creature of the night, it's been almost a week.
Well, I am making major progress on the athleticism front.
Item: I've been working on 5.10As at the climbing gym. What with my travel schedule and the Junuary weather New England has been treating us to this summer, I haven't made it outside yet, and my new living situation, belay partner work schedules, and longer commute to the gym means I've only been climbing twice a week, when I can make it that often--but I am climbing stronger than I ever have before, which is unbelievably thrilling. I've got ~5 5.10 project walls going, one of which I've sent (although not clean) and the others feel pretty doable with a little more skill and maybe a little more weight loss. But I can climb overhangs on crimpers now, and am consistently sending 5.9s and 5.9+ on the first attempt, albeit usually with a fall or six and some hang-dogging. My bad shoulder makes it impossible to climb hard, extended liebacks or extended gastons--putting weight on my left arm with the hand in a thumb-down position hurts, and not in the "work through it" kind of way; in the "you are fucking things up" kind of way--so that limits my options slightly, but still.
Climbing better than I ever have, and feeling secure on stuff that would have had me whimpering in terror a year ago.
No kayaking so far this year. I hope to remedy that this weekend, if we actually get the break in the weather we've been promised.
The big progress is on the running front. I've successfully finished two 10k runs this week (6.2 miles) and the second one--this morning's--I did in 69 minutes, for roughly 11 minute miles. My lactate threshold seems to be increasing rapidly all of a sudden, and I'm running comfortably at a 11:30 mile pace, with sprints.
This time last year, I was fighting for a 12 minute mile on runs of half the distance. The progress curve has just gone parabolic.
Weight loss, I suspect, has a lot to do with that--that, and paying ever closer attention to my nutrition. I'm doing a good job of getting the protein and complex carbs into my head, and it makes a difference. Also, cramming down vegetables, and actually meeting my potassium RDA more days than not--which is hard. Coconut water, low-sodium tomato juice, spinach, sweet potatoes, oranges, bananas, and okra FTW. (I even found a way to make okra that isn't nastay. Dry-fried, very hot, in a pan with only a little cooking spray. A sprinkle of maple pepper or brown sugar Cajun rub to season. No water=no slime!)
Anyway, six miles two in 69 minutes, this morning--for a personal best since high school. I'm actually starting to feel like a runner again.
Various internet algorithms guesstimate my lean body mass at 140 lbs, currently, which means my overall weight goal of 165 is just about right on track. I haven't actually been dropping any gross poundage lately, but hey, my running times say I'm doing something right, and my trousers seem to be growing slowly.
It feels really nice to be strong again.
Item: I've been working on 5.10As at the climbing gym. What with my travel schedule and the Junuary weather New England has been treating us to this summer, I haven't made it outside yet, and my new living situation, belay partner work schedules, and longer commute to the gym means I've only been climbing twice a week, when I can make it that often--but I am climbing stronger than I ever have before, which is unbelievably thrilling. I've got ~5 5.10 project walls going, one of which I've sent (although not clean) and the others feel pretty doable with a little more skill and maybe a little more weight loss. But I can climb overhangs on crimpers now, and am consistently sending 5.9s and 5.9+ on the first attempt, albeit usually with a fall or six and some hang-dogging. My bad shoulder makes it impossible to climb hard, extended liebacks or extended gastons--putting weight on my left arm with the hand in a thumb-down position hurts, and not in the "work through it" kind of way; in the "you are fucking things up" kind of way--so that limits my options slightly, but still.
Climbing better than I ever have, and feeling secure on stuff that would have had me whimpering in terror a year ago.
No kayaking so far this year. I hope to remedy that this weekend, if we actually get the break in the weather we've been promised.
The big progress is on the running front. I've successfully finished two 10k runs this week (6.2 miles) and the second one--this morning's--I did in 69 minutes, for roughly 11 minute miles. My lactate threshold seems to be increasing rapidly all of a sudden, and I'm running comfortably at a 11:30 mile pace, with sprints.
This time last year, I was fighting for a 12 minute mile on runs of half the distance. The progress curve has just gone parabolic.
Weight loss, I suspect, has a lot to do with that--that, and paying ever closer attention to my nutrition. I'm doing a good job of getting the protein and complex carbs into my head, and it makes a difference. Also, cramming down vegetables, and actually meeting my potassium RDA more days than not--which is hard. Coconut water, low-sodium tomato juice, spinach, sweet potatoes, oranges, bananas, and okra FTW. (I even found a way to make okra that isn't nastay. Dry-fried, very hot, in a pan with only a little cooking spray. A sprinkle of maple pepper or brown sugar Cajun rub to season. No water=no slime!)
Anyway, six miles two in 69 minutes, this morning--for a personal best since high school. I'm actually starting to feel like a runner again.
Various internet algorithms guesstimate my lean body mass at 140 lbs, currently, which means my overall weight goal of 165 is just about right on track. I haven't actually been dropping any gross poundage lately, but hey, my running times say I'm doing something right, and my trousers seem to be growing slowly.
It feels really nice to be strong again.