elliptical

45 mins, elliptical, reverse intervals, level 8

Supposedly that means 603 calories burned. I doubt it. I started to use the stairmill, but my right knee was bothering me so that's why I ended up switching to the elliptical. It was a rough morning today - all I wanted to do was keep sleeping.

sore arms

Yesterday, I did the other workout from Kristina, which has left my arms quite sore. I've only been back into the regular routine for about a week and a half but I can feel my arms tightening up.

Last night, I went for a ride with my volunteer cycling group at our usual very leisurely pace, then I cranked home from Stanley Park.

yesterday's workout

Yesterday, I did the first of the two workouts that Kristina gave me on Monday. The workout was mostly shoulders and upper body, and was quite difficult. In the middle of doing a chest fly, my left arm gave out and I dropped the dumbbell on the floor. Otherwise, it was a good workout.

In the evening, I rode my bike from BCIT Burnaby campus to my house in the Granville/Broadway area. It took me about 35 minutes. I love riding my bike at night.

trained personally

I woke up and did the abs video workout, which was a nice way to get the blood moving. Then after work, I rode downtown to meet my trainer and she led me through two complete workouts to do for the next four weeks (alternating days with cardio). Some of the moves she gave me are very difficult, but they're just exactly what I want! I should be sore tomorrow, and we didn't even do all the sets. My legs are tired from all the use they have been getting over the last few days. My right calf is sore from Saturday skiing, and my legs generally felt like lead on the bike ride home. I am happy.

biking in the rain

Bike commuted to and from Burnaby today, with various stops in between. I got completely soaked in the rain on the way home, and my hands were frozen to the handlebars, but it felt ecstatic to be in the rain on my bike. Rationally, it should be a hated experience, but I truly enjoy it every time.

bluebird whistler day

Yesterday, we went skiing at Whistler, on a bluebird day with 16 cms of fresh powder. We ended up hiking with our skis on our backs for at least an hour as we attempted to climb Piccolo Summit for fresh tracks. Unfortunately, one of our group (not me) was exhausted soon into the climb, so we were forced to turn back and hike back out. It was still an amazing day, with the mountains in sharp relief and sunshine all day long, but we only got a few runs in after the long hike. Great workout though.

strength training

"Heavy" strength training day
20 mins stationary bike, random hills, level 8

It was quiet today at the gym, so the equipment was all wide open. Today was the first day that I have felt pretty much back to normal, so it was good. Going to make an appointment with Kristina for next week.

stairmill, slowly

60 mins stairmill, levels 5/6 steady
5 mins cooldown treadmill

Today was my first full length cardio day in awhile and it was pretty hard, and my pace was much slower than my regular pace, due to being sick last week and having had so much time off. I'm probably going to have to focus on building up my cardio capacity over the coming months, especially if I want to be back on the Grouse Grind within the month.

strength training

After a massive meal last night, I went to the gym this morning and did strength training. I never feel as "worked out" with strength training as when I get in a good dose of cardio. Nonetheless, I felt good today, and my head is slowly clearing.

my nose is a river

45 mins elliptical, reverse intervals
5 mins rowing machine, 2m24s/500m
5 min cooldown

The first ten minutes on the elliptical had my still-sick chest burning, but then I started to feel better as I warmed up. My nose has started running a river though, so I had a stash of paper towels (no tissue available at the gym) on the machine, probably grossing out my neighbours.

It isn't as hard getting up in the mornings when the light is so bright. However, with daylight saving time coming, it's going to be dark again in the mornings for awhile. Its always more difficult to kick myself into gear when it's dark.

P.S. After work, I did the abs video - Firm Flat Abs Fast - which is about 30 minutes of ab work.

perfect Sunday

Today was another beautiful Sunday so we walked to Chinatown and back, which was probably about 10k round trip, at a leisurely pace. I'm pretty sniffly and stuffed up today, as the flu from last week has settled up higher in my head so that I'm coughing less but a bit congested in the head. Overall, though, I am feeling better and the walk in the fresh air was definitely good for my health. I can't wait to get back into the usual exercise routine.

saturday sun

Saturday: Strength training for about an hour, then a bike ride in gorgeous sunshine out to Burnaby. It felt good, but I have a bit of a chest cough/cold so my lungs were burning whenever I exerted myself on the bike. But I think it was good for me.

friday abs

Friday: I did a workout video - Firm Flat Abs Fast - from Self magazine. It started slow but I was definitely sore on Saturday.

sick

Well, the last four weeks have been pretty much a total write-off. First a sprained ankle, and then as I start to ease back into things, I get SICK. I was home for two days and now I am coughing. I was supposed to hit the gym every day this week! I'm hoping to do an easy workout tomorrow morning but I'll have to see if this cough drops further into my chest. This sucks.

bike ride up Kingsway

I was still tired from the weekend this morning so I brought my bike in to work and went for a 45 minute bike ride up Kingsway and back over lunch. It felt pretty good, although my bike needs a serious tune-up.

Speaking of bikes, for my birthday last week I got my road bike all fixed up. I got the clip pedals and everything! Now, I am nervous about riding it. But I will!

saturday workout

I worked out Saturday but didn't post here. I went to a spin class, but it hurt my knee on the bike, so I left after ten minutes. Then I went to the step class where I wiped out three weeks ago but I could tell my ankle was still quite weak so I left after about five minutes. I ended up doing a strength training routine, and then about 30 minutes on the elliptical, doing reverse intervals. The elliptical is about the only thing I can do right now with this weak ankle. Also, on Saturday, I danced at Lucy Mae Brown's for about three hours so that counts as exercise right?

orthotics hurt

30 mins elliptical, reverse intervals
random strength training

Today was my first day back at the gym at almost normal capacity. My ankle was twinging on a few exercises which indicates I still need to take it a bit easy. It was also my first day with my new sport orthotics, and they were more uncomfortable than I anticipated. When I got them, I was told that I should break them in by wearing them only a little bit each day so that my feet and legs could get used to them. In the long tradition of not doing what one is told, I haven't worn them anywhere at all, so that probably explains the discomfort, but it will likely pass with time.

After the elliptical, I just did some random strength exercises to test my body's capacity. I feel wimpy again. I'm going to make an appointment with Kristina again soon.

lazy and unfit

The most exercise I've had in the last two and a half weeks was an upper body workout at the gym six days post-sprain, a marathon crutch hobble from the parking lot to my night class classroom, and then skiing on Saturday at Mount Baker. My ankle feels pretty much back to normal now, and tomorrow I start back into the regimen. I've been insanely busy the last week and a half with a lot of early starts at the office, which cuts into my usual exercise time, but I'm back on the wagon again! I am sad though because I feel like the gains I made over the previous two months were eaten into by two weeks of relatively no exercise. I feel small and wimpy again!

Also, I bought a balance board from Straightline Balance last week, which I am using to build up my considerably weakened ankle.