tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80185752629766492202024-02-19T18:44:56.027-05:00Life less travelledtrigimperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17376027987681624761noreply@blogger.comBlogger64125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8018575262976649220.post-12280246002006767972009-06-22T19:55:00.002-04:002009-06-22T20:36:49.443-04:00Playlist - 6/22 Run/With video<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfTZ3yXRX5f9v2sPxwmI90mNrzsRKBXQrzdpb6XsSX5RY18bsFC9n-aPU1prRCATQKjLIHW7vX34U27t0noAjF-gOxLLuJfxsctoe0zPacB13y7Lqmyu_v9hF9hyphenhyphenV_1vH7ThwTwMhwUC0/s1600-h/IMGP5772.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfTZ3yXRX5f9v2sPxwmI90mNrzsRKBXQrzdpb6XsSX5RY18bsFC9n-aPU1prRCATQKjLIHW7vX34U27t0noAjF-gOxLLuJfxsctoe0zPacB13y7Lqmyu_v9hF9hyphenhyphenV_1vH7ThwTwMhwUC0/s200/IMGP5772.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350315404150624002" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sh5gtGk9XZ8">Pogues - Sally MacLennane</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Yz6L1eN1Fs">Lynyrd Skynyrd & Kid Rock - Gimme Back my Bullets</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3DgAJwVeVU">The Cult - Rain</a> - pre metal<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BYny9l20wc">ZZ Top - La Grange</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCxFTh-XDy8">Lacuna Coil - Our Truth</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfGXe4Pygm8">Sleeper - Atomic (Blondie Cover)</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhe1SuBGkiA">Black Sabbath - Neon Knights</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqMkLRqmpmo">Meat Loaf - Midnight at the Lost and Found</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWn_p0jxGMs">John Sykes - Still of the Night</a> (former Whitesnake guitarist)<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GugsCdLHm-Q">Queen - I want to ride my bicycle</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eipuJPgHFZk">Alice in Chains - Man in the Box (Live)</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hCn1XXKLNY">Hole - Celebrity Skin</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbKBjuSMRRM">Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - You and Me and the Bottle Makes Three</a> (there’s an irony there)<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jjq5Rq4sSZc">Black Crowes - Jealous Again</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xohp5vAzNNA">RATM - Take the Power Back</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sd_Whg6y0Wo">Lords of the New Church - Method to my Madness</a> - 2nd song @ 3:47 - w/PSA<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91pU6k8PyWA">UFO - Long Gone</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frtJQFe9apw">Black Sabbath - Die Young</a><br /><br />5 miles, hot, evening sun, bug central. Love the smell of Deet in the evening.trigimperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17376027987681624761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8018575262976649220.post-36084320133260459232009-01-06T16:13:00.007-05:002009-01-06T17:28:09.399-05:00Oh hell yeah<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw404sMu6pMLAIkOFxDhUWZtuGGkXTDQGjCA_bLG2vpl5GTgPkMgtwuFPeKgFxG0I4MXQc_xZu8vWaHc6C9PEBzJpZkhDWUXWFmlkdKdBGybeF9zjhaeObpmYw1NhTyVV8FlyyqnZqbDQ/s1600-h/IMG_4600.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw404sMu6pMLAIkOFxDhUWZtuGGkXTDQGjCA_bLG2vpl5GTgPkMgtwuFPeKgFxG0I4MXQc_xZu8vWaHc6C9PEBzJpZkhDWUXWFmlkdKdBGybeF9zjhaeObpmYw1NhTyVV8FlyyqnZqbDQ/s200/IMG_4600.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288294625308937426" /></a>Was a little disappointed with today’s WoD, as it contained handstand push-ups (do a handstand and then do a push-up from that position), nope can’t do them. Substitution as recommended is pike push-ups, nope, can’t do them either, but its something to aim for. So I substituted Swiss Ball push-ups, with just the tips of my toes on the ball, which tied in well with an ab focus on my core today ( plank with arm raise, side plank with push through and swiss ball work single leg bridges). The other exercise was a rope climb, nope don’t have one at the gym, so substituted chin ups.<br /><br />Workout looked like this for 4 circuits, best time :-<br /><br />400m run<br />15 swiss ball push ups<br />15 chin ups<br /><br />The runs I attacked hard as tomorrow is a rest day and have two long runs scheduled Thursday and Saturday so a day break will be good. Each of the swiss ball sets were straight through, though the last two sets required a lot of concentration and balance through my core to keep my toes level on the ball and not fall off.<br /><br />The chin ups, was great, first set of 15 straight through. Second set was 11 and 4, third set 8+5+2 and last set 6+5+4.<br /><br />Total time 34 minutes, most of the delay being the one minute (one and a half) between the chin up reps.<br /><br />The “hell yeah” at the beginning ?<br /><br />All the chin up sets were unassisted, hence the sets being broken up with rests to complete. That’s the first time I’ve managed more than 30 body weight pull ups, and an indication of my strength gains in only 3 weeks.<br /><br />Three days, three GREAT workouts (plus the 10k the day before). I’m guess the workouts the rest of the week are going to be doozy big rep stuff with a lot of leg/squat work as that has been missing. I also notice a pattern, the last two 3 day blocks were long and intense, very high rep routines, this block was more heavy lifting for two days followed by short, sharp one. We shall see...<br /><br />...or maybe I'll do Thursday's run tomorrow and go get muddy in the woods...yum :-)trigimperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17376027987681624761noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8018575262976649220.post-43134007213788128522009-01-05T20:16:00.001-05:002009-01-05T20:21:50.546-05:00Hang free<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt8IgVxRs_JlsdzaQQfhlJH72vMtSJ0iDXJ3qX33byl9wQ6wgx7u6xuVjg1_3DqNVdBrtgWT8oTBoqHkfihQI3E3qFA14f6zDT81H8vfPj9aephBrA92qucMTg_xArN65L4Q1n8FkGlTQ/s1600-h/IMG_6052.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 162px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt8IgVxRs_JlsdzaQQfhlJH72vMtSJ0iDXJ3qX33byl9wQ6wgx7u6xuVjg1_3DqNVdBrtgWT8oTBoqHkfihQI3E3qFA14f6zDT81H8vfPj9aephBrA92qucMTg_xArN65L4Q1n8FkGlTQ/s200/IMG_6052.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287984735246581634" /></a>The are good days, and there are great days.<br /><br />From a very productive day at work where everything seemed to move in a positive directions, even during the phases where three things were going at once (talking on phone, IMing with CEO and resolving an issue over email), a great run at lunchtime. While we have forecast for ice storms tomorrow the temp was still high enough for just shorts and a long sleeved top, admittedly the wind was a little stronger than I anticipated but hey if its cold, run faster ;-)<br /><br />Tonight's CrossFit WoD was <a href="http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/cfj-nov-05/hang-power-clean.wmv">Hang Power Cleans</a>. Something I've never done before, so this will be another day of a PR :)<br /><br />Usual warm up of an assortment of Ab and core exercises, plus the obligatory three sets of pull-ups, push ups and dips and into it.<br /><br />I did a couple of sets with just the 45lb bar to practice my form before loading it up<br /><br />95lbs - 3 reps<br />105lbs - 3 reps<br />115lbs - 2 reps<br />125lbs - failed at both attempts<br />115lbs - 2 reps<br />115lbs - 2 reps<br />115lbs - 2 reps<br /><br />It feels good to be working out at my limits, though it only occurred to me, in a slap your forehead way as I was leaving the gym that I could have used different plates and made an attempt at 120lbs..doh !<br /><br />After two days of maximal lifting, tomorrow is almost certain to be a monster rep affair...I'm chomping at the bit ! :-)trigimperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17376027987681624761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8018575262976649220.post-37276487726321802252009-01-04T16:59:00.004-05:002009-01-04T20:37:50.191-05:00Maxed out<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLvATumGCBw27iPPRp3uS1Ev4da5QUs0Z-NiKOM5e4jCqTYFcZ7MY2KfNem0w1ut2frKLKZ7kVVX6_jZ4w9Cl-SMxZq6Bd4Oiw0AMxr-HYdpmOX2vqGMVKWEUG_chXb_cviqymdgp9rzk/s1600-h/IMG_6037.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 125px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLvATumGCBw27iPPRp3uS1Ev4da5QUs0Z-NiKOM5e4jCqTYFcZ7MY2KfNem0w1ut2frKLKZ7kVVX6_jZ4w9Cl-SMxZq6Bd4Oiw0AMxr-HYdpmOX2vqGMVKWEUG_chXb_cviqymdgp9rzk/s200/IMG_6037.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287617812288038786" /></a>A Personal Record weight today !!!<br /><br />In the deadlift of all things.<br /><br />The RX was Deadlift - 3-3-3-3-3. Which means to build up to a weight you can lift three times, and then do five sets. I've never really done much 1 or very low rep lifting so I am really not sure what my max should be. Of course this doesn't include the 3 sets of sit-ups, pull-ups, push ups, dips, squats and planks that make up the warm up (I can think of times where my warm up would have been my entire workout !).<br /><br />In terms of deadlifts I've done both the stiff legged and normal variety, but always found a limiter being my lower back, despite doing a lot of core work such as planks and back/hip extensions. A look at the these great videos and the problem in my form becomes apparent.<br /><br />Previous best was 105 lbs for 10 reps. So I set a goal to get to 135 lbs. The first few sets were warm ups and to fine tune my form at :-<br /><br />95lb - 10 reps<br />105lb - 8 reps<br />115lb - 6 reps<br />135lb - 3 reps<br />145lb - 3 reps<br />155lb - 3 reps<br />165lb - 3 reps<br />175lb - 3 reps<br />185lb - 3 reps<br />195lb - 3 reps<br />205lb - 1 rep<br /><br />It just goes to show what good form and determination in lifting can produce. That's the first time I've ever moved over 200lbs in any kind of free weight lift, and incredible feeling of achievement to lift that final rep and not feel any kind of pain, just muscles working at my limits.<br /><br />I think this is the thing I like best about CrossFit, pushing beyond my mental limits. Though I would add the caveat that I have a very solid base of both lifting and working out before I started this, and also the knowledge of when I am pushing beyond my physical limits into injury pain. While I like and agree with a lot of the core philosophy, I approach it with my own beliefs on lifting, of good form, and not forcing exra reps out at all cost with very bad form, as this path leads to injury and despair. Amongst the affiliate gyms, they seem to fall into these two camps themselves, some hardcore push everyone past their physical (not mental) limits, and then others who teach good form and drive them to their limits but not beyond.<br /><br />As an old member of the Tri-DRS group said "Take what you want and leave the rest", I take the workouts, and the drive to push myself but have no desire to join a CF gym and do the group workouts. My workouts are my time, a solitary competition with no one except myself, and chance to center and focus on one thing, I'm certain that having others around me and competing on time would take away my enjoyment. It was these very things that drew me to triathlon originally.