Entry #3 Still Nothing

Although this winter season has been rather mild by Chicago standards, it is beginning to get rather old. Maybe it is because I keep monitoring the end-of-summer weather in Santiago, Chile. My eldest daughter recently relocated there as an ESL teacher at Santo Tomas Universidad, and what father doesn't keep a watchful eye on their daughter.

Or maybe it is because of the conversation I overheard a few weeks ago between a little girl and her mother as they dodged slushy puddles running through the parking-lot at Trader Joe’s.

“Mommy, is summer going to be here this weekend?”  

I couldn’t help but chuckle out-loud. The young mother looked my way and rolled her eyes as I replied with a shrug. “I like the way your daughter thinks,” I said. But the summer seed had been planted.

As far as my workouts go, I have changed thing up a little bit. Because upper-body strength is a key attribute, I realized that instead of going through the motions to maintain muscle tone, I do need to push myself to gain that extra strength. I’m still experimenting with the length and intensity of my sessions, so I don’t over do it. I now pyramid my lifts, doing 15 reps at ???, then 12 at ?? & 8 to 10 at ?.

On the exer-cycle, I have increased my time to 45 minutes total. Some days I will keep a constant resistance, other days, variable hills and then intervals the next. I attempt to monitor my mileage, calories burned and WATT statistics (total, peak and average) WATTS: Defined by WIKIpedia.

Like I said, I haven’t had a chance to go much real-world handcycling, so I really don’t know where I stand in the real world. All I can tell you is this: On January 1, I weighed 182 lbs., today, I weigh 174lbs. I have also begun to make a record of my workouts in a composition book.

3/16/13 174lbs. rode 8.65 mile in 45 minutes, avg WATTS 45 burning 300 cals.

MP3  Play list

1^st song*  Rank and File by Rank and File 

Best song Take me, I'm Yours by Squeeze 

Last: Take a Walk on the Wild Side Lou Reed   

3/17/13 Rest

3/18/13 174lbs. 8.8 miles in 45 mins , avg 48 WATTS, burning 330 cal

MP3  Play list

1^st song*  Rank and File by Rank and File  

Best song: Beat Crazy by Joe Jackson 

Last: Secret of Life by Faith Hill 

1^st Song*: Although I have my MP3 set on shuffle it always begins with “Rank & File” which is ok because it is very upbeat.