Just Bicycles And Planks

I hauled it across town to get to Cardio and Muscle.

I went a long way and I've come a long way. I wanted to make it on time and participate in that class with every fiber of my being.

I changed into my workout clothes the way Clark Kent changed in a telephone booth. I walked into class just as they began to march.

Be careful of what you ask for. As the saying goes, you just might get it.

Swing, swing, swing, Kate called out as we swung our imaginary jump ropes.

Up, up, up. I think Kate got stuck on a note because she was calling for up even while we were doing fast feet.

Kate came and did fast feet by me at one point and, of course, I had to rise to the challenge. My feet have never been faster. ;)

We did some kickboxing moves. We lifted our knee as if we were aiming at an attacker. Then we squatted it out followed by jacking it out.

We also worked with a resistance band and regular weights and did the obligatory ab work.

We went hard and hard again for our last eight minute cardio stint.

Don't quit. Go all out.

It was only fitting that Rhianna's SOS was playing around this time but there was no rescue -- just bicycles and planks.

Post-Script:

Epsom Salt Directions (For External Use)

As a bathing solution: 2 cups added to the bath water for a refreshing bath after strenuous exertion.

TopCare didn't lie; it was a refreshing bath.

The Kinks Worked Themselves Out

I had plans to go swimming but just looking at the snow on the ground made me shiver. Don't believe the hype about those indoor pools being heated.

The snow made me wonder if I should stay at home or go.

I hit the gym around 7:20 or so and decided to hop on the StairMaster which is not the most logical choice after you've done back-to-back days of rock climbing. My hip flexors protested but the kinks worked themselves out after about five minutes.

My goal was 45 minutes and whenever I have a StairMaster goal like that, I hone in on this yellow poster directly in my line of vision:

Ask Us How To Enhance Your Goals

I focus on that poster the way I pick an item to focus on when I'm doing the tree pose. I like how this cross-training thing works.

But even with my focus, I started to buckle with about 13 minutes left. I have a new MP3 player and it has a Go List, a very appropriate title methinks.


A few songs on my go list:

Bad, Michael Jackson
Super Bad, James Brown
World, Hold On, Bob Sinclair

By this time, I'm telling myself all manner of things. I'm bad, hold on. Yadda Yadda Yaddda.

My car was pretty much clear of snow when I went into the gym and here's what it accumulated while I was working out.



And here's a little video that I took at the world's longest stoplight.



My stats:

490 calories, allegedly burned
180 floors, allegedly climbed
Level 7, Highest (Average 5)
Total Time, 60 minutes

No wonder I popped my head as I was getting into my car.

Maybe Slower Than A Sloth

I am in awe of the human body.

Yesterday was my first time making it not only over the arête but up the dang And You're Ready Now?, the 5.8b route that I have been trying to ascend for what seems like forever.

I wondered if my muscles would remember. They did. Unbelievable. There were so many aborted attempts to get over the arête. At one point, I felt like a 12-month old trying to stand up but I couldn't stand up in order to reach a crucial hold -- even though I knew the power was in my legs and that climbing is best done relying on one's legs.

And You're Ready Now? is still a challenge but getting over the arête doesn't seem nearly as onerous a task as it did before.

As I was waiting for the route to open, this guy climbed And You're Ready Now? I was captivated by his ascent. He moved up the route like a sloth -- maybe slower than a sloth.

Patti was telling me that's how great climbers ascend a route. When Patti and Jessica took their six week introduction to rock climbing course, one exercise included wearing bells on their shoes with the goal being to make as little noise as possible while ascending a route.

Right now, I'm bullish about my ascents -- not intentionally; that's just the way it is right now. The sloth has been climbing for four years. The whippersnapper started the sport when he was 18.

I climbed eight routes:

5.7, Sol (Warm-Up Route)
5.6, Truxton or Bust
5.7, Gymnopaeda
5.7, Unnamed
5.8, Bright Idea
5.8, Face Plant
5.8b, And You're Ready Now?
5.6, Sunshine (Warm-Down Route)

Climb X Media has a series of videos featuring accomplished climbers. Lynn Hill's main advice? Patience. In this video, she scales a rock that looks totally unscalable.

Hoping That My Muscles Will Remember

The final piece of the puzzle is in place. I scoured the internet for a harness and decided to get one from Upper Limits and I'm glad that I did. The harnesses have instructions but there's nothing like a human telling you that you need to double back on your buckles or that you can belay and climb on the auto-belay through the belay loop but for climbing you need to have two points of contact for your rope.

I also got to try on the harness and climb in it before I made my decision.

Behold, my Black Diamond Momentum Al harness (XL size):




At first, it felt weird not climbing in the rental Yates -- probably because I've been renting and wearing the Yates exclusively. I should have invested in a harness a long time ago but I wasn't sure if I'd be really bitten by the rock climbing bug. And, oh boy, have I been bitten. I miss the wall almost as soon as I step out of the gym.

I finally managed to get up the 5.8b (a.k. a. #1 nemesis) And You're Ready Now? route. It took me many takes and I don't really know how I made it over the arête but I did; I'm hoping that my muscles will remember. I was sapped after that 5.8b and could barely muster enough energy to make it up less demanding routes. Nevertheless, I was quite satisfied to have finally made it up And You're Ready Now? Yay!!!

