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<p>Much ado about very little. It’s one thing to encourage people to be prepared, but it was obvious to anyone looking at the readily available wind readings that this was no longer a hurricane even when it hit the NC coast 24 hours ago. So, why they kept up the charade of “hurricane force” winds into New England is beyond me. Storms don’t get stronger as they move across cooler water. Last night’s hurricane recon flight noted that they could only find one tiny area of hurricane force winds even at flight altitude.</p>
<p>It’s been an absolute riot watching the TV talking heads try to find dramatic apocalyptic video. I watched one station breathlessly stay with a gripping shot of rainwater running along the curb. And, the stirring saga of some idiot’s sailboat that had broken loose from its mooring and was bobbing in Buzzard’s Bay.</p>
<p>We did lose power for 2 hours this afternoon. Back on now. Probably a tree limb falling on a line. We had soaking rain overnight, but the peak wind gusts from the Weather Underground station a mile away has been around 20 mph. I’ve been out running the snowblower in worse than this.</p>
<p>The rain died down here a few hours ago as did the wind. Both do pick up from time to time but it’s no big deal. There are tens of thousands without power in the region and a house that was hit by a tree.</p>
<p>We were supposed to get 85 MPH and I watched it go down, down, down to max 37 MPH - not even a tropical storm. We’re going out grocery shopping now. It seems to me that everything is open today in our area.</p>
<p>BTW, I’ve played tennis in 40 MPH winds so not a big deal. There are people further south that have had a much tougher time of it.</p>
<p>Glad to hear everyone has gotten through the hurricane stuff.
MOWC - 50 miles on the bike is amazing! If you are indeed the slowest, I don’t think it is age. You just need a better bike ;)</p>
<p>Day 2 of New Rules.</p>
<p>First a 40 minute cardio dance class.</p>
<p>Then the usual Rules, hop, skip and jump warm up exercises.</p>
<p>Then 2 sets of front planks, 1 minute each
2 sets of side planks, 1 minute each</p>
<p>Elevated Split Squats 3 sets of 12 on each side with 15 lb. DBs
Inverted Row 2 sets of 8. Couldn’t get my set up to work just right, hence the lower reps.
Romanian Deadlift: 3 sets of 12, 95 lb. barbell. Need to go up in weight on this.
Push ups: 1 set of 12 on toes, then 6 on toes, 6 on knees.</p>
<p>All in all, I didn’t push myself on the weights, as I am still getting the hang of these workouts, although most of the exercises are pretty familiar to me. Next go round, I will be upping the weights on a bunch of them, I think, but am curious to see how I progress. It would be cool, for example to get the planks to 90 seconds.</p>
<p>CJane- My bike is way better than I am. H built it for me and it is coveted by all. I don’t deserve it. Unfortunately, the problem is me. I don’t really care, since we all know how much I like (not) cycling, but I always worry that I am holding everyone back. H says one of the issues is that a minute in cycling creates a lot of distance. In running it doesn’t. So-I THINK they are all way ahead of me, but it might just be a minute or two. I envision the rest of the group taking a nap waiting for me to roll up to the next turn!</p>
<p>I have never really loved biking. DH tries to convince me that if I were to purchase a better bike, I would enjoy it more. Maybe that is true - but I still don’t think I would love it. We are heading off for an impromptu trip to Mt. Dessert Island and he is over the moon with the idea that we are going to rent a tandem. </p>
<p>Why would any man want his wife so close that he can hear her constant b****ing in his ear???</p>
<p>CJane:</p>
<p>Sounds like a good workout!</p>
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<p>Those front foot elevated split squats tore me up. 24 reps (12 per side) is a lot of reps and my legs turned to jello. At first, I had to take a breather between the two sides.</p>
<p>WIP2. OMG- a tandem! We tried that in Dallas. H has a tandem that he has owned forever. I hated every minute of it. We did one long triathlon on it, actually, and won the tandem division. I hated that I had no control over gears and braking, couldn’t see around him that well, and it went about 90 mies an hour downhill. Turning was like maneuvering a semi! In think he is still hurt that I won’t ride the thing. So there it hangs in the garage…</p>