<br /><br />But regardless, I'm stoked about today. With today being a heavy day, tomorrow is sure to be something with lots and lots of reps.trigimperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17376027987681624761noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8018575262976649220.post-26531760321567636022009-01-03T16:37:00.005-05:002009-01-03T17:44:15.328-05:00If you go down to the woods today...Yay...a day off from throwing weights (and myself around), but with such a jonesing to get outside and go run in the woods.<br /><br />Although a little chilly, weather.com was reporting 34 degrees, it was sunny and with no wind. The trails were fantastic, dry, wintry and still. I had in mind to do the Watkins Mill-Rt. 355 out and back which would give 10k. The entire trail end to end is 12.5 miles and I've run (and) mountain biked every mile of it so many times over the last year but I never tire of it. Every time I notice or see something a little different, and each time running somewhere other than a road or laps around a lake just seems to lift my soul.<br /><br />The first two miles (and surprise surprise, the last two) are up and down through the woods overlooking the creek before finally descending and running alongside it, the difference always jolting, one moment running well worn singletrack, the next hitting flat marshland vegetation. Even though it is mid winter, any number of stream and creek crossings are dried out, the creek itself running much lower than in the summer. My legs certainly could feel the last two days, the 300 squats, and all the cleans but yet they didn't feel dead, even after two weeks of Crossfit I could feel an increase in strength and spring in my step. Though the last two miles, the spirit and aerobically I was willing but there seemed little in the legs, not a tiredness, just very little in the bank.<div><br /><div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 162px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoShGhewCbRKABpF9ocv8fKYJWigzey1EYogrD9xYVt3-fvRGY46U-3J3i0stMNKMxDIbwUIRf9vGVWjPZXD07KszpSWJIJfdXZJry7wzblvgv0srjNAEaZcQu-gCY31NHGyemLHAezGY/s200/Legs_like_tree_trunks.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287198716076236322" />Even so it was great to be outside, food for the body, mind and soul.</div><div><br /></div><div>Legs like tree trunks -----> ;-)<br /><br />This is the playlist along with a random thought that I had while each one played...<br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxeNZOLNh4c">Smooth Criminal - Alien Ant Farm</a> - yes the Michael Jackson song, but nu metal style</li><li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qte7CB1SfHI">Twice as Hard - Black Crowes</a> - such a raunchy opening guitar riff, and so difficult to not sing the chorus</li><li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=px8wqmYaJp0">Mary Had a Little Lamb - Buddy Guy</a> - no blues player past or present gets as wild as Buddy, grin inducing stuff</li><li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMlc6Vw2tg8">Jump, Jive and Wail - Brian Setzer Orchestra</a> - makes me want to Lindy Hop in the middle of the trail<br /></li><li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRX57zprNdw">Alfie - Lily Allen</a> - no wonder her brother threw her laptop out of a window when he heard it</li><li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWNm6Ye7_us">Pink Houses - John Cougar Mellencamp</a> - acoustic guitars in the woods, perfect, I was just missing a porch to kick back on<br /></li><li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNcpasj__WY">Fire Woman - The Cult</a> - ahhh takes me back to me yoof</li><li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uhSSAv3o4M">Spit it Out - Slipknot</a> - anger, resentment and detuned raging guitars, "All you want to do is drag me down, all I want to do is stamp you out !" -<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> vid has extreme profanity, its not a rock show, its a war on the stage</span></li><li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4L-yisV5KE">Hangar 18 - Megadeth</a> - Live in Buenos Aires, with a crowd going completely bonkers who sing along to not just the words, but also the riffs.<br /></li><li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRbPWcLode0">Crazy Train - Ozzy</a> - Randy Rhoads playing is incredible, the solo just blows my mind every time</li><li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJfWLVXUCQc">Head Like a Hole - Nine Inch Nails</a> - BOW DOWN TO THE ONE YOU SERVE</li><li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZio1T2ZSqk">Candyman - Siouxsie and the Banshees</a> - Much more complex than I remembered it</li><li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfzVDZWV4mw">I fought the Law - Stray Cats</a> - Written by the Crickets post Buddy Holly funnily enough</li><li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6_7GqolBcA">Under My Wheels - Alice Cooper - Live</a> - "This is my daughter Calico Cooper, go put some clothes on"</li><li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJeEFTY3fh0">Madaleine - Winger</a> - Reb Beach is a criminally underrated guitarist, great riff and a killer solo</li><li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1TDN67ibdo">Minstel in the Gallery - Jethro Tull</a> - Songs in the Wood might have been a better choice, but nice and rustic </li><li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OurjUT67Chk">Garden Party- Marillion</a> - Edgy eggs and queing cumbers, rudely awakaned from their slumber</li></ul></div></div>trigimperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17376027987681624761noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8018575262976649220.post-70497205232398779092009-01-02T16:21:00.005-05:002009-01-02T17:54:42.320-05:00Not Big<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_xfA9FdPO-4&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_xfA9FdPO-4&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><div>Sandwiched between <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKAIlrkSZOg">“Rolling”</a> by Limp Bizkit and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=td1ZLqrEpXI">“Beds are burning”</a> by Midnight Oil during today’s workout was this little gem, she’s such a Spitfire, in that very British 'Squeeze/Beautiful South' cynical lyrics to happy sounding songs kind of way. If the mood takes you and you feel the bitterness, the lyrics are <a href="http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/lilyallen/notbig.html">here</a>..<br /><br />Today was the end of another block of three days straight and tomorrow is (yippee) a rest day, though I’m getting the itch to go for a nice 10k trail run in the woods as I haven’t been out there in what seems like ages.<br /><br />The RX was to do 135lb <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwFEbZlkD_s">clean and jerk</a> - 1 in the 1st minute, 2 in the 2nd etc..until failure.<br /><br />Not knowing my single rep clean and jerk limit (come to think of it I’m not sure of any of my one rep maxes having never worked out that way), this workout seemed to not work for me, but in the spirit of doing the exercises I thought a negative progression would supply the load and work required.<br /><br />I started with 75 lbs on a 45 pound bar (usually use a 25 so the extra length was interesting to balance) and did 10 reps to start and then warm up, each successive set I dropped one rep and increased the weight<br /><br />75lb - 10 reps<br />85lb - 9 reps<br />95lb - 8 reps<br />100lb - 6 reps (think I took too short of a break interval here, and the form was bad)<br />105lb - 4 reps<br />110lb - 4 reps<br />115lb - 2 reps<br />115lb - 1 rep<br />115lb - 1 rep<br />115lb - 1 rep<br />115lb - 1 rep<br /><br />I stopped at 115lb as this was the weight at which my form was on the edge of becoming bad, when pulling a weight from the ground to your collarbone and then pushing it overhead, a loss of balance because of form could be somewhat catastrophic in terms of injuring myself. Equally I could still feel my workout from yesterday, its better to work hard but know your limits, two less reps or 20 less pounds is better than a month or two off because you pulled something. The workout was still enough to be challenging, with each of the last one reps making me think quite hard to get the bar up. It also make me pretty happy as that is 20lbs more than I’ve managed in a standalone shoulder press, adding the total weight up, that makes 4445 lbs lifted in one exercise/workout..damn.<br /><br />Though thinking about yesterday’s and pulling my calculator out and assuming my body weight = the weight lifted, the pull-ups and push-ups alone total 36,000 lbs, which can’t be right, there must be some kind of estimate. Though I can easily compare to conventional weightlifting, my muscles are more tired and feel as if they have been worked much harder.<br /><br /></div>trigimperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17376027987681624761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8018575262976649220.post-37873637119958460102009-01-01T19:17:00.002-05:002009-01-01T19:21:43.111-05:00“Murph”<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFwYXVGWN6f1P9HjySrm_sQbruwj4lm1t8umZMeBqD5Hf4CajxBF1x934e0F-CkHD6AL71SKXe6n2PRhvZ1NXMV83zuQhC78GfpMsu4BdGvhISOAxuz7q3twQ2rYd4NrkjlJhpr0uhI9A/s1600-h/IMGP1763.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFwYXVGWN6f1P9HjySrm_sQbruwj4lm1t8umZMeBqD5Hf4CajxBF1x934e0F-CkHD6AL71SKXe6n2PRhvZ1NXMV83zuQhC78GfpMsu4BdGvhISOAxuz7q3twQ2rYd4NrkjlJhpr0uhI9A/s200/IMGP1763.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286484870829599442" /></a>Happy New Year to one and all ! :-)<br /><br />As suspected the workout for today being New Year’s Day was going to be a doozy, and it sure as heck was.<br /><br />“Murph” is one of CrossFit’s Hero workouts, so named as they are dedicated to members of the Forces, Police or Firefighters who have died in the course of duty. This one is in memory of Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, 29, of Patchogue, N.Y., who was killed in Afghanistan on June 28th, 2005.<br /><br />Adding that memory puts some extra spice into giving my best to the workout itself which consists of:<br /><br />1 mile run<br />100 pull-ups<br />200 push-ups<br />300 squats<br />1 mile run<br /><br />Being a runner the first 1 mile scares me not one iota, the second one after all those squats was going to be interesting to say the least.<br /><br />THe instructions suggest the exercises other than the runs could be broken up or partitioned in any way you choose, anyone who can do 100 pull-ups straight has to be a complete monster. I chose the advice of several of the commenters to break it up into a “Cindy”, so 20 circuits of 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups and 15 squats.<br /><br />Unfortunately due to NY hours the gym closed before I could complete it as RX’d, but managed the 1 mile run, 18 circuits and .75 of the last run before they shut the lights out on me, a quick 2 circuits of the outside of the gym including the car park kept it as honest as possible - total time 54 minutes. If I’d skipped a circuit of my ab/core workout I could have done it whole, but still, thats four more circuits than I managed on “Cindy”<br /><br />Totals :<br /><br />Incline sit-ups (*) - 60<br />Hanging knee raises - 60<br />Back extensions - 60<br />Side planks - 45<br /><br />Pull-ups - 90<br />Push-ups - 180<br />Squats - 270<br /><br />Total - 765<br /><br />Wrecked/wasted/destroyed are all good descriptions of how I felt afterwards.