<p>NorthMinn–Congratulations! That is a huge milestone and Very Happy is right, you did that all by yourself!</p>
<p>blankmind–
</p>
<p>I have to crank the ipod waaaay up to drown out the gasping!</p>
<p>Third and final iPod workout of the week and, man, I just wanna go for a nice relaxing 5 mile walk tomorrow.</p>
<p>Did the whole thing today, including the side bridges on my my elbow boo-boo. This workout is intense: step and dumbbell press, reverse flys, push ups, and squat w/ curl & press all in a row. Then, 45 seconds of plank on the ball as a “breather”. Yeow.</p>
<p>Three sets of all that and more, then ten intervals on the Airdyne to finish it off. Average heart rate for the 64 minutes: 77% of max. Peak of 95% (during the intervals). I saw heart rates above 90% during the squat presses.</p>
<p>Ran six miles again. Total for the week = 25. I guess I could do a few more tomorrow but I think that I’ll just rest and do light weights or stretching instead.</p>
<p>Also played four hours of tennis this week. I think that the tennis is comparable to running the 25 miles. Looking forward to a relaxing weekend.</p>
<p>Wow. We are really chuggin’ along, all of us, aren’t we!!</p>
<p>I have nothing dramatic to report. Last Sunday I couldn’t go to the gym, which is my custom (translation: obsession) – because a friend invited us to go on her boat. So we went, and truly enjoyed ourselves, but on a boat you are captive, so I never made it to the gym. </p>
<p>This week, both Tuesday and Thursday, I made up for it. Feel wonderful. Just the right amount of sore. :)</p>
<p>Wow! Farmer’s Market was GREAT! Bought some broccoli, tomatoes, unsweetened applesauce, mushrooms, yellow corn, plums, cheese curds, a free-range whole chicken (first time for us), green beans, yellow pepper, red pepper, green pepper, and a couple of pastries which I ate while walking around.</p>
<p>Did a google walking map and figured out we walked about 4.5 miles between the market, down State St and to the student union and back to the parking garage, then we headed off to Picnic Point (for those who know the UW-Madison campus) and walked to the end and back. Am absolutely exhausted now and am guessing I’ll be asleep within a couple of hours. Looking forward to cooking the chicken and some of the veggies tomorrow night.</p>
<p>Well, today was one of those picturebook perfect New England summer days. 83 degrees. Low humidity. Nice little breeze. Deep blue sky. So I took off on my hilly, river, state park walk… the long version. It doesn’t get any better than walking along a New England stone wall on a perfect afternoon listening to the voice of an angle (kd lang) singing Halleluah.</p>
<p>So, I’m trucking along following a fast moving woman who “chicked me” on the dirt trail. I sailed past the hill where I did my face plant, and across the stone bridge over the lily pond, picking up my pace to match the stride of the woman ahead of me. I started down a rocky hill to the river and was zoned out listening to a Gram Parsons/Emmylou Harris duet of Love Hurts, when – bam – I turned my ankle again! This time I hopped off of it and didn’t tumble. No harm, no foul. Just a little tender. I have GOT to stop getting distracted by the music when I’m walking on dirt and rocks and tree roots. Sheesh.</p>
<p>Did a nice hour and half hike. Just spectacular afternoon. No running intervals today. The iPod workouts have been so intense that I’m really trying to keep my heartrate down with some mellower exercise on the off days. </p>
<p>Got home and fired up the bar-b-q for grilled jumbo shrimp skewers served with baby spinach salad and Bobby Flay’s lime/scallion blender vinaigrette recipe on the shriimp and salad. Hmmmmm. Outstanding. Now, that’s what I call dieting! While I had the blender out, I whipped up some Argentinian Chimichurra Sauce for the grilled ribeye steaks tomorrow night.</p>
<p>idad, (and other runners/bikers) do you carry a phone or id with you, just in case? I went for a jog today and got a little lost (in my neighborhood!) I have no sense of direction. </p>
<p>Glad the ankle’s okay.</p>
<p>idad - didn’t want to get into this on the other thread where you mentioned the Airdyne, but I’ve been hearing some conflicting reports lately. I know it has worked well for you, and maybe you are very conscious of your posture/form when you are on your Airdyne, but I was told they are sort of disappearing in gyms and PT clinics across the country. They’re finding that the combination of opposing leg and arm motions are creating unnecessary torque on the lower back and causing problems with some people. </p>
<p>When I was initially told this several weeks ago, I did an online google search and couldn’t really find anything, but I have since talked to a couple of different friends who are practicing PTs and they said this piece of equipment is disappearing from a lot of clinics and gyms. If one just uses the arms while the legs are resting and visa versa, then it’s OK, but a sort of design problem is that the seat only goes up and down and you can’t adjust the distance between the seat and handlebars, so for many people (with shorter arms, etc.), they are having to extend their arms too far to keep the hands on the handlebars, thus creating the torque on the lower back as the opposite leg is extended on the pedal all the way down. </p>
<p>Please don’t shoot the messenger. Believe me, I have used the Airdyne many times over many decades, but not recently, only because I had other options, but I thought this news was important for those looking to buy a piece of equipment.</p>
<p>Well, no racewalking yesterday, but a lot of trips to the fourth floor suite in D’s residential college. Senior year, choice of all different options, but she and suitemate liked the courtyard view. Did I mention fourth floor?</p>
