Sunday, August 30, 2020

Heavy Thoughts, Heavy Lifting

Can we please just stop the madness? This was a week unlike any other so far this year. And I don't mean the weather, although here in Illinois, it was beastly hot and humid. 

Jacob Blake. Hurricane Laura. Kenosha Wisconsin. Kyle Rittenhouse. COVID19. 

Parents of my patients refusing to pull up their masks. Several telling me they've applied for a gun permit as I review safety questions as is standard for well child exams. 

The little things are also big things. They're symptoms of all the unrest and horror unfolding around us. I try so hard not to let any of it affect me. But it does. Sleepless nights. I write about this every week. It just doesn't end.

I just keep on running. And lifting. And praying for peace.


Weekly Rundown
Monday: CrossFit with 850m running
Tuesday: Run 5.15m
Wednesday: Trail run 6 miles
Thursday: Strength with 800 m running
Friday: Run 5 miles
Saturday: rest
Sunday: trail run 10.25 miles

Running

I woke up Tuesday morning to the sound of thunder, rain, and wind. Crap! I checked my weather app and it looked like it would pass in about an hour, so I got up to have a cup of coffee and get ready to get out for my run. I'm so glad I did. While it was damp, the temperature had dropped into the 60s. I enjoyed a really pleasant run around my neighborhood. I saw no other people, just a coyote shaking the rain out of his fur.


The forecast for Wednesday called for record heat, so I got out to the trails very early. It wasn't too bad--just really humid--as I started out. Like my road run on Tuesday, I saw almost no one, but my deer friends were out. Mama Deer even posed with her fawn for me. This run in nature did my heart and soul good.


My alarm was on silent and I overslept Friday. With the disgusting heat and humidity already off the charts, I considered skipping my run. I'm glad I didn't. As hard as this run was--and I was seriously regretting it--when I returned home, I felt grateful that I pushed through the swamp. 


I couldn't believe it, but there were no parking spots when I pulled into the lot at the forest preserve for my long run early Sunday morning. I suppose the weather had something to do with it. A perfect summer morning, it was sunny and 70 degrees with no humidity. I parked in a different lot, about a half mile from the trailhead. It wasn't long after I started running on the main trail that I encountered multiple groups of people, mostly walkers and cyclists. They weren't very courteous, walking 2-3 abreast, and wouldn't move aside to give me space. I decided to duck into the woods on the single track, which was an improvement. I am so used to having this place to myself! I did my first 5 miles on those single track trails, encountering a few random people, but for the most part, I was alone. The second half of my run was on the main trail. With a half marathon coming up in about 5 weeks, I need to work on endurance. 

I didn't see my deer friends, but this frog was so green!

CrossFit/Strength

Monday's WOD was full of pull-up work. The first part of the workout was an E2MOM of strict pull ups and kip swings alternating with toes-to-bar. I did negatives and scap pulls. The MetCon was a 9 minute AMRAP of suitcase deadlifts, single arm squats, and squat to overheads; these were all done using the same dumbbell. I used 25#. Each set was followed by a 100m run. I did 6 sets. I love that running is being added to so many of the WODs!

Photobombed at the end!

On Thursday, Sammy Jo had me lift heavy back squats, 80% of my one rep max, 4 sets of 3, at 125#. These were HEAVY but she used the colored plates. You know I love them, right? Did I mention they were heavy? Because I was so frustrated on Monday with my inability to do much with the pull-up workout, she had me work on negatives today. After that, I did tire flips and toes to rings. So.much.fun!


So about those pull-ups. I have had a goal of 1 strict pull-up for what feels like forever. On Monday, I was excited to see how much progress I've made and disappointed with what felt like zip, zilch, none. SJ told me that if I really want to hit this goal, we need to do a lot of pull-up work. One of the other women who works out there sent me homework to do. I do feel that I've gotten a lot stronger in my upper body--those toes to rings felt great--but there is a lot more work to do. 


Off the Road

It was National Dog Day on Wednesday! Since it seems like every day is Dog Day at our house, we didn't celebrate. Poor Cocoa--she's been shaking her ears a lot, so I took her to the vet on Monday. She's got a pretty bad ear infection. I have to clean her ears every morning. As soon as I touch the bottle of ear wash, she's gone. Dogs are funny, aren't they? Anyways, here's a picture of her from last weekend at the lake. She just loves the boat.


My youngest son, who lives in Madison, told me that they are starting to board up the storefronts again. There have been a few protests--he told me that there were a couple of dumpster fires in the middle of University Avenue. Real dumpster fires or the figure of speech? No, he said people actually dragged dumpsters into the street and lit them on fire. Ok, then. 



How are you feeling this week? Thank goodness for running and strength training and a sense of humor. Let's all spread kindness, consideration, and love all over the place!!!

I'm linking up with Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Rundown.






32 comments :

  1. Oh no, poor Cocoa! Hopefully the ears clear up soon. Pull ups are so frustrating. I've been fairly consistent about doing negatives and I can hold myself up and lower myself with control but I just can't figure out how to do the "pull" to start one in the first place, so that remains on my list. High 5 on the fitness and hang in there on all of the "rest of the world stuff".

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    1. I think it's all about the lats-I just don't have the strength yet!

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  2. It was a tough week here too, and as we head closer to the election I think it's going to get worse. Ugh. Why are people such bullies??

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    1. When your leader legitimizes bullying...I am just so sad so much of the time.

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  3. Pull ups are really tough. I worked on them a few years back when I used to go to a gym. I remember we used the assisted pull up machine for months changing the weights and then finally I could do 3 or 4. Now I could not do one to save my life! If I know you at all, I bet you figure out how to conquer them!

