atonement

we started a new p.e. regimen with the kiddos this morning. Took 'em to some reasonably flat open-space trails and we ran. The older ones have been wanting to compete in track, but a team's too expensive. But we can register them for races without the team. So we'll see how they do--if they can stick with it. The Anne is a monster, and i think i could have her in shape for some crazy distance. The boy--he doesn't like pain all that much. He's very fast, but a li'l bit lazy. If he can train through that, (and clean up the steamboat form) he'll crush some competitions.

For my part, i probably got 15mins of running in at a very low hr. But it was running. Reminded me how easily a week of slacking off can turn into a couple of months without thinking about it. Sho' did feel good to run again. Then i went climbing. That makes two days in a row. Nothing spectacular, but i've got a bunch of climbing in over the last two days. Yesterday i clumb particularly unpleasingly, but i got a bunch of fairly easy stuff, then strapped on the harness and did laps on routes. Today i actually managed to send several v4s (one which had spit me off many times) and a ton of easier stuff. Funny how big a difference it can be between when things click, and when your head and hands are off just a li'l bit.

Then i went to the other gym for shoulders. Started the 5/3/1 thing all over again without having done most of the deload stuff. i've taken too much time off, and i don't wanna lose the gains. Reset my maxes with 155 for shoulders and 450 for deads. i'm leaving bench the same. Shoulder presses were 3x5 with 120, 125, and 135. That feels a bit harder. Felt pretty good. Super-setted the DB militaries and lateral flyes. Very tired. Didn't do curls...figured 3hrs of climbing was probably sufficient. i'm looking very forward to the deads workout. Tha's gunna hurt proper. Anyhow, there's three workouts in the day, and i studied and hung out with the kids. Not a bad day at all. And fall's a coming. You uns gotta be looking forward to that some.

What camping is good for

we went camping. i didn't climb on friday cuz we had to pack for camping that night which of course we didn't do anyway. so we got up and packed saturday and were (fortunately) many hours late getting to a place in the vicinity of taos. the camping spot was built into the side of a hill and looked out over the road connecting taos and angelfire, and the mirror image of the hill we were on opposite the road. so we drove for three hours to get a view similar to the one you could get at the park behind our house. but steeper. and it rained most of the time and hailed part of the time. i think i picked up a collective 6 hours of sleep in the 2 nights of trying. now it's 5 o' clock and i'm too tired to go work out. but we were camping in the mountains by golly. and the obnoxious cousins all got to be in the same place at the same time, which only occurs a few precious times per week.

so to sum up life on the health front: i'm more exhausted than i've been in ...can't remember when. which is something 'cuz i thought i was already that tired. just got a haranguing from my preceptor for being a space-monkey this last week. and i'm probably 3lbs heavier laden with lard from staring at my shoelaces and eating processed crap for three days. didn't get the tiling finished on the kitchen. didn't fix the ac. didn't actually hang out with my kids much. didn't (of course) go to a crag whilst there. didn't paint any bookshelves with fun shapes and polar dogs. BUT i didn't have a drink. yay for the home team. just don't get the draw to going camping to go camping.

and a swelling RAAAAGE...RAAAGE

Clumb with the Anne again today. She sent a v1. That was pretty cool. She appears to have a nearly unlimited strength-to-bodyweight ratio. That, i expect, might just come in handy. i was hoping mightily to put in a good day of it for my part. And to be fair, it wasn't terrible. i sent a "v6". The one i failed to send at the comp 'cuz of having worked shoulders the day before. Very shouldery climb. Three moves, i think--- a three-move v6. And it was burly. And i gorilla'd through it. Here's to the shoulder workouts. Then got  few v3s and flashed a v4. But i failed on my v5 project. That must be rectified. i was way tired today. More than i expected to be. But it ended up being a pretty decent workout.

Supposed to do the shoulder de-load today also, but i didn't get to go in for it. Prob'ly try to stack a few light workouts to make sure i stay on schedule. Also found out today that my rotation in Frisco is cancelled. Don't know how that's gunna pan out. 'Preciate the prayers. i sho' do wanna be here to meet my baby.

