July 29 - Ellipitical

More elliptical. It's going on three weeks since I've run and I'm starting to go crazy. Some of my initial crankiness from not being able to run has subsided but I truly miss running. Never thought I'd admit that, but it's true. I want to make sure my IT band injury is going away so I refuse to risk running yet but while it's the next best thing, the elliptical is still no substitute for the real thing. I did 33 minutes (3 miles) and then bicep curls, chest press, triceps kickbacks, shoulder side combo and upright rows. Only had a short amount of time but squeezed in two sets.

July 28 - 45 min elliptical + full court basketball

I survived 4 miles, or 45 minutes on the elliptical (and had the sweat to show it). I started with a workout - a 2 minute wall sit (surprisingly easy after all this time off!), modified pullups, side lunges with ball, lat pulldowns — then noticed my trainer from Definition (my "other" gym) playing basketball. I went to say hi and the next thing I know I'm playing 4-on-4 full court basketball. I felt good, HR was up to 180s for the first time in ages, and I was running fast and not completely out of breath like I'd expected. I even scored a three-pointer! Great workout.

July 27 - Back at it!

After two weeks of "resting" from running and training at Definition, I rejoined my old gym and headed in bright and early like I use to for an before work workout. It felt great to see familiar faces, and several of my old friends came up to ask where I'd been. It really felt like home. I did 30 minutes on the elliptical and felt good then lifted and made myself a Definition-style workout.

July 20 - 0 miles

Last night I got a 40-minute leg massage, mostly concentrated on my IT bands. This was deep tissue, sports massage, painful. She did the opposite leg first and surprisingly it hurt. I wasn't eager for the painful leg. When she switched it didn't seem so bad, at first, anyways. Then the pain came. I squirmed and clasped my hands and at one point uttered, "You're going to need to stop that." No such luck. Afterwards I foam rollered, stretched and iced. This morning I woke up to a sore left leg full of reddish bruises all down the region where my IT band lies. Having a tight/hurt IT band is not fun. I haven't run at all in a week. Torture.

(Bruises a few days after the massage...)

July 18 - Personal training day 37

Warmed up 10 min. on the elliptical due to nagging IT band.
Three sets of:
1. Assisted pull up machine 90 lbs x 12-15 reps
2. Incline barbell press 45-lb. bar x 20 reps
3. Dumbbell pullover 20 lbs. x 25 reps
4. Barbell thruster (no squat) - 25 x 20 reps
5. FT Chest press 10 lbs each arm x 15 reps
6. Elliptical leval 8 4 minutes
7. Sit ups - 30
8. 1-arm dumbbell row on bench 20 lbs x 20 each
9. 45 degree sitting dumbbell curl (w/ legs at 45 degrees, sitting on a bench) - 10 lbs x 25 reps
10. FT 1-arm rotation 15 lbs. x 20 each arm

I've mastered the incline barbell chest press but everything else was challenging today. I hadn't done weights since Monday's session so I thought I'd have more strength. Not so. Even the 30 consecutive sit-ups were hard!

July 13 -Personal Training Day 36

Ate healthy all day, had a string cheese prior to the workout and lots of water and hot tea. Warm up was a mile run with Andres, who stopped at the halfway point. HR to 167.
Three sets of:
1. Leg press (185 lbs x 25 reps)
2. Assisted pull-up machine (100 lbs x 15 reps)
3. Step up on large box (20 reps each leg)
4. Walking lunge w/ overhead tri extension (10 lb. ball)
5. Elliptical level 10/incline 20% - 4 minutes
6. Incline barbell press (45 lb. bar x 20 reps)
7. 12-lb. ball toss (25 reps)
8. Lat pulldown (70 lbs x 15 reps)
9. Dumbbell shoulder combo (5 lbs x 12 of each of the 5: front raises, side raises, angled side raises, rotator cuff, overhead press)
10. 1-leg toe touch crunches w/ 6-lb. ball (25 each leg)

Then 10 minutes level 10 on the bike afterwards. I feel in shape and energetic but these workouts lately have been wiping me out. I have grown to hate the walking lunge w/ tri extension because I've been doing it a lot lately. Same goes with the ball toss and shoulder combo (it hurts — 60 straight shoulder reps in a row!?). I rocked my assisted pull ups and incline barbell press though.

