Training in Montana

2 recumbent bike miles, then 3 elliptical miles at a solid pace. My headband was wet when done. A good workout. My left calf has been feeling good the past few days, but I don't want to push it. I'll hold off on running until I get to San Antonio this weekend. I look forward to running on the riverwalk trails. I don't recall why I was there before, but I remember enjoying those runs immensely.

3 more elliptical miles, and it was a solid effort. I look forward to a nice run Saturday morning in San Antonio, and hoping my calf will stay happy with me the rest of the year.

30 situps and for the first time since November, 30 pushups. Left shoulder/traps area is still sore and I need to find exercises to fix it, but didn't start hurting until pushup 15 or so, which is progress.

3 solid elliptical miles, with #2 in the 7s, and #3 in the 6s. I got a good sweat.

30 pushups and situps afterwards. Calf feeling pretty good.

Interesting that my weight this week has been the same to the decimal point. 10-15 lbs more than I want it to be, but interesting no less.

No idea how many miles I actually ran due to the tall buildings blocking the gps, but I got lost in the maze of the San Antonio Riverwalk and ran for over an hour trying to find my way back to the hotel. I left my phone holder at home so I decided to leave my phone in the hotel as I didn't want to carry it. Bad idea, but fun run. I finally had to ask a worker on the Riverwalk where my hotel was, and he gave me perfect directions. I didn't realize how obscure the sign and entrance to the hotel was, so I likely ran past it a few times before asking the guy. Calf felt perfect. Yay! 

Update: calf is now horrible. Felt a niggle walking to the conference, then while stretching it by doing concentric heel drops I went a little too far down based on how tight it was and I felt something tear, similar to 2 1/2 weeks ago. Not totally limping when  walking, but can’t even trot across the road without it hurting. Not sure what to do going from here... Hmph.

Approximately 3 elliptical miles this morning at the hotel gym in San Antonio. Got my sweat on for 30 minutes. Then lifted a few weights, including a kettle bell thing that made my right hamstring sore, so I'll ease up on that for future. Left calf still sore, but able to walk on it without a limp, so that's positive, right? Elliptical for life. I need one of Meb Keflezgi's elliptigo thingies to do this around town. Or, you know, just ride a bike.

Again, approximately 3 elliptical miles this morning at the hotel gym in San Antonio, but 1 hour earlier than yesterday so we could catch our flight. 30 minutes on the machine, then did 10 shoulder shrugs (50 lbs each arm), 20 curls (25 lbs), 30 pushups, 30 situps, 10 leg raises (ab workout using the machine-type device), 5 pullups. Then I showered and we all took a taxi to the airport and promptly waited around for 1 hour until the flight boarded. Could've slept in an hour....

4 elliptical miles during lunchtime. Like Ricky Bobby, I went fast! A little too fast, as I got a niggle in my left calf in a brand new spot, and I was almost limping later that night.

15 curls (25), 10 presses (40), 30 pushups, 30 situps, 2X30 sec planks, 5 pullups.

3 elliptical miles this morning. Rolled out the left calf before starting, seemed to help a tiny bit, then did 2 bike miles before starting out. Calf felt okay but definitely could feel it. Went quite a bit slower than yesterday and didn't get a massive sweat on like yesterday, but still some moisture.

15 curls (25), 10 presses (45), 30 pushups, 60 sec plank, 5 pullups, rolled out both legs.

6 miles on the recumbent bike. Pushups, planks, curls, chest press.

Weight inching upward. Yay (said nobody ever). Oh well. Hoping I can get back to running shortly, but I will take it veeerrrryyyy slowly now - been returning too soon, but I forget I'm older and it takes longer to heal.

Today I rode the recumbent bike 15 minutes, then 15 minutes on the elliptical but took it very slowly as my calf was bugging me when I went fast. I recognize that last week on the elliptical I went too fast, as my calf bugged me for days afterwards. When going fast, my body is in full motion with nearly full extension of the calf. Slower doesn't engage the calf muscle much. I also realized that if I keep my body low, trying not to move my head, I don't engage the calf muscle but can go faster and generate more heat and sweat. Not nearly as sweaty as I'd like to be. Grrr.

I then did 15 curls (30), 15 tricep dips (40), 6 chest presses (50). I need to do tricep dips last, as that killed my chest press. Then stretched, did 30 pushups (getting easier every day), and 60 seconds of a plank. Yikes.

20 minutes on the recumbent bike. I got a decent sweat on. Then did 15 curls (30), 10 chest press (100), 10 tricep dips (40), 30 pushups, 60 seconds plank. Solid quick workout. I'm hoping my weight gain is because I'm lifting a few weights, but I'm pretty sure that's not it! :)

Boot camp for the first time in a very long time. I think over 2 years, and I used to do this 2-3 times per week plus run 40-50 mpw. In reading my old blog entries, I realize my best races coincided with this type of cross training. With my calf still jacked up, I’ll try and hit this as many MWF as possible. I was gasping for breath and light headed so many times today, it was sad. I used to breeze through this tough class. Lots of guys older than me do this regularly, hopefully I can get back in shape (and lose some weight along the way). 

3 miles walking early in the morning. At noon, 6 miles on the recumbent bike, then 20 minutes on the elliptical followed by weights, pushups, plank. My legs are still crazy sore from Monday's session.

Boot camp. Kicked my butt (and legs, arms, chest). Left when I started getting a headache from working too hard. I forget how in shape you have to be to do these exercises, so I got lightheaded a lot as I'm trying to do them like I used to when I attended BC regularly. Hopefully won't be too many weeks before I get back into the rhthym.