The Hairy, Scary, Laser, Razor Edge of Tendonitis

So friday the Anne and i clumb vigorously. i can hardly say i clumb particularly well, but i did climb with vigor. Annie, by contrast, climbed both surprisingly well and with about three times the energy of the old man. In the past, it's been mostly exhausting 'cuz she seemed more interested in doing gymnastics on the mats than climbing. Friday, however, she actually inspired me. i'd stop periodically and realize that in the time i'd been sitting on the floor staring at my problem, she'd done three or four laps on hers. Her strategy didn't seem well thought out for winning the comp, but she had fun. And she's been doing pullups during "PE" every day. She's (i've heard) been doing ten per workout. And she wants to bump that to 20. i think she'll be a monster when her arms get a hair longer. For my part, i could barely steer the car home afterwards. Hands were thrashed.

Saturday, i did the 5/3/1 session of Deads/back. Deads were 315, 360, and 400. Did 405 instead to avoid 2.5lb plates. But i was determined to hit 425. Got that, and it was surprisingly easy. So i threw 20 more on, and ripped 445 up pretty easily. So i edged up to 450, and with much straining i got that locked out proper. Then i failed at 455. So i got a new 40 lb pr at 450. Gotta say that was a touch unexpected since i'd never come even close to that kind of weight in training. 'Fact, that was the first time the workout had called for a numeral 4 in the weights. But last night i read an article by Andy Bolton, and it looks like his stock program calls for a similar approach: lots of rack pulls, and speed work, then heavy-ish reps working up to a new max. But he never seems to approximate the target pull till it's day of ME. Anyhow, i'm glad i went for the max. That was a shot in the arm. And my back is still thanking me for it. Also got 20 plups, then 2 x 10 with +25. Bent o'er BB rows were harder than usual. Bumped the Good Mornings up from 4 x 10 with 95 to 105. The 3 x 30 of straight leg raises sucked to a degree that i cannot explain. i think i had to stop twice during the last set for lactate conversion. That was a kick-butt workout.

Yesterday (sun.) i clumb again. Mostly, we were at the in-laws' and i wanted to move a bit without hurting more. Didn't figure i'd get the chance to run, etc. So i went in to see how i felt on some of the problems i'd worked during the comp. And i thought if things were as bad as i 'spected, i'd just do some easy traversing for a long while. But it wasn't that bad, strangely enough. Nothing has a rating on it yet, but i downgraded some of the stuff i'd worked at the comp. Flashed a problem i hadn't even tried to work at the comp. Then i made some serious headway on a sloper problem that'd thrown some strong dudes at the comp. i'm pretty sure that'll go if i get in fresh and healthy. And i'll bet it's pretty solid v5. On the other hand, i couldn't do a problem i'd snagged at the comp, 'cuz it requires a burly biceps lock-off. My biceps did not show up for the workout. Those and the lats are hanging onto their contiguous fibers by their li'l microscopic fingernails. Ah well. i don't mind failing due to exhaustion. There's a light at the end of that tunnel.

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...And the decrescendo:

Did chest today. Did the 3/3/3 thing again since i botched it up so bad last week. Got all the second set with 200, and then got some dude to spot me on 210. Got the first one, then he started lifting the bar off if i slowed down, so i'm not sure how the last set would'a gone. i just don't seem to get stronger at bench. But now i can say pretty much every joint in my upper body is threatening raging, fulminant inflammation. And it really wasn't a bad workout. i've just lost some ground on the chest front. i think worse things could happen than that.

thersdy

Did the shoulder workout heute. Und's war mir etwas schwer. Aber war auch gut, nichtsdestoweniger. did the 5/3/1 bit today. last lift was for 145, and i got it for 3 reps. So i thought i'd give 155 a whirl. And after some serious internal prompting, and several minutes of pushing, she went. That's a good feeling. i think maybe i could get a bit more if i didn't do 3 of 145 first. Prob'ly won't get to the workout till saturdayish, but i'm gunna try 425 on deads. That'd also be a good feeling.

