To the Point of Exhaustion

Workout Summary - 3:06:54 hours; avg. HR 123; Walk 1, Run 2.5, Walk 6.19; Stretching; Abs; Weights; Pushups.

Burned 1,877 calories, for a net -841 calories today.

I didn't go to the gym with the plan of a 3 hour workout. In fact, I had planned to workout 2 hours, maybe 2 hours 19 minutes to help round out my total weekly workout minutes. While I was walking and running the idea popped in my mind to try put in 3 hours. So I kept at the walking after my 65 minutes were up. I figured another 45 minutes would be a good addition. That 45 became 60, and before I knew it, my workout was already over the 2 hour mark.

I knocked out my stretching and ab routines (with the exception of one ab exercise due to the strain I was feeling on my already sore left lower ab), followed by my pushups. All that was left were my weights, and I could see that I'd be crossing that 3 hour barrier with them.

I outlasted everyone who was there when I arrive, and all but one of the people who arrived after me. The only guy left in the gym was a man who came when I had only 10 minutes left of my workout.

I was hoping that when I checked my burned calories I'd have crossed over the 2,000 mark, but I fell short. It was the lower heart rate during weight lifting that slowed the rate of burn. If I'd have had the strength of body (and mind) to get on the bike for 15 more minutes, I could have crossed that threshold. But I just couldn't. It took the last of my energy to get through the final 2 weight machines.

Even typing this after icing my left knee, I'm finding myself wanting to close my eyes and drift to sleep. I'm wiped out.

Dead tired.

Still, what a rush. What a workout.

Damn Double Heel

No, I don't really have a double heel. Although the blister on my left foot has grown nearly that large.

I struggled with blisters earlier in the year when I was working out as much as I've been the past few weeks. I can't remember if they ever went away, or if I just managed them with lancing and draining.

I thought about taking a picture and posting the blister in all its disgusting glory, but decided against it. Why ruin a good day for some unsuspecting person visiting the blog?

I did lance the mother, and will see how things go with another, shorter workout later today.

A Sudden and Mysterious Injury

As mysteriously as my sore left knee appeared, the pain has suddenly disappeared. Monday night I was jarred from sleep by a very sore left knee. It was as if the ligaments had been stretched beyond breaking. And the pain continued – probably exacerbated by 50+ miles of biking the next few days – until it was suddenly gone when I woke this morning.

I have a feeling something got out of alignment while I was sleeping and finally found its way back into place, days later. Whatever it was, I’m just glad it doesn’t hurt anymore. It was painful and annoying.

My Poor Feet (and Leg)

After my 2 hour and 14 minute walk on Sunday, I found my feet destroyed. Blisters. Alaska-sized sonofaguns. And they hurt, bad.

Not that that stopped me from walking another 2 miles Monday night, kept me from biking Tuesday (not that biking really irritated them), or from walking another 2 miles tonight (although it was close – they hurt bad).

I had this same problem over the summer when I was doing some walking and running. I don’t know why, after years of never really having blister issues, I now know – really know – such problems. It could be the shoes, which have always seemed a bit “off” to me. Or it could be that I have rather old, and cheap, socks. I need to find some way to solve my blister problem because I do have high hopes to continue walking, and eventually get back into running, even marathon training. Some research and experimentation are in order.

The leg, you ask? Yeah, I don’t know what was wrong there. I think I must have overextended my knee and strained the muscles and ligaments behind it. But, again, I’m not entirely sure. What I do know, is that after hobbling around Sunday night, Monday, and Tuesday, the bike ride seems to have cured my problem. There’s still a slight twinge of pain – going up stairs, mostly – but I’m pleased to note that it seems to be healing up.

I think I need to lance the blisters, though. Tonight. So that maybe I can stand tomorrow.