Motivation is down...

The time after a fast can often be more challenging than the time during it. Such is the case this time.

I've been forcing myself to do my strength training, but the intensity is down A LOT. But, I'm just trying to push through this knowing that it will pass soon (hopefully a few days to a week). So, there was no running yesterday: alone or with my wife. Other priorities are pushing and getting more time. It was inevitable .. and has begun.

The biggest pressure for me is an upcoming teaching event, where I'm going to speak on the subject of "Healthy Living" to a Ladies group. I've lead several small men's groups on various topics including Health and Nutrition, a mixed group, and a couple single sessions on the topic of Nutrition, but this will be my first 'conference' type event.

It will also be my first time speaking to a women's only group: one session Friday evening and two sessions on Saturday; with some break out topics, healthy snacks/menu, and ice breakers too. And it will involve not just the physical side of being Healthy, but the more important and often overlooked Spiritual side too.

I'm very excited about it, but the preparation for teaching causes a fair bit of anxiousness for me as I prepare, but knowing that I like to be free and go with the flow of the group. With under two weeks left for preparations - I'm starting to feel it more. This rock is becoming bigger than exercise and many other rocks in my life, so things are getting shuffled around a bit right now. If you want more details, please let me know. :-)

The photos are from the rain that blew through last evening. It was nice to have my camera and take photos again ... it was very relaxing and enjoyable. Nice to see the intense Rainbow and the reminder that it is of God's promise to never Flood the World again (Genesis 9:12-15).

Day Four .. broke fast this evening

We started Wed night after dinner and my wife ended Sunday morning and I will likely end Sunday evening. The main purpose was for Detoxing and doing it together.

The menu has been juice and broths. We've juiced carrots, sweet potatoes, apples, oranges, lemons, grape fruit, grapes, strawberries, parsley, beats, spinach, ... and I'm sure I'm missing somethings. The broths have been made by warming pressed garlic, pressed onion, parsley, peppers, some home made salsa, sweet potato, and various spices: turmeric, mustard powder, cayenne powder, black pepper, olive oil, paprika, Basel, and a few other that escape me now. The broths would be warmed and then strained. They were a bit spicy from the pressed garlic and onion, but those are good ingredients for a detox and I didn't want to put them through my juicer and contaminate it.

I also brushed my skin daily with a luffa sponge and had an enema each evening - even though I had a natural BM each day. I guess I measure the success of the detox by the stool. Having regular natural BM's while not eating I see as a good sign, as I am normally very regular after eating a meal and before exercising. I will not describe it here.

Exercise these last for days has been two mornings of strength training, a run with my wife on Friday, Sat was a 30 mi bike ride with Ed, and Sunday was an indoor soccer game.

I have in the past taken supplements and also soy milk and whey protein powder after working out, but this time it was just juice. I would also use psyllium husks in the past, but this time used a nightly enema instead.

The total weight loss was 9 lbs, most of which I expect to get back as my colon starts working again. My stomach is flatter, but that is likely due to the colon being empty.

So, tonight I broke the fast with a salad: spinach, onion, crasins, mustard, olive oil, honey, black pepper, cayenne pepper, turmeric, and some refried beans (something I've been craving). Not the best meal to start a stomach after a 4 day juice fast, but .. that's what I did.

That's all for now. If there's something you are curious about or want to know, just ask and I'll respond.

Juice Fasting...

Thursday was the start of a Juice Fast. This one is different as my wife and I are doing it together.

Morning:
We both started the day with exercise, independent of each other: me in the garage with the weights and she on a bike with a girl friend. I was making juices while the kids were getting ready for school.

We sat down together after they were taken to school for our juice meal. Before us were four jars of freshly made juices, vacuum sealed (to keep out the air) until we were ready to drink them. This morning we juiced carrots, spinach, grapefruit, sweet potato, orange, lemon, kiwi, pear and apple. I made one container of spinach and another of carrot. Then the other two were combinations of carrot and the others. (Carrot is a good 'cleaner' of the juicer, so I run it through after softer fruits, or at the end of the spinach to squeeze out all the spinach juices.)

The first we had was spinach and carrot. It looked like a fluid that you'd put in your car (my wife said), but the flavor wasn't too strong and was actually good. Then we had some of the fruit juices - diluted with water.