But first, there's a comp at the climbgym tomorrow. And i've permission to go. Didn't do curls today so i'd be a bit rosier for that, but i still have low expectations. But it should be fun anyhow. And i think the Anne goeth with me. But i'm starting to feel a little more wholesome. That's a nice turn. we'll see.

winsdy

Clumb with the Anne today. She's getting better. i think she'd take off like a rocket if she had some other kids to compete with, but she's getting better just climbing with me. For my part, i think i might be as strong or stronger than i've ever been, but i have zero endurance. i mean, i really have been feeling like i have chronic fatigue syndrome, or mono or something. i don't really think i'm sick, but i haven't been sleeping well since i came back, and i'm just worn down. Can't think straight, my pain tolerance has been that of a True Princess, and my joints refuse to heal. Had today off from work, and i got to sleep in some. i think i slept for 10hrs. Did get most of the backsplash done on the counters, and it's looking pretty fine. Li'l less ghetto than when yous were here. That saw rocks dude.

Yeah funny climbing sesh. i almost flashed this thing that'll probably go at around a v5 (and i think i would'a if the goofy rugrats on the climbing team hadn't planted themselves squarely and ignorantly in my LZ), but then i could hardly get back on the climb for a second burn. Same thing on another 5ish thing i'd tried working maybe two months ago: i finally stuck the crux move that'd been vexing me, but i couldn't repeat it for the link up. i wish i could blame you for wrecking my internal alarm clock, but i can't. i've just either been going to bed an hour or so late very consistently, or else i can't sleep when i do go to bed. And it's killing me. Hopefully i'll be back on some semblance of a schedule soon. And keep running, wouldya. It's inspiring me. i'm gonna add that back in as soon as possible.

onit

Once again i've taken a perfectly acceptable, nicely up-sloping fitness level and flushed it down the toily and hawked a loogey in after it. Never ceases to amaze (or depress) me how much i can lose in two weeks. Did chest today. 'Bout a week and a half overdue. Got to the second set of 3 with 200 and got 2 reps. That was all i had. Did do most of the rest of the workout, but it was bad. At any rate, i broke my habit of doing nothing at all, so maybe things'll look up from here. And i have tomorrow off, so i'm hoping to catch up on sleep. A week of not sleeping has not helped my motivation at all. Gunna try to get some workin' out in manana. How's the Mudder training treating you?

clumb

Done clumb with the Anne. Team tryouts are today and tomorrow. She really wanted to try out, but we couldn't afford to pay for it if she made it. Mayhaps next year. But i'd love for her to get some real training. She'd be ... just really fraggin' good. She was kinda amped about the whole thing, and she wants to go regularly with me. That'd work just fine. If she'd go in with me 2 times/week, she'd probably be on their varsity team at 10. i could make her stronger than any of those wankers.

For my part, i'm still not healed from deads and our climbing sesh on mon. i put some serious distance on a v5, but i just didn't have the juice today. i think i slept 10hrs last night. Just can't seem to catch up on sleep. Ah well... that's vacation. i think it'll smooth out when i start back to work.

So you guys decided to move here yet? Steph said she's gunna start looking for jobs for you. That'd be mighty fine.

Movin' on up

Haven't been on here since Denver 'cuz i'm too dumb to configure my router. Had to outsource that to tx. Doesn't much matter, 'cuz i ain't done much since then. We did do shoulders on saturday. Got a triple with my last-cycle's max. That was encouraging. Then monday we clumb. And that was a worthwhile little session. Fun climbing with the bro. Just mighty nice to have another like-minded human to throw some weight around with. Yesterday i did deads and back. Got 3 of 340, 360, and 380. And that last rep convinced me to leave it at 3. Then p'lups: 20 x bw and 2 x 10 x +25. These felt much harder than they should'a. i weighed in at a scosh over 200, which was a surprise--i'm significantly puffier than when i left last week. Again did 3 x 30 of straight leg raises stead of using the ankle weights. Those things suck. i've been just drained today. Hard workout. i wanted to do some singles on deads and feel what 420ish felt like, but i was juiced. Ah well. Still a fine workout. But i've got some sleep to catch up on.

