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10-14-2008, 12:11 PM
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Monday Cardio: elliptical - 60 minutes - To classical Spanish guitar.
 *Part-way through I remembered that I had wanted to start doing my cardio again with my partially loaded backpack on since my hiking trips have been cut back for various reason. Probably a good thing I didn't as getting through my cardio was a lesson in determination today with this chest cold.
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...I am the wanderer's wandering daughter... 
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10-14-2008, 12:13 PM
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Weren't you supposed to be taking a week or so off girl? Especially w/ that cold?
Good on ya for being a tough guy though!
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Papasmurf: "there are no miracle supplements, fix your diet" http://www.bodybuildingforyou.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39994
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10-16-2008, 07:29 AM
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I had an appointment with Kim yesterday. I'm in trouble with the thyroid again. This time we are not sure what is happening or why. I see the specialist the 27th...it's not happening fast enough at this point.
 Somehow or another I pinched a nerve in the right hip yesterday early in the day. That prompted me to get my backside to Target and finally pick up a foam roller! I spent some serious time with the foam roller last night. Oh my was I ever seeing stars rolling out my IT band in particular on the right side!  I even worked/rolled my back and sides. By the time I stood up I was able to move and walk without pain. This morning I feel great. But I was really a 'knotted' up mess last night...so bad that I was nauseas for a good 45 minutes or so after my session. This morning I can feel one small spot under my right shoulder blade...it's a chronic 'knot spot' for me. I'll try to work it out with my tennis ball...if that doesn't work I see my friend Michele tonight as it's Survivor night and her daughters, she and I have a 'standing date' for Survivor night. Which reminds me...I'm baking magic cookie bars for the kids as a surprise.
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...I am the wanderer's wandering daughter... Last edited by Hawkwind; 10-16-2008 at 07:41 AM.
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10-18-2008, 10:49 PM
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Friday's Hike
Monument Mountain Great Barrington, MA & Tolland State Forest 10/17/08 So Gypsy and I haven't been on the trails as often as usual due to 'life' getting in the way. We decided that we wanted to get out to Monument before the rest of the autumn leaves were down. Unfortunately we missed what would be considered 'peak' foliage by at least a week. But we weren't really all that disappointed as we always enjoy our time on Monument. We headed out via the MA turnpike (RT 90) to Lee and made great time to our trail head off Rt 7 in Great Barrington. It's always a nice ride out to the Berkshires even when we take the 'quick' route out. We arrived to a fairly quiet trail head parking lot. Monument Mountain is not really a long hike, but there is one trail that can be rather steep and treacherous. We decided not to take that one due to rain the day previous and all the downed leaves and pine needles. It turned out to be a very wise decision. So we basically looped around the backside (west) of the mountain, coming up the north side and over the top ridge-line to the lookout over Devil's Pulpit where we decided to have lunch. Our lunch spot proved to be sunny, warm, and quiet. We spent well over an hour watching vultures, and a lone crow, dip and kite on the thermals between the mountains. The views from the top of Monument takes in a great deal of the Berkshires. You can see to Mt Greylock in the north, west to the Taconics of New York and southerly down into Connecticut, the view back across the eastern part of the state is not as expansive, but still not bad. We chatted a bit about missing out yearly visit to Greylock, and toyed for a few moments with heading north for some trail time, but knew that due to the time of year we wouldn't have time to summit Greylock and get back to the truck before dark. After grumbling a little about the brevity of the hike up we headed back down and started to run into groups of people on their way up. It seems we had just escaped the 'crowds'. On this section of trail we always look forward to visiting a waterfall of sorts, a curtain of water really that runs off the mountain and forms a small stream. As we headed up to the little fall we spotted a letterbox! One that we had not known was there. We had to wait for a couple groups of people to pass along on their way before we could inspect the box. We hadn't even thought to check for new boxes in the area and we didn't have our letterboxing