This is getting bad. I'm still working out as before, but just haven't been as motivated to post about it here. I've been pretty disappointed with my body breakdowns this year and my upper body strength gains are dwindling as I have had to cut back on strength. My shoulder is getting better although I do still have bad days.

Anyway, I'll start fresh from this week:
Monday: Boot camp, beach sprinting, run to/fro over the bridges
Tuesday: Strength, then elliptical
Wednesday: cycled to Lougheed Mall from Granville/Broadway, via SFU hill (total 35kms), clocked a speed of 56 kms/hr going down Gaglardi Way
Thursday: light strength, did the exercises recommended by my physiotherapist

My legs are tired, and still sore from sprinting in boot camp on Monday.

weekend exercise

Saturday: I went for a short swim at the Kitsilano pool. I only did eight lengths to test how my shoulder would feel at the end of it. It definitely felt a bit stressed by the end, but it wasn't too bad at all. I will probably try to incorporate short swims into my regimen over the next month or two. The Kits pool is just too nice in the summer to not go at least once a week.

Sunday: Rode out to Burnaby Lake and back to my parent's place. My bike computer put me at about 20kms.

Today: Boot camp. We did lots of plyometrics, lunges, stair sprinting, arm workout with tubing, and abs.

bad poster

Tuesday, June 13: Rest day. So best!

Wednesday, June 14: I woke up wanting so badly for it to be a rest day that I didn't make it to the gym. Instead, I did a half hour ab workout in my living room and in the afternoon rode my bike out to my parent's place in Burnaby. It took about 35 minutes to get there but I would have been faster if I had not hit every single light on the 10th Ave. bike route. I raced Scott who was driving, and got there only five minutes after him. Moral of the story: biking can be almost as fast as driving. Faster for short distances.

Thursday, June 15: 50 mins elliptical, reverse intervals, level 10, and then a bunch of ab work.

Friday, June 16 (today): I did a session of strength today, against advice and my better judgement. A nurse at my office said to me when I got in this morning, "Addiction comes in many forms," referring to how I couldn't resist a strength day even though I am injured. I avoided shoulder work, and dropped the weight on a few of the exercises. The only exercise that really hurt was the chest press, even when using the 12 lb dumbbells, so it confirmed my belief that the multiple push-ups in boot camp were to blame (that's when my shoulder tweaked). Leg work, ab work, and anything on the right side of my body were no problem. Biceps and triceps were fine as well.

Tomorrow, I will attempt swimming.

again, not slacking!

June 6: strength training (shoulder is getting very sore)
June 7: elliptical trainer and stationary bike (60 mins total)
June 8: 50 min light jog around False Creek

Saturday, June 10, I did Seek the Peak, 16.7 kms of uphill from Ambleside Beach to the peak of Grouse Mountain. The climb is about 1250 meters (4100 feet), and includes the Grouse Grind. My total time was 2:20:20, which puts me slightly below the middle of the pack, although I was pretty happy with my performance overall. The race definitely poses a mental challenge. As I was running up Nancy Greene Way to the base of the mountain, I felt like "Are you kidding me? I have to do the Grind now after 10 kms of uphill running?" Here are my stage times:
Stage 1: 18:28 (North Van from Ambleside)
Stage 2: 43:45 (Capilano Park)
Stage 3: 54:16 (Grouse Grind)
Stage 4: 23:53 (to the peak and back down to the chalet)

Sunday, June 11: bike ride out to Burnaby-Edmonds and back, so maybe 34kms of riding
Monday, June 12 (today): Boot camp. Today was a beach day, focused on sprinting. I am not sore from Saturday, but will be sore from the sprinting this morning. I also jogged there over the Granville Bridge and back over the Burrard Bridge.

I am afraid I have to cut strength training out of my workouts for awhile as my left shoulder is in constant pain, even when I am not at the gym. It is frustrating for me as I have seen real gains over the last few months, but healing has to come first. I don't want a long-term disability coming out of this.

not slacking!

Although I haven't posted in awhile, it isn't because I haven't been working out. Since the last post this is roughly what I have been doing:

May 25: strength
May 26: stairmill cardio
May 27: 2.5 hr hike
May 29: boot camp with Kristina - this made me very sore
May 30: cardio
May 31: strength
June 1: 45 min run (False Creek and environs)
June 2: strength
June 3: 45 min run
June 5: boot camp with Kristina - plyometric focus

So I am not slacking from working out, although I have been slacking from posting here.

My shoulder has been really bothering me over the last few weeks. It comes and goes and is really irritating. I got acupuncture on it and it made the pain dissipate for a day or two but it always comes back. I don't know how much swimming I'll be able to do this year.