New push-up record.

Monday, May 23, 2011

So…I took the magnesium and crossed my fingers. It was sunny and since rain was predicted for the rest of the week, and I wanted to get in another ride…and see if I’d cramp again, so I decided to ride to meet Jeff in the park for our survival workout. I headed back out on the same course I’d ridden Sunday when I’d cramped, but had no trouble until I reached the one-hour mark. My left quadriceps began to twitch in a bad way, so I backed off and finished the 80-minute ride with no further incident. I did manage to get a couple of pictures of a huge snapping turtle by the side of the road in Waite Hill. I’m guessing he was headed for the road…and certain death…after I left the scene. I hope not.

Jeff was waiting in the park and he’d come in shorts this time. He has now lost 33 pounds since beginning on his journey and continues to want to increase the workout intensity. I was prepared to help him with that. We started with the push-ups…I don’t know how many he did because I was in the process of going for my record…46. I hit 46 and thought I could make it to 50, but as I pushed through my 48th, I knew I was in trouble. I did half of my 49th – the half going down – and planted my nose into the turf with nothing left.

We went off into the woods and hit the usual stations for lifts and climbing. Jeff did much better with the high skips and lifting, and almost got up the concrete bunker half way up the hill behind the pavilion. When he reached the top of that hill…its really steep…he had little gas left in the tank. I descended through the woods on the other side and had my abdominals and a set of biceps done when he finally emerged from the underbrush at the bottom of the hill. “That climb up the hill really got me,” he said…and it will. When he’s had a little more training, he’ll find that we’re doing two and three times in a workout. Right now, he’s still working against gravity, but as the pounds continue to come off, everything will be easier.

Jeff had been going through a slight commitment problem lately…work was getting in the way. I reminded him that one of the best ways to stay on task was to work out with someone. It’s easier to crap out on yourself than to let down a workout partner. “Yeah…I thought about not coming tonight because my calves were so sore from playing ball over the weekend…we had our first game…but knew the amount of shit you could give me and decided I’d better come,” he admitted. And yes…I would have given him tons.

When we returned to his truck, I could tell he was shot. It was raining and since there was lightning and thunder, I tossed my bike in the back of his truck and hitched a ride home. “John…I’m having trouble turning the steering wheel,” he said…which made me happy. I like it when I provide a good workout.

Survival Workout duration: 60 minutes. Bike workout: 80 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 100 to 150 bpm for workout, 130 bpm riding.
Calories burned during workout: 600 for survival workout. 1200 biking.