supplies with us. We carefully replaced the box and 'hid' it a little better then headed back out. When we arrived back at the trail head parking we were stunned to find the lot full! We often head home a different more leisurely route, so when we arrived back in Lee we headed out on Rt. 20, we contemplated parking at the AT crossing and heading out north, but once again we knew we wouldn't make it back to the truck before dark if we did that. So we kept meandering along Rt 20 when we spotted the turn off for Rt 8. Now that was a back roads route that we really like. So we headed into Otis and followed Rt 8 as it meandered along the Farmington River. I remembered that we had noticed a trail head along the river a year or so back the last time we were out in that area so we went looking for it. When we found it we discovered that they were setting up along the Farmington River for a kayak race on Saturday. (It was Friday.) We checked the kiosk for maps and the kiosk was out. But! We both had our digital camera's with us. So we took a couple pictures of the map. I ran back to the truck quick and grabbed my atlas so we could compare it to the map on the board as we decided to hike a loop trail we saw on the map on the other side of the Tolland State Forest. The map noted a fire tower on Lair Mountain, so we equated that with a possible view, the trail was also well away from the hustle and bustle of the race preparations so we wouldn't be in anyone's way or find the truck boxed in when we got back from our hike. We had to head back out on Rt 8 and pick up Rt 57 and then a dirt road off of 57 in the next town over to get to our intended trail head. Gypsy and I were in our glories. More trail time, a possible hike with a view and backroads driving. All the things we love. It did not take us long to find the old road up to the fire tower. We parked along the dirt road and grabbed our packs and headed up the old access road. The trails in this particular area are considered 'multi-use' and so were marked fairly well due to being part of the snowmobile corridor in the winter months. The old access road was a bit rough due to all the recent rains and the leaf litter. I twisted my foot a couple times. Nothing too serious thanks to having both of my trekking poles with me. When I had noticed how wide the trail started out I almost left one behind. Thought better of it considering my sore hip and was glad later on that I had brought them both! The trail took us up to a cleaning with footings! But no tower and no view. When we arrived two other women about our age on mountain bikes were mulling over their map. Their map had also showed a 'tower'. Seems none of the maps noted that the 'tower' is no longer there. Just footings. We chatted with them a bit and pulled up and toggled the map on Gypsy's camera for them as they needed a route back to one of the roads we had come down and it wasn't on their map. In the course of our conversation with them we learned that they too were letterboxers. So we shared some information with them about local boxes. They were also planning on a long hike the next day and asked about the Mt Washington Area. We told them about the Race Brook Falls Trail and the views from either Race Mountain or Mt Everett. After showing them what to look for on their map we parted ways. Our trek back down the mountain was a wee bit treacherous. Mud, leaf litter, loose rocks, water bars, and large puddles were our companions down the northeast side of Lair Mountain. As we got closer to our trail crossing we noticed what seemed to be a bit of open water. We trekked towards it out of curiosity and found that we were indeed looking out across open water. Gypsy pulled up her map and discovered that we were standing on the far tip of the Southeast Bay of Otis reservoir. And shortly before we arrived a moose had passed through! It was a very pretty spot and we stood admiring it for long moments before heading out across the ORV bridge and picking up the Lair Mountain Ridge trail that would take us back to the fire tower access road and back to the truck. The going continued to be a bit rough due to such volatile and variable footing and part way along the ridge trail I started to not only suffer from a sharp increase in hip pain...but my hip started to stiffen up! Luckily Gypsy had some generic motrin handy in her pack and I swallowed them down and continued on. Within a half hour or so the stiffness and pain eased up and I was able to regain my normal trail pace. We made it back to the trail head in a timely manner regardless. We liked the area and have decided that we are most certainly returning at another time to get in more trail time. Back in the truck we headed out along the dirt roads to pick up Rt 57 once again and meander our way back across the state and home. Now we were content, we got in more trail time than we had expected and scoped out an area for future hikes.
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...I am the wanderer's wandering daughter...