<p>So - today is a day of rest.</p>
<p>Chintzy - look up “roadid”. This little wristband can save your life. If you are taking any meds or have a special condition like a pacemaker, you have to have this information on you in case something happens.</p>
<p>Much of the fitness industry today clearly believes that machines should isolate one particular body part – this machine works the quad, then you go to that machine to work the triceps, and so on and so forth. That’s become the mantra of the fitness club. The epitome is the recumbent bike that completely isolates the legs, even to a dregree that an upright bike or spinner does not. The funny thing is that many of the trainers and experts who are getting results are preaching just the opposite: the importance of whole-body, athletic exercises that work multiple muscle groups simultaneously.</p>
<p>The opposing muscle groups on the Airdyne work exactly the same as walking or running: the left arm goes forward to counterbalance the power stroke of the right leg and the right arm goes forward to counterbalance the power stroke of the left leg. If anything, it’s reducing torque on the back because you’ve got an opposing force that keeps the torso from rocking back and forth as you see with bad cyclists. That is not to say that the back isn’t leaning forward, as on a real bike. My lower back is locked solid on the Airdyne and typically in a “bike riding” position, not sitting up straight. The only time I’m sitting up straight is when my hands are off the handlebars and I’m getting a drink of water or using my towel. Admittedly, my workouts from day one have focused on core stability and you certainly see YouTubes of people flailing away on Airdynes, swaying from side to side and even coming up off the seat to try to get speed. I just learned from the start that the way to generate power on the AirDyne is to stiffen the core and use the arms and legs. I initiate a high intensity burst with the arms. I also don’t try to ride the thing for an hour while watching TV or reading a book. My sessions on the AirDyne are the most intense physical exercise I do.</p>
<p>The thing I like is that the use of the arms is infinitely variable. You have complete control over whether they are just resting on the handgrips or contributing significant force. Lately, I’ve been doing little bursts of a pulling force on the handgrips – pulling the left handlebar in a rowing motion at the same time as the left foot pushes down. This requires a strong core to keep from rocking and it’s also just brutal on muscle groups in the shoulder. I can’t do it for very long, but it’s nice to be able to add even more muscle groups to the workout, especially because I’ve been doing a lot of presses and pushups with a pushing motion on the arms lately. I’ve even tried consciously pull and pushing, so that each arm is constantly exerting force. That will gas you in no time flat.</p>
<p>If you want an adjustable seat, Star Trac makes an “improved” AirDyne called the AirForce 8610:</p>
<p>[Amazon.com:</a> Star Trac ST Fitness 8610 AirForce Upright Exercise Bike: Sports & Outdoors](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Star-Trac-8610-AirForce-Exercise/dp/B0027E8SH4]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Star-Trac-8610-AirForce-Exercise/dp/B0027E8SH4)</p>
<p>This is an upgraded AirDyne that was developed by a former Schwinn Fitness president at a fitness company he started (Lamar). It’s an Airdyne with some some improvements: better front footrests, adjustable seat with back, etc. I don’t think it’s sold well, despite being an excellent product. I seriously considered it, but opted for the ubiquitous parts availabilty of a product that has been in continuous production for 32 years (now marketed by Bowflex/Nautilus). I’m not sure, but I think the AirForce might have been recently discontinued. I had a couple of dealers tell me they hadn’t been able to get them.</p>
<p>What I find most interesting is that the hundreds of on-line reviews run the gamut from very old geezers with knee replacements and coronary bypasses to young gym rats and athletes of the sort who train for the NFL combine at gyms like Mike Boyle’s. I find it a little odd that back problems are suddenly cropping up after the machine has been one of the biggest sellers for thirty years!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I don’t, but I am starting to think about some reflective gear with an eye towards fall when it gets dark around here by 5 pm. Brooks seems to be a leader in this category. Maybe MOWC can chime in with some advice. Looks like the popular options are vests, wrist/ankle bands, and jackets.</p>
<p>I-dad, go to REI and try on a few reflective vests to find the one that feels comfortable for YOU. Most likely, the good ones will not be cheap. I have a Nightlife vest by Brooks (<a href=“http://www.brooksrunning.com/product/210199/Nightlife%20Vest[/url]”>http://www.brooksrunning.com/product/210199/Nightlife%20Vest</a>) which kills two birds with one stone: it is reflective and waterproof (a must feature in my neck of the woods). My running tights also have a reflective stripe, and I run with a flashlight which I do not hesitate to shine into the windshields of the &%^$# drivers who turn on their high beams as soon as they see me (to give them a little taste of their own medicine, so to speak).</p>
<p>My wife is an exercise physiologist and she is a firm believer in using your arms while doing cardio work. She explained to me that when you use your arms in cardio- rowing, versa climber or the Airdyne you get your heart rate up very quickly. Since I am in good cardio shape that is fine. For those just starting out my wife pushes good old walking. She is not a fan of people doing high elevation on the tread mill. She says it will cause back and knee problems.