Then the funny bit. i spent all that time talking 'bout how this town ain't just a huge ghetto, but just as i came back from the gym i found a cop car blocking my street. i figured they were at the neighbors' house as is their custom, so i went 'round the block to try a different angle of attack. But there were cops there too. Turned out some dipstick had threatened a house-mate with a machete, and had blockaded himself inside. So rather than storm the place, the cops parked in front of his house, quarantined the street so no one could come in or go out, and blasted his house (and the entire eastern half of the city) with 120db of copsounds. Until somewhere in the vicinity of 2:00 in the morning. So i was locked out till 'bout midnight, and i finally drove up and asked the cop if he could please let me through cuz i needed to take my contacts out and they were dried to my brain and clearly nothing at all was happening at an extraordinary pace. At around two they started shooting. Sounded like shotguns, but i'm guessing they were either concussion rounds or tear gas, 'cuz they didn't report any killin' and all the windows in the dude's house are gone. Anyhow, that did it. And it only took 'em 8 hours. But i still think the whole town's not a ghetto. Just mostly our street. And i still have the worst lawn on the street. :-)

update

Tomorrow's my last day on this rotation. i'm mildly bummed 'cuz i like it here, and it's been a shot in the arm motivation-wise. But i miss my wee family, and i'm amped i get to go home.

Unfortunately, i didn't have my bike up here with me at first, and then when i did bring it, i didn't ride for quite a while. But so far i've gotten four rides in from 30 July-7 August. And i've managed some reasonable density. So in the week or so that i have been riding, i've gone from doing a 12.2mi ride averaging 15mph, to doing a 20.25mi, much hillier ride averaging almost 17mph. Starting to feel like i belong in the spandex again. It was hot and windy yesterday, and i crushed my earlier times on the same loop by about three minutes. Actually held my HR at 191 for a hill climb, and dropped a whole ton of people. Funny thing is i didn't have the same trouble walking down the stairs. Really not a bad ride for a fat old dude. Funny how fast one can adapt if one puts the effort in. Also got a run in on an in-between day. i guess it's just that time of year when triathlon starts sounding really tasty. i just never make it through the winter to racing season. But it feels so good to just open it up full-throttle and time-trial.

Today it's hopefully another bike ride, and possibly shoulder presses at the gym. i'd really like to go to Boulder a last time before i head, but i don't know if i can swing it. Gotta pack eventually.

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Tack-on

Did the ride. Did a hair over 25mi in 1'45". Averaged just under 15mph. Essentially i added 5mi onto yesterdays ride and an extra 30mins, or 10mph for the last 5mi. Strictly speaking, that's not true. For one thing it was way windy out today. Soul-crushing sort of windy. Also i managed to bonk at the hour mark. That is not a good feeling. And also i meandered a lot trying to figure out where i was going. Ah well...it's just nice to be edging the 2hour mark again. That ought'a teach my mitochondria a lesson about slacking off in procreating.

Aged

i was whining on the phone just this morning to Steph about how much my hams and low back were hurting after the deads a couple o days ago. So i did a bike ride today, and it turned out to be a boon. All i had to do was straighten my legs out on the pedals, and my hams would auto-flex my knees back to 90deg with no additional energy expense--like huge, pudgy rubber bands. Funny ride. Just over 1h15m. GPS said i got 20.36mi at just over 16mph. i didn't feel a bit bad about that considering it was all tortuous, hilly path. But i've got some muscle and it is most definitely not there to turn bike cranks. i'm drained to my bones, and could do with a good vomiting. i got out of the shower and changed and went down the stairs to get some nutriment, and if the rail hadn't been there i think i would have taken a swan-dive onto my face. Legs would not work. That was a chuckley moment in life. But it could not have been a more perfect day for riding, and it reminded me of why i like it here so much. Took the 470 trail through Bear Creek park. Very pretty ride.