<br /><br />Now sitting with the aroma of my <a href="http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/chicken-cacciatora,1368,RC.html">Chicken Cacciatora</a> wafting up the stairs, and then going to the Movies later. A great start to the new year :-)trigimperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17376027987681624761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8018575262976649220.post-53971781125438916892008-12-24T22:33:00.002-05:002008-12-24T22:36:40.914-05:00Give me a blankie !...now I feel like Linus in Charlie Brown's Christmas, give me a blankie !!!<br /><br />In a very "Have a painful Christmas Day" the sadists, sorry I mean leadership at Crossfit have designated tomorrow as "Angie"<br /><br />100 pull-ups<br />100 push-ups<br />100 sit-ups<br />100 squats.<br /><br />Anyone else noticed yet that Angie, Eva, Cindy were all major hurricanes, it should come as no surprise searching through the archives that there is a "Fran" and "Isabel" too.trigimperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17376027987681624761noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8018575262976649220.post-3566110698827277312008-12-24T13:44:00.002-05:002008-12-24T13:47:37.352-05:00On the road, I'm on the road again.....<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN0zQ0HfkBrcpK74gnrSCQhVB_vMR8n9WFj4xRIAkPOcX83DCgSv1MbMw-wKCNN-4vfMYTGULV-4zCbXYzY497tf_nv7EII14kuZuLUA2BCZkIhzJwCIAqcraeZhophS0xfpxpImoYyi0/s1600-h/IMGP7208.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN0zQ0HfkBrcpK74gnrSCQhVB_vMR8n9WFj4xRIAkPOcX83DCgSv1MbMw-wKCNN-4vfMYTGULV-4zCbXYzY497tf_nv7EII14kuZuLUA2BCZkIhzJwCIAqcraeZhophS0xfpxpImoYyi0/s200/IMGP7208.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283430091183316386" /></a>A quick one as I wait for a confirmation email from Dell before I can hit the road. After the recent monster workouts, Eva apparently being one of the most brutal in the archive according to the Crossfit comments today seemed a little anti-climatic.<br /><br />5-5-5-5-5 on Squats.<br /><br />So did a hardish warm up of stretches, crunches (going easier than yesterday) pushups, pull-ups and dips it was onto the squat cage.<br /><br />Start relatively easy with sets of 12-10-8 increasing weight, then rack the plates on until I'm at near my max for 5-6 reps.<br /><br />Five sets with 2 mins rest between.<br /><br />Done. But with a sense as I drove home of "Was that it ?", and feeling like I should go jump a tall building or run a half marathon.<br /><br />But now its CHRISTMAS, and I'm off to go see the munchkin. Please spare a thought and a prayer for those less fortunate in this Holiday Season.<br /><br />Y'all be good :-)trigimperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17376027987681624761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8018575262976649220.post-6183121202757789892008-12-23T18:44:00.002-05:002008-12-23T18:46:37.919-05:00I did Cindy.......15 times in 20 minutes. And she kicked my arse !.<br /><br />OK, so Cindy is a WOD (Workout of the day), which consists of:<br />5 pull ups<br />10 push-ups<br />15 squats<br /><br />Repeat the circuit as many times as possible in 20 minutes. So 15 gives, :<br /><br />75 pull ups<br />150 push ups<br />225 squats<br /><br />In 20 minutes. By the end I was a heap of hurt lying in a pool of my own sweat. Admittedly I managed the first three sets as full pull-ups, then the next sets went to the assisted pull-up machine, first 2 sets each of 20lb, 30lb, 40lb, 50lb, and the rest at 60. THe last 3 sets of push-ups were from my knees rather than toes, my shoulders were simply giving out.<br /><br />Yesterday was a very welcome rest day, I learned from last weeks over enthusiasm and did nothing :-)<br /><br />Today was "Eva" - after reading it last night I was quaking, but anticipating and committing to it.<br /><br />Repeat 5 times timed.<br />800 yd run<br />30 kettle bell swings<br />30 pull-ups<br /><br />Total<br />2.5 miles run<br />150 kettle bell swings<br />150 pull-ups<br /><br />Dammit, what is it with the **&&**!! pull-ups !.<br /><br />First set 20 pull-ups, then 10 on the assist.<br /><br />Total time 50 minutes. Slow, but again I completed the workout and I'm just starting out with this, things will improve. As one of the trainers pointed out today, that I'm doing something few people could manage even dropping the weights down, so that's comforting.trigimperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17376027987681624761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8018575262976649220.post-27945263178663665372008-12-20T22:07:00.006-05:002008-12-20T22:41:59.106-05:00One foot in front of the other. Repeat.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja2QoXGrZcdLXIyNOnx4pQGxM1j_ZptMpcWN2ZX3scfkItx5S6o8aic6N-Jq64VTU3nOCy1pC7auJ9MD1RB42-GcTlG_dMSMhmns1h4XEWqc9B14UU5frw2IoMkXPLHf_RzEPnE0n5ZvE/s1600-h/IMGP6077.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja2QoXGrZcdLXIyNOnx4pQGxM1j_ZptMpcWN2ZX3scfkItx5S6o8aic6N-Jq64VTU3nOCy1pC7auJ9MD1RB42-GcTlG_dMSMhmns1h4XEWqc9B14UU5frw2IoMkXPLHf_RzEPnE0n5ZvE/s200/IMGP6077.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282075454872491090" border="0" /></a></style-->Today found me back on familiar territory of running, which after yesterdays “Filthy” was most welcome – 4 x 800m with rest between until heart rate comes down to normal. Cool - long intervals :-) <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The path by my lake (in picture) has a trail that I've measured before. From the fork in the path to the first bench is approx 200 yards apart. Yeah it was cold, but nothing a good warm up can't take care of.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I'm still a little leary of my calf muscle having torn it in September and still bitterly remember the ridiculous amount of time it took to heal and the number of times I thought it was healed and then pushed too hard to set it back.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The first interval I hit out, going hard but not all out</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">4:45 – hmm, that's a bit slow, that's a 9:30 mile, it sure felt faster. 3 minutes to rest and off I set again</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">4:50 – at least I'm consistent. Another 3 minutes rest, and my calf is feeling tight</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">4:51 – damn, this was getting ugly really fast, I could barely feel my legs after yesterday and had difficulty in turning over</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">5:10 for the last set, yeah, the rails came off, physically I wasn't hurting, I was breathing hard and the last 400 going absolutely all out, but there really was nothing left in the tank.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">A good cool down run and head home for warmth and food, and to sodding well measure that course more accurately. Onto <a href="http://www.mapmyrun.com/">MapmyRun</a> and switch to satellite so I can see the two ends and measure it – 260 meters, making each '800' yds actually 1100. Which equates to a 7:30 average pace, much more respectable, and I'm happy with that knowing how fried not only my legs, but my entire body, especially my glutes and obliques, where the initial movements for running fire from. I'll be interested to do this as a test in 3 months to see how much stronger I am, but also by which time I will be three months back into regular running after my layoff.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The soundtrack today was just a thing of pefection :-</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6J2SHdQNvU">INXS – Kick</a></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whSYTSXm8wo">The Jam – Going Underground</a></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="http://www.thickrecords.com/bands/tossers.html">The Tossers</a> – Come Dancing - vids not on youtube, but imagine a drunken lurching acoustic Irish folk/punk song..difficult to run to actually.<br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="http://www.bigtownplayboys.com/">Big Town Playboys</a> – Shake your hips - no youtube, shame.<br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXk6pYkfknQ">Kid Rock – American Badass</a></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuFbePO72gE">John Lee Hooker – Big legs, tight skirt</a></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLRLhV9U0kQ">Aerosmith – Pink</a> (got clicked forward halfway through just wasn't working for this workout)</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3kWuTJsO_o">Joe Satriani – Flying in a Blue Dream</a></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JePJNCrxpcY">Flogging Molly - Drunken Lullabies</a><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPDJicA816s">Stevie Ray Vaughn – Superstitious<br /></a></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuhoQk8bA9Q">INXS – Devil Inside</a></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frtJQFe9apw">Black Sabbath – Die Young</a> - Oh yeah, it just drives along, perfect as I was making the final push on this one</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">As a side note I forgot to write what amused me on Tuesdays muscle buster. At the start of my first set Guns N Roses “You're Crazy” (aka You're ****ing crazy) came on...how appropriate.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p>trigimperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17376027987681624761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8018575262976649220.post-7977379899254983172008-12-19T18:19:00.004-05:002008-12-19T18:47:57.393-05:00Filthy, filthy, filthy...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTitYm2ytSA7gv7xWHC6eZYw9dXyXNXUU64PT383Y-a8HeJjzONhENzg-LCYKxzYHI49Gzhs7ncR89OPb1B7M-jrPQGeuWXrwWQytU5S14hCE6_gkBTjGHCxJXdZey2tQUvS4OLsUJ1MA/s1600-h/IMGP1869.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTitYm2ytSA7gv7xWHC6eZYw9dXyXNXUU64PT383Y-a8HeJjzONhENzg-LCYKxzYHI49Gzhs7ncR89OPb1B7M-jrPQGeuWXrwWQytU5S14hCE6_gkBTjGHCxJXdZey2tQUvS4OLsUJ1MA/s320/IMGP1869.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281650260135433026" border="0" /></a>Very filthy, very, very, very filthy. Before this week I thought I was fit, and compared to most I guess I was (am?), I was wrong. Very wrong. I can see how far I can go, and how much further I can put myself, this is going to be a great journey. <p>Being the cretin that I am yesterday was a day off, as Crossfit is 3 days on, 1 day off, so muggins here shot out at lunch for a 45 min ride. Even though its my ‘easy’ route it still involves quite a few hills, one or two of which can be challenging. It took me nearly the whole ride wondering why the steeper or longer hills seemed so hard, my breathing was OK, and my quads weren’t sore or burning up but I just seemed to have no power at all….doh – the 75 hip extensions yesterday, plus all the <a href="http://www.byrn.org/gtips/core.htm">Gordo core</a> workout – when you ride, the beginning of the power for your stroke comes from your hip abductors/glutes – precisely what I beat the crap out of the day before.</p> <p>But hey, I HTFU’d and enjoyed it anyway. Fast forward to last night and today’s WOD (Workout of the Day) was posted..at first it was disbelief followed by “This is going to be ugly” followed by cool, this will be so hard that it will make me strong !