To be twenty again...

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Savannah was 20 today and because her boyfriend was in town from Columbus and she wanted him to meet her grandparents and Jason...at their home and work respectively, so she didn't have time for us to hang out and do anything special for her. I found this disconcerting...I'd never gone through one of the kids birthdays without doing something with them…but what could I do?

I hit the Metropark after work with the goal of crunching a hard workout. I didn't think there would be a chance to ride, so this would be it. I dropped to the earth for my first set of push-ups, as I always do, and managed to squeeze out 57 reps...the first time I've ever done more than my age since I began the blog. Now I was psyched for the rest of the workout. I reached my next station, a pile of rocks I’ve assembled for different exercises, in a few minutes and managed to squeeze out more reps of each of the three exercises before moving on. I was feeling good enough to run, but elected to wait a couple of more days and instead climbed up a steep bridle trail. A couple of runners passed me at the bottom, but the steepness of the grade makes it almost as fast to walk as run. The runners reached the top first, but I wasn't far behind.

At my second push-up stop, I managed to do another 43 taking me to 100 for the first two sets. My record of 125 for three sets...two days old...was about to fall. I put two heavy rocks on top of each other, bent at the waist over the top of them, and began pulling them up to my chest in a rowing motion. A woman was running by, noticed me, and quickened her pace. I keep thinking someone is going to see me working out and ask what I was doing and if they could join me. Hasn't happened yet…go figure.

I reached the cabins, managed 7 pull-ups towards the end of my sets, and headed back to the car. I detoured up the same hill again, thinking it was time to start putting in more climbing since September is coming and I want to climb 5 peaks on the next trip to the Adirondacks. In fact what I really need is some time with a loaded pack on my back and some step-ups. When I reached the car, I dropped for the final set of push-ups. My arms were throbbing from the increased amount of dips and biceps curls I'd done, but there was no doubt in my mind that I'd crush my former push-up pr. I blasted past the necessary 25 on my way to 40...totaling 140 for the three sets. I did a nose plant in the turf on the last one and figured I was about done for the day.

I have to be careful. The Survival Workout is making me feel invincible…like there is nothing I can’t lift, throw or do. That’s when you get injured…something I could write a…well…blog…about. Since I’m going to be teaching a class in starting a fitness program, I need to remember how long it took me to get where I am…and figure in age…so that students don’t hurt themselves. I know anyone can do what I’m doing, but there are certainly precautions to take, particularly with regards to current level of fitness…which I’ll access with a fitness test.

Well…happy 20th birthday, Savannah. I remember being 20 and I’m happy to say I’m in better shape 36 years later than I was then.

Survival Workout duration: 60 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 100 to 150 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 600