I usually use psyllium husks to add volume to keep my bowls moving during a juice fast, but am going to use enema's instead this time. (Psyllium can be mucus forming, so I'd like to have as much 'cleaning' benefit as possible from this juice fast.) I will leave most of those details out, although they are an important indicator of how the cleaning is going.

Before heading out the door I had a tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar with some water. I'm not taking my supplements during the fast. I am planning on keeping all my regular exercise. I'm not going to be taking any whey protein drinks after working out - which is something I've done off and on in the past. The key here is to allow as much cleaning and detoxing as possible.

I had 30+ ounces of water by 10:30; used the restroom 5 times; and am looking forward to sharing this experience with my wife. She says she's done this before, but I'm not sure how long, so it will be neat to kind of 'coach' her through this and see how it impacts her physically, emotionally and the rest.

Afternoon:
Small group ride (three of us), but a good one with all the wind. Afterwards I fixed juice for my wife and Mathew.

Evening:
We made some broth from some warmed water with garlic, onion, bell peppers, cabbage, celery, cayenne pepper, mustard, black pepper and I cant remember everything else I put in there. We then warmed it and then strained it and drank the broth: not bad actually.

The skin is vital for getting rid of toxins, so I used the luffa sponge in the shower. I had three bm's naturally by noon and then an enema that evening before bed. Day one ... ending.

[Sleep was good (Th night), HR was down just a little (as is normal). Expect to be a little cooler today (Fr) and have a lower HR. Worked out this morning, but a little less intensely. Am ready to make and drink some juice (a little bit hungry). Scale says 4.8 lbs difference. I would say most of that was in the further emptying of my colon with nothing filling it up.]

Two for Two so Far

[Photo: some extra garlic that I pressed this evening. I put some on my garlic bread, and this will end up in tomorrow salad. Garlic is very good for us, so I eat it often. Some people say I smell like garlic, but I don't smell it, so they must be pulling my leg ... ]

Monday morning was my normal workout, but I worked out with the garage door open (I forgot to close it the night before). So that allowed me when laying down on the bench to be able to look out and see the transformation of the sky. It started out dark, then lighter on the horizon and dark up higher, then clouds, then more light, then some pinks, then orange .. it was quite a sunrise. I would have got my camera, but I didn't want to wake anyone else up. It was a nice addition of a dimension to the workout.

The workout is still the circuit type - bench, dips, etc... with short (30 seconds) or no rest in between exercises.

Later in the day my wife and I did our two mile run together and then our 3.2 mile run/bike together. The first two miles were at 9:38 pace and the last 3.2 miles were at 7:21 pace. It was a gorgeous day and nice to be able to run.

Tuesday morning was mixed up with a different schedule for the kids. So the weights were done in the evening before dinner. Nothing real notable. Just glad to get it in and see a little improvement again. During lunch I was able to enjoy a 7 mile run with 1 mile at a little faster pace of 7:10 and the avg pace for the 7 miles at 8:10. It was good to run for fun and allow my mind to think of other things.

Last week was the first week that I had all five strength training sessions in several weeks. I'm hoping for a repeat this week and have M and Tu on track so far.

Tomorrow should be work out with my wife and running. Thursday should be weights and then a group ride with a new rider joining us. Should be a lot of fun.

Life continues to be full - and good.

That's all folks .. don't forget to say why you're saying I love you to the person you're saying it to. It is sure to improve your relationship in BIG ways!!

Love Training...

Not, do you love training? But rather, this is about 'love training'.

What do you do when your spouse says you are saying "I Love You" so much that it doesn't have any meaning? Do you have a pity party? Get angry? Stop saying it? Shutdown? There are many not helpful responses, but I think my wife and I are on to something BIG here...

This last week I started a "NEW" practice - at the request of my wife. Rather than saying I love you, I first started thinking about why was I feeling love for her right now? Then I would say something like; "If I were to say I Love you right now, I would mean that I ...." and I'd describe the reasons for wanting to let her know that I love her. Then with that communicated, I could say "I Love You" and the meaning was clear and known to us both.