</p><p>A lot of that positive attitude was reading the Men's Health interview with Lance Armstrong about his come back and another small insight into what makes him tick. Unfortunately the article is not online yet, but a very edited version is on <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more_sports/2008/12/03/2008-12-03_lance_armstrong_reveals_his_killer_worko.html">NY Times</a>, looking at the shape he is in I would not want to bet against him next July. The other was Jason Statham's original article, how many times have we gone to the gym and not put in 100% thinking something is better than nothing, then have the same thing happen the next time, <a href="http://www.menshealth.com/cda/article.do?site=MensHealth&channel=fitness&category=motivation&conitem=100983b43c369010VgnVCM100000cfe793cd____">this article</a> changes your thinking. Since I first read it I've committed to each and every workout even if I'm having a bad day, no skipping that last rep, no cutting sets short, and no half arsed efforts.<br /></p> <p>Similar warm up to Tuesday – 5 mins rowing, then 3 sets of 10 reps of overhead squat, incline twisting sit-up, push up, side planks, dip, plank+10crunches</p> <p>Then THIS is the ‘Filthy Fifty’ as I did it</p> <p>50 24“ Box jumps</p> <p>50Jumping pull-ups (stand on boxes so bar is easily reached then jump and finish a pull up)</p> <p>50 Kettlebell swings – my gym doesn’t have 36lb, only 20. This was the only one I could do straight</p> <p>50 knee to elbows (hang from bar, curl lower body until knee to elbow)</p> <p>50 45lb push to press (stand bar at shoulder, ¼ squat and drive bar overhead, lock elbows)</p> <p>50 Back extension</p> <p>50 Wall ball shots (20lb medicine ball, squat and then drive upwards throwing ball up wall, catch repeat)</p> <p>50 walking lunges</p> <p>50 Burpees</p> <p>400 yard run</p> <p>Row to cool down</p> <p>Not counting the cardio or planks, that’s 530 reps in 43 minutes. Most things if I had to stop I could get motivated and get back on quickly in 5-15 seconds, in nearly every case I hit at least 30 reps before the first stop. But the burpees…which use almost every muscle in the body was 5 sets of ten, with a minute, maybe 2 minutes between the last couple, I didn’t realize how much they use the abs/core. One of the older citizens of the gym came over at one point as he thought I needed help getting up..I just looked at him because I wasn’t sure that I didn’t need help.</p> <p>At the end I needed to sit down and quickly, Mr Pukey wasn’t quite visiting, but he was walking up the path if I didn’t stop moving, by halfway through the workout I could hear the blood in my ears, and flowing through my veins, a hammering in my head. It took a few to get my life back together again, and I could feel the workout in EVERY muscle in my body, but its workouts like this that push you beyond the edge that really provide the gains.<br /></p><p>I want my Jason Statham six pack !</p><p><br /></p><p>And I'm going to get it. And quickly ! :-)<br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p>trigimperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17376027987681624761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8018575262976649220.post-47504734681727003922008-12-17T10:59:00.004-05:002008-12-17T14:59:27.156-05:00It's going to be a slow death....<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0j0_eiZew6_qTnml283EbHPsoNgUhdrMhZSl_jD6yssN5ubvbk9KGuh2JCUXM4C5voQWnfhWK27RwYMkdMlVE4G8_db9yH5_p0pTLgsPvxi11vL3TM5Ei0kegRO7VuP78O_nfUcvblJA/s1600-h/IMG_5927.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0j0_eiZew6_qTnml283EbHPsoNgUhdrMhZSl_jD6yssN5ubvbk9KGuh2JCUXM4C5voQWnfhWK27RwYMkdMlVE4G8_db9yH5_p0pTLgsPvxi11vL3TM5Ei0kegRO7VuP78O_nfUcvblJA/s320/IMG_5927.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280850135568884178" border="0" /></a>Eagerly this morning (I know, I know, I’m sick) I logged into Crossfit to see today’s workout – the score on the door was as I planned the workout<br /><br />Repeat as a circuit for 20 minutes, no rest:<br /><br />400m run<br />15 L-pull-ups (a pull up but with your legs out in front of you parallel to the floor)<br />15 hip extensions<br /><br />I'm going to have to change this a little, I think I can manage one set of pull-ups to 15 with good form, but have never tried L-pull-ups, so I"m going to attack it as hard as I can with normal pull-ups until my arms give out then move to an assisted pull-up. But the paperwork did say that the first month or so you will have to modify weights and/or reps, the important thing being to complete the workout having worked hard.<br /><br />That's the pre-workout view, I'm stoked.<br /><br />-------------------------<br /><br />OK, so views afterward, this is the warm up :-<br /><br />Row 5 mins<br />Warm-up (10-15 reps each except for the stretch) repeat x3<br />Samson Stretch<br />Overhead squat<br />Push-ups<br />Sit-up<br />Dip<br /><br />Then managed 5 complete circuits in 23:10. To give an idea of how bad the fall off was I completed the fourth set at 18:05 (including say 30 seconds doing hanging knee to chest while waiting for the hip/back extension machine). But figured as I had started the fifth set then I was damn well going to complete the circuit. By this point the legs were very wobbly, I was drenched in sweat, breathing hard and stood in front of the pull up bars for a good 10-15 seconds until I had got my life together enough to get on them. The first two sets went well, clipping along at a good pace and hustling between the treadmill, bars and extension, by the third the spirit was there, but the body was beginning to give out, the fourth was ugly and the fifth was mental drive alone.<br /><br />Afterward, completely shattered, sat up against a wall for a good five minutes before getting on the rowing machine to cool down.<br /><br />So total workout:<br /><br />30 incline sit-ups<br />30 push-ups<br />30 dips<br />30 overhead squats<br />1.25 mile run @ 7 minute/mile pace<br />75 pull-ups<br />75 back/hip extensions<br /><br />On paper it just doesn't seem too different to what I did on Monday:<br /><br />Clean and press<br />Weighted hanging knee to chest<br />Weighted 24" step ups<br />Wide grip pull-ups<br />Raised pushups (standard push up but with tips of toes on a swiss ball)<br />Dips<br /><br />All 10 reps, 3 circuits with 2 minutes rest.<br /><br />The key to why Crossfit today was much harder is that rest , ie. there wasn't any, so the tiredness between circuits just multiplied exponentially, unbelievably even. Also the total number of reps is much higher at 270 vs 180.<br /><br />Brutal, destroy your world brutal. Can't wait for the next one. Unfortunately it is a 3 days on, 1 day off schedule and I joined up the day before a rest day. But, the weather is warming up for tomorrow so I see a play on my MTB before work tomorrow :-)trigimperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17376027987681624761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8018575262976649220.post-55296961610083413842008-12-16T19:38:00.006-05:002008-12-16T19:43:20.348-05:00Death becomes me :-)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh828jxsy6QeYyKauglSfzqrtzAikaVb624vBEmVqd8lzhjJKhmhHvcZywigsS2G2iUQQ-xVfhl3_RHrj1dsVYhdXhZ-R4IOM2AK9z7fGjZdOr0Txyg7nSecSqlak1Hviuh48tqHcOW99w/s1600-h/content_allsites_images_dbs2_1024_bdf43869-c4a4-4b5f-84eb-16084d6eec8e.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh828jxsy6QeYyKauglSfzqrtzAikaVb624vBEmVqd8lzhjJKhmhHvcZywigsS2G2iUQQ-xVfhl3_RHrj1dsVYhdXhZ-R4IOM2AK9z7fGjZdOr0Txyg7nSecSqlak1Hviuh48tqHcOW99w/s320/content_allsites_images_dbs2_1024_bdf43869-c4a4-4b5f-84eb-16084d6eec8e.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280552886262556178" /></a>“God will only give you as much pain as you can physically handle. The problem is that he thinks you can handle a heck of a lot of pain, usually followed by death”.<br /><br />In life sometimes we look for new challenges. With the changes and studying on the professional side of my life, I have also felt the need to switch up and find a workout plan that will push me to my limits. I have worked out hard, consistently on an almost daily basis for nearly 18 months now so have built a good base of fitness both in strength and cardio, but on the strength side have become a little jaded to the same exercises week in/week out, most of which are conventional weight lifting standards (not that there is anything wrong with that). As such I have been looking for something that will really push me every workout.<br /><br />Reading a couple of articles from Jason Statham in Men's Health started to change my thinking about how I wanted to approach this side of my fitness, the first in terms of <a href="http://www.menshealth.com/cda/article.do?site=MensHealth&channel=fitness&category=motivation&conitem=100983b43c369010VgnVCM100000cfe793cd____">attitude</a>, and then the second which was an in depth look at one week of his <a href="http://www.menshealth.com/cda/article.do?site=MensHealth&channel=fitness&category=workout.plans&conitem=c33c8cd0a5aa5110VgnVCM10000013281eac____">training</a>. This was fine, but finding how to keep that progress evolving without hiring his trainer was going to be tough, and as they stated this workout was designed specifically for him. In the meantime MH also published <a href="http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/James_Bond_workout/index.php">Daniel Craig's</a> workout from Quantum of Solace, designed to make him leaner for this movie than his first. After a few weeks of that, yes its a killer, each day there will body parts that closely resemble rubber man. My first day of doing the legs day I made the mistake of running to the gym, running back home was 'interesting' to say the least.<br /><br />Purely by chance at the same time a friend sent a link about <a href="http://www.crossfit.com">Crossfit</a>, at the same time I saw a couple of people doing these strange circuits, never doing the same workout twice, it took a few days to realize I was looking at Crossfit.<br /><br /><a href="http://journal.crossfit.com/2002/04/foundations.tpl">I've read up on it quite a bit</a>, comparing it with P90X which a number of triathletes are swearing by. For the last week I have been looking at the daily workouts and thinking “Ouch” but thinking more and more I WANT TO DO THIS !!!. It's exactly what I'm looking for, hard, extreme sets designed to push you through barriers.<br /><br />So trigger pulled, signed up for an account and let's get this going !! <br /><br /><br />* Yeah, so I mentioned Daniel Craig and Quantum of Solace, so I just had to insert a gratuitous picture of an Aston Martin ;-)trigimperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17376027987681624761noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8018575262976649220.post-36174254558058748762008-12-08T16:43:00.014-05:002008-12-08T18:11:06.050-05:00Cold enough to freeze the balls on a brass monkeyA photography blog for today, how I spent yesterday afternoon at Lake Fairfax in Reston at the final race of the Mid-Atlantic Cyclocross series. Great racing but my gosh it was COLD !!.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTDYn6L-w3rSUAdO8wr5h1hUsjZSxb0Sv9b4y__vxeKc3ej95juE4oai7wxmCTnu3RtjPa5en6jLXnnZVuhnBBLI0-icfBPdLCXigYCFKhNv7fwcrw4gHDW0A94NZ6QFtRnIHh-t-4qqU/s1600-h/IMGP7570.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 256px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTDYn6L-w3rSUAdO8wr5h1hUsjZSxb0Sv9b4y__vxeKc3ej95juE4oai7wxmCTnu3RtjPa5en6jLXnnZVuhnBBLI0-icfBPdLCXigYCFKhNv7fwcrw4gHDW0A94NZ6QFtRnIHh-t-4qqU/s320/IMGP7570.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277540396506896770" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCa0LIhW4ANZvoWwG6xAybP4-03rwXBiWQI3byuiOkX1yLX2-g_uQGculICrH4SpZiTzsvEMwDkYIr7Qk1da7qba-1BJdOcHSm3xbDa-B2Par5k185vlZIIHsu-rGn_7gfb1KoqiUNhy4/s1600-h/IMGP7564.