"So...Detroit is in Texas...right?"

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Thank God for Fox Sports and Channel 8. We’re way too cheap to pay$60-70 a month for cable service, but I do miss it when October rolls around and playoff baseball is on the air. Fox has been covering the American League Playoff Series between the Detroit Tigers and the Texas Rangers and I’ve been watching every inning. Jack stopped down yesterday to watch with me and was full of questions about the game, stats of players present and past and all kinds of things. “Does it bother you if I ask questions?” Actually…it doesn’t and I love the company. Then…like Jack tends to do…he came up with this jewel. “Kind of neat that teams are playing from the same state,” he said. I looked from the TV to the place where the sound had just come. By the look on my face, Jack knew he’d said something wrong. “Aren’t the Rangers from Texas?” he asked. At least he had part of it right. “Yeah…and where do you think the Tigers are from?” I asked him. He thought a moment, concerned that he’d blow it. “Detroit?” I smiled and said yes. “So…I was right. They’re both from Texas,” he said. Okay…now I was worried. I thought I’d give him a couple of hints. “Jack…Detroit…the ‘Motor City’…the capital of the automobile industry…the industrial heartland…the rustbelt…any of these things a clue to where Detroit is?” I asked. “Alabama?” he guessed. I stopped him there. “You really need to get back to school,” I said…since he’d been home sick for two days. I thought a moment…trying to put my head where Jack’s might be…and it hit me. “Dallas?” I said. “Yeah…that’s it! I was thinking of Dallas!” Okay…I can see that…kind of.

It was raining when I climbed from my car in the Metropark for the Survival Workout. Since it was in the 60’s, it felt kind of refreshing and the thought of getting muddy appealed to me. I dropped into a puddle in the grass near my car and began to count off my push-ups. As I hit 60 and felt some strength left, I steeled myself for a shot at my pr of 70. I made it there and on trembling arms, squeezed out 71 before collapsing into the mud. Nice start, though. When I returned to the car for my final set, I needed only 49 to break my three-set record. I blew past that on my way to another 61 and a three-set total of 194. I keep pushing myself to do more because it gives me a sense of my overall improvement in strength and muscular endurance. I remember being very pleased at the beginning of the summer when I topped 120 for a three-set total, so I’ve come a long way from there. I like to have something to measure and gauge progress…and this is a good one for me.

I’ve been corresponding with someone about the Paleo Diet, and she wrote that following it would be difficult because she lives with her parents and they load the house with junk food. Of course I blew through that statement admonishing her to take control of the situation. “No one is cramming food and beverage down your throat. If you don’t take responsibility for your actions, you have no chance,” or words to that effect. I’ll give her that it’s tougher when temptation is all around…but if it was easy, everyone would do it. Either you’re committed or you’re not. Until you are…you’ve got no chance. Suck it up, Tiff…I know you can handle the truth.

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