Big Don validates push-up madness...

Tuesday, February 7, 2012
I’d just returned home from my Survival Workout at the park when I ran into Holly.  I’d sent her a text earlier telling her she should read the blog from the day before since she was quoted in it.

“I read your blog and although I thought it was funny, I think your push-up ‘thing’ is getting to be a sickness,” she said…kind of kidding.

So I was thinking ‘don’t share today’s workout with her…she doesn’t get it.’  But I needed someone to validate what I’d been doing and who would appreciate the effort…and the mentality that went into it.  There are a couple who fit this description on my speed dial, but only one who would take it to this extreme…and find it…well…sensible.

“Big Don!  I know you don’t understand the computer well enough to read my blog, so I just wanted to tell you I hit the push-up century the other day, and today managed to do 106 in my first set and to crush my 3-set pr with a 276…old record was 261,” I said.

“John…man…that is SO cool.  You gotta be in the one-tenth of one percent of the population that can do that!  Okay…okay…tell me how you do them.  Fast?  How are your feet spread?  Where do you put your hands…”  We went on discussing the different types of push-ups, how I fit the three sets into my workout, what their value is and other kinds of important push-up related information for 30 minutes, completely validating my accomplishment.  We finished by talking about getting together in a couple of nights to view Inning Three of the baseball documentary by Ken Burns and to continue our discussion.  I shared my plan with Holly.

“I am totally going out THAT evening.  You guys talk so loud…and non-stop…and about what…running?  Baseball?  Camping?  God…you two are boring,” she said.  She’d just mentioned three of the most life-fulfilling things a person could do in the same sentence with the word ‘boring’…how have we made it 36 years?  It must be my charm.

Anyway…I had gone after the Survival Workout with a vengeance earlier that day.  I wanted to verify the push-up century and by the time I hit 70, I knew I’d crush it.  I added a couple of sets of picnic table hops, got back to lifting the log, did the high skips, climbed the swing set pole, and managed some pull-ups even after my final set of push-ups to complete the exhausting, but fulfilling workout. 

Survival Workout: 60 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 100-150.
Calories burned:  600.