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCa0LIhW4ANZvoWwG6xAybP4-03rwXBiWQI3byuiOkX1yLX2-g_uQGculICrH4SpZiTzsvEMwDkYIr7Qk1da7qba-1BJdOcHSm3xbDa-B2Par5k185vlZIIHsu-rGn_7gfb1KoqiUNhy4/s320/IMGP7564.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277540266004022770" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVCC7bC7dvtP5sC6HkS7iaI9jMwS9DbIkJLGSlUa62tpnZEnN32i8SwdFNhSKW5fKrCjlMSv64HtmG3dMGuN39c_5bNV8IuFclxYr0bPtS3Um_XrjV_F8DCYxTiRGMC3y6asjwz6iDpts/s1600-h/IMGP7559.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVCC7bC7dvtP5sC6HkS7iaI9jMwS9DbIkJLGSlUa62tpnZEnN32i8SwdFNhSKW5fKrCjlMSv64HtmG3dMGuN39c_5bNV8IuFclxYr0bPtS3Um_XrjV_F8DCYxTiRGMC3y6asjwz6iDpts/s320/IMGP7559.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277540067210908146" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmfN1itN6OE6TXwFT2Y-Onsig-ZeBui8H4PWkXW1j-yAyUT1camJY7EYYsNyQowTpli5Hyh8_IL2Ric8glPhI6ClZ14-6YaMFfkE8ZihjlztXMkr8ZSfT_9RAdofRugADFv81DNoVRhzg/s1600-h/IMGP7555.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmfN1itN6OE6TXwFT2Y-Onsig-ZeBui8H4PWkXW1j-yAyUT1camJY7EYYsNyQowTpli5Hyh8_IL2Ric8glPhI6ClZ14-6YaMFfkE8ZihjlztXMkr8ZSfT_9RAdofRugADFv81DNoVRhzg/s320/IMGP7555.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277539926095532434" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXw2hva7snEpeEyIIvhpM616LBN2ymhZwaNmi7u0qarQrB6AAiSj0JfVrSgPekfzWjH2PxjVP4xs1VtDZT_BPzQlP1tqac0gKuRH_eqC0EurHhTqMmob_75G_KqHZ0qt5P7LV79Iadok/s1600-h/IMGP7484.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 256px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXw2hva7snEpeEyIIvhpM616LBN2ymhZwaNmi7u0qarQrB6AAiSj0JfVrSgPekfzWjH2PxjVP4xs1VtDZT_BPzQlP1tqac0gKuRH_eqC0EurHhTqMmob_75G_KqHZ0qt5P7LV79Iadok/s320/IMGP7484.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277539743578121122" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Q2jmc-S-qZIwP7IyjP-ubPXiSf83OvABOXYJmG01WoO5C9Xc9yNYgI8IemE85jf31iR9wtIL3MTG7jyfgMohZdTaBaoml0FaeSlTqH3-YLwHbPMILZExX0EYyhzGyJ2Ry9cp95cXR-s/s1600-h/IMGP7473.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Q2jmc-S-qZIwP7IyjP-ubPXiSf83OvABOXYJmG01WoO5C9Xc9yNYgI8IemE85jf31iR9wtIL3MTG7jyfgMohZdTaBaoml0FaeSlTqH3-YLwHbPMILZExX0EYyhzGyJ2Ry9cp95cXR-s/s320/IMGP7473.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277539602206077538" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcmEaIDLnpJS8UZ3aeT-dBFoPQR-Qt8Z0BkAwdq2Cw-Cuuguz2feTyqaOy_Gx5RRijVmIbiUKhGUotKzDn7g92qj-kmRXGo4qIijV_MU2sKYaZ-cek7WCB8u7VxhSP0holxCksVDsDUKE/s1600-h/IMGP7471.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcmEaIDLnpJS8UZ3aeT-dBFoPQR-Qt8Z0BkAwdq2Cw-Cuuguz2feTyqaOy_Gx5RRijVmIbiUKhGUotKzDn7g92qj-kmRXGo4qIijV_MU2sKYaZ-cek7WCB8u7VxhSP0holxCksVDsDUKE/s320/IMGP7471.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277539535638919074" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUgyBeGpNgJrFNzsPzbosb-xy8MlazEfdluaQYKpv-C_TBfadb1G5doDuv8ENTJ435Ez6KS8BwTrnhHOXInrcMftSobAoXZKD7YWOli4VRt1YQTcESeF05n_Q_asiVqGwCx7E-DME-4CI/s1600-h/IMGP7435.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUgyBeGpNgJrFNzsPzbosb-xy8MlazEfdluaQYKpv-C_TBfadb1G5doDuv8ENTJ435Ez6KS8BwTrnhHOXInrcMftSobAoXZKD7YWOli4VRt1YQTcESeF05n_Q_asiVqGwCx7E-DME-4CI/s320/IMGP7435.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277539194025117698" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDlrkuTm7z6pLApG0exxbiDwt9NzFIIIvkgeeNG6ZABeBRW6VQFfm4_fFa6hyiGxvoZEE5aT7NNn-FGx8I10SsVezaoQQDqAGFnCk9x_nUtDjWipNi0W55mxBmJGy3ClCFh06z03z9Yt4/s1600-h/IMGP7418.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDlrkuTm7z6pLApG0exxbiDwt9NzFIIIvkgeeNG6ZABeBRW6VQFfm4_fFa6hyiGxvoZEE5aT7NNn-FGx8I10SsVezaoQQDqAGFnCk9x_nUtDjWipNi0W55mxBmJGy3ClCFh06z03z9Yt4/s320/IMGP7418.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277539088044754850" border="0" /></a>trigimperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17376027987681624761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8018575262976649220.post-1890353897286766572008-12-04T08:35:00.003-05:002008-12-04T09:34:02.287-05:00It ain't over until the fat lady has ******* you over ! :-)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxPXbO7t8bQvCKtH8Mr4w3mtenDK1tqgnoCXdIjPTBgRfNaoYsxKVAVFsAezKTm9H8hexilmmTs5Z2KQkKsqMNhvQMiQRxYBdfDHe_H3Sq34BtNjy2FdBMHQsPGWHamE2qkH7CodcK5v8/s1600-h/IMG_4600.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxPXbO7t8bQvCKtH8Mr4w3mtenDK1tqgnoCXdIjPTBgRfNaoYsxKVAVFsAezKTm9H8hexilmmTs5Z2KQkKsqMNhvQMiQRxYBdfDHe_H3Sq34BtNjy2FdBMHQsPGWHamE2qkH7CodcK5v8/s320/IMG_4600.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5275939859602099970" border="0" /></a>What I listen to in the morning can easily shape my day, this morning once again was the Rocky Horror Show, Tim Curry is an absolute genius and as for Richard O"Brien (Riff Raff) for writing and envisioning the whole thing...<br /><br />So my unconventional, conventionists...it always amuses me that the most frequent search term for finding this blog is "makka pakka knitting pattern", from an <a href="http://scarlettbueller.blogspot.com/2008/01/makka-pakka-akka-wakka-mikka-makka-moo.html">old post</a> I made, now given my description of the character, why on earth is he the most popular, not iggle piggle or upsy daisy ?<br /><br />Something a little different this morning, I've been using the "Genius" function on iTunes to build my playlists for working out recently and have to say I'm quite impressed. What it does is builds relationships between songs in yours and other people's libraries, allowing me to pick a song and it will then build me a playlist with however many songs I want in it, it doesn't necessarily stay in the same genre or style but will transition smoothly across them.<br /><br />I tend to pick something upbeat for running for it to key off, and for weight lifting from the nose bleed end of my musical listening spectrum. This one was for lifting, keyed off <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1i_72iKvbtI">Psychosocial</a> by Slipknot, now its out of order as when I downloaded it to the shuffle I'd re-shuffled again, great for weightlifting, the constant change ups throughout the workout broke up the monotony of 4 sets of each eaxercise :-)<br /><br />This was a fun exercise as I had never seen a great many of these videos...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLp63WBV-Ic">Du Hast - Rammstein</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk7SKP4PJ2w">Hand that Feeds - NIN</a> - the one I have on the iPod is from the NIN remix site, so is just Reznor and a piano, somehow more powerful much like Johnny Cash's take on NIN's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmVAWKfJ4Go">"Hurt"<br /></a><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lx58hXh4pVA">Enjoy the Silence - Lacuna Coil</a> - yes its a Depeche Mode cover<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eipuJPgHFZk">Man in the Box - Alice in Chains</a> - on the live CD I have his guitar is sound of the apocaplypse, always surprises me how much Jerry Cantrell (guitarist) sang on AiC songs..<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwWdC2KSF18">Rearranged - Limp Bizkit</a> - yeah a strange one for those that know me, but have always has a soft spot for Mr Durst and the boys..<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwWdC2KSF18">Lithium - Evanescence</a> - their usual drab and dreary, low budget video ;-)<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xfA9FdPO-4">Not Big - Lily Allen</a> - she's much maligned, but I always loved Squeeze and Beautiful South for their very British way of taking a happy sounding song and putting a nice sense of cynicism, irony and bitterness in the words, she's the same, sharp as a tack and quite a spitfire<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MxYhZLsVwY">Remember - Disturbed</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_09wFxoaeQ">Before I Forget - Slipknot</a> - probably one of their more 'commercial' songs, and the only video without their stage masks, hey I did say this was a nosebleed selection.<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixxtnrWb17Y">Heaven's a Lie - Lacuna Coil</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-R5JyegqXs">Mustang Sally - Buddy Guy</a> - no blues player ever gets as wild as Buddy, or as soulful in the blink of an eye. Tours every spring, go see a 70+ old guy behaving like a 16 year old with ADD...<br /><br />What is strange is that on the big iPod (iPersevere) I use in the car I predominantly listen to jazz...currently <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8j_TDoOPnIA">John Coltrane</a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKW40qCeql8">Grant Green</a>. Of the latter, very few videos exist of him, but here with another great influence of mine Kenny Burrel, both were that bluesy swing and Barney Kessel I remember seeing just before he died in a small pub in Nottingham. Looking at the guitars and era, each one of those guitars is probably worth the heavier side of $35k these days...<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gssgOW_K8vM"><br />"I don't want no dissension, just dynamic tension - in just seven days I can make you a man"</a> - Dr Frankenfurtertrigimperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17376027987681624761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8018575262976649220.post-55265124296951241382008-11-28T11:09:00.005-05:002008-11-28T11:40:59.125-05:00shutdown -r<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtwXdz2P6nTLJ_yuQuunFrJ7Tee4AyI4p24yqahqNqpCfy-jts5HKNlq_NKst8im8uBSEdGSzJfybmNp3z2vqwDHWCVABZfggHJs3dIJgvh77BBKeA-8sf2hRkQ2U88Ny3BPv4Rzufha0/s1600-h/THe+threemusketeers.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 286px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtwXdz2P6nTLJ_yuQuunFrJ7Tee4AyI4p24yqahqNqpCfy-jts5HKNlq_NKst8im8uBSEdGSzJfybmNp3z2vqwDHWCVABZfggHJs3dIJgvh77BBKeA-8sf2hRkQ2U88Ny3BPv4Rzufha0/s320/THe+threemusketeers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273741707465624914" border="0" /></a>This has been so long since I have written, a period of change would be the best way to put things - its time to reboot.<br /><br />I liked having this blog and writing on it, and I've missed the ability to go back and reflect on things I had written in the past. In many ways this blog is fairly selfish, as its my way of jotting down thoughts to please only myself, if other people took something from it then great. There are a few blogs I made a year or so again that I want to revisit as my life, and as a person I have changed and learned more over the last year. But to reflect, when I opened this blog back up I was at the start of a journey to change life and become healthy. Nearly a year on I have a attained a level of fitness that I don't think I have ever had, along with strength, for someone who was the skinny little runt at school only good for middle distance running still surprises me looking in the mirror.