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10-20-2008, 02:28 PM
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Week 1
Back day One arm db rows 3s x 6r/6r /6r x 70/70/75 Seated cable rows 2s x 12r/8r x 75/80# CG lat pull downs 2s x 15r/12r x pin @ 5.50 WG lat pull downs 2s x 20r/20 x pin @ 3.50 Pull-Throughs 2s x 15r/15r x pin @ 8 heavy Hyperextensions 1s x 20r x BW The elbow was fair today only a couple tweaks. I was exhausted on Saturday and a bit 'tired' this AM. It's the thyroid. But I was not putting off my training. My grip gave me a lot of trouble today. I was getting really, really cranky about that. Today's lower body work: 45 degree sled - quad/calf superset 3s x 8r/8r/8r legs and 15r/12r/10r calves x 270/290/310 Hip adduction 3s x 8r x 60/65/70 Hip abduction 3s x 8r x 170/175/180 *Today was a struggle - I had to stop at one point and let my heart-rate and body temperature recover a bit per Kim's orders. But looking back over today's work...I guess it's not too bad.
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...I am the wanderer's wandering daughter...
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10-21-2008, 12:34 PM
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Week 1 - Chest/arms
Smith bench (incline) 3s x 6r/6r/6r/x 80/70/70 *That first set was u-g-l-y. I just did not have it in me for 80 today and that upset me a bit. So I dropped her down to 70.Incline DB flyes 2s x 8r/6r x 30 Cable cross-overs 1s x 15r x pin @ 3.50 - heavy setting Bi superset: DB curls 2s x 6r/6r x 40 *As soon as I picked them up I knew I did not have it in me today for traditional curls...so I did hammers. DB preacher curls 2s x 12r/12r x 20 Overhead cable curls on the lat tower 1s x 12r x pin @ 4 Tri superset: Straight bar tri-press 2s x 6r/5r x pin @ 8.50/pin @ 9 - heavy setting DB kickbacks 2s x 12r/12r x 25 Alt. tri. cable pull downs 2s x 15r/12r x pin @ 4.5 - light setting I wasn't quite happy today. Definitely some 'strength' issues again. It seems to be one step forward and two back for me lately. But...on the plus side. I did not have to recover my heart-rate or body temperature at all today. That made me very, very happy.
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...I am the wanderer's wandering daughter...
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10-21-2008, 01:06 PM
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Sorry that you seem to have an energy drain today Hawkie. Hope that you are able to right that ship soon. Still, you got in a workout and that is always good!
Oh! Great Barrington hike eh? I spent several weeks at the Economic Institute, run by a man named Frank Harwood, visiting a friend that worked for the institute. Also, did a ski trip to Jimney Peak (?) up there. Hope you had some wonderful conditions on that hike cause I know the area is absolutely gorgeous!
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Papasmurf: "there are no miracle supplements, fix your diet" http://www.bodybuildingforyou.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39994 Last edited by narcsarge; 10-21-2008 at 01:09 PM.
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10-21-2008, 07:25 PM
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Quote:
Sooo..... Back to my ma class tonight. I enjoyed it...it was great to be back. But did I ever have a struggle with my heart-rate and body temp.  I had to keep stopping to bring them down a bit. What a pain-in-the-backside! Lots of kick drills tonight. And I was rather tickled that I got my round house kick up nice and high.  I'm suspecting using the foam roller to work on my hips has a lot to do with that! Sifu Eric was a hurtin' pup tonight...he had his neck wrenched badly earlier in the day during his Muay Thai class. Didn't slow him down too much though. Towards the end of class he caught me up a bit on my fan form since I was out the past couple of Fridays from my weapons class.
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...I am the wanderer's wandering daughter...
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10-22-2008, 02:55 PM
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Squats
4s x 10r x 125# *I had wanted to do 2 sets of 20 reps. Wasn't happening, my heart-rate kept climbing a little to high and I had to take a short break between each set of ten. But hey...I got in as many squats as I had planned...just not quite the way I had planned. Zerchers from the 'top' position in the cage 3s x 8r x 125# 45 degree sled leg/calf superset: 3s x 8r - legs/12r - calves x 320# *Did the calf work s-l-o-w-l-y with a slight hold at the top and bottom, hence only 12 each set. Hack squat sled - foot high position 3s x 8r x 50# *no knee trouble - basically a pre-exhaust for the next exercise on my list... Machine Glute 3s x 8r x 150# *Oh yeah...I'm feeling the glutes now...  Seated Leg/ham curls - Leg extensions/toes out superset: 3s each x 8r x 60# *Dropped back 10 pounds as I was using these to 'finish' off the legs a bit. I have to remember to increase the reps the next time I do this though. Anyhow...it worked. Seated leg - high foot position/calf press superset: 3s x 8r - leg/15r - calves x 175# Note to self: DO NOT sit on the floor to update the journal when you have fried the legs...it was interesting to get back up to say the least! 