July 12 - 9 miles

Woke up and met Rachael for 9 miles. It wasn't too hot, or too humid, thankfully and my IT band began to hurt around mile 7.

July 11 - 4 miles

4 mile walk in an hour. Obliques still sore from Thursday's Definition training session. Nice and breezy outside today.

July 6 - Personal Training Day 33

After entirely too much food and too many courses at a huge family-style lunch with 16 co-workers for another co-workers' going-away party (then there was cake in the afternoon), I headed to Definition. Mile warm-up run was good, despite the afternoon humidity. Jumped right into walking lunges with overhead triceps extension (10 lb. ball), followed by chest press to leg raise (15 lbs) then 20-lb. triceps pullovers with legs. Lat pulldowns (60 lbs. x 20 reps), 1-leg squat jumps, donkey kicks — I changed this to the outer thigh machine, dumbbell squat thrusters (w/ 8 lb. weights) and then single leg cable lunges (40 lbs. x 20 each leg). Then hamstring curls (30 lbs x 25 reps) and lastly, 30 sit ups. Holy legs! Repeat three times, with a 1-mile run in between sets 2 and 3. Whew.

July 5 - 8 miles!

Met Rachael and Blythe for 8 miles - up and over the Acosta bridge and Main Street bridge. We did 3:30/1 ratio and it was humid, and hot (to be expected) but went well. No IT pain, but it was obvious to me I hadn't run that far in awhile. Metro Diner for breakfast afterwards made it that much nicer!

June 30 - 5 miles

Woke up early, met Summer, and set off for a 4.5 mile run/walk. It was 86 with 85% humidity. It went well, and we skipped a few walk breaks in the beginning but were happy for them towards the end. We walked the last half mile, rounding it up to 5 miles. IT band didn't hurt.

June 21 - 7.6 miles

After returning from a 12-day European vacation on Wednesday evening I was invited to travel to Beaufort, SC for the weekend. My initial reaction: sounds like fun but I have to get an early-morning distance run in since I'd missed the last two with the girls. So after a late dinner out on Saturday, we got up at 6 a.m. and headed out the door shortly thereafter. I ran and he biked (a true trooper!) since I wasn't familiar with the area. It was warm but mostly shaded and the sun hid behind clouds until near the end. The first mile was hard, and around mile three it got much easier and I upped the pace to around a 10-minute mile. At mile 5.5 a deer darted across the road out of nowhere and startled me. My left IT band began feeling stiff and at 6.75 it threw in the towel. I jogged to the car to hit 7 miles, stretched really well, and then decided it'd be smart to walk for a few - rounding out the distance at 7.6 miles. I knew I should do 10 but since I was easing back into it after 2 weeks I told myself to do at least 6. So I was happy with 7. And even happier with the yummy coffee I had after and the delicious breakfast of real corned beef hash, egg, and grits!

June 18 - 6 miles

Oh, to be back in Florida. Oh, to run in humidity. 80 degrees at 7 a.m. The run went well - met Kelly and did 6 miles with our usual 3:30 to 1 run/walk ratio. It was nice to not be at a high altitude, or be running up hill. IT band felt good, so hopefully it continues to cooperate!

June 16 - 4 miles?

Last day in Germany and the sun was shining through the clouds and the air was crisp when I woke up. I headed up the dreaded hill, mostly walking, and then ventured a new direction at the roundabout. I came across some fun little houses and an elementary school. Every child I passed said hello. Birds were chirping. I jogged down a huge hill then came across a few shops, including a bakery. I walked in, checking out the offerings, and asked the lady if she spoke English. I received a big "No." I then jogged back downhill to get Euros then jogged back uphill and headed towards the bakery on the pretzels I had my eyes set on. I bought two and then jogged back and ate one! Did a few sit-ups, push-ups and squats to finish the routine.