<br /><br />Professionally it has been a year of at times confusing change, it seemed for much of the year I was trying to find a balance or a place in the organization(s). A more recent change into more of a project management role found a home where I could contribute to the company which was a nice feeling. More recently I came to understand that I had stagnated professionally, repeating the past and not seeming to be moving forward. Watching Randy Pauch's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo">"Last Lecture"</a> proved motivating, life changing and inspiring. I enjoy the project management as I have done many times in the past, but my last formal training was 12 years ago (in Hamburg and Paris - life is tough sometimes) Since then <a href="http://www.pmi.org/">PMI</a> has become the dominant methodology for IT and Software development. I want our next project to be the best we can possibly do, and the best that I can do in managing it. So its back to school for me, learning from home towards a PMP certification (Project Management Professional). Its not a task to undertake lightly requiring a great deal of commitment in time and learning, but it feels fantastic to be learning something new, that can contribute greatly to the company.<br /><br />A year ago I thought I ate well, that my diet was good, now I know better. My meals and choice in what I eat has changed drastically, even when I'm not using the meal plans generated by <a href="http://www.mhpersonaltrainer.com/uof/mhpersonaltrainer/newreg/?cm_mmc=MH-_-topnavRegTest-_-083070-_-newreg&keycode=083070">Men's Health's Personal Trainer</a> it has become second nature to buy and continue down that path. Though I do try and build in one 'cheat meal' every week or two weeks, which stops any minor temptations of feeling deprived - so I still like my Shepherd's Pie and occasional <a href="http://www.deliaonline.com/">Delia</a> excursions ;-)<br /><br />One of the biggest changes fitness and health wise has been a sense of consistency, I'm paraphrasing <a href="http://www.gordoworld.com/">Gordo Byrn</a> who says "What you do in a workout is less important than consistency in working out", I've missed very few workouts.<br /><br />Key to me has been doing weights, from the past weights were a way to supplement the cardio workouts. I believed, as most people do that you lose weight through cardio and build strength with weights. What I have come to understand is that weight sessions burn more calories, both during and for 24 hours after than almost any cardio workout. As such those sessions have become key and I look forward to those sessions. The strength has paid off, from my running, particularly the core workouts, and cycling - last year I could hang with people, this year holding pace on the flats has become easy, once the roads go upwards the increased power and lighter weight (175 versus 195+) allows me to pick people off at will, hey cycling is dog eat dog even on 'friendly' rides.<br /><br />Taking <a href="http://www.meetup.com/Bicycling-Adventure-Group/">Tuesday</a> nights through the spring and the summer to leave work a little earlier and get out to ride with others for a change did wonders for my mental state, working from home can sometimes make you one dimensional with very little direct human contact, the rides were refreshing, on roads that I don't normally ride, good company, great weather and soup for the soul.<br /><br />Moving house last year, at first, even though I still lived on a lake, the 2 mile loop wore fairly quickly, but the discovery of 15 miles of <a href="http://www.mc-mncppc.org/Parks/ppsd/parktrails/trails_MAPS/Seneca.shtm">trails</a>, with three trail heads within 2 miles of my front door opened up a whole new playground to run and mountain bike in. More challenging topographically and also technically they kept my motivation levels high throughout the year, getting out of the door regardless of the weather was always motivating.<br /><br />The progress in running is a wonder, from the beginning of the year finally overcoming the limitations of my old injuries, and never quite being able to break the run/walk circle, through to now being able to click out 6-10 mile runs with ease, when and where I want.<br /><br />A more recent addition to my training article has been Yoga, which I must confessed I always have sniffed at derisively. iTunes to the rescue with <a href="http://www.yogamazing.com/">"Yogamazing"</a> and Chas, funny little fellow, but have to love his 20 minute sessions, from relaxation to challenging, they've increased my flexibility but also my balance paying dividends in running and also my form when lifting (the podcasts are free on iTunes)<br /><br />I've experimented with different weight training plans over the last year, each time gaining strength and each month developing further. I'm just approaching the end of 2 weeks of a 4 week commitment to what I'd describe as a celebrity workout, in this case from getting him in shape for Quantum of Solace. This is pretty ironic, as seeing him in Casino Royale was what inspired me to become committed to getting fit in the first place. This time around he's less bulky, but more ripped, a new target to aim for ! - now if only Aston Martin will let me play with a <a href="http://www.astonmartin.com/astonmartindbs/html/index.htm">DBS</a> for a few weeks, heck, I would even slum it in a <a href="http://www.astonmartin.com/thecars/v8vantage">Vantage</a> ;-). The workout though, oh dear gosh its brutal and can be found , add in some ab/core work Mon/Wed/Fri and you have a week of brutal hell, the first week the body parts I was working on were numb by the end, not hurting, just couldn't feel them - awesome, "That which doesn't kill me only makes me stronger". Once a month I throw in the <a href="http://www.menshealth.com/cda/article.do?site=menshealth&channel=fitness&category=workout.plans&conitem=5e1790ecab7e1110vgnvcm20000012281eac____">"300"</a> workout as a test, the first time I did it I truly thought I was going to die...<br /><br />So I'll sign off for now, and make the promise to myself to update this a little more regularly...picture is from yesterday's meetup.com Turkey Trot ride, only the three intrepid souls showed up, waking up to a thick frost made me think the ride would be character building, but by the end it was almost balmy, a great way to start off Thanksgiving Day.trigimperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17376027987681624761noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8018575262976649220.post-65790658422134389022008-09-03T22:39:00.002-04:002008-09-03T23:20:17.128-04:00Steppin' Razor<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicM06WxCChvVdNZQ21Pivi3Ra2pja7RNQ2l-y0JpoGhpT0n2JsbmgfuBKguUoW6EtgO_AU0J66_rAu13-zNe5RI0N7tXC0dLcbjeFcK3817-pR7mByXDbm_pSX_7IYRk43TEINZ6p1Y98/s1600-h/IMGP5726.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicM06WxCChvVdNZQ21Pivi3Ra2pja7RNQ2l-y0JpoGhpT0n2JsbmgfuBKguUoW6EtgO_AU0J66_rAu13-zNe5RI0N7tXC0dLcbjeFcK3817-pR7mByXDbm_pSX_7IYRk43TEINZ6p1Y98/s200/IMGP5726.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242000754764007266" /></a>In Daniel Coyle's book “Lance Armstrong's War” he has a description of how athlete's get to and maintain peak performance, he called it stepping out onto a razor's edge, that you will train as hard as your body will allow walking out onto a knife edge where even a tiny bit more will have you crashing off into a pit of oblivion.<br /><br />I reached that point at the end of July, I knew I was training hard, but thought I was within my limits. Though my volume sounds high, there was planned recovery into it and I had spent many months building towards that, 3 weeks building in volume and then a very easy recovery week, not doing hard workouts back to back etc.<br /><br />The mistake I made was that when you go through periods of high stress or anxiety you need to scale back training as it affects your ability to recover between workouts diminishes drastically, maintaining the same volume is almost like doubling the time or intensity that you have been training, a huge jump.<br /><br />What did it feel like ? It was horrible, inability to sleep, getting out and not being able to come up to pace, not feeling strong running or cycling, but feeling weak. Eventually I just blew entirely, mentally I just didn't want to train, it became a chore that I just didn't want to do. It was cycling first, my favorite discipline, but the thought of getting dressed and having to ride 15 minutes just to get out of civilization, or spending 2 hours out just didn't appeal. Then came the injuries, little niggles, a soleus (calf) muscle that would pull every two to three runs forcing me to rest for a few days and be unable to run, pain after lifting weights in my shoulders even though I wasn't increasing the weights, my body was telling me to stop.<br /><br />So much of August I just lifted weights, going out on the mountain bike occasionally and just doing short sessions rather than the monster ones I had been doing, just going as fast as I felt. <br /><br />Finally this last week my mojo has returned, I'm looking forward to working out, instead of seeing my bike in the garage and not wanting to ride it, seeing it as an object, I now look at it differently, it calls to me, the lines looking fast at a standstill. Its also felt good to ride, almost as if I have to hold myself back, I want to ride faster, harder, to push myself to feel out the limits of both myself and the bike, feeling at one when riding not two separate entities any more but as one.<br /><br />Even now in my mind I am thinking of early tomorrow morning, which route I am going to take, for how long, how the early morning air will feel, the road spinning past underneath me, in my mind feeling the turn at the top of the hill on Wildcat Road – after climbing steadily for a mile, it both makes a sharp turn and kicks up, forcing me to get out of the saddle and just muscle it round, the bike rocking, feeling each turn of my legs on the pedals jump the bike forward.<br /><br />Yeah, I'm back.trigimperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17376027987681624761noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8018575262976649220.post-25426013809888554692008-08-20T17:13:00.002-04:002008-08-20T17:22:40.820-04:00Rubber BallReading the news over the last couple of days about Gary Glitter bouncing all over Asia like a rubber ball, I am not sure whether to be amused or disgusted.<br /><br />But for those going "Who he?", he's a 1970's glam rocker, famous in the US for a song called "Rock and Roll Part 2", yup if you live in the US and have a pulse you have heard, quite probably heard it frequently..<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/IQ4IJyu91XI&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/IQ4IJyu91XI&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />In more recent years he has been convicted of child pornography (UK), then fled to Spain after serving all of 2 months, from there Cuba until they kicked him out, then it was Cambodia until finally setting up home in a kiddie fiddler village in Vietnam. <br /><br />The British press being what they are chased him down in each place and publicized his presence, forcing the Vietnam Authorities to take action who then jailed him for 27 months.<br /><br />Upon release the Vietnamese attempted to deport him back to the UK, but in Bangkok he refused to board the connecting flight, upon being denied entry to Thailand he instead flew to Hong Kong, and now they've denied him entry either. The reason he doesn't want to go back to the UK is that he will be placed on the sex offenders register, and the Home Office has publicly stated they will deny him future travel out of the UK.<br /><br />I'm good with all that, but perhaps lets just send him to a country ending in "stan", they have ways of dealing with the likes of him that are quite efficient.