The result has been really neat for both of us. For me: to have to think about what I'm trying to express and then actually trying to express that. I'm finding that what I'm expressing can be quite different, even though in the past I would have used the same three words to express it. So for example, after our exercise today, I told her that if I were to say that I loved her I would be saying that I appreciated her riding with me, coaching me, encouraging me, helping me to work hard and not leaving me behind - then I told her that I loved her - and she knew what I really was trying to express. For her: it seems to me that she's opening up and wanting to 'hear' what I'm wanting to express. It's almost like I'm able to see further into her eyes - like she's more open to hear my efforts at deeper and more meaningful communication of thoughts and feelings. Even though the idea was hers, she hasn't started doing it much yet, but I did ask her this evening after she said she loved me, "Why?": So she too shared what she was wanting to communicate in those familiar words and it was very nice to hear why she was wanting to express her love to me.

A parallel is apologies. How many of us like to be told "I'm sorry." Nothing else, just that? Not me. When I hear those words, I will usually ask a question, "What are you sorry for?" Then I can understand what they are sorry for and it leads to a better understanding as the speaker has to think about what they are really wanting to say, and the hearer gets to listen with out having to guess what they are trying to communicate. I've been doing this for quite some time (read many years - and requiring my kids to do the same).

So, just as earnestly as I would encourage you to add some interval training to your running and cycling workouts, so I also encourage you too try out this replacement for "I love you." Make an effort to say "Why" you are wanting to express your love, and then finish with those familiar 3 words - where they will now have specific meaning and communicate deeply. Take the risk, open your heart, this is your spouse - go for it!

Just trying to pass on something that has taken us years to discover. Try it, I bet your relationship will like the results!

[Photos: more nice roses, fruit from the Mulberry tree.]

Trading Progress for Perseverance

[Photos: "I'm Loved", my youngest son winding up for a 5' 8" jump, lunch time salads ... yummy!]

The weeks continue .. and so does life. Often it seems the events of a day are what would normally occur over a week; and the events of a week are those of a normal month. So it is in my life ... again and again; living months in weeks and weeks in days...

Indoor Soccer:
We had another game last night, 2nd one for me (missed the last two Sunday games). The first game caught me off guard 2 1/2 weeks ago: I thought I was in pretty good shape, but the high intensity running had me winded in 5 minutes. I had been running, but not doing any intervals or high intensity training. So that next Monday my wife and I started our current routine where we run together at her pace (2 mi) then she rides with me while I run (3.2 mi) at a challenging pace for me (usually 7:30 range).

We've been doing this for 2 1/2 weeks now and I was much better off Tuesday night at the game: not the winded problem of the first game. We lost, but it was fun. I got to score two goals: one header and one by foot.

Strength Training:
I missed my Friday routine last week, so I had 4 times including Wed with my wife. This week I got in all 5 routines; what has become a rarity these last weeks. I've backed down just a small bit on some of the weights where I felt like I was sacrificing 'good form' for number of repetitions. Over all strength seems to have plateaued for the last 3 weeks, but with all that is going on I'm OK with that and am just working on persevering at this point. This is week 25 - with just the one week off due to sickness.

Running:
We're still doing our run/ride combo 3 days a week. Wed we saw a new PR in the run with my wife! She's still complaining some, but her times are getting faster. It's fun doing together. I ran 7.6 mi on Tue, but at a relaxed 8:40 avg and 138 avg HR.

Cycling:
I cycled last Th at lunch and did again this week. Last week it was just me and Ron. This week it was Ron, Steve and I. Every time I get on my bike .. I think how fun it is to ride, to go fast .. it's a fun sport! I am only riding once a week now, and before it was none. Just no time since it's not my priority right now.

I got a call from Ed who will be visiting next week .. with his bike. So, I expect to get a beating when we go riding as he too is a ferret, but I expect he's in much better cycling shape than I - and he will probably enjoy putting the 'hurt' on me at least one or twice on our ride! :-)

Nutrition:
Pretty much the same successes and struggles here - mostly eating well, but eating to much. Did have an encounter last week with some bears, the small gooey kind ... but I eventually was victorious after their population was taken to zero (I'm speaking of gummy bears). Salads prevail for lunch; protein drinks after the morning workout and oatmeal for myself and wife after the kids are gone. I'm trying to cut back on snacking and desserts.

Priority:
The priority in the area of health right now is to not over eat, strength training and running. Along that path I'd like to see my weight come back down 7 lbs or so. (It's not good when you eat 5 lbs of gummy bears in a week....)

