Never-ending Quest to be Leaner, Stronger and Faster.

[GG300]

Friday June 29 2:30 PM 76 Degrees Scheduled 2 Mile Trail Run The weather was wonderful for a nice trail run and the bugs must have agreed with that because they were out in full force. After 1/4 mile on the trail I decide not to make my self a human sacrafice and ran back to my car and called it.

Saturday June 30 9:30 AM 70 Degrees and sunny. I decided to skip the trail and head to the course we used for the Half Marathon and run the first several miles out and back. The course seeemed much hillier and curvy then I had remembered but I had alot on my mind that day. I was running for quite a time and still had not hit my 1.5 mile landmark but I just figured I was moving slower than normal due to the previous nights martini's. I kept going until I figured getting back to my truck was not going to be any fun at all and then made the return trip. I made it back to my truck in just under an hour (no watch) and then hit the highway to walk on the gravel and cool down. That is when it struck me that I had run the wrong road both were named Buckatobin but I was on East and I was supposed to be on West. When I drove the course to check my mileage my turn was right at 2.1 miles. So I couldn't have gotten much closer than that. Final distance 4.2 in a time right around 57 minutes.

[GG300]

Sunday July 1 Had nothing planned but I felt good so I decided to head down to the pier get some sun to balance out the farmer tan and get in a body weight workout.

Super Sets with 2 minutes rest between

Wide Stance Bench Push Ups 20 20 20
Bench Dips 12 12 12
20 Yd Hill Sprints 2 2 2

No Rest in between Sets

DB Curls 20@15# 20@15# 20@15#
Hammer Curls 20@15# 20@15# 20@15#

Giant set with 2 minutes rest between

Side Planks Right 45 Sec 45 Sec 45 Sec
Side Planks Left 45 Sec 45 Sec 45 Sec
Front Planks 60 Sec 60 Sec 60 Sec
Full Crunches 15 15 15

Super Set with 2 minutes rest

Goblet Squats 20@15# 20@15# 20@15#
20 Yd Hill Sprints 2 2 2

I ended up getting in a pretty good workout with the great view of the flowage in front of me. I used the 20 yard hill that goes from the waters edge to my friends home to get in some extra cardio and keep the heart rate up. The only relatively heavy item that I had access too was a 15# boat anchor which I used for the curls and goblet squats. The pier bench worked out nicely for the bench pushups and dips and was a great place to rest between sets and enjoy nature. I ended up catching 2 dozen pan fish one afternoon, watched a Eagle feeding the young uns in the nest and a couple of otters playing in the water and shore and of course the deer are all over. When I went back to the house my friends just laughed at me when I told them about my workout. Now back work and the real world.

[GG300]

Tuesday July 3 5:10 AM Scheduled Lifting Session Started out with a 20 Minute HIIT session on the Stationary Bike 2.5 Min WU/15 min HIIT/ 2.5 Min CD and then to my lifting

Straight Sets with 1 minute rest

Bench Press 12@135# 5@185# 5@185# 5@185# 5@185 5@185#

Bent BB Rows 12@65# 6@135# 5@140# 5@140# 5@140# 5@140#

Swiss Ball Squats with DB's 12@35# 12@35# 12@35#

Straight Arm Pull Downs 12@42.5# 5@67.5# 5@67.5# 5@67.5#

BB High Pulls 10@95# 10@95# 10@95#

Made the mistake of using the bike thinking that it might be easier on my back, WRONG. So as my back was already aggravated I did ball squats instead of back squats as they didn't seem to have any negative affect on my back and still worked the legs. I also skipped the super sets today as I was still feeling the weekend somewhat. Otherwise the lifts were godd being up 5# on both the bench and the Bent Rows.

[GG300]

Wednesday July 4 7:00 AM 69 Degrees with 80% Humidity and 10 mph winds Scheduled 3 Mile Run Knocked out the run using a series of 4 Block Runs/ 1 Block Walks finished 3.02 miles in 38:45.

[GG300]

Thursday July 5 5:15 AM Scheduled Lifting Day

Giant Set with 90 seconds between sets

Swiss Ball Crunches 20 20 20
Swiss Ball Planks 45 Sec 45 Sec 45 Sec
Weighted Twists with feet raised 15@12# 15@12# 15@12#

Super Set with 90 Seconds rest

Incline DB Bench 12@45# 6@65# 6@65# 6@65# 5@65# 5@65#
Low Cable Row 12@112.5# 5@137.5# 5@142.5# 5@142.5# 5@142.5# 5@142.5#

BB Military Press 12@80# 12@80# 12@80#
DB Step Ups 12@25# 10@25# 10@25#

Overhead Cable Tri Extensions 12@90 12@95# 12@95#
DB Alternating Curls 12@35# 12@35# 12@35#

I used the Ab work as a warm up this morning and it seemed top work out just fine. Added a couple of extra reps for the first 3 sets of the benches, next week I will add some weight. I tried to add in step ups for the lower body work as it seemed to work out the best with the knee's and back.