<br /><br />Now, seeing that video, or reading anything about this piece of filth, how about getting the playing of his song at EVERY US sporting event stopped - think about it, if they play it down at the stadium, or on a televised game, he gets royalties..so teams of any type contribute to his ability to travel. Contact your sports team, commentary team, club, school, wherever and make the request...trigimperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17376027987681624761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8018575262976649220.post-49885466260696546892008-08-19T14:51:00.003-04:002008-08-19T14:57:31.198-04:00Ten Jew Berry Mud !<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQsI1ysuC8XtmzTqXiadfIejlwm4DU7wY4n-7BvTf9NmGcBE8AOH9CdEN1dYldlhwV5aUlehK_i86G1O7IM1y5Jqe3TJ_lJjmqYVutX0BcBJ16eGEW8uAu_0bc2iiVTCvLJha_8KKYqXY/s1600-h/goofball.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQsI1ysuC8XtmzTqXiadfIejlwm4DU7wY4n-7BvTf9NmGcBE8AOH9CdEN1dYldlhwV5aUlehK_i86G1O7IM1y5Jqe3TJ_lJjmqYVutX0BcBJ16eGEW8uAu_0bc2iiVTCvLJha_8KKYqXY/s200/goofball.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236304774918151602" /></a>So I have some grunt work I'm working on outsourcing at the moment. Copy content from 6,000 landing pages to a new container, horribly laborious, repetitive stuff that I just couldn't find a home for.<br /><br />So I've put it on an outsourcing site we sometimes use. Naturally, and I don't know why I'm surprised, within two hours I'm facing a feeding frenzy from the Indian sub continent.<br /><br />So at the moment my life resembles this old Internet classic between a hotel front desk and a guest..<br /><br />Hotel: Morny, ruin sorbees.<br />Guest: Sorry, I thought I dialed room-service.<br />Hotel: Rye! Ruin sorbees ... morny! Jewish to odor sunteen??<br />Guest: Uh ... yes ... I'd like some bacon and eggs.<br />Hotel: Ow July den?<br />Guest: What??<br />Hotel: Ow July den ... pry, boy, pooch?<br />Guest: Oh, the eggs! How do I like them? Sorry, scrambled please.<br />Hotel: Ow July dee baychem ... crease?<br />Guest: Crisp will be fine.<br />Hotel: Hokay. An San tos?<br />Guest: What?<br />Hotel: San tos. July San tos?<br />Guest: I don't think so.<br />Hotel: No? Judo one toes?<br />Guest: I feel really bad about this, but I don't know what 'judo<br />onetoes' means.<br />Hotel: Toes! Toes! ... Why djew Don Juan toes? Ow bow singlishmopping<br />we bother?<br />Guest: English muffin!! I've got it! You were saying 'Toast.'<br />Fine.Yes, an English muffin will be fine.<br />Hotel: We bother?<br />Guest: No, just put the bother on the side.<br />Hotel: Wad?<br />Guest: I mean butter ... just put it on the side.<br />Hotel: Copy?<br />Guest: Sorry?<br />Hotel: Copy ... tea ... mill?<br />Guest: Yes. Coffee please, and that's all.<br />Hotel: One Minnie. *** strangle ache, creasebaychem, tossy singlish<br />mopping we bother honey sigh, and copy... rye?<br />Guest: Whatever you say.<br />Hotel: Ten jew berry mud.<br />Guest: You're welcome.trigimperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17376027987681624761noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8018575262976649220.post-59089044381576018282008-08-08T15:23:00.001-04:002008-08-08T15:23:28.930-04:00“everything louder than everything else”As Mike (Bubbleman) thoughtfully points out, this blog has been woefully neglected of late. Yes, the shoes are long past being mourned, a combination of new work responsibilities and some tough decisions leading to me pulling out of doing Savageman have conspired to leave a very uncreative or talkative frame of mind.<br /><br />However, a couple of weeks ago I happened to visit DC 101’s website and simply because it was there entered one of their competitions. To be honest I’d forgotten about it, but on Tuesday my phone rang, and I’d won two tickets for the show. Game on !.<br /><br />I guess I have spoiled myself in that I have been fortunate to see an awful lot of bands, so if I hadn’t won the tickets I probably wouldn’t have been too interested in this show, which given how great it was would have been a shame.<br /><br />Judas Priest headlining, with Heaven and Hell, Motorhead and Testament. I had to go and look up Heaven and Hell, ahh, it’s the Ronnie James Dio era Black Sabbath, cool.<br /><br />We missed Testament, sometimes it is inconvenient having a day job. But on arriving Motorhead had just started their set, audible rather clearly out in the parking lot. After going in and walking up the bank that shields the neighbours from some of the volume, cresting the hill gave the impact of just how loud they were. My tickets were way down near the front, a quick mental jog calculating just how loud they were going to be when we got to the seats, ooooh.<br /><br />I was right, they were incredibly loud, Lemmy from Motorhead once said that if they moved in next to you, your lawn would die. I think there’s going to be a lot of dead grass around Nissan Pavilion this morning. I’ve always had a soft spot for Lemmy and the boys, fashion or changes in music never really interested him, he just carries on making Motorhead albums, one after another in his own inimitable and uncompromising style. On being asked how he felt as somehow over the years being accepted into a member of the rock establishment he replied “Yes it is IS amusing - and kind of disgusting! The only reason I was "accepted" is that I wouldn't die!”<br /><br />A great set though, all the expected old chestnuts, and Mickey Dee and Phil Campbell on top form. (and definitely significantly louder than both other bands, who weren’t exactly slouches in the volume department).<br /><br />Heaven and Hell I had mixed feelings about, though I liked the music way back in the day and still have Neon Nights/Die Young on my workout iPod mix, I’ve just come to think of Dio as being a little bit of a joke, an individual who takes himself and his position in rock history a little too seriously.<br /><br />Their stage set when revealed looked a little hokey, but what the hell it was daylight, once it darkened up and the lights became effective it should look pretty cool. But they were great, starting with Mob Rules this was a band who had come to play hard, not just show up and roll through some old hits. I also take back what I said about Dio, he truly does have one of the most incredible and powerful voices in rock music. What’s not to like about a pair of 12’ gargoyles that shoot smoke and fire ?<br /><br />Judas Priest, what on earth can you say about them, an immense back catalog, uncompromising, they know what they do and they do it very, very well. Just how many leather coats can Rob Halford change into, and does his voice never stop ?<br /><br />A brutal set, great lighting, great stage show and another band that didn’t just phone it in.<br /><br />Of course by this point in the evening, the antics of some of those who came to party hard and overdid it a little had become quite amusing as well, the trio that kept invading the front area, headbanging their little cotton socks off. Then getting tossed back whence they came by security, finally came unglued, passing out and security tossing them for good after one of their number truly tossed his cookies in a quite impressive style during a bout of over enthusiastic headbanging.<br /><br />It also seems, if you’ve seen “The Decline of Western Civilization” or “Heavy Metal Parking Lot”, the uniform for metal heads has changed from the long hair and rampant mullets, its seems all self respecting metalheads have a shaved bonce and goatee these days.<br /><br />But I still liked Motorhead, I should be able to hear again by the end of the weekend ! ;-)trigimperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17376027987681624761noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8018575262976649220.post-16526193972201913992008-07-07T12:47:00.002-04:002008-07-07T12:48:27.531-04:00Goodbye old friends...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuBiI2VhryQ62pvovLEi-Py4ZSkgccgBU1SrvLup1ZWkQsqnWbf0NxJeIi2a9I3DqNZtjYxxmLMqtaL7blweUG4PwU8lRW2HInZTUcBr8d9moxlpRg1_Ux5EwPLuN6vBdaDAImXCbHpLA/s1600-h/IMGP5292.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuBiI2VhryQ62pvovLEi-Py4ZSkgccgBU1SrvLup1ZWkQsqnWbf0NxJeIi2a9I3DqNZtjYxxmLMqtaL7blweUG4PwU8lRW2HInZTUcBr8d9moxlpRg1_Ux5EwPLuN6vBdaDAImXCbHpLA/s200/IMGP5292.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220314970096719026" /></a>On Saturday I bade farewell to a couple of friends that have seen me through some hard times and an incredible period of growth. I knew the end had been coming about a month ago and had planned for this day.<br /><br />When the day dawned I looked at them and knew it would be the day, but really hadn't given much thought, they were after all just running shoes, yet another pair of dozens that I have worn out over the year, at the end of the run they would be consigned to the trash.<br /><br />As I ran my planned 10 miles, as usual my long runs covering the trails near my house I began to think about it. The pair before this took me from being more out of shape that I really thought I was up to 'fit'. I had reached my target goal weight back in March at about the time I got this pair, this pair have taken me from 'fit' to what ?...until I realized I've come to think of myself now as an athlete rather than someone who works out, a slow and insidious process. Though I have made bounds in the weight room and on the bike, it is running that has given me the most pride.<br /><br />I've not sweated it, the frustrations of last year simply were shed, just focusing in the first three months of this year on simple 40-60 minute runs, forgetting about the pace and just building a base with an interval session per week.<br /><br />The last three months though have seen my long runs stretch from 5-6 miles to 13-15, with a 10 mile now feeling fairly easy, my tempo runs have slowly increased in speed, and intervals, I have moved beyond my self imposed mental limits and am able to push myself further and faster than before.<br /><br />As I ran, I thought about this progress, along the narrow trails, meadows, then single track between trees, and fern lined valleys, the almost arid hill top with the wild flowers and the wide stream crossing. I first ran these trails in this pair of shoes, wondering at the time if I would ever break that barrier and be able to go longer. These shoes have been out in the heat, the rain and were invariably covered in mud, living on their newspaper just inside the front door, not fit to come any further into the house.<br /><br />I thought of the breakthrough runs, the first time I had broken 10 miles in more years than I can remember, that run going for 12 miles in the drizzling rain. I thought of the shorter run after one of our many storms this spring, with the enormous tree which had been brought down, the trunk taller than me as I clambered over it. The runs in the heat where walking through the water to cross the stream the cool chill being welcome.<br /><br />On this day I didn't avoid the mud bogs or puddles, but simply went through them, a tribute to these friends at my feet, enjoying the feeling of being in the woods, long ago shutting off my iPod to listen to the birds and rustle of leaves and undergrowth, punctuated by the regular rhythm of my footfalls.<br /><br />About half a mile from the finish, instead of crossing the wooden bridge I stepped into the small stream, letting the water wash away the mud from the shoes in a subconscious burial practice, a ritual cleansing before death.