Active day of REST

Woke up this morning extremely sore and fatigued from the all out assault on my body Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday brought. Got up at 5:30 am, and managed to get myself to the gym by 6:30 am or so. Was signed up to do spin again, but my legs are done, so I decided to burn some of the Lactic Acid built up in my body by swimming a few laps. I managed to swim for about 20 minutes, breast stroke. Thought breast stroke would be best as it an abduction and adduction of the legs and arms that I do not get biking.

After my swim I went into the hot tub and did another stretching routine, albeit shortened. Afterward I feel much better, although sore, not to the extreme degree I did before, and after a nap I will tackle Nichole's room. Wish me LUCK!
T

45 minutes of HELL - Spinervals

Today somewhat of an off day as I went to Cycle Concepts in Rocky Hill where we did the Spinvervals cycle workout called, "45 minutes of HELL!". I can affirm that it was just that. My legs after last night were somewhat fatigued before the ride, but by the end I was again depleted. Only doing the workout once through was a good idea, as the rest of the crew did it twice or more...Man! Nick and I went next door, where I had a salad and he had pasta. Nick is in that all too envious position of having to gain a few points. I on the other hand...
Went to the gym (Healthtrax) to do my stretching routine in the hot tub. At this point I can say that this is not only the most enjoyable time of my workout routine each night, but the most valuable as I workout harder and harder. It has truly helped me to increase my flexibility and keep my legs from fatiguing completely. Although I have some next day soreness, it is not total stiffness and lack of mobility. This stretching routine has evolved into an almost complete yoga routine as I continue to learn more exercises when doing Yoga and Cynergy. A must add to anyone with any lack of mobility or flexibility as I have myself.
Tomorrow is New Year's Eve, and will be going to Sloane's (My sister's) for a friends and family gathering. Brian my son is coming down tomorrow for the event! NICE! Brian is in Engineering Grad School at UMaine. I will be going to Healthtrax where I am on the waiting list for the 9am Spin class. I kinda hope I have to find something else to do at this point. Maybe just an ab and lifting day. We will see what tomorrow brings.
Watching the Celtics stink up the floor without Paul and Kevin against Phenix. I wish Rasheed would go inside and stay there. He is like 1 for 100 in the past 10 games from 3.
Happy New Year if I do not get to post agian prior to 12 midnight tomorrow!

4 1/2 hrs at the gym

Today I went into the gym and three and left at 7:30 pm. I first shot around, working on my shot after last night's fiasco for about 1/2 hr. Then went upstairs to lift 1 circuit and 3 sets of a mini ciricuit on the Universal with Chest fly, Tricep pulldowns, bicep curl, and bent over rows. I then took an 45 minute spin class with a 15 minute warm up on the bike first = 1 hr. Right after took a cynergy class (Yoga & Pilates mix). Then finished with a Hot Tub Stretch routine and shower.

My body depleted, I went to a chinese restaurant and order steamed chicken and veggies with white rice. When finished eating I tried a new cigar I just got in called a "Padilla Obsidian Bellicosa". Wow, too strong for me. I could only handle about 1/2 inch of it, then got such a buzz I had to stop for a while. Still feeling the effects of this strong but taste cigar.



Tomorrow bring a night time ride at Cycle Concepts. Hopefully not another 2 hour marathon, my legs are spent!

I felt the core workout in my abs tonight during Cynergy after last night Cyclo-Core. But only feel sore in my legs now. We shall seee what tomorrow brings.

T

Cyclo-Core and Basketball...Yes Basketball

Today I went to Cycle Concepts and participated in a tough core workout via video called Cyclo-Core, second time through was much easier. Then when I went to the Gym for a Hot Tub stretch, the boys asked me to play BB so the kids would leave. I played about an hour, 2 games to 15, so there were alot of shots missed, mostly mine, as this was my first game in 3 years or so. I don't feel too bad right now, and my achilles is fine, NICE! Felt good to get back on the hardwood after a long absense. I will need to run some shoot drills before my next outing however.

Day after comment:
Not too sore the morning after, a bit stiff, but to be expected. Doing Spin Class and Cinergy today starting at 4. Going to lift first I think after a hot tube to stretch again.

Espresso Bike Ride

Road on a Bike Simulator - Espresso Bike 43 minutes 10 miles at 13.3mph avg hr 129 maxhr 140 with an avg watt of 155, not bad for an 'Old Fat Man' considering I couldn't push over 100 watts three month ago. When I was done my shirt was soaked, there was a puddle on the floor and the bike was complete drentched. Drinking a Miller High Life to replenish the carbs...he he he. Was planning to workout with the weights a bit, but was so fatigued I callapsed in the hot tube instead.

Making Turkey Chilly today, and the soap came out great yesterday! Yummy!

