Re: Post your daily exercise routine

Well, I am still running, but as for this thread, I am falling behind!

OGF, you write in a way that puts me at the scene and almost feeling drenched from your description. Somehow I am not surprised by your gallant good deed. I can tell you that such kindnesses are never under appreciated. Now as for the run, it sounds like you had quite a time of it. It isn't uncommon to be in sunshine one minute and in caught in torrential downpours the next. I really don't mind, and actually enjoy it, though I do fret about my shoes somewhat. Poignant that you would find yourself bace at mile 0.0 (or nearly that) from your earliest days.

Floydy, I want you to know that I carefully read your workout descriptions, and they inspire me to focus on different muscles when I am doing workouts at home. It sounds like you may have had a little case of "you play, you pay" sickness, but you seem to have bounced back nicely.

Tachycon, you seem to have come back very well from your heart condition. I know you would like to do more leg work, but have you thought about swimming or some kind of water workout? I know from being in the cool water that my knees are all the better for having spent time in the gulf. I think that the cool temperatures reduce inflammation and the pain that comes with it. Just and idea, though. You sound like you are doing admirably well with your workouts.

Ruthio, we all have our slumps, but you have a very good excuse with your soon trying to bounce back. I hope he is recovering well and that you two are enjoying having some time together.

Missy, at your rate, you are going to pass me! 25 miles in a week is nearly what I am managing and your speed puts you at a good clip. You must feel great!

Pauline, I am happy to hear you are out there jogging. I notice that you are even wearing what looks like a running top in your photo . Like you, I run because I love the feeling...and the feeling afterwards. No one expresses it better around here than OGF.

The good news is that my son is home for a while, but the bad news is that I have filled the cupboards and fridge with entirely too much tempting food. He could use the calories, but I on the other hand could still lose three potatoes worth (see other thread) of fat. Ick .

Anyway (now that I have given everyone a most unwanted visual), I have been religious about running every evening. Tonight, with nary a soul needing saving, I ran the beach alongside the gulf that was so flat that the horizon line disappeared and the only visible motion came from a small pod of dolphins trying to round up a last mullet or two before the day's end.

The humidity was unforgiving, but the sun had mercifully slipped behind the anvil of a far off thunderstorm (not Yorkshire far, but far) dropping the temperatures to a merciful 85 F. It was a straight 2.5 out and back. Just as drenched as OGF, but minus the rain, I walked another half mile to cool down and lingered to watch the last of the pink light to set behind the golden sea oats. Its difficult to imagine that in six months that I'll be out here wearing half of my closet and wishing for evenings just like this one.

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

Good to hear from you Surfermom, and although you might not find the time to post on the thread, I know your running would still be done....It becomes like eating, showering and getting dressed in the mornings.... Something that has to be done, or else the guilty feeling overcomes you.

Humidity is not a runners friend, and can be quite dangerous if you don't keep hydrated, something that I'm sure you know all about living where you do Surfermom. Thankfully, high humidity around here would be typically 40 - 50% and on a hot day that would create a struggler of a run....for me anyway... But I believe 100% and high temperatures is not uncommon in Florida......Ouch....

I did push the boundaries on yesterday's run though, intending to take it easy with a steady six miles, I felt so good that I took the fork in the road and turned it into an eight miler. That's the first time I've run eight since early February when my injury took hold.....Not even the torrential rain half way round could dampen my spirits, and It still felt good to be out and in the zone.

Just over a week and a half and we'll be flying off to Guernsey (after daughters wedding on Saturday of course; still got my speech to do yet!) And there is a very hilly seven mile course that I love. I'll need to be in good shape to tackle that......

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

It's hydraulic machinery I'm using at the over 50's gym, no free weights there at all. The resistance on the machines is a bit light for the most part so I have to do lots of reps to get a sense of doing anything worthwhile. Holding the handles lower down also makes the effort more reasonable as it minimises the leverage a bit. I never get out of breath though because I used to carry a lot more weight and my lungs think they're on holiday after carting that lot around.