Life:

As I started this write up, so I will end it: with the fullness of life. The Bible talks of how the things we go through will later be used to help others. What I'm experiencing right now is that while the paint is still wet and even still splattered on my face .. it's time to help others. It's not my goal or desire to have an 'easy' life, but rather a 'full' and 'good' life - and that's what it is.

My life feels like a hike right now: where the trail changes (rocky, dangerous, level, steep up and down, wide, narrow with overgrown brush, wild animals - some small and some big, ..) and the weather changes (sun rises, sets, dark cold nights, beautiful days, intense downpours, a rainbow, ..).

Sometimes the uphills aren't so bad in the middle of the day, but in the dark of night in a downpour ... sometimes I just have to look for shelter and continue when it's safer.

So, my desire is to persevere: even when it's more than I can handle alone, for in those times I experience the intimate care of my God: and what can be more important that that?! (Not getting another rep, not another PR, not loosing more weight, not ... nothing!) Life can be challenging, but that's OK.

Mystery Bug - Exposed

The previous photo is of a "Mayfly", or that's what my wife and I think it is. We have many of them around these days; sometimes we refer to them as mosquito eaters, but I'm not certain what fact that is based on...

The Mayfly was on the window of our car drinking the drew from the windshield. :-)

Mystery Bug

My daughter saw this this morning as she was heading off to school. So, she does what every kid would do; she calls her Dad to "get the camera!" :-)

My family's always on the look out for possible "Mystery Shots" or other cool shots. It's fun to see their 'eyes' developing as they are 'seeing' much more than many these days as they see flowers, bugs, clouds, ... and other amazing things in God's Creation. (Had my daughter had more time, I'm sure she would have grabbed my camera and tried to take this shot herself. But, she hasn't quite gotten the macro photography down yet. Soon I'm sure.)

1. Can you tell what this is?
2. Can you tell what it's doing?
3. Can you tell where it's at?

Still recovering...

[Photos: a little 'lady bug' like bug that landed and crawled up my arm as I watched my son's soccer game, rear drum van brakes - a bit more work than disc..., another little bug enjoying my arm at the soccer game.]

This last week was #23 since starting back at strength training after taking most of last year off for cycling. Before getting sick two weeks ago, I was mostly seeing continued progress; but the last two weeks have been full of broken routines...

Strength Training:
This past week I got in my Monday, Thursday and Friday routines. (Tuesday was spent working on the car with my Dad. Wed was time talking with my wife instead of working out together.) The other days all saw a little decline in the repititions, especially the Friday routine that hadn't been done for 4 weeks [note to self - need to get those friday routines in]. No break throughs or noteables other than having a failure on my 'close grip decline' set with 135 lbs on the 20th rep. Failures are always fun: having to crawl out from under the bar as it rests on the stops on the frame...

Exercise with my wife:
We too have been missing some of our workouts (runs and Wed strength / core) in weeks past, so this week we got all our running in, with a few modifications: rather than two runs of 2 miles and one run of 3 miles we did three runs of two miles. But, we added a three mile bike/run after the two miles: where she would ride my Mtn bike with me while I would try to run 3 miles at a quicker pace (7:30 ish). So we did this three times and then got a 7 mile bike /run in on Sat. So, my wife ran 6 miles and biked 16: the most for her in a week with out question!

Six days of running this past week:
It always seems that as one area struggles another will abound. So this past week the running was 'abounding' as I ran M-Sa: 5.25, 5.6 , 5.25, 5.4, 5.25, 7 ==> ~32+ miles for the week. That's more than normal for me in days and quantity. No real long runs in, but there were 3 runs of 3.25 miles that were in the 7:30 range (good for me). My max HR on these runs was in the upper 170's (177, 178). Not what I've seen on the bike last year, but still reasonable for where I'm at aerobically.

Nutrition:
My struggle with proper nutrition continues to be portion control. Now that I'm allowing ice cream again, I have to be careful there too. And my wife brought home a 6 lb bag of gummy bears ... I've asked her to put them away for me as they are easy for me to over eat. But the albacore, spinach, protein drinks, salads, chicken, water, etc ... all continue. All in all - no complaints. I still enjoy an active and fit lifestyle!

This week: #24
I would like to see all my strength training sessions again. I'd like to see all the bike/run sessions with my wife and some of my own too. For this to be a reality, I have to get to bed earlier - on time. So: this will end my entry for tonight.

How big are these flowers?

Can you guess the size of these flowers? (Even though most might call them weeds, if they notice them at all...)

