MayDay, MayDay!

I spent a solid three days of the last week out in "the field" as the environmental workers call it. Sure, that means I'm out in the sun, exploring strange unique and sometimes even picturesque places, which would seemingly be a lot more strenuous than sitting at a desk. But that is not so. Because it's really just a lot of driving, then walking, then standing, then driving again.

On top of that, restaurants in the central coast of California are not necessarily known for their healthy living fare, and having a hefty per diem budget is a bad temptation indeed. I've enjoyed my yearly intake of steak in the last week and have retipped the scale at 198 Saturday morning.

My colleague Greg - a jolly man in his late 50s with wandering eye of a 14 year old - found it in himself to enjoy his steaks and potatoes, but spend an hour at the free gym offered by the hotel. And even managed to watch the Royal Wedding live. I languished in bed during these morning hours, sleeping in and waking up to AMC still playing, then rolling into our sampling van after a free continental breakfast. And this is how he maintains his youthful outlook - constant vigilance and adherence to the plan.

The rehab begins this weekend with an ocean swim and a few mile runs with the dog, along with lots of leafy green vegetables. But we're now at one month to go before our actual event begins. No more slip ups can be accepted. No more prolonged periods to cool off. At this point, there needs to be a concerted hour plus of effort per day. I can only hope that I stick to the schedule and shirk nothing.

Your helpful hint for the final month - Greg's oatmeal waffles. Take your typical waffle batter, take either cooked or a packet of instant oatmeal, and add any raisiny type items you can find. Mix well. Then throw the new thicker batter into the waffle griddle and cook. Voila, you have a healthier protein and fiber rich breakfast that's less of the glucose rush that your plain waffle would have been.

Ideal for your local hotel hot waffle bar!.

4/22

1 hour spinning class with the crazy Boston townie instructor. Has helped drop an additional pound as a result.

Followed by 15 min of stretching and 30 push ups.

4/20

1 hour spinning class at the gym. Moderate but not excessive workout.

Hit the snooze on today's alarm and thus did not go to swimming.

Now down to 192.

The month that was - Loux

After several weeks of probably net neutral activity, Amber's Long Form Birth Certificate Long Course Triathlon Training Program has helped me improve dramatically over the last week - although I'm still well in the 190s for weight.

Each day has involved at least 1 hour of biking running or swimming, including some crazy ab workout taught and predominantly executed by "the women who never talk to you" at Equinox last Sunday. Today we will be doing some hike in the big bear mountains for altitude training. Good to be posting again. Keep up the fight.

Did you know: So there are several rope climbing stations at the Santa Monica Muscle Beach. Some are taller than others, which I assumed was meant to be "level 1 rope" and "level 2 rope" courses. Not so. The shorter ropes, which are actually about 3 feet apart, are meant to be climbed by having you grab one rope with each arm, then inch your way up while hanging in the iron cross for the entire trek up the rope. I saw it on Thursday. I could not do a smidgen of this. And I can only get up the tall rope that is taut and makes sure you don't flail as you start your climb.

Did you also know: Scouts report that many Tough Mudder participants are not that in shape. This is somewhat understandable - if this largely appeals to the drunken fraternity brother in all of us, how in shape were we at our most drunken and fraternal moments. Verily, we surpass the weekend warrior. Let this not be cause for rest and confidence, but only more inspiration to beat the field and get to do the survival course for free.

More to Come

After a vacation that resulted in more hiking/climbing/walking than I have ever done in my life I feel ready to begin training in full. More detail to come.

3/7 - Loux

No workouts of merit today. A weekend of snowshoeing and skiing did help the training.

Of note in the "learn to withstand pain" category, I got hit by a car on my bike yesterday. Pitch dark nearing 8 p.m. with small blinky lights on the front and back of the bike. I assumed that the car - some 30 feet away from the stop sign at 12th and California - would indeed stop and let my bike go through. But it was not to be. So I jammed on the brakes and swerved, thus avoiding a more serious crash and managing only a stinger on my elbow. The bike, miraculously, was unscathed. So remarkably, all no big deal and I can now chalk up bike-car crash survivor on my resume.

In short, Santa Monica can bike lane itself 'till the cows come home but it needs to choke the life out of LA's car culture first and foremost. Next up on the workout regimen is runaway bus dodging.

Loux - March 3

Workout:
About a mile of biking and walking with the dog
Gym -
5 sets (10, 10, 10, 8, 6) of bench - 135
2 sets of 10 1-leg squats with a 10-lb weight
2 sets of 15 lawnmower starters with 10 and 25-lb weight
2 sets of 15 leg extension 60-lbs
2 sets of 10 situps with the semi-circle
2 sets of 10 lat pulls (weights not remembered)

New Rule:
Baja Fresh, while right beneath my office, is not a good choice for your lunch options. Some burritos are guilty pleasures meant to slow you down for the day. Others are healthy enough to keep you going. Baja Fresh offers the semblance of a healthy alternative (light fish filets! no sour cream! avocados!) but still ends up ruining your day. To further detract from the experience, only one of the free salsas is palatable by itself. I spend most of the workout counteracting what I ate.

A pure diet is key. One cannot have an extra five pounds of middle when slogging up the mountain. Therefore, when hunger strikes at work, I must utilize fruits or pistachio snacks and use the home kitchen for lunches.

Brothers of the Evolution
CM Punk
WWE Wrestler, straight edge life style purveyor, and master of the put-down tweet. After making fun of Shawne Merriman for trying to hit on the WWE wrestling girls and failing, Merriman retorted. And then Punk would achieve greatness by winning with words:

@shawnemerriman if you could get to a QB as fast as you ran after our divas maybe you'd make headlines being a pro bowler and not a creep.

Let it be a reminder is not our goal to be the biggest,  nor the strongest, nor the fastest. For reaching too far in such a direction may lead to Buffalo.