Now i'm either gonna go to Boulder, or go work chest. It's chest day, but it's also the rare overcast sort of day when it ain't raining, and the sun ain't broiling. we'll see.

And i should praise my li'l Annie too: she made it to the city finals in at least three strokes from the district swim meet. And she got 4th out of about 50 8yos in backstroke. And i heard she trashed her heat in 50 free, but got dq'd for --not quite sure--an illegal turn or something. Bummer, but it thrills my soul to know she's got some distance in her. So however it turns out this next weekend, she's cranked out a pretty nice first season of competition.

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Later:

Right then. It rained after all. so i did chest. Once again i forgot to recalculate my percents, so i tried bumping all my sets up by 5lbs. Couldn't manage the last rep on the last set though. 175 x 5, 185 x 5, and 200 x 4. The rest of the workout went pretty well. Actually managed 4 sets of pushups to failure. Something like 15, 12, 8 (here i dropped on my face with nothing to stop me), and...2. Fail. Good workout though. Seeing as my back, hams, abs, and now triceps, shoulders and pecs are all destroyed, i have some nagging doubts about the quality of any climbing i might do should i head boulderward tomorrow.

Through today

So yesterday i went back to Boulder. And m' car decided to break down. So i climbed a v3 in my chacos minus the suicidal last move that would have swung me out over the road. Didn't look like a hard move; just one you definitely wouldn't want to not stick. Then my car started by the grace of God, and i came back home. So i went to the gym and started over on the 531 program. Did shoulder presses. Actually felt pretty good for it. Didn't do the curls at the end 'cuz i planned to go back today and do deads and pullups. So i did. Think it was 315 x 5, 335 x 5, and 360 x 5. Had to strap the belt on for that last un. But a very fine workout. Feel like i've lost a bit on p'lups though. BW x 20, then 3 x 10 x +25. But the last few reps were rugged and messy. Kinda kilt me for the bent o'er BB rows. Only did sets of ten with 135, then i could only get 8 for the last set. Totally spent. The GoodMornings with 95 were pretty easy. Think i could bump that up a bit. Then i forgot to take my ankle weights in for straight leg raises, so i did 2 x 30, then 1 x 20. Those hurt. m' tummy felt worked.

Splenopleural fistula

Went for a bike ride today--my first since Thanksgiving. It hurt pretty much exactly as badly as you'd expect it to. i couldn't seem to break up the adhesion between my pericardium and pancreas. Did just over 12 mi at just over 15 mph. That translates roughly from math to "Soy gordo." Right-O. It's hot, it's pretty, i have no one to hang with, and a crash-pad, so i'm gunna head to Boulder Canyon and see if i can't get hopelessly lost. Then i might just come home (assuming i fail to require a search party) and start the 5-3-1 program o'er and see if i can make it stick this time. Far as i'm concerned, i've done all the squats i'm doing today.

Ther's day

Thought i'd note that i didn't get to Boulder today. Did get m' hangboards up though. Got a nice li'l workout in on those. Feels good to demand something from my fingers again. Kind of a stark setup i realize, but it's functional. One-arm hangs on the big round slopers are killer. Forearms are toasty and smouldery.  Tomorrow's gunna be a long 'un, but the weekend's a comin' bruthas. Peace to yas.

post

Thought i'd post up. Maybe it'll help with the motivation. i climbed at a climbgym yesterday. Not so good. i have lost a truckload of strength, admittedly. But the gym was ... ghetto. After climbing at StoneAge for some years, poorly set routes get on my nerves. And a whole gym full of poorly set routes irks something terrible. Ticks me off when all the routes in the gym are set with tiny razor-sharp crimps, and they make the grades harder by making the footholds progressively smaller. And the vibe was just bad. And the lighting. Definitely had that some o' these routes were set in 1998 feel. Bleh. i went to Cold Creek Canyon a few days ago just to feel rock again. It was bittersweet, cuz i had no one to climb with. Did do some low traversing, and climbed to the first bolt on several routes, but it was mighty lonely. Very lonely place this time 'round.

