step with resistance band. Finally 15 minutes of stretching. It was about 1.75 hours of hard work, and left me feeling pleasantly exhausted and slightly queasy, as a good workout should. I think this will be a twice a week routine for a bit, to see how it works for me.
    As the days get shorter, and the rains become constant, I am getting myself set up to have no excuses to slack on either my running or my cycling. Slacking is not an option. So, the bike stays in the living room, on rollers, next to the treadmill. The gym in the garage is progressing, though not quite as quickly as I would like because I am trying to do it right instead of do it fast and dirty. I am building my assortment of "Tools" so I can abuse... errr, I mean Train, my body to the utmost. I do not need a membership to a gym, or a personal trainer, I am my own trainer. Yes, some days I do not push myself as hard as a trainer might, but I am damned consistent. And I push myself hard. I do wish my stamina and speed were increasing more quickly, but I know that I just have to give it time, not push myself to the point of injury, and slowly but surely add to my base. I need to remember to Look at How Far I Have Come, not how far I have to go. And I have Come Far.

Balance?

    I have realized that it is difficult to find the right balance in my nutrition. I hit my ideal weight, and do not want to drop below that point. But in order to maintain, with my higher intensity workouts, I am actually having to eat more. This leads to me dropping my guard, and eating with a bit more abandon. I have found myself slipping into the mindset that since I do workout hard, I can kinda eat what I want. This is patently Untrue! I fell into this mindset over the years, when my weight stayed fairly stable, but 60 pounds higher than what it is now. Back in the days when I felt like it was okay to be more "full-figured" since I was healthy, strong, and active. Well, I am still healthy, strong and active, but a helluva lot slimmer. And I want to keep it that way. Besides, the consumption of forbidden delicacies have been wreaking painful havoc on my gastrointestinal tract. So, I am chastising myself a bit for a cavalier attitude towards food that has befallen me the last few weeks. Sure, I don't like to be obsessive, compulsive, neurotic and difficult with my eating, but I think I must be. I need to get back to the "all or nothing" mentality that has served me well the last 9 months. I was doing great towards the end of my racing season, upping my caloric intake carefully, and maintaining my fighting weight. But the last few weeks have had several celebrations that allowed me to step away from my "normal" foods, and indulge in delicious decadence just a bit. Oh sure, I was careful, but it is so easy to take the first couple of steps down that pathway, and before you know it you are a mile into the jungle, lost, and eating anything that comes into hand.
    Yes, I do think about this frequently. Maybe I spend far too much time analyzing it, overthinking as usual. But it is a topic that cannot be ignored. Garbage In, Garbage Out. I won't let that happen. I need Rocket Fuel. Pure, unadulterated, healthy Fuel for the machine that is Body. So I look back on my few days of decadence, and I do know that there will be the occasional decadent day in my future, but I need to make them few and far between. I will NOT allow myself to get lost in the jungle.

Slosh Tube Test Run

    The Slosh Tubes are a success. I went kind of easy on myself, adding six exercises into my regular upper body workout. With the 5' tube, 20 reps x 3 sets each: for shoulders and core I did a basic over the head swing, back and forth; braced across the shoulders for a simple figure 8 pivot; sit-ups holding the tube straight-armed and up towards the ceiling during the entire move; and a crunch-type move holding the tube against the chest, and pivoting at the waist. With the Indian Clubs, 20 reps x 3 sets: large figure 8 swing, alternating hands; crunch-type move, pivoting at the waist, swinging arms side to side, touching clubs to the ground on either side.
    Doing the movements, feeling the muscles being worked, I can already see how this addition to the regiment will have benefits not only to muscle definition and strength, but in performance. I could feel the muscles in my core and sheathing my torso moving with strength and fluidity while being happily exhausted. This in turn will add power to my swim, as well as helping power my running and cycling. Not to mention my impending Fire Academy, with ax swinging and hose hauling aplenty. I am going to the Academy as the oldest recruit by at least 25 years, and have heard stories of how exhausting it can be. I have vowed to hit it at full strength and fighting weight, making no excuses for my age, and showing the kids how it is done. True, there are days, many days, when it would be so much easier to not workout, to find something else that needs doing (I do have a To-Do list that covers half my fridge, literally), or to just be too damned tired, but excuses are all too easy, and not my nature. I would rather find an excuse to let the dishes pile up a bit, the laundry to go unfolded, these chores can always wait, and the world will not end if I wear a rumpled shirt. But my Body needs daily ministrations. To let Body fall behind, weaken, become lazy, slothful, unhappy, that is not an option. Just not an option.
    That being said, I will confess to injudicious eating the last four days. I did not go crazy, but I did allow myself to eat too much of foods that are definitely on the Eat With Extreme Caution list. A few culprits were Brie with smoked salmon, pumpkin bread, and corn chips with guacamole. Nothing too radical, but enough that by sunday I was feeling bloated and a bit guilty. Okay, not THAT guilty, the Brie especially was worth it. But that does make me all the more conscientious of what I will be putting in my face this week, as well as how I will be working out. We are heading into the holiday season and it is far too easy to overindulge on a daily basis as we are faced with glorious treats at nearly every turn. But with the Academy as a goal far more important than any race date, I am resolved to keep moving forward, working harder, and refining my regiment all the more.    

Slosh Tubes

    Working away on my garage/gym, I won way too much crap. But I am slogging away. On the fun side, I did make 3 Slosh Tubes. I started with the smaller diameter, 2" PVC which is about the diameter of a tennis ball. I made a 5', and two 2' tubes. The 5' will be great for ab and core work, as well as for the upper body and shoulder work I will need for Firefighter Academy in january. The 2' lengths I will use as Indian Clubs, single handed work for core, upper body and arm work. I am excited to give them a try and will have a difficult time reining in my enthusiasm and not crippling myself in my zeal. I will wait for this evening, and am already chock-a-block full of exercises to try. If all goes well, tomorrow my abs will be aching and happy.