Her big push for me is doing more chores- gardening, cleaning etc. Says since I sit at work I should not sit at home even if I exercise. I don’t listen to that part.</p>
<p>posted twice</p>
<p>Spent 20 minutes on weights at the YMCA. I felt very tired - probably lack of calories. I felt a lot better after dinner. Then did some light freeweights. I was able to curl 10 pounds with my right hand with only a slight twinge of tennis elbow. That’s a lot better than before when I couldn’t even start a curl.</p>
<p>Did some stretching this morning before about 75 minutes of tennis. It was warm but dry out. I may do some more stretching later today. It’s one area that has suffered with the running and tennis. I do some stretching before running but it isn’t comprehensive.</p>
<p>Thanks Bunsen. I was looking at that Brooks vest and also their bright yellow Nightlife jacket for when it starts to get a little chilly. In the meantime, they also make a very inexpensive yellow and reflective bib ($10 at LLBean) and ankle/wrist bands both of which would work when just a shirt is warm enough.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I can vouch for that, especially if you can get some hill action on your route. I can see that walking becomes too easy at a certain point, but I’m seven months and 50 pounds from couch potato and my heart rates on hilly walks are right in the wheel house. My steady state walking on level ground heart rate is now a bit too low for a good workout (60% of max), but the hills take care of that. My walk yesterday was an hour and twenty minutes with an average of 70% and a peak of 87%. That’s just about a perfect workout, IMO. </p>
<p>I see 90%+ on the Airdyne intervals and used to see that walking steep hills, but that’s a little intense to be very enjoyable. I strongly believe that getting up and walking three to five days a week is the ideal way to get started for a couch potato or overweight mid-aged person. It starts to build a foundation of basic fitness so that it’s even possible to begin a more intense fitness program. It’s also a great recovery/easy day between more intense workout days.</p>
<p>Most of the name-brand shoes are reflective and a lot of gear has reflective parts, too. I think adding the reflective waist strap or arm straps helps, too. I always run facing traffic and when it is really dark I carry a small flashlight. I never got the hang of the headlamp thing, although a lot of my friends use them. LLBean (and others) has a baseball-style cap with small lights on the front of the brim. It doesn’t cast a lot of light, but it helps with safety AND seeing where you are going.</p>
<p>Re: RoadID. Definitely money well-spent. I take mine on every trip and wear it running AND cycling. I was annoyed at my husband because he was out on the MUP (multi-use path) in Denver without his RoadID. (he left in at home…)</p>
<p>8.5 miles yesterday- didn’t go well. The humidity was back. I am on an antibiotic for this really awful eyelid-thing (probably started as a bite a week ago in Denver) and I NEVER feel OK when I am on antibiotics (doctors will tell you there are no side effects…). Did OK for about 5 miles and then HR got high and it became REALLY hard. Kept taking rest breaks and finally made it. Felt tired all afternoon.
46 miles biking this morning and I felt fine. I was apprehensive because of how awful I felt yesterday running. Hamstring/hip still not at all 100% and I think 8 miles is the upper limit of what I need to be running right now. Doesn’t bode will for the Women’s Half Marathon on Sept 25. I can run it, but it isn’t going to be fast or pretty!</p>
<p>MOWC:</p>
<p>Can you give a run down on what you wear at various temps? When do you have to go to more than a long-sleeve running top? How cold can you go with something like a Brooks running jacket over a top? I suspect that my “walking” is about as heat intensive as your “running”.</p>