Day One In The Books - Day Two Off To A Shifty Start

Thanks for all the help with the drills! They're on the schedule for Saturday - followed by a three mile run. I'll let you know how they go.

Quick report on our first day of HIM training. Strangely it was neither a swim, bike, nor run workout. It was a strength session. But that totally works for me, as that's what I've been loving the most in this off season. So here's what we did:

Warm up with three sets of these: (When we first started doing these, Donna couldn't remember this guy's name except that it had to do with vegetables. Now we call these Veggie Tales Torture Sets.)


Then our Upper Body dumbbell exercise routine. We have two versions that work slightly different angles of the muscles but the order goes back, chest, shoulders, biceps, triceps. The first two weeks are lower weight, 20 reps, 2 sets. (The next two weeks are higher weight, 15 reps, 3 sets - and done in supersets where you work opposing muscle groups one right after the other as a set instead of resting in between each exercise.) I think I've said it before but I really like The Body Sculpting Bible for Women. (There's a men's version too). There are descriptions of technique and form, understandable explanations about muscle groups, and lots of photographs. (My only complaint about the book would be that the diet information in there is hopeless. The nutrition advice seems solid but the "14-day" diet plan is ridiculous unless you think 14 days of protein shakes, dry chicken breast, green beans, and brown rice is for you. Good thing I bought it for the weight training information! And I should mention I have the 2001 version. Maybe the revised edition is better in the food plan department.)

Then our new core routine called Around The World, from Beginner Triathlete. Cripes, that was hard!! Clearly my core, she needs some work!

Foam rollering ('cause I needed more pain) and Sage's yoga stretches for cool down. I remembered my recovery drink and logged the workout immediately. Total success!

Day Two? Not quite the slam dunk. It's "pretty" here in that it's sunny. But it's cold and windy and tomorrow is supposed to be twenty degrees warmer and still sunny. I don't think there is any way I can make myself run today and swim tomorrow with the weather forecast like that. I'm about to flip flop the two. My rule-following self is frankly horrified and snarky with internal monologue along the lines of, "Couldn't get through the first two days without wimping out?! WTF, ^^? Can't you stick to ANYTHING?!" but my unconventional, rugged-individualist side is all "Yay! Play in the water today and run in the sun tomorrow! Why the fuck not?!" Day Two and the mental landscape is looking familiar. Sigh. At least the physical landscape is changing. The weight, she is leaving slowly but surely and the muscles are sore and happy. How is everyone else this fine day?

TODAY I LOVE (and I'm loving extra today since I forgot to love anything for two whole posts!):
My godson Zevon who's been on this planet 3 years now!! (Wow!)
My half iron training plan that's going to take me where I want to go.
And the complicated forces at work inside of me.