Attitude Check

Well, you should be proud of me: i did a real live chest workout today. That's right--i forced my man-boobs to push some weight.


Yesterday i did a skeletal version of my normal workout. It'd been a week and a half since my last workout, and i wanna move it back to sun, so i thought i'd take it easy. i'm gonna say the workout reflected my portliness, some staleness, bad pre-workout nutrition and just a generally bad vibe in the gymnasio. Only got up to eighty or so on weighted pullups. Figured i'd do less damage to my back by maxing on regulars than doing heavy straight leg deads, so i tried for a new max. Not only did i fail, but i couldn't even get 405 up, which i did a double with last time. i had an excuse though: i had a few liters of air in my stomach, and i couldn't belch to save my life. Tighten the Inzer down, and i felt like i had a baseball in my thorax lifting 385 twice. It seriously felt like i was giving myself tamponade. Also, there were probably 10 people in the gym, and all of 'em were standing in the same corner as me talking. And i didn't have any chalk. But i think if i could'a' belched, i would'a' had 405 easy. i still think i've got 425 in my wee back if i can summon the right rage. Rest of the workout was fine, but losing on deads got me down.

Today a friend from school talked me into going with him to Planet Fitness for a bench workout. we worked up from 135 by 10lbs in sets of 2 to a max; then worked back down at the same speed, but doing as many reps as we could. i actually got 200 up, which surprised me. my shoulder did start bugging me on the way back down, but i still got a good workout in, and i don't think i damaged it. That's a good sign: maybe i can start pushing again. Also did a few sets of triceps pressouts. That's another muscle i haven't worked in a few years. i've every expectation that shan't be able to move for the next few days, but i'm glad to have it done. i think we're gonna try to make a habit of it.

i also bouldered a bit today to test the waters. Short workout, but it felt good. i think my destroyed middle finger might be on the road to recovery. i got a "v4ish" that went at solid 3, then several new 2s. Nothing hard, but i can see a light at the end of the tunnel.

Report from Heaven

Well if the JWs are right, and heaven's here on earth, i'm guessing it'll look like a few places in CO. That was a good time. i'm probably 5lbs heavier than when we started, and i'm needing to go through a bodily detox in a big way; but that was some spiritual detox. Hanging with Shawn'n'Kirsi (and playing in the mountains a li'l bit) was a breath of fresh air to a drowning guy. we went the first weekend to Green Mt. lake and i got a decent back workout in by up-hauling a sail for a couple hours. Tried m' hand at wakeboarding, and that sucked. i really wanted to get up on that silly board, but i couldn't. This last saturday, Shawn and i went to Eldo, and he made me lead all three pitches on Wind Ridge. i think it goes at 5.7 or so, but it was still killer. It'd been probably 8 years or so since i'd last done a trad climb, and i was a li'l nervous 'bout my anchor-building skills. i'd sit there at some spots 'til my calves were quivering trying to get a piece in. Then i'd finally just say screw it, throw in a rattly bit of metal to calm my nerves, and run it out another 30ft. There's something about being 300 ft off the deck that makes even a 5.7 feel epic. i need to do that more often. And i think Shawn wouldn't mind so much either. Let's plan us a trip, eh.




Anyhow, then we sloped off to Illegal Pete's for 3,000 calories of wholesome goodness.

The people of Wal-Mart

Crazy world.

Food as big as your head

Well. we're chillin' fer the moment in Steamboat. Not too bad. i think i could make a living here. Hung out at S&K's for a few days. That's good times. Got schooled in windsurfing at Green Mt. Li'l too much wind for a n00b. Then i tried wakeboarding. i think i have never swallowed that much water at one time ever. Very hydrating. Hypothermic in a drysuit is a bad way to be. i can't think how someone stuck with that in the first place long enough to think it was fun. Anyhow, then we broke out the water skis. That i finally got up on for 2-3 seconds at a time. i could see how that would be fun if i weren't blue. Very nice to see S&K. i miss those guys. Also got to get a couple o' routes at Clear Creek with Shawn. we're gonna go back to hang with them this next weekend also. i miss Colorado.

Weekend of it

A couple o' friends and i went to Las Conchas for some climbing on saturday. Mostly, i got a nice sunburn; but we put up some nice routes. Bestest of all, we did some climbin' in that li'l valley with the stream, which is shaded. Got a 10b route in there. Guess that was the highlight. Didn't get to have a go on my 10d-11a--it was fully in the sun, and was way too hot.

Yesterday i got into the irongym for an almost full-bore workout. Got 3 at 290 on straight leg deads. Felt a spring coiling in my low back after that third rep, so i quit. Hopefully next week i'll break 300 again. Got 2 pullups with 90 strapped on, but i struggled with the second rep, so i didn't go to 100. Starting to feel better again though.

Today's Tack-on:

Got in to the climbgym today for a nice enduro session. Taped my middle finger 'til it was practically splinted, then did a long traverse warmup. Couple o' weeks ago the gym put in an auto-belay, so i jumped on that and did laps on a couple of 5.8s. Gave a few goes at an 11-, but i was too fried from the weekend. Nice, warm workout at any rate. i'm gonna do that more often--no hard crimping.