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  4. Seems like we were both feeling pretty down this week. Like you, I hope that things get better because I'm so sick of feeling defeated and sad. Sorry to hear that you have parents that will not pull up their mask. I really just don't understand people like that - how hard is it to be courteous?

    Great job on your workouts this week! Sorry that the trail was so crowded this morning. That photo of Cocoa just put a smile on my face :)

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    1. People who won't pull up their masks feel inconvenienced that they have to wear them. I wear mine all day long. You really do get used to it!

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  5. Pull ups aren’t easy! I feel you on working for things & not achieving them, but it’s the work that’s important!

    Friday wasn’t terrible here but it was quite humid. I wondered why I didn’t do my long run today. Oh yeah, going to my mom tomorrow & there’s always a lot of prep work for that!

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    1. You nailed it when you said the work is important. That is for sure and I am getting stronger. Who would have thought that an old lady could build muscle? :p

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  6. Poor Cocoa - and poor you having to administer the treatment!

    I've been really low and so tired but I really don't think it's the running, as I made myself lie down to sleep earlier last night and felt a lot better. I'm still keeping on keeping on, running with just one or two other people, we saw a 6 today and they didn't feel safe on the pavements - we don't want to be those people you found on the trails, even inadvertently!

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    1. I was just shocked at the people on the trails. Some moved over to make space but others acted as if I wasn't even there. It was so odd.

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  7. Oh, that last meme would be funny if it weren’t so close to being true. Sorry to hear more of your families are buying guns. I hope none are used in horrible accidents. :-(. LOL at having to share the trail. That’s why we’ve abandoned the bike path on weekends.

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    1. Pretty sure this was a preview of what fall will be like on the trails!

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  8. I swear each week leaves me more drained than the previous one.

    Pull ups are so freaking hard...but I know you'll get there because you're willing to put in the work.

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    1. I'm really feeling it too, Michelle. It's incredibly upsetting to see how so many people that I know are interpreting what happened in Kenosha. Wow. Just wow.

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  9. I've also been so tired lately and starting to feel the burn out! I think all the weeks of trying to work full time plus parent full time (while keeping up my running, etc.) are catching up on me. I need a vacation!
    And wow- seeing a coyote shaking out after the rain? I can't even imagine! Did it just ignore you?

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    1. The coyotes around here are so used to people that yeah, they just ignore us! They want the small animals. A couple people i know have lost their dogs to coyotes.

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  10. Poor Cocoa with her ear infection!
    Last week was a long, hard week. I almost broke down when the week ended with Chadwick Boseman's death to the same cancer that runs in my family. I hope all keeps going well with your wrkouts - especially pull-ups! - and that you hang in there with world. You will get the pull-ups! I hope we all hang in there.

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    1. 2020 is the gift that keeps on giving isn't it? I hope you're feeling better!

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  11. It's all just been so bad. Its so hard to be living through all of this not knowing when or how it will get better. So glad we have running to help get us through all of this!

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  12. Yes, kindness needs to be paramount...too bad some people just don't get it. I am SO sad and disgusted by all the unnecessary violence, and am praying nonstop for an end to this. Grateful I still have my bike as a stress burn-off.

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    1. It's such a mess and sadly, I don't see things getting better for a while.

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  13. I feel you on the little = big. Such a fucking mess. And there's no end in sight.
    Hope Cocoa's ears are on the mend soon.
    People walking abreast in crowded areas are among my biggest pet peeves right now. Stop being so selfish.
    Hang in there.

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    1. Thank you. I'm doing my best. Some days feel better than others.

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  14. Two of my dogs were getting frequent ear infections. I tried over the counter, I tried prescription, but they kept coming back and my dogs hated. I finally got medicine from Amazon. They still don't like it but it doesn't burn them. And it worked! It's been over a year and the infections haven't come back! It was amazing. It's called Zymox Ear Solution. It is .5% cortisone, btw. It's been a miracle though.

    I hear you about the heavy days. I'm just so concerned about what's going to happen. The violence is so terrible and you know who seems to celebrate it. To top it off, I just found out yesterday that my sister is a Trump supporter! We never talk politics so I had no clue. It is bothering so much but I don't want to say anything for fear of destroying our relationship. I'm sure she knows my feelings anyway since I tend to be quite "vocal" on FB lol.

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    1. He's planning on coming to Kenosha, which is not far from here at all. Truly he just wants to fan the flames so he can be all 'law and order'. It's really getting scary and I feel so helpless, just watching it all unfold. I'm not sure how anyone can support him and his racist agenda. Keep up the fight, Debbie! I enjoy your posts.

      We have Zymox! We use it when she's not having an ear infection. The vet told me it's the anatomy of her ear canals that is the problem. Lots of nooks and crannies, which is great for bacteria and fungi to hide. poor thing!

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  15. I'm almost numb to everything at this point. I am withdrawing to a select circle of people and that's all I can do. I will vote and use my voice to stand up for what is right and that's all I can do. Surely, that will make some difference.

    A real live dumpster fire. That was not on my bingo card.

    Hugs, Wendy. I know being in the medical field, you must really see and hear so much. It's probably too much to bear. <3

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    1. The real live dumpster fire made me laugh when he told me about it. Even though i know I shouldn't. But oh, the irony, right?

      Hang in there. We're in this together.

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  16. I know what you mean about the week. I am at loss at what else to say about it.

    Wait, why would parents tell you they've applied for a gun permit? Is it to scare you off or what?

    Poor Cocoa. I hope she recovers quickly.

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