It was going to be a day of leftovers and another heavy dinner at my sister’s, so I knew I had to take serious preemptive action if I was to have any chance of not going to bed with terrible guilt.
I started by calling Kim and inviting her along for a Survival Workout because I always work harder when someone is along. Naturally, she was game.
Kim is an aerobic animal, but her current activity level does not include workouts to assure muscular strength or endurance. “I can’t do a push-up!” she complained as we exited the car and I told her what the first exercise would be.
She is super competitive though and particularly against some of her old high school running chums. “Reza did 15 when he joined me over the summer,” I said...and it was all I had to say. She dropped to the turf and began pushing and counting. I managed 70 for my first set...way off my pr of 78...but not shabby.
I had her doing the things I can’t because of my bum knee...picnic table hops, high skips and side steps up steep hills. We also climbed an extra hill to check on my rogue camper...his/her gear was still on the ridge – so much for notifying the Park Rangers.
Kim managed to do everything I threw her way, including climbing the swing set pole three times, pull-ups, lifting dirty rocks and logs and descending down trail-less hills on slippery forest floors. I managed a strong second set of 71 push-ups and when I dropped at the car to do the third and final set...pushed hard for my 3-set pr of 215 but came up short at 211. I collapsed to the turf after the final rep just as a van was approaching. The driver slowed and stopped opposite me, rolling down his window. He as looking at Kim in disgust since she was standing over me and offering no assistance to a fellow human clearly in distress. “Are you okay?” he called.
Gasping, I replied over her giggling, “...yeah. Did...push...ups. O...kay...”. Satisfied, he rolled up his window, but looked disapprovingly at Kim...a kind of ‘you should be helping not laughing at that old man on the ground’ glare.
I returned home, showered, and headed out to the yard where Holly had decided we should put in some time. I raked the remaining leaves, cut down all the ornamental grasses and bamboo, bundled it and dragged it to the tree lawn, and put away all the miscellaneous flower pots Holly had throughout our property. After two hours of this, we headed back to the park for an hour hike.
I managed to steer clear of the worst food at my sister’s place, but the damage had been done before I left as I grazed through the desserts at our place. I suspect by day’s end I was close to balanced on calories and for the most part seem to be holding my own for now. It’s a long, long holiday season though and I hope I’m up for a good fight.
Survival Workout: 75 minutes. Hike duration: 60 minutes. Yard work duration: 2 hours.
Training Heart Rate: 100-150 for SW, 75 bpm for hike and yard work.
Calories burned: 700 for SW, 250 hiking and 450 on domestic chores.
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