There's a much better equipped gym which I am a member of - dozens of machines and a lot of free weights - but it's almost a mile each way when I get off the bus and my knees can be very unpredictable, lol.

Aye, I have spurs of bone growing in both knee joints, on the upper and lower surfaces. At some point in the past I apparently fractured my left knee and that popped a piece of bone up inside the joint as well. Double the fun in that knee, but oddly I don't recall damaging it. It's been a stiff knee for decades and I suppose I just got used to it. I'm definitely looking forward to the surgery and want to get back to the cycling and rowing machines asap. What I would love to do is be able to run again, even if it's just for a bus.

Take care with your knees Floydy, and happy workouts!

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

One of my very favourite places!!
Give my love to Guernsey!😘

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

I'm too embarrassed to go in a public pool because I have red patches of dry skin on my thighs and lower back. I'm quite ashamed of it, but no creams I have tried have helped. If I could get rid of the unsightly marks I'd definitely go swimming regularly.

I did try a private pool out in a hotel once, but I was obese at one time and now I've lost weight I can't swim on my front without gradually submerging as I swim. I can float effortlessly on my back and do a sort of rowing stroke to get around, but on my front the buoyancy has just gone completely!

Good luck with the running - I really envy you!!

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

Mine too Ruthio, we stay in a hotel about three miles outside St Peter Port and close to the coast path. I spend most of my time walking and running along it. It's very hilly and each year Mrs Fox swears that it will be the last time she walks it, so she gets the bus into St Peter Port and I do the path.

A pool at the hotel means I can get back into swimming again, something I am determined to exploit this year.....
I never drive while there, and never turn the TV on, it's such a relaxing holiday like nowhere else I've ever been....
The only problem are the full monty breakfasts that I just can't resist....It's porridge the rest of the year...

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

Look everyone! OGF ran eight miles! How cool is that! Happy for you, my friend! I am really looking forward to your Guernsey reports.

Ruthio, you and I should slip into the luggage. We could have a time of it strolling the waterfront and sitting by the pool in the late afternoons with OGF serving as our cabana boy . You can carry a tray of umbrella drinks, can't you, OGF?

Tachychon, thanks for you nice comment about running. One possible solution might be to swim in a rash guard shirt (all the guys here in the states surf in them), and Tegaderm waterproof bandages. Just a thought.

With university son home, I am short on posting time, but OGF knows me well enough to know that I am out there despite my meager reports these days. I much prefer fighting these elements than the biting cold. It's tough and draining, but I earn my chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream (yes, I know I should be incarcerated for committing such a crime against my own body). Four miles today before yet another thunderstorm started slinging arrows of lightning in my general direction. Now that OGF has run eight, I am going to do SIX tomorrow. Now I've gone and said it.....

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

Anything you ladies need while you are grabbing the rays and relaxing by the pool....
Your wishes are my command.............OGF at your service.....

Four miles today before yet another thunderstorm started slinging arrows of lightning in my general direction. Now that OGF has run eight, I am going to do SIX tomorrow. Now I've gone and said it.....


I look forward to reading your excellent report Surfermom.....

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

My last three runs and three soakings....
Whoever wished for rain should be tied to a post wearing just running shorts and vest and see how they like it..... I'm sure the wet tee shirt would certainly enhance the ladies assets.....

It's not all bad news though, this mornings five mile run in the rain was one of the best this year with me getting stronger the further I ran....
Could've gone round again......
I've always subscribed to the theory that if you want to run a good five, train on eights.
Back in the day I would run fifteen miles every Sunday and it made half marathons easy and fast.....
For marathons, I've trained on thirty milers and produced some of my fastest times over the twenty six miles.
Sadly those days are behind me, but now I'm mixing it up more, it's certainly paying dividends over the shorter distances, and it's just as enjoyable as it ever was....