When I'm not exercising I sure do have a lot more time for taking photos ... :-)

I hope to have some more 'training' articles this week. If you're not training, take the time to see and smell the flowers!

Two Mystery Photos

Here are two new mystery photos. Can you tell what they are?

Two steps backwards

[PHOTOS: me crawling through the grass taking photos. The first of my fuchsia prey ... , the second of a towering flower/weed (1/2" tall) ...]


With being sick last Sunday-Monday, I never really recovered this past week (22). My wife and I didn't run all week. She ran by herself on Monday. I ran lightly no Tuesday. We had our core workout on Wed. Th was my normal workout, but I was missing repetitions in most of my sets. Friday was missed and not made up on Sat. Sat evening there was an indoor soccer game .. whew .. that can sure let you know your aerobic conditioning level. And mine was / is lacking.

Through out the week I notice my coordination was a little off or slow at times - something I attributed to not being 100%.

So, it was a recovery week; where the exercise was light and the short term is a couple steps backwards, but in the long run (in a couple weeks) I expect it to be a part of further steps forwards.

I hope to step it up this week and get all my planned work outs in; as well as adding some better aerobic training by running or cycling intervals .. every ones favorites!

Why keep training??!

Sooner or later we all ask this question: "Why am I doing this?" It may be in the context of physical training, school, work, marriage, faith, ... it's a question that penetrates all boundaries in life.

So as I'm finding myself awake, again, and not wanting to disturb my wife (this time) who is sleeping so soundly so near by, I'm going to think elsewhere and let her sleep. Tonight I'm wrestling with a common question in my life: why am I doing what I'm doing?

Physical Training:
Why do I keep at the daily physical training? For me it's not to reach an end goal and then stop, but rather a continued process of wanting to be my best each day. Some days I'll be able to train 3 times and others I may be able to train for a week. I've yet to run a marathon - something I would very much like to do some day. But it's not a fundamental motivator in my training. It'd be neat to be able to do 20 pull ups, bench press 300 lbs, ride a sub-5 hr century, run a BQE (Boston Qualifying Event) ... but the real bottom line for me in training has to do with the quality of my life. If training for a specific goal takes time away from other more important life goals - then I have to adjust my training and possible short term goals. Physical training has it's place; it's a big rock for me, but not my biggest.

A bigger rock: my Marriage
My wife and I went to a marriage conference a few weeks ago - maybe 4 now. It was very good. I've been reviewing the material and there are many pearls of wisdom there. One of them was, "You can't get a new spouse, but you can give your spouse a new you." If you're married - you should re-read that. It hits full strength on the "Why am I doing this?" question in the context of marriage. If our perspective is me centered, then being open to making ourselves a better spouse with out any guarantee of it being reciprocated, is very tough indeed. But, that's what separates Great marriages, Poor marriages and divorced marriages.

Having been married almost 22 years - we've seen some rough seasons and both want more in our marriage. But it's possible that more of our needs may never get met. That's a difficult reality to consider, but it's a real possibility. What I can do is change my thinking; to "GIVE" more of me; learn to communicate and express Love in a way that my wife understands (5 Love Languages); don't be so selfish (let her rest while I lie awake in bed); consider if my expectations are appropriate or should I have any expectations at all?; do I communicate my needs as requests or demands?; do I punish and reward - or just Love? There are so many things to consider when I'm willing to reflect and work on myself - where I can actually change.

Another good pearl was "The grass is greener where you water it most". Meaning: work your own garden, raise your own flowers and trees, keep your own fountain flowing, use your own actions to build into your marriage - don't look for a garden that has the flowers you want already blooming. Work the ground, dig up the rocks, make the rows, plant the seeds -- and Water them: enjoy making the garden God gave you a beautiful place. Our spouse is that garden and a fountain to be enjoyed.

Another wasn't new - but nice to hear how important it is to understand that marriage isn't a 50-50 deal: it's 100-100. We have to be willing to give 100% independent of the contribution of our spouse. It ties into the giving your spouse a new you concept: where we can act independently of our spouses actions. And biblically, when we stand before God and give an account, Revelation 20:11-15 there won't be any using our spouses as an excuse.

The marriage changer for me was asking God for the desire to change myself even if my wife never did. That I would be an honorable husband and father: period. No conditions. And very shortly after those prayers came another prayer, "help me love her as you love her" - another biggie.

