- Today’s Workouts:
- Circuit Training (1 hr)
- Bike Ride (16 miles, 2 hrs – personal best)
- 2-on-1 Training (1 hr)
- Cardio (1/2 hr)
- Gym Boot Camp (1 hr)
I thought some of you might get a kick out of all the vitamins and supplements that I’m taking every day. First thing I do each morning is get a 16.9 oz bottle of water, add a packet of Ola Loa Sport (powder supplement for energy, electrolytes, Vitamin C, and quick recovery), shake it up, then move on down the line of my vitamins, as if I’m on a conveyor belt.
- Advil (for the aches and pains that I feel first thing)
- allergy prescription
- birth control pills (because they keep the cramps away, but not the PMS!)
- Calcium/Zinc
- Multi-vitamin
- Stress B Complex
- Turmeric Curcumin
- Fish Oil (i.e., Omega 3)
- Magnesium (because the multi-vitamin doesn’t have enough in it)
- Potassium gluconate
- D-400 (because I don’t get enough sun)
Today after an hour of circuit training I was scheduled for a bike ride. This time the trainer was Schuyler and so far he has always directed us to go the southward route. I just wanted to get started as soon as possible because I was determined to make it all the way to the end today. I finally made it to the end of the northbound route on Monday so I wanted to do the same today. I was pretty much on my own the entire time. Schuyler was pushing another camper. I, as usual, cannot go as fast, but I can endure! Typically we only have two hours for these rides, but I had nothing scheduled immediately afterwards so I felt that I was going to get to the end. I made it past the stinky beach (the wind was NOT in our favor while biking southward) and up the killer hill. I continued past my previous turning point and was making good time. And it turns out the coast line is quite lovely once you get past that point. Lots of surfers and volleyball courts. I’m told that many professional beach volleyball tournaments are held and filmed here. About 45 minutes into it, Schuyler and the other camper were already on their way back, but I could see the Manhattan Beach pier in the distance. I confirmed with Schuyler that that was indeed “the end” and I just kept going. My knees were aching, my right hamstring was tensing up, my quads were tiring, the wind was against me, I was tired, but I kept going. At some point I forgot about the pain and fatigue. I guess that’s what it’s like for marathoners? Can any of you confirm? All I knew was I could see the pier and I was going to get there. HOWEVER, the wind made it so difficult, it felt like that scene in the first “Poltergeist” movie where the mother was trying to run in the hallway to get to her children’s bedroom but no matter how much she ran, the door was not getting any closer. Do any of you remember that? No matter…I persevered and MADE IT! Even though I was not pressed for time, I still wanted to get back to the gym so that I could rest and have lunch. On the way back, the wind was behind me and thus made the ride a little bit easier, however despite my padded seat and padded bike pants, OUCH! Sorry, there is just not enough padding nor recovery time to help that “area”! I’m sitting on ice packs now! I had to stop a few more times to either adjust my seat or just plain give that “area” some relief. By the time I returned to the gym, I was aching all over and absolutely drained of all energy. I was walking like a zombie, or more like Fred Sanford, into the gym. I was so tired that I had no energy nor desire to chew my food and swallow! I only ate a little of my lunch and then decided to make a quick trip home for a shower and change of clothes, in hopes that that would rejuvenate me. I still had partner training and a boot camp in the afternoon and I wanted to be ready.
No such luck! I returned to the gym after a quick shower and putting on fresh clothes, but my legs were still burned out. I let Eric (v’ball trainer) know that I had done the whole bike ride and was tired; that worked out ‘cause he gave us back and arm exercises, plus some core work. I love Eric’s workouts because we usually stay on the mat and must take off our shoes. Regardless, the workouts are tough, and as I said yesterday, I’ve moved up a level and thus am being challenged more with heavier weights, more repetitions, and longer isometric holds. So, by the end of it, now my ARMS have nothing left to give! I think my legs recovered though, and thus I was able to get a 30-minute cardio session in before starting Marco’s gym boot camp. Thankfully Marco had me doing cardio and leg machines. I actually love the leg machines. I think that’s where most of my muscle is located – thanks to all those years of dancing, and of course the cycling and swimming are adding to that. There is one leg machine that just kills me – the leg extension. I can handle the leg curls with extra weight, but I can’t take any extra weight on the leg extension. For those of you who don’t know, this is the one in which you’re seated, slightly reclined, you put your feet under the cushions, and then raise your feet to straighten your legs repeatedly. This INSTANTLY starts burning your quadriceps. It burns so much that I’m near tears or puking. And the burning just spreads to my whole body – and not in a good way! We had to do 50 reps, then 40, then 30 (along with the same reps on FOUR other leg machines – which I didn’t mind at all). I really, REALLY want my quads to get strong enough so that this exercise doesn’t burn so much. Does that ever happen, Carmichael? Does the burn ever diminish?
Finally the hour was over and so was the day for me. I felt like a zombie again and just wanted to get home as quickly as possible. I have lots of little tasks which I need to complete, but I just have no energy left! I had my first evening meal and that has rejuvenated me enough to type today’s note, but that’s about all I can muster.
I’m looking forward to Thursday because I’m getting my VO2 Max Test again. This is a test in which I walk as fast as possible on a treadmill while wearing an oxygen mask connected to a contraption that measures how much oxygen I need to get through the exercise. It helps to determine my fat-burning heart rate zone and cardio heart rate zone. At my age, I SHOULD be at approximately 149 as my maximum cardio heart rate, but on my first day, it was determined that 139 was my maximum. That was understandable since I hadn’t exercised a single day in four years. With all that I’ve been doing the last four weeks, I’m hopeful that my cardio zone will have improved. I still find myself getting breathless during vigorous exercise or during the isometric holds (YOU try holding a plank position for a minute!) but this is one of the things that I’m working to improve. Happily, swimming, massage, and volleyball are on the schedule. And I wonder what Thursday’s Cardio Movie will be? Stay tuned for my Critic’s Corner ;-)
I didn’t do or see any April Fools’ jokes today. Did any of you? I hope you had a good laugh but no harm was done. And of course I hope you had a great day and are looking forward to the weekend.
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