'The Way' is inspiring...

Monday, April 23, 2012
With an aching elbow, poison ivy spreading up my arms, and a stomach that couldn’t seem to figure out if it hurt or not, I went to the park to do my first Survival Workout in several days.  I wasn’t expecting much and started by falling 7 reps short of my reverse plank push-up pr.  Bummer.  I did notice a large, rotted tree had fallen across the trail about a hundred yards from my starting point and decided moving it from the trail would be a good addition to the workout.

It weighed in around ton...probably a rogue Redwood…and it took considerable work to hoist and carry into the woods, but I managed it.  The rest of the workout was pretty solid, though I found myself backing off towards the end of certain lifts as the elbow pain increased.  I probably need ‘Tommy John’ surgery…repair of the ulnar collateral ligament that connects the humerus of the upper arm to the ulna of the forearm.  My pitching days are through...but so are my lifting days if I don’t do something.  I should give it about 4-6 weeks off to see if it heals, but that would be WAY too sensible and probably make me crazy.

I watched what I thought was a wonderful movie.  ‘The Way’ is the story of a young man played by Emilio Estevez (written and directed by him, as well) who dies while on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail.  His father (played by his father…Martin Sheen) goes to France to identify the remains and decides to continue the trail his son began, spreading his ashes as he travels, and learns some wonderful lessons about himself, the way he interacts and judges others and most importantly, that, as he son told him when they last saw each other, “you don’t choose a life…you live one.”

Now, having seen this and also having viewed a documentary recently about walking the Appalachian Trail and riding the Continental Divide, I am more inspired than ever to put together some kind of long distance excursion.  I don’t know what yet…but it’s definitely coming.

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