For those with a Biblical belief on marriage, the Husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church (and in the OT as God loved his people). This is a love that exceeds my capacity to give on my own. God's example is to a people that regularly choose other lovers (other Gods) and yet He continued to love and restore His bride. It's a VERY high bar. And one that I can wrestle with several times a day - more when I'm needy and frustrated that "my" needs are going unmet --- or are they? Are they really going unmet, or am I just thinking wrongly? I am certainly not a perfect man, but I am thankful that God has been giving me this desire of my heart - to be able to Love my wife more like he loves His bride. I know my wife has seen a change in me over these last 5 months and I look forward to seeing what a few more years like this will grow in our garden. :-)

What's the purpose of marriage anyways - biblically (Matthew 22:23-33 ) there is no marriage in heaven , so why work so hard at it? For me, I believe marriage is bigger than the two of us. It's one of those cases where the sum of the parts is greater than the whole! Where else can we be so close to another person and have God work through them to shape our character? And children .. they are a gift from God; as difficult as they can be, they are still a gift from God. So, marriage is a deeper training: a life training. Other than God, it's most peoples biggest rock, unless the rocks are out of balance ...

So, why keep training? To be the best I can be: physically, emotionally and spiritually. So when this life ends and I stand before my creator with out all my excuse cards, my life won't be a shame. Everything done for myself will have no value on that day.

(Maybe I can get to sleep now .. time to try. I'll have to re-read this in the morning... wow it's late/early .. I guess I'm a slow thinker...)

Being Sick - not the norm.

[Photos: the squirrels were out enjoying the day today; the last photo has 3 squirrels and one mocking bird in it: they were having a great time today.]

I've been very thankful that for the most part, I don't get sick very often: maybe once every couple years..

Well last night started my most recent 'sick' experience. I thought it was from eating to much pizza. Something I like, but it's pretty low on the nutrition scale (even just the veggie versions). And I had two large pieces with two servings of salad for lunch; then a couple hours later went for a bike ride (22 miles); and then ate three more pieces after my ride. About an hour later my stomach was starting to tell me that I had made a mistake.

There was little rest as every three hours I would have to use the bathroom to throw up (multiple repetitions in each set): I did 3 sets of those: 10:30 PM, 1:30 AM and 3:30 AM. I know I was getting a workout as I was sweating each time. My heart rate was also up. That being said, it's one of my least favorite forms of exercise and I'm glad that I don't have to do that very often!

Walking back to my bed from that 3:30 AM restroom visit (last set) I turned off my alarm: "There was no way I would be able to get up and do my Monday workout; no way at all." (It's now Monday night and I think my Tuesday morning routine is also at risk. Bummer.)

I had to stay home most of the day from work today. My wife bought some Gatorade, 7-Up, and saltine crackers. (This is my normal recovery meal after such an intense workout.) I ate and drank slowly even though I was VERY thirsty and hungry. I tried to go on some errands with my wife mid morning, but she had to help me across the street much like a Boy Scout would help an elderly lady. I was slow moving and achy and ended up waiting in the car for all three stops after a brief attempt to participate in the errand.

When it came time for our 2 mile run .. I had to watch her go with out me. :-( I was glad that she did it, but kind-of sad that I didn't get to run with her. It was a Beautiful Day: warm, sunny, hardly any wind; a perfect day to run together.

Being sick is an infrequent experience for me - something that as I experience it again I'm very glad for. I would first attribute my health to God's blessing on my life. Then I'd assume that the disciplines that I practice also have a part - but who can say for sure. My goal is to just do the best I can. This sickness was a good reminder that I don't like being sick and there's no reason for me to do things that can make me sick (like over eating). If I get sick - I get sick, but there's no reason for me to live in such a way that makes it more likely to get sick: unless I enjoy eating more than being healthy...?

Strength workout details

[Photos: recent sunset. We were hoping for the submarines to be racing in the lake, but they weren't racing that night - maybe next time...]

This past Thursday workout was a little different from the previous 20 weeks: I've backed off going to single rep sets on the bench. Last week it was 245 and 250 for the finial two sets, this week it was a second and third set at 225. So, instead of a single rep at each weight last week, this week it was 3 reps each.