Here are some videos about how to look for a harness and how to put one on.





On a final note, looking at my, woo hoo, smaller butt makes me think about Greta over at Big Bottom Blogger.

And, of course, Da Butt also comes to mind.

Farewell With Food

Today was one of my colleagues' last day at work.

Two weeks notice seems like such a short time when you've worked with someone for more than 365 days.

Of course, there are some people that I work with that could walk out the door without delay and/or ceremony and my feelings would not be hurt.

Tim, the colleague in question, brought in two boxes of donuts today (((groan))) but he was also nice enough to bring me a container of fruit. How cool is that?


Yesterday, I ordered Tim a pretzel from Gus' Pretzels since it's one of his favorite joints. I decided to go with the pumpkin design. Don't ask why; it just amused me.

Did you say pumpkin?, the clerk asked. Mind you, her question came after I said that I wanted to order a pizza...The eyes rolled around in my car so it doesn't quite look like a pumpkin.

Later on, a group of us went to lunch at Basil Spice. I did some reconnaissance and decided that I would go with soup. I also ate half of a spring roll -- my first time trying a non-fried one.

Maybe I can just have broth-based soup whenever I dine out?


I like the decor in Basil Spice. The music, lighting and modest water fountain had me more than ready for a siesta.


Goodbye Tim, you were such an appropriate one...

One Pound Advantage

Okay, so I lost a pound recently and I've been dwelling on how it would be nice for one or two more pounds to join the reindeer games. One seems like the loneliest number until I think about how some Biggest Loser contestants have foregone $10,000 dollars to have a one pound advantage.

'Drea is trying very hard to focus on the non-scale victories. Each time I put on a pair of pants, they are loose. (((And the crowd goes wild))).



My pants prove that there's progress. My focus on the pound had me thinking about Miss Q'n, a Zap Mama song; it could be because I've been listening to old music. It could be that I just like Zap Mama. Along with Sweet Honey in the Rock, I feel like they've never made a lackluster album.

There's always multiple interpretations to a work of art but Miss Q'n reminds me of my fascination with pounds.

Lyrics to Miss Q'n:

When i was a little child i dreamed to be a princess
when i tried to be this princess i dreamed to meet a prince
when i was this princess i dreamed to be a queen
when i was this princess i dreamed to meet a prince
travelling from the north to the south

Travelling from the north to the south, southern stories
South to the east.
East to the west
we all looking for the best

Travelling from the south to the north, northern stories
North to the east
East to the west
were all looking for the best

When i met this prince i dreamed to be a queen
when i tried to be this queen i dreamed to meet a king
When i was with this prince i dreamed to be a queen
When i was this queen i did not know what to do with this prince

Travelling from the north to the south, southern stories
South to the east.
East to the west
we all looking for the best

Travelling from the south to the north, northern stories
North to the east
East to the west
were all looking for the best

When i was this queen like society tell us to be
I realized that i was indeed i was empty inside
When i was this queen (2:30 in song hard to understand)
I realized that i wanna be...
I wanna be, i wanna be, i wanna be me

Travelling from the north to the south, southern stories
South to the east.
East to the west
we all looking for the best

Travelling from the south to the north, northern stories
North to the east
East to the west
were all looking for the best

Dont try to be somebody else
Dont try just be...

(Thanks to maria for these lyrics)
[ Miss Q'n Lyrics on http://www.lyricsmania.com/ ]

The original version of Miss Q'n is slow but I like this house mix too.

The 'Drea Slayer

I used to think that salmon and shrimp were the ultimate 'Drea slayers but standing at about 5'3 and 110 pounds, Kate is proving to be a formidable opponent.

Heel. Heel. Heel.

I almost checked to see if there was a dog but it was Kate's reminder for us to get our heels down while doing jumping jacks since we didn't want our calves to miss out on any action.

Kate's other chant for the night was:

Quicker, quicker, quicker.

They're already called fast feet; what more do you want Kate?

We did cardio in eight minute sets tonight and that's what almost killed 'Drea.

Suck those abs in.

Girlfriend was expecting us to do a lot at once. We were sucking and shuffling and jumping and my abs couldn't keep up.

We're going to do a lot of hopping tonight.

I was very aware of this fact as I hopped from one leg to the other.

And the thing about your tires, Kate said, they're far apart.

Of course, why wouldn't they be?

I hate imaginary tires.

We worked on our abs and glutes and it's funny how everyone, instinctively, went into child's pose at the end of the glutes portion of the program.

I feel like I'm yelling a lot tonight.

I love people who are self-aware.

Tonight, I left the push-ups alone since my arms are still sore from trying to climb that 5.8b on Sunday.

When I told Patti about my sore arms, she wrote:

No pain, no gain?

Believe it or not, I had forgotten about that expression.

We stretched on the floor after ab work then stood up. I really dug a simple stretch that just involved placing your hands in the small of your back. I also dug a kind of reverse Namaste gesture; you place your coupled hands at the top of your back. I can use these simple stretches in my arsenal...

I had Healthified Mexican Pasta Skillet for dinner. I got the recipe off of my recently delivered Eat Better America calendar. It was very easy to make and pretty tasty.