<br /><br />When I got home I looked at them in my trunk and couldn't bear to throw them out just yet, so for now they are carefully tucked away in the back of my closet, thinking that taking them to Deep Creek in September would be a much more fitting tribute, to a race that would not have been possible without the training that I did the last 4 months.trigimperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17376027987681624761noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8018575262976649220.post-16811756806346027982008-07-05T10:59:00.002-04:002008-07-05T11:27:16.149-04:00Le Tour Baby !<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheUPRmRDiZhyphenhyphenAcTt5pia5oSyS5ggmNT_4DQL_psx6su65QG_2dTikBSBTAGzitsPzQyxwrgIK69zgr_2BMgygnz25OV2A6RZdKNFgtTKtqVaIXxmV_zXMXS0B466JiB-wMM6pbSwiQgNo/s1600-h/IMG_5490.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheUPRmRDiZhyphenhyphenAcTt5pia5oSyS5ggmNT_4DQL_psx6su65QG_2dTikBSBTAGzitsPzQyxwrgIK69zgr_2BMgygnz25OV2A6RZdKNFgtTKtqVaIXxmV_zXMXS0B466JiB-wMM6pbSwiQgNo/s200/IMG_5490.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219545828357710658" /></a>Finally my thumb is healing, a torn ulnar ligament, just very special. SO its been a case of train hard in any way I could and just not stress about what I couldn't do – though I am absolutely sure that a week of doing no upper body weights has atrophied every muscle that I've spent the last 6 months wresting from my body.<br /><br />But its all been good, some good runs, the monster leg only workouts will pay dividends down the line, and the spin classes were actually good fun, though some of the music I could spend the rest of my life not hearing again.<br /><br />Yesterday was the first day I was able to ride my bike outside, setting the trainer up in the garage/driveway was getting old very quickly. So 3 ½ hours outside on a mainly flat course with a few good climbs halfway round off River Road, I'd missed that feel, the responsiveness of my bike to small inputs from shifts of weight, the acceleration if I put pressure into the pedals, the hum of the tires on the road, all of it. I'm also surprised at my fitness, I had expected to lose a little, particularly closer to the end of the ride, but I was going faster, floating up the hills almost without effort. The last 5-6 rollers I started to attack, flying up them before the lactic acid could make my legs burst – Thursday's horribly hilly ride that I lead could be fun !<br /><br />It has given me cause for thought though of the progress and the journey since the beginning of the year. From working on simple consistency, to work out 6 days per week but 30-45 minutes each, to today's twice per day sessions. Each step of the way, each plateau and each frustration has taught me more about myself. Equally every breakthrough workout where I have gone further, faster or lifted more than before being its own small triumph.<br /><br />The process itself has also taught me the value of the mental side of training and how it has its parallels in life, the times when I have had bad workouts have tended not to be about my body failing or not being able to manage, but were simply that my mind gave out before my body and I defeated myself. The quotation about “If you think you cannot do something, then you are probably right” has never been truer. While obviously if you try to double your weights or run twice as far as you have ever done then thats asking for trouble, but those incremental gains each build strength, fitness and a sense of achievement, each step forward is a step that you don't take backwards.<br /><br />I've also discovered that my limits are mostly preconceived, that we have a tendency to do just enough to get better, but the best workouts are where I have pushed myself absolutely to my limits, and discovered that those limits are beyond what I thought I could achieve; the sprint intervals where I have done more repeats and then pushed the last couple so hard that I end up on my knees, my lungs almost turned inside out, or the hill climbs where I attack the hill so hard I sure think my legs are about to explode and tear off, but that I can hold that effort..then the feeling of the lactic acid flushing out of my muscles as I spin the pedals over, each ride better and stronger than the last.<br /><br />In life itself we set ourselves limits, a comfort zone of what we are comfortable with, what if we pushed at those limits and find out if they really are limits, or just some pre-conceived notion ?<br /><br />Finally its Le Tour !!!. Three weeks of wall to wall cycling, a beautiful race, brutal full of heroic unbelievable feats by 180 of the fittest human beings on the planet. A shame that Astana were excluded, but a race that is wide open with maybe 8 or 9 riders potentially with the goods to win La Grand Boucle. Its also nice to see two new American teams represent, Garmin-Chipotle and Team Columbia. With some of the new rules this year it should be a closer, tighter affair with more of an emphasis on attacking riding with no time bonuses for wins, and a time trail and mountain stage both in the opening week just to shake things up. As I watch the last 20 miles of stage 1 the peloton is getting a little stressed and strung out, somewhat nervous as riders are beginning to hit the floor while they chase down 8 riders who got away earlier today.<br /><br />The modern internet age makes it amazing in the data available to a fan, over on Bicycling <a href="http://www.slipstreamsports.com/category/millar-diaries">David Millar</a> writes a great column, as does <a href="http://tour-de-france.velonews.com/refine/19">Will Frischkorn</a>, fascinating to get into the minds of the folks actually competing, the hopes, desires, failures, pain and broken dreams available in their own words.<br /><br />OK, stage done, time to go for a run in the rain :-)trigimperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17376027987681624761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8018575262976649220.post-35754362657965377472008-06-20T11:36:00.007-04:002008-06-20T12:41:36.962-04:00A loss ? Or an opportunity ?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTMjy5fEwcUSH9ja-lIh5jnnf3Rh_BoVXpVS5vqDIyDL53NZdbKiHxZznXmbFcEwoWzf5twQhj6W2zzoVjqaLiVLEgv0WxpxO8Iba4oXVg7Yzfj8E_WPNzTZYUBMRqkpLMwRaUOCaC-qw/s1600-h/IMG_5277.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTMjy5fEwcUSH9ja-lIh5jnnf3Rh_BoVXpVS5vqDIyDL53NZdbKiHxZznXmbFcEwoWzf5twQhj6W2zzoVjqaLiVLEgv0WxpxO8Iba4oXVg7Yzfj8E_WPNzTZYUBMRqkpLMwRaUOCaC-qw/s200/IMG_5277.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213992113773208738" /></a>It’s always hard to restart a blog after a break, trying to find something of interest to myself, let alone anyone else. There has been a lot that has happened the last few weeks that I’ll come back around to, but I was reminded today to focus on what I can do, rather than what I can’t.<br /><br />In retrospect last Friday (I think) I must have compressed a nerve in my wrist while lifting, I seem to recall a little pain at the base of my thumb whenever I moved it. Then I changed my handlebar position a little, and lifted the brake hoods up a bit, total change probably ¼-3/8 ” difference at most. However, just riding it up and down the street a couple of times was perhaps not the best test when I went out and rode for 4 ½ hours the next day.<br /><br />By Saturday evening I had a severe pain at the base of my thumb and whenever I moved it, I figured it was just something I had pulled and it would go away, so I promptly compound and ignore the problem all week by swimming, lifting and continuing to ride, until yesterday when I finally noticed it was getting worse and had spread to my wrist, and across the base of my palm to the other side as if it were carpal tunnel.<br /><br />So now I need to wear a brace for a week or two and to rest it as much as possible, My initial thoughts this morning were “Waaahhh !!!” and a pity party, invite one.<br /><br />But as I have thought about it, it just means I change my focus next week, I can still ride the bike on the trainer, so that’s covered. I can still run, so I can do a heavy running week, which I have new shoes for – it is rather cool to realize I’m on my third pair of running shoes for the year, having completely worn out the first two pairs.<br /><br />I can still do all the core exercises and workouts, and have more time to do them, and I can do some intense lower body weight workouts too instead of just squats/leg presses.<br /><br />So ‘losing’ one thing means that I have the opportunity to gain in several other areas. I've watched a few people on a triathlon mailing list I used to subscribe to actively find reasons, or excuses not to train, which given the choice of sport just seems bizarre to me. While I look forward to racing in September immensely, it is and has been the journey and the training that gives me everything I could possibly want or need from the sport, the race itself is just the icing on the cake. As always the metaphor of life being a journey not a destination rings true again.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQkVYVdDgTU-Lt6jKTfSfGgs1tp2yJMWLkdVx5XBE6nelpmHEkyHh_dhvyeWTTEntPJ-fLMIwPY_68PNu66VBsSeH0qFcyDIP_0dvj3Jx2DugoGib2r81N5ib5UTW4nCFm4Zj3Y62lZyQ/s1600-h/IMG_5543.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQkVYVdDgTU-Lt6jKTfSfGgs1tp2yJMWLkdVx5XBE6nelpmHEkyHh_dhvyeWTTEntPJ-fLMIwPY_68PNu66VBsSeH0qFcyDIP_0dvj3Jx2DugoGib2r81N5ib5UTW4nCFm4Zj3Y62lZyQ/s200/IMG_5543.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213992563048546850" /></a>Now once more I am stoked for the coming weeks training. One door truly does open when another one shuts.<br /><br />Plus this weekend is a trip to a nice sandy beach tomorrow, so I will finally be able to try some barefoot running.trigimperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17376027987681624761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8018575262976649220.post-44056107196867667962008-05-08T16:33:00.001-04:002008-05-08T16:36:15.869-04:00This is highly illogical Captain<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYB3kpILqcLrQ9l35IpV0xt4Arao6cfK-b8_nFJs17tEL1XDg3tZmXvAmxsqlCmxIrwqxLf_Qe9bb0Fd99Nsyuu_zjP5zTPvOL34RK1IVtCRZi7szWraUN3QwqCQDZfwnTDHccOTEAaeo/s1600-h/IMGP4088.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYB3kpILqcLrQ9l35IpV0xt4Arao6cfK-b8_nFJs17tEL1XDg3tZmXvAmxsqlCmxIrwqxLf_Qe9bb0Fd99Nsyuu_zjP5zTPvOL34RK1IVtCRZi7szWraUN3QwqCQDZfwnTDHccOTEAaeo/s320/IMGP4088.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5198108514913622834" /></a>OK, so life has caught up with me the last couple of months, between work, training, eating, sleeping and pooping (tm – <a href="http://www.htfutraining.com/gear/01-00-01-007.htm">HTFU</a>) there really hasn’t been much time. Though there are a few things from the last month that I want to write about. But in the meantime, a couple of examples of my lack of logical thought process and general stupidity.<br /><br />I had pack my things to head to the gym, not to lift weights, but to go swimming. I’m dressed in a t-shirt and the shorts that I will go swimming in, so why am I soooo piddled off that it is lightly raining ?. The whole 10 yards to my car, I’m unhappy and annoyed that it is raining, it took me most of the drive to get that realization…ermmm…I’m about to get straight into a pool, in these clothes. Dumb ass.<br /><br />The other is more on brain not being engaged. After breakfast, I put the empty raspberry container, yogurt and banana skin in the dishwasher, and the dishes in the fridge. It took me until this afternoon to figure it out, despite being in the fridge this morning for my smoothie ingredients, and then again for lunch – the dishes never even beginning to register in my mind.trigimperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17376027987681624761noreply@blogger.com2