From what I've read, even though I've not had any problems yet, doing single rep sets weekly creates a lot of stress and can often lead to some overuse injuries. So instead, I stayed at 225 as my 'work' weight and did three sets there (4, 3, and 3 reps). I think I will don the 1 rep sets every 3 or 4 weeks from here on out.

The rest of the workout was much like the one the week before:
- Bench: 20-bar, 6-135, 8-185, 8-205, 4-225, 3-225, 3-225 with 90 seconds rest between sets
- Close Grip Decline: 20-135, 12-155 -- 60 seconds rest
- Incline dumbbells: 18-35, 9-45
- Dips: 9, 9, 9
- Triceps rope: 15-60, 10-70, 5-80 -- 30 seconds rest
- Wide bar Triceps push down: 18-60, 10-70, 5-80
- Triceps kick backs: 20/20-25

Friday's workout was missed and not picked up on Saturday; and so was the 3 mile run with my wife. :-(

4 Mystery shots exposed

-The first photo is of my eye.
-The second photo is of my wife's eye.
-The third photo is of my wife's eye after being fully dilated by an extensive eye exam. (Not a cow eye...)
-The last is as guessed - the center of a rose.

Finially a core WKO

[Photos: Some of the roses that I've placed around the house for my wife (reminders in my absence), I watched my Grandaughter Monday AM and she was affectionate to her dolls.]

Wed had been 'our' core workout together, but we missed the last two weeks: today we got to work out again together .. it was nice!

The routine is mainly legs and trunk exercise: leg raises, L's, good mornings, squats, decline sit ups, punching bag, weighted calve raises, plank and kick backs. We do them as a circuit and do it twice with a decent warm up too. There are many neat things about working out with your spouse: time together, encouragement, teasing, affection, ... it's not the hardest workout - but that's not the primary goal. The big benefit is relational and we're seeing new PR's there!

We also got in our 2 mile run together at lunch. It was a bit windy, but not to cool. She ran like a champ and is consistently running just over a 10 min/mi pace. Very good for her. She's capable of more, but not motivated yet to go there. I can only encourage her and point out what I see. Even she said it was a good run today as we prayed over our lunch after the run. She'd say, "Every run is a good run; when it's over!"

Yesterday was just a regular day with exercise: no big events. The weights in the am were normal and in the pm I was able to ride on the trainer (51 minutes). Every time I ride on the trainer I'm surprised at how effective it is at cleaning my pores. It seems to have an amazing ability to make my whole body sweat. I think it's more effective than a sauna!

Tomorrow is heavy bench, but I think I may modify the routine a little for the next couple weeks and not go quite so heavy to where I'm only doing a single rep, but rather do a couple sets where I can do 2-5 reps. Then I'll do the 1 rep sets maybe once a month. Up to this point it's been fine, but the weight is heavy enough that I want to take a cautionary step since I work out alone and don't want an overuse injury in my elbows.

My weight is up a little. I was sore for a couple days from Mondays bench PR. I feel recovered now so should be fine in the morning.

The rest of life is full - as is everyone's. "Every day has enough trouble of it's own." - so make "TODAY" your best day!

4 New Mystry photos

The following four photos are of three different objects.

Can you tell what they are?

Can you tell which two are of the same object?
(I'll post the full size photos that these came from in a day or two.)

Monday - wk 21, another PR

[Photos: Finished the entry way flooring (and boy is it nice), the late March snow this past Saturday evening/night.]

I've been doing a bi-weekly rotation on Mondays now for the last 10 weeks. One week it's med-light weights with more reps and little rest, and the other it's 6 sets of 6 reps with 2 minutes rest. The 6@6 started at 185, 195, 200, 205, 210 and today it was 215 - a PR (personal record) as I've not done it before. (I'm guessing in two weeks I'll likely repeat this weight as it was all I could do to get all the reps in.) No major changes in the rest of the days workout. When I came in - the house was quite. It was clear that Spring Break had not been eradicated from the system yet.

Lunch was beautiful and my wife and I had a very good 2 mile run together. She's still complaining some - but she's doing it .. and doing it faster. :-) You know what I like to say, "Go Grandma, Go Grandma, Go Grandma ...".

Evening was full: I was hoping for some time on the bike - but didn't happen.

It was a nice day all around. Just about ready to hit the sack and start it all over again tomorrow. Some days are just nice - and I sure am thankful for those when I get one: that was today. A day where the joys were more than the stresses .. that's nice!