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...I am the wanderer's wandering daughter...
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10-23-2008, 01:04 PM
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Week 1 - Delts and Rack Pulls
Smith incline press 3s x 6r/6r/6r x 70/75/75# *Urgh...just not feelin' the love with these today. DB front lat raises 2s x 12r/12r/ x 12# Cable Front raises 1s x 15r x pin @ 2/light *I couldn't understand why I wasn't able to pull from the pin at 4.5/heavy like I had written in my journal... Then I remembered! I had been doing them two handed and today I switched to doing them alternately and single-handed. Duh... Smith Upright Rows 3s x 6r/6r/6r x 70/75/80# DB side laterals 2s x 12r/12r x 12# Cable side lateral pull/cross-overs from behind 1s x 11r x pin @ 2/light Chest to incline DB rear delt raises 3s x 6r/6r/6r x 35# Face Pulls 1s x 15r x pin @ 6/heavy ~ bothered the elbow just a tad. Rack pulls! 3s x 8r/8r/7r x 125/145/165# *Just could not lock out for that last rep on 165. But...I managed to pull for three ascending sets ... I was a very, very, very happy girl today.
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...I am the wanderer's wandering daughter...
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10-23-2008, 08:56 PM
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Thursday - MA ~ night 3
It was a good class, my body temps and heart-rate remained steady, but I kept coughing from this stupid swollen thyroid. We worked on partnered grab/hold evades. I had "J"...poor kid, he works so hard to try and bring me down. "That hurt yet???" me: "Um....no, try such-and-such..." I frustrate him as I have a high pain tolerance. And tonight he learned the importance of moving your body out of the way of your opponents or they can reach back and grab you ... yeah, I got him good a couple times. He'll learn. Forms review work. And reversal work, as well as forms with weights. Plyos with weights. Sifu was on a serious core work trip again tonight. I was partnered with "J" again for a lot of that. It drove him nuts that you can 'bang away' on my abs and sides and I laugh...bring it. My core is strong. 
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...I am the wanderer's wandering daughter...
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10-27-2008, 01:32 PM
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Week 2
Back day One arm db rows 3s x 6r/6r/6r x 75/75/80#  Seated cable rows 2s x 12r/10r x 80/85# CG lat pull downs 2s x 12r/10r x pin @ 5.50/pin @ 6 WG lat pull downs 2s x 20r/20r x pin @ 3.50 Pull-Throughs 2s x 10r/10r x pin @ 9/heavy Hyperextensions 1s x 20r x BW The elbow hardly gave me any trouble today. I have to say that I was freakin' excited to pull 80# on my rows! The hardest part of my one-arm db rows is the set up. I have use my hooks and my straps so I don't loose my hold on the DBs. Today's lower body work: Romanian Dead lifts 3s x 8r/8r/8r x 135# 45 degree sled - quad/calf superset 3s x 8r/8r/8r legs and 15r/12r/10r calves x 270# *Mad at myself...I meant to put 2 more plates on the sled... Notes: After a chat with a friend on another board I decided to take 2 Kre-Alk caps daily with CoQ10. I was only taking my Kre-Alk on my training days...but I'm having a lot of trouble with my grip and my stamina due to the nerve damage and the Hashimoto's. I noticed a difference today. I've also been doing grip work here at home when I 'think about it'. Basically at least every other day I do plate pinches and static holds as well as grip work with a pair of grip thingies. Today...I am happy with my work. It all went smoothly.
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...I am the wanderer's wandering daughter...