Spin Class and Dead Battery

Today I went to Healthtrax in Newington and did my ab workout the lifted a full circuit on the Nautilus with 3 additional chest back and tricept exercises on the universal. Then I took Spin Class for 45 minutes most standing today.

When I finished I went out to the car and found the battery was dead because I left the lights on. The toughest part was waking Ben up, and finding the lady to move her car to get my truck into jump the Probe. All is well that ends well.

I now am waiting for my Turkey Soup to be done cooking...Yummy!

Christmas Day REST

Today is Christmas day and I am spending the day in complete rest...Being Friday, my normal day of rest is a good thing. Right now I am sitting watching the Celtics and enjoying a pipe getting ready for 'Shirlock Holmes' the movie that I have been waiting for for 3 months. The turkey is in the oven and awaiting my Kids return from Satin's lair - My Ex Wife's house. I always make a Turkey during breaks so that we have sandwich and quick meals for the week. Tomorrow I will make Turkey Stew/soap over rice from the bones and legs and wing meat that I love!
Training tomorrow will include Spin at 9 am and ab/lifting afterwards. Hopefully, Sunday will be an active day of rest with a short 20 - 30 minute swim and cycle into an ab/lifting workout.
I hope everyone has a great holiday season, and keep spinning those wheels.
T

UPDATE: Went to see Sherlock and it was great! I have seen most of the various TV shows and movies about Sherlock and this was a twist of a few of his adventures with a few modern twists. The combination of Jude and Robert Downey worked, although I thought that it wouldn't. Downy always surprises me. Not sure I liked the combativeness of this Sherlock though. It varies too much from my original image of a merely intellectual Holmes. Also the manipulation of a secret society running London's political scene was a modern offshoot of the Masonic Order, which was a bit of a stretch. The introduction of Moriarty without showing his face left me wanting more, which undoubtedly we will get as some point in one form (TV) or another (Movie Sequel) I look forward to it in whichever form it comes.

Recovery Day - Active Rest

Today was a day of recovery. I felt the 2 hour marathon from last night a bit in my legs when I woke up, but after a 20 minute light ride at avgEHR of 90bts/min I felt better. Also did a quick ab routine and lifted one set of my upper body circuit on the Nautilus machines. Bought rey bread as Men's Health (thanks Dad) says that Rey helps to increase matabolism better than other grains. Thought I would give it a try. Fresh baked even. Going to go make a sandwich now.
Tomorrow brings Christmas, but I am alone on Christmas and am going to make a Turkey anyway for the week off. I've been really into my home made soaps and will be making that on Saturday after Spin at 9am.
Merry Christmas Eve everyone! My favorite day of this holiday as I get to spend it with my family! Woo Hoo!
T

2 hr + aerobic cycle workout

Tonight was a tough grueling 2 hour and 8 minute aerobic cycle training workout at Cycle Concepts. This on top of last nights Hill Marathon was a bit over the top. Afterward I went to the gym to stretch in the hot tub, NICE! The worst part of tonights workout was not my legs, but my a.. is in real pain. I am chaffed to death because I wore a pair of padded underwear and gel shorts. The two definitely did not mix, and squished my nu.s. The brooks leather saddle is also still breaking in which doesn't make things any easier.

I think I'll swim tomorrow and get a good ab & Lifting workout in, instead of more cycling. We shall see what tomorrow brings; Christmas Eve anyway...
Merry Christmas all!
T

HIlls, Hills and More Hills

60min. of Hill Intervals at Newington Cycle - after core/yoga on Monday at Cycle Concepts in Glastonbury. Tomorrow, Aerobic Cycle in Rocky Hill CC. All this to offset the Christmas Cookies and Candy at work.

Once home, I broke out a Oliva V, 5 X 52 Robusto Maduro, ( CA 92 Rated 2008 Top 25). First 1/4 inch was a bit harsh, but the smell of the wrapper and construction were perfect. Cigar wrapper tasted great and a bit sweet. After the initial light, the cigar settled into a nice smooth spicy sweet taste with a touch of leather and cedar. The longer I smoked it the better it got. Still in the last 1/2 and going...

CAIN by Oliva is still my preferred smoke, as of right now. Have one aging! NICE!

Core and Yoga

Tonight's workout consisted of a 8 minute Cycle-Zen 8 minute power workout (Core) and a 30 minute Recovery Yoga from Cyclo-Club at Cycle Concepts in Glastonbury. Although we did the 8 minute workout twice, the cycle-Core workout from last Monday was much tougher and more challenging. If we do that workout again, I would need to augment this workout with a pre-aerobic workout to warm-up and make it a bit more challenging, maybe swimming first would help.