Finally got in to the iron gym for some chest work. i've lost a li'l there too (as though i had anything to lose.) But it felt good to move. After last night's climbing experience, i really believe i haven't quite kicked whatever ailed me in Querque. i think it was a bit more than a sore throat. i've felt like squashed shadoo-doo ever since. i mean, chronic fatigue syndrome style. But i felt a li'l better today. And that was really good for my psyche.

Also bought a guidebook to Boulder Canyon bouldering, and brought my crashpad back with me. i'm hoping to get up there tomorrow for some 'sploring. That'll do good for the psyche as well, i predict. Well peace to yous. i'll try to get back in the game.

Radio Silence

Haven't had either internet or time in a while. To be fair, i haven't worked out nearly enough in the last two weeks, but i have worked out a little. i'll catch up soon. Peace.

Ran again

Did a hair over an hour on G. Mt. yesterday. Good time, but ain't hard enough for that yet. Hucking downhill trying to dodge ankle-breakers with yer heels tapping you in the sacrum... Well, i didn't fall. But i was mighty tired. Can't wait 'til that don't feel so hard anymore. Think i'll keep it up. And i gotta find a gym. Diet's actually been going fairly well.

Ran...

...fer 42 minutes on Green Mt. And that was just fine. 'm not so strong for the hills anymore, but that's just fine too. That can be remedied. Stayed pretty much 'tween the low 160s to the high 170s for a HR. Ran up to that radio tower on top. Just mighty fine. Had a li'l afterglow that stayed with me a while.

'Raddy

First day of ED today.

IT IS SO DANG GOOD TO BE BACK HERE!!!

And i'd say it went well enough. Saw a whole bunch o' pts. And some of 'em had real issues. Haven't worked out properly since i've been here. Kinda piddled with bouldering in Morrison yesterday, but it was really too hot for it. i was melting. And since every single landing there has death written on it, i didn't feel like seriously testing the rock friction. i've gotta find a gym. Went to 24hr yesterday, and they have a pool. But it's so dang gay there. You have to filter out all the stupid gay equipment to see if they have the stuff you'd actually use, and they generally don't. Only reason i'd think of it is 'cuz they have a pool. i was too dumb to bring my bike. Gonna try to remedy that at the first opp.

In other news, went up on Green Mt. to watch the fireworks, and that was really flippin' just awesome. i'm walking these trails i've walked hundreds of times, and my feet knew where to go, and i knew where the turns and dips were, and i felt sorta home. i think i'm gunna go run tomorrow before i head to work.

It is my opinion that yous should plan a trip up here while i'm here. we'll go do some climbing that doesn't suck.

Yeah. i feel like that'd rock.

And i'm having a Tommyknocker's Oaked Butthead just now (in case you were needing more of a fire lit under yer ass to get things planned).

:-D

25% done

Odd week. Just finished my Internal Med rotation. Bombed the final test, but the rotation was pretty cool notwithstanding. Workouts have been spotty. It's the deload phase at any rate. Did shoulder press monday, with pretty good results. That was my last weight workout. Climbed a few times, but that's been sketchy too: mostly been going there to read. i think i jacked up any chance of hitting that v7 with the last few days of climbing. On monday, i was piddling with that v5 i warmed up and cooled down on a few days before. Couldn't get it, so i just kept trying. After the 5th or 6th or 7th try, i managed to hurt my middle finger on a two-finger pocket on it. So i left dejected. Yesterday i went in again with low expectations. Started working a v4 pocket problem, but again i could not manage the crux. And again, i kept trying over and over and over, 'til i was wasted. But interestingly, my finger stopped hurting. So then i saw some guys working that v7, and i threw in with 'em. Got a new high point, but i didn't finish it--way too tired. And i leave for Denver in a couple o days, so i'm afraid my time is up. Might try tomorrow if i can take the fam with me. Getting a li'l anxious 'bout leaving. Too much to do, and no motivation to do any of it.