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10-27-2008, 07:02 PM
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My appointment:
I was NOT impressed. The endocrinologist was a nice guy and all...but sitting through thyroid function 101 when I have done so much reading and research over the past few months was irritating. My TSH levels are finally 'normal'...he wasn't worried about the swelling on the left side of my neck...even when he pressed on it and had me swallow, causing me to start choking and coughing. (Which is what has been happening at night and waking me.) I'm the one that requested more blood work to check my adrenal function. I ended up telling him point blank that I want to be absolutely sure we are not dealing with cancer here as one of my sister-in-laws was dx'd with thyroid cancer when her thyroid swelled like mine has been swelling. He asked me if I wanted to continue to see him or go back to Kim. I thought about it for a moment and said, "send me back to Kim after you review my test results." (I'm not sure he was happy with me about that.) I go for an ultra-sound tomorrow. The blood work was done today. Quite honestly...it may have taken Kim and I over half the year to at least get me to this point. But we did a better job sorting through this. Since I took off the initial weight, he's not worried about me. I "look fine." Even though I'm struggling to keep my upper body strength up...he's not worried about it. (Because I'm actively working to try and counteract the continual weakening.) Basically...because I'm not a fat, lazy suck I'm being sent off with a pat on my head with orders to get blood work done twice a year. This after I told him that we've been doing blood work on me twice a year for nearly twenty years.  I really hoped that he would find something that Kim and I missed. But I have the feeling that unless that ultra-sound or my blood work doesn't show anything glaring...I'm back to working this through with Kim. FAWK! Bless Kim, she listens to me and works with me and has never, ever treated me like a simple child that needed hand drawn charts to explain my body to me. On a funny note, when he reviewed my list of supps he had to ask, "what is CLA?" I felt slightly vindicated in being able to tell him what it was.  He noted, "You take a lot of stuff." I looked at him and replied, "I have fibromyalgia...most of that stuff is for my joints or stomach. I have managed to stay off prescription meds taking "that stuff.""
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...I am the wanderer's wandering daughter...
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10-28-2008, 05:11 PM
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Today's rant.
The FAWKIN' RAIN!  And all the slick-as-snot wet leaves it blew down. I'm on my way out to feed the horses, balancing six buckets. I put down all but two, go to take a step and BLAM! Down on my face with those two buckets up-ended. Pick them up, salvage what feed I can and slip through the fence after feeding the cranky old Quarter Horse boy, he's so impatient, only to step down on slick-as-snot leaves and go down again! At least the buckets were empty this time. I skinned up a leg and knee (I was out feeding in my jammies again...) and wrenched my low back again. And got freakin' soaked playin' around on the ground under the sheds eaves. I'm so sick of the rain! Sooo...that double fall I took this morning while feeding the horses that I ranted about above... It threw me into a full-blown fibro flare. I felt it coming on as I drove to the gym. I went in anyhow... Week 2 - Chest/arms Incline DB press 3s x 6r/6r/6r/x 30/35/30 *Alrighty...I'm gonna be in some trouble with someone here...but, here is the 'thing'. I've been feeling 'defeated' by the incline presses...big time. I was frustrated that I was hurting with the onset of a flare so I said, "fawk it! I'm going to do what I like to do instead! If I'm gonna hurt...I dayumed well intend to be happy about it!" So...I did absolutely fine with the 30's and the 35's...but I just could not set up for 40 by myself...and I worked at it so hard that even with a break I was not getting 35 again up on the left side. (I came down hard on that elbow this morning and it was raising hell about everything.) But all in all...I'm happy with it and I finally did 'feel it' in my chest. Incline DB flyes 2s x 8r/8r x 30 Cable cross-overs 1s x 20r x pin @ 3.50 - heavy setting Bi superset: DB curls 2s x 6r/6r x 40# *Both elbows were hissy about the fall...hammers were all I could handle again today. DB preacher curls 2s x 15r/10r x 20 EZ bar curls 1s x 15r x 35# Tri superset: Straight bar tri-press 2s x 6r/6r x pin @ 9 - heavy setting DB kickbacks 2s x 15r/15r x 25# Alt. tri. cable pull downs 2s x 20r x pin @ 3.5 - light setting Seemed 'too easy' today. Later I realized I had read the wrong page in my journal and had set the pin to high. Duh. That's it...I am fried today. Every single inch of my body is screaming. I feel like a truck drove over me. I'm going to go sleep this flare off. It's the worse flare I've had in ages. Had my ultra-sound. My tech never heard of Armour Thyroid. Ya know...that past two days have not inspired a whole lot of confidence in me as far as all my testing goes...
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...I am the wanderer's wandering daughter...
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