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

Bob - very well done on your 8-miler, than a further five today. Really pleased for you bud

Suzie - I know you're short on time but squeezing in a few miles is good in anyone's agenda. Hope your son has a nice visit - does he train at all?

It's great to see some competition going on between you runners at the moment - just be careful how you push yourselves. We don't need any more injuries in here

- - - - - - - - - -

My first “Day 1” of my new routine saw some hits and misses in my execution of certain exercises, a couple of things messed up a tad. Nothing that can’t be put right in future…


Tuesday, 31/7/18: Day 1
(All weights in kgs)

DB bench press:
Target weight: 34kg; Target Reps: 40; Exercise type: Strength.
10x26’s, 8x28’s, 8x30’s, 6x32’s, 6x34’s, 6x36’s = 44 reps.
12x20
*Reaching 36kg on the last set today was pleasing. I haven’t done that for a couple of years at least, so I know my strength is still there.
My lifting is fine with these but I need to look at my technique again next time now that I’m pushing heavier weights again. I tend to get my weights, sit on the bench, rest them on my knees and then basically take them and throw them into a lift. WRONG! What I need to get back into is to raise the his knees as I move backwards into the lying position, taking the DBs with me as I do so, then place my knees back onto the floor. That way there is assistance from the legs into position without any work being done from the arms. Those heavier lifts should then be comparative and in proportion to my size.
Anyway, in my next session where I do DB presses, on Friday, I’ll be practising this again before I begin my lifts. Hopefully we’ll see me lift post-40kg at least from thereon in!


Shoulder press:
Target weight: 80kg; Target Reps: 40; Exercise type: Strength.
12x50, 8x60, 8x70, 6x80, 3x90 = 39 reps.
25x30 High reps.
*Reps missed by one but my target weight exceeded just, so that makes up for it. A bigger weight is more important than a few more reps. I expect to do at least a few more reps at 90 next time before going higher in weight the following week.


Incline chest press:
Target weight: 60kg; Target Reps: 30; Planned exercise type: Reverse sets. Actual exercise type: Strength**
6x80, 6x80, 3x90 = 15 reps
25x40 High reps.
**Forgetting that I was meant to be doing reverse sets on this exercise, I did wonder to myself why I had set the benchmark so high at 80kg to start my exercise – after a couple of sets that became apparent. But unfortunately I had started so accumulative sets were done instead, peaking at a glorious 90kg, which actually exceeded my initial target anyway. But I’ll have to highlight my style of exercise on my template in future!


Seated row:
Target weight: 59kg; Target Reps: 40; Exercise type: Strength.
15x47, 12x53, 10x59, 8x65 = 45 reps.
25x41High reps.
*Hooray! Something was done right at last!!


Pec dec:
Target weight: -; Target Reps: 40; Exercise type: Reverse sets.
15x60, 18x50, 20x45 = 53 reps.
25x35High reps.


Fly dec, forward pull:
Target weight: 95kg; Target Reps: 50; Exercise type: Strength.
(*Not done – machine out of order).


Tricep extensions:
Target weight: 80kg; Target Reps: 60; Exercise type: Strength.
10x40, 10x50, 10x60, 6x70, 6x80, 6x85, 4x90 full stack = 52 reps.
50x30High reps.
*Exceeding my 80kg target by 10 kgs and actually pushing up the full weight stack, I was very happy with this. Too often I use this exercise solely as a final blast for high reps so it was good to see just how far my triceps strength had progressed.


Time: 1hr. 10mins.


Despite my buggering up a couple of my exercises today, I finished it all feeling really strong and safe in the knowledge that I can still do this madness, age not making too much of a difference at all, except that I get more out of breath than I used to. Tomorrow will see the biceps and some back and lat work being hammered, “Day 2” making its appearance for the first time too and the completion of my new 4-part programme.


Thanks for reading.