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<p>Beats me. I honestly can’t imagine anything worse than an ol’ married couple on tandem bike. That might work in a chick flick, but in real life? :)</p>
<p>My lazy @** LOVES the tandem. I will gladly tandem with anyone who wants to do the hard work. I like not having to do anything gear or brake wise, just hang on. What’s there to b**** about? I never even knew there was a tandem category in triathlons, I have never actually seen one in any of the races I have been in, but that would be the way to go for me. I wished you lived closer, MOWC, I’d buy that tandem off you in a heartbeat. (Now that we know the caliber of bikes your husband chooses for you, I know I would be getting something pretty darn good :))</p>
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<p>This is me. Mine isn’t custom built, but is still outclasses me. This is my bike:</p>
<p>[SHE</a> Alu Carbon 105 | Bianchi USA](<a href=“http://www.bianchiusa.com/archives/2010/dama-bianca/she-alu-carbon-105/]SHE”>http://www.bianchiusa.com/archives/2010/dama-bianca/she-alu-carbon-105/)</p>
<p>My goal is to be somewhat worthy of it.</p>
<p>He would never part with that tandem. It’s like his old engineering books. With us forever. </p>
<p>Not many tris have a tandem category. This was back in 1983. I think a teenaged Lance Armstrong was in the race, too.</p>
<p>OMG, my DH is not the only one who wants a tandem. He dreams of gong on a biking tour of Napa valley. How romantic! The problem is that I do not like bikes - my broken tailbone never healed properly, so any biking for me is lierally a pain in the rear end. The good news is that DH does not like to research and make travel arrangements, so as long as I’m in charge, our romantic tandem wine tasting ain’t gonna happen. :)</p>
<p>^^^ Well, the wine tasting part can still happen, right?</p>
<p>All in my family weathered Irene well, just in different places. H (RI) and D (New Haven) lost power yesterday morning. S (central MA) & I (Cambridge) have power. H’s sailboat made it through fine, according to a report from his business partner who lives in the town where the boat is moored. After checking on it himself this morning, H is coming here. At least I’m getting more unpacking/settling in done!</p>
<p>My hometown in western MA, and several surrounding towns, though are dealing with severe flooding in low lying areas. My town is right on the CT River, and there are a couple other rivers that converge there. I spoke to my parents – they’re high and dry and hadn’t lost power. I was sending my father news about the town from Facebook postings of friends – he said that was more current news reporting than the local radio station!</p>
<p>Sounds like you and your family made it through fine.</p>
<p>Do you take advantage of the Charles River for running at all?</p>
<p>MOWC–lol. I like the IDEA of a tandem, but have never tried one. Your comments give me pause, however. 
I would have to remember not to backseat drive.</p>
<p>I would be up for the wine tasting tour, biking or not! In KY there is a “Bourbon Trail” where you can visit 6 distilleries, take tours & get samples (not necessarily all in the same day!) DH and I plan to take a day and do part of it. </p>
<p>And what this has to do with health/wellness I can’t say. Mental health, maybe? ;)</p>
<p>Today’s run: 2.75 mi on hotel treadmill: walk 5 mi, run 10 min, walk 3, run 5, walk 3, run 5, walk some number of minutes that I can’t remember. </p>
<p>It was so hot in the exercise room that was all I could make make myself do. I noticed after I finished that that I could have turned on the airconditioning. Oh well, next time.</p>
<p>I saw your earlier post on running in the fitness room - I absolutely hate hotel fitness rooms. Yes, they are better than nothing but not by very much. Sometimes I wonder if it’s worth buying a day pass at a local gym when on the road. I usually look for a YMCA but those are not always available.</p>
<p>BC – not yet, but I plan to. Also biking, walking, and maybe a crew club. We spend a large part of the summer in RI, so all of the above are on my list for the fall.</p>
<p>Way to go blankmind. I can sympathize about the temperature in hotel exercise rooms – even with the AC, I’ve found many are pretty warm.</p>
<p>I’m finally off crutches! I’d love to do some walking, but will wait till the doctor removes stitches from my ankle. In anticipation of being able to work out again–I bought a series of barre classes (seems like a combination of pilates and ballet). Got a deal on Rue La la–studio is in the same town as my gym. Has anyone ever tried this?</p>