I have been doing yoga type classes for about a month now, and they certainly help to lengthen and stretch my body so that now I feel more flexible throughout my body. Yoga also helps to oxygenate those muscles which have been dormant for so long. My posture has also change somewhat as I become more erect. With 2 1/2 months left to go on the Winter season, by the end the combination of Indoor rides and Core/Yoga classes will definitely make an impact.

Since late October students, teachers and parents have had the opportunity to participate in Yoga duing my Betances Bright Beginnings program before school. Last week Jeff and I created the first of several Yoga Videos to add to students choices of aerobic activity routines in class.

Tomorrow Indoor Cycling at Newington Cycle, hopefully a tough Hills workout!
T

First Post - Mid Way to Goal

Mid Way Point for the Thinning of a Fat Man - Mid December

Although this is my first post on my new blog, it is midway to my goal for being fit and in my thin man cloths.
In the beginning: I started my quest last March when I received my tax check back and decided to start riding a bike to work as a mean to eleviate my Fibromyalgia and start my way back to being fit again. I purchased a commuter bike at Berlin Bike Shop here in Berlin CT - BerlinBicycle.com; A Sirus Sport from Specialized and decked it out with all the trimmings to make it to work and back. I wrote a website to track my progress called the BikeBlog - http://fitness1st.net/bikeblog . With this I can track my time, miles, speeds, and heart rates over time graphically for comparison purposes. Until April I was only able to ride 2-4 miles in one clip, and train during that time so that I could make it to work without too much fatigue.
Throughout the rest of the school year, (I am a PE Teacher in Hartford, CT), I was able to ride my bike only about 2 times per week, but loved the way I began to feel in my legs. The oxygination of my leg muscles helped me to walk and move better and feel less pain. This way very encouraging because no other form of treatment I had tried worked for me, and I tried them all from pills to acupressure. Not even Hot Tub stretching worked as it had for my neck injury.
In the summer, I began a more rigorous riding schedule of about 3 to 5 times per week, and lengthier rides with my brother on the weekends. My bike however did not cut it for the longer more rigorous rides to come, so I began to build my dream road bike. This time period I call my base fitness and adherence period. I was trying to lay down a foundation to build upon later and bring my weight under control with a complete change in diet. Eating more whole grains and vegitables with fewer trips to fast food and pizza joints. By Sept 1 I had lost about 40 to 50 lbs. down from about 295 in June. Hills were a nightmare though because of the extra weight.
I finished by Road Bike, a costly afair for me, but well worth it. It is a Tommaso Carbon/Alum mix with Ultegra groupo and Cane Creek Brakes (Black and White scheme) weighing in at about 17 lbs undressed. I was able to ride this bike on the weekends with Nick and by Myself and increase my distance to about 10 -15 mile/ride. Still riding to work on avg about 3 days per week using the Sirus. This meant I was riding 4 to 5 days per week depending upon weather, and went back to the gym to weight lift and begin my core training. My weight stabolized but began to loose more inches than lbs and finally had to change belts. NICE! People began to notice 'The Thinning of a Fat Man' without prompting.
In mid October I began a Yoga Class with my students during the morning 'Betances Bright Beginning' Program I developed and run. This helped tramendously with my flexibility by December. Mid November, I began to take Spin classes when I could not ride due to whether at Healthtrax in Newington, CT that helped me build stronger legs and gain intensity and lactate tolerance. So by now I was riding 4 to 5 days per week, spinning 1 to 2 times per week, and Lifting/Ab workout 2-3 days per week while still maintaining my diet.
At Thankgiving dinner I found out that local bike shops were offering free indoor trainig on trainers and tried one in Rocky Hill, CT at Cycle Concepts. This was exactly the right type of riding/training I needed to get over my platue. A friend told me that Newington Cycle also had trining on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I also tried a Yoga/Pilates class called Cynergy at Healthtrax and loved it, but it was on Thursdays during the my indoor riding session. When I went to Cycle Concepts they told me that they do a Cycle specific core workout on Mondays. Last week I tried this Cyclo-Core class and it kicked my ass, but after a few days I felt the difference. Now I am training 5-6 days per week: Indoor Cycle on Trainers 3 days, Spin on Sat, Cycle-Core Monday, Yoga Monday and Wednesday Morning, and I have also began to swim again twice a week after riding. The swim has helped me lengthen my muscles and use different muscles because I do the breast stroke which is a lateral movement (ad and abduction of the legs). I do need to find one more ab workout somewhere though.
Today I feel great! No more Fibro and I can bend down to tie my shoes and whipe my butt on the toilet. NICE! A trade off from Fibro to Muscle soreness from working out is welcomed and feels normal to me.
Although I feel I am about 3 to 5 months away from my goal, this all would not have been possible without BIKING!
So get out there and ride. If only for 10 minutes at first like I did, the journey is well worth the effort!
Keep Pedalling!
T