Interesting webpage VaBluebird. Seems to have lots of good info. You may want to think about an alternative to the leg press machine. Leg presses can put a lot of stress on your lumbar vertebrae and SI joints and unless you are training for specific objectives for which leg presses are well suited, there are many other exercises that hit your quads, hip flexors and glutes that involve much more functional movements. Squats and lunges (and variations on both), deadlifts are some examples.
If I touch a good book, I will not go to sleep until I finish it, lol. That said, I do have a treatise that will put me to sleep… Maybe I should keep it on my nightstand. 
Not a good day exercise-wise - only my pushups. I am so sad after dropping baby kiddo off at the airport today. She took off for her almost a year-long fellowship abroad. I wonder what her fitbit registered when her plane reached its cruising altitude…
Aww, Bunsen. I hear you about the leaving the kid sadness. Hope her fellowship year is productive and fun.
jym, congrats on dropping the pounds and working out ahead of your ski trip. My skiing has been on cross country skis in the midwest. I’m hoping for one more outing, tomorrow.
Lols over the fitbit true confessions! Too funny.
I went to the gym today with my sister. We created a mixed workout using the track for walking/jogging laps, a pair of rowing machines, stationary bikes, an airdyne (omg tough!), and some weight work. Freezing rain and ice put a lid on any other outdoor activities today.
Interesting comment about avoiding leg presses. I use the leg press machine 2-3 days a week. I do squats and lunges too. Thinking maybe with my spondelyethesis that i shouldn’t use it and a quick internet search (dangerous I know) seems to confirm this.
That’s one of the big reasons I like the circuit class so much - I get all the lunges, squats, weights that I need to do and won’t do unless I have someone coaching/leading me through it!
Easy 8.5 this morning, better run than I’ve had in a while. We had a lot of rain yesterday and last night, so it was damp. Hard weather to dress for.
Thanks, ladies. Enjoy your xcountry skiing! I let gravity do the work 
Gravity has already done its work. That’s why I exercise, to counteract it
LOL, PG. That too But xcountry skiing can require going either flat or uphill at times. Downhill is easier. I like easy.
@ohiopublic, yeah, I would avoid leg presses if I were you. There are so many other exercises you can do to hit the same muscle groups that are much more functional movements and which will also increase core strength without the risks inherent in a leg press machine. Several years ago, I experimented with leg presses over the winter in an effort to increase my leg strength for climbing when cycling. I did a leg press routine consisting of 6 sets of 12-15 reps. I got to the point where my 6th set was 12 reps at 800 lbs of Olympic plates on the machine. An insane amount of weight, particularly given that I weighed about 160 at the time. When the riding season resumed, I discovered that all those leg presses didn’t do a damn bit of good for my hill climbing ability. But I did have a lot of confidence that if I were ever in a crash and ended up with 5 cyclists laying in a pile on top of me that I would be able to push them off with my legs with ease ;). If trying to improve your cycling, there are lots better exercises you can do, either body weight or with external resistance, that will enhance your cycling.
Early AM yoga (which FitBit doesn’t acknowledge as active time, but I know I did it), then a walk up to the nearly ES school track. Walked and ran a bit. It felt good to be out in the fresh air and sunshine!
Boy, did I NOT want to get out there in 34 degree gloominess for 8-10 miles. I told myself that sabaray did it, so I could! Managed to eke out 10 miles for the first time since the Charlotte half marathon. I did the 10 because tomorrow is supposed to be wet weather again and I didn’t want to have much mileage to do. I didn’t look at my splits and tried to keep it easy, but 10 miles just isn’t easy. No water on the course, but I was OK at that temperature. Done!
FallGirl, I go into the Fitbit dashboard and add activities it doesn’t recognize, like yoga and swimming.
LOL PG – don’t I know it.
Enjoy the ski trip, jym!
I thought 14 steps = 1 flight.
I’m sure MoWC saw this – Ryan Hall, US marathoner is retiring. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/17/sports/ryan-hall-fastest-us-distance-runner-is-retiring.html?_r=0. Extreme training.
And finally, some crazy fitness stuff at the Consumer Electronics Show, http://www.pcworld.com/article/3020110/hardware/the-latest-greatest-and-most-ridiculous-health-and-fitness-tech-of-ces.html#slide2. Like the $150 bra with sensors.
The only real reason I do leg presses is that in my hs sophmore year, someone told me my legs wouldn’t get tired during the last lap of the 880 (800 meters to 50 and under folks) if I started to do leg presses. Next meet I went under 2 minutes so it must have worked! So I’ve continued to do them.
I try to run with an 18 year old mindset. Sometimes good. Sometimes bad. I know this—I train harder at 59 than I did in my teens/early 20s. I was a pretty lazy runner when I think back.
I’m sad about Ryan Hall retiring, but I sure don’t blame him. He’s coaching his wife. Good luck with that!
Michael- my husband said he finally had a spin class today that he liked. The bikes have been changed over to Stages and a rep from the company was there teaching today. She had them do a FTP test for 3 minutes and then she displayed meters for each bike up on a screen so there was a real time display of the power from each of the 17-18 bikes. It was taught by percentage of FTP.
I think I’ll pass on the bra with sensors.
Wow, the stuff at CES will make running more expensive! A $150 OMBra to keep track of breathing etc., $100 (?) Lumo Run shorts to monitor pelvic tilt, a $200 pair of Altras to check gait, and a $200-500 watch to keep track of mileage ran…
Awesome news for me. My weights guy sees me Tues and Thurs at 5:30 am and Sat at 9 am. His Tues and Thurs just opened up at 7 am, which is far more humane and will work better once I’m finally retired - just 4 more weeks!
“I think I’ll pass on the bra with sensors.”
Took a look at the bra - ugh. Lemme guess, designed by men. 
the sensor is big and ugly… They should have partnered with Lulu or Athleta or some other gear maker to actually make something women would buy. I think I will pass as well, even though the extra bras are $60.
Thanks, fireandrain.
Pizzagirl, I would not even consider a class that started at 5:30 am! Kudos for sticking with it and congrats on scoring a more convenient time slot.
mowc, the stages bike is my fantasy indoor cycle! It has everything I could ever want in an indoor bike. Your husband must have really enjoyed it.