[UpNorth]

Both your knees and your back are bothering you, sheesh! BTW, as you learned the bike is probably the worst thing for your back. You could always try the recumbent bike though.

I'm jealous of the workout in the friend's yard. That sounds like it was fun. I'm trying to convince my workout partner to come to my house for a couple weeks of moving rocks, dragging a sled, pullups on the jungle gym, etc. at my house. It's too damn nice this time of year to be in the gym.

[GG300]

Yeah Jeff it sucks getting old, it's probably the price I pay for waiting to start to work out until I was 42 and to start running at 46.

I sure could get used to life in Eagle River too bad a high paying job up there is $14 an hour and I just don't feel like owning my own business again quite yet.

[GG300]

Thursday July 6 4:30 PM nothing scheduled but thought I could squeeze in a run before it rained, NOT. Actually the rain felt good but then the sun had to come out in full force. I am not sure what the humidity was but as the rain started to fall you could see the steam coming off of the pavement. Got in a 2 mile run in 23:41 plus I found a dime. I have to be getting close to a dollar by now.

[GG300]

Friday July 7 4:30 AM 66 Degrees with 84% Humidity Scheduled 4 Mile Run. Got started a little late as I slept in until 3:30 but it sure was a nice temperature for a run. The smell in the morning like this is so much nicer than all the exhaust and business fumes that you get in the afternoon. I was able to get in the first 2.96 miles running in 37:46 (I thought with a construction detour that I took that I had hit 3.1 miles) and then went to a run walk to finish a final distance of 4.25 miles in 55:56. My back felt fine until the 3rd mile and then it started to bother me on the right side. I will have to check with my trainer as now I think it may be my hip flexor as it is mainly on the right side not the whole lower back.

[twinsavsvikingsfan]

Dang, nagging injuries all around.

[GG300]

Monday July 9 5:00 AM Scheduled Lifting Session

Giant Set with 2 minutes rest between

Swiss Ball Crunches 20 20
Side Planks Left 45 sec 45 sec
Side Planks Right 45 Sec 45 sec
Swiss Ball Planks 60 sec 60 sec

Super Sets with 90 seconds rest

Bench Press 12@135# 5@185# 5@185# 5@185# 5@190# 5@190#
BO BB Rows 12@95# 5@140# 5@140# 5@140# 5@140# 5@140#

Seated Arnolds 5@40# 5@40# 5@40# 5@40# 5@40#
Goblet Squat 12@45# 5@65# 5@65# 5@65# 5@65# 5@65#

Compound Set with no rest

Cable Curls with EZ Bar 12@100# 12@100# 12@100#
Tri Rope Extensions 12@110# 12@110# 12@110#

I took Saturday and Sunday off with the exception of several hours of gardening / yardwork and running some errands for my lazy fat @ss sister. The added rest seems to have helped both with my lower back and knees. I also seemed a little fresher in the gym and was able to go up 5# on my last 2 sets of benches. The goblet squats seemed to work well for my knees so we will see how it progresses. I have some new stretches to do before running so we will give those a try on Tuesday.

[UpNorth]

Hey, easy on the family there... although I can't think of anything less rewarding then doing yard work and running errands for a lazy sibling.

[GG300]

Jeff the yard work is for my Mom who I love to help out. Unfortunately my sister at 55 still lives at home and thinks that she deserves to be taken care of like Mom.

[twinsavsvikingsfan]

What a great brother! (And son!)

The yard work doesn't bother your back? That's right where I usually feel it when I do it.

[GG300]

Tuesday July 10 4:00 AM 69 Degrees 85% Humidity Scheduled 3 mile Run Once again it seemed nice when I started out but I just can't breathe in this crap. I was totally drenched when I finished the 3.54 miles in a time of 47:50. The humidity is supposed to break tonight after we get hiot by some rain storms coming through. The forecast for the Storm the Bastille 5K Thursday night is for a high in the low 70's and much less humid. Thank God

I saw a bunch of West Allis's finest with a car full of black youths pulled over and then later following 2 more on foot. I was half expecting them to stop and ask me what I was doing but I guess the MP3 player, running shoes and clothes plus the drowned rat look I was sporting may have tipped them off to my odd behavior for that time of the day.

[GG300]

Jim yeah I am all about being the good brother when I have to go get her a carton of smokes and a bus pass as long as I am picking up all her other groceries already. Unfortunately it is just to complicated to fix right now.

[twinsavsvikingsfan]

That sucks, Gregg. Especially with your mom's knee stuff going on right now.