Stuff

I forgot to record yesterday's workout.

I spent 20 minutes on the elliptical first, doing the Precor fit test again.  After 15 minutes, the machine had stabilized at level 14 and my heart rate was steady at 130.  The scored my VO2max at 41.  That's up a point from previous.  Probably not significant.

I don't understand.  A year ago or so, I was getting 44-48 readings.  Why have I regressed?  Age?  40 is a still a good number, more so for someone in his 50s than in his 40s.   I shouldn't obsess about it.

After the "warmup" on the elliptical, I work on strength.  Instead of running through my usual circuit, I opted for doing 3 sets at each station, lifting more weight than I normally do.  I want to start trying to increase my strength rather than simply tone and work cardio.  I did pretty well, working shoulders, back and arms.  I also did my first day of a self-styled chin-up program.  Later in the evening, I did my first day of pushups and situps, getting Quin into the act.  I'd like to pursue the pushup/situp/chinup thing for the next several weeks.  See if I can actually get to 100 pushups, 200 situps and 25 chinups.

I closed the workout out with 30 minutes on the treadmill.  Uh oh.  I promised not to run until the weekend, but I felt it was close enough that it wouldn't make a difference.  Either the calf would be ready or it wouldn't.  Another 16 hours wouldn't make a difference.  Would it?

Well, I only did 3 miles at a 9-minute mile pace, and -- yikes -- the calf knotted up right at the 3 mile mark.  WTH?  It's like it knows.  Same thing happened last time I ran the treadmill, with the calf beginning to hurt right at the end.  How does it know?

It actually didn't hurt too badly.  Just a little tender, and it stiffened up afterward; but nothing like the pain and disability of before. Still, the advice I'm reading is that if there's any pain or discomfort, stay off of it to avoid risking re-injury, which can lead to chronic muscle tears.  I definitely don't want that.

So...I gave it a quick test at Lake Miramar today, but could tell from the first strides that it was going to be a problem.  Yes, I could run on it, but I know that it would be worse for the wear after.  I'm just going to have to accept the fact that I will not be running much during the 14 to 7 days prior to the half.  That seems crazy, but it's the wiser choice, I'm afraid.  It's been about 2 weeks since the first symptom of a muscle tear, but only 9 days since the really bad jolt (that first day of Comic-Con; on the trolley platform).  I just need to rest it a little more, eat well, and keep the rest of my fitness peaking, especially the cardiovascular system.  I just need to put the competitive notions for the AFC out of my head.  Just enjoy the day and finish the course.