Friday, October 17, 2008

Fast Friday

I know, lame title, but right now I can't think of anything at all clever.

It's been a fast week--can't believe it's Friday p.m. already. Stayed really busy every day. Between my daughter's homeschool and gymnastic practices, my son's bowling, and my workouts/housework/chores/shopping/paying bills, blah, blah, it's easy to be overwhelmed as a "stay-at-home".

Just read a post of a lady in my age group training for her second IM this year. She commented there will be no more "only 2 IM's per year". Too life consuming. Seems like the half distance will be enough for her also. Even with grown kids and retired, she still feels the effects. I've heard a lot of that lately. Also, read about a young man who just competed in Kona. According to someone close to him (wife), that will be the last time he EVER does an iron distance race. She noted that not everyone is cut out for that distance. Hmmmmm.....Well, I think I should at least finish ONE before I decide to NEVER try again. Although before Louisville, I told my husband that if I completed that race, it would be my ONE AND ONLY! We'll see....

Speaking of Kona, I was at the fitness center for a swim today, not my "regular" location. When I was finished swimming, there was an "older" gentleman waiting to get into the pool. I thought I knew him, and asked him if he was Bob Scott. Yes, I am. Ha! For those who live in the Chicagoland area, Bob is a triathlon legend. He just won his age division at Kona (he's 77 years young) again--I don't know how many times he's competed there--a lot! He is a class act, a very nice man, and very well known and loved. It was great to see him!

Have you ever had a "freak accident"? Today after I rode on my trainer, I was kind of in a hurry to get my daughter to her homeschool coop and head over for my swim. I was trying to stretch my quads standing in the kitchen. The dishwasher was open. A fun song came on the radio and I started to dance--bad idea. I dropped my leg and banged my foot on the corner of the stainless steel dishwasher. OUCH BIG TIME! My toe is a mess (I guess you would call it the "ring" toe--next to the baby toe.) I've been hobbling around all day. It hurt like crazy, but I still managed to do my 2600 meter swim. It's swollen, purple, red, blue and really ugly. AND IT STILL HURTS!

The good thing is it gives me a good reason not to ride outside tomorrow. It will probably still be sore, and it's going to be in the 40's and 50's when I usually ride. I have to ride early because I have kid obligations, so back to the trainer it will be. Hopefully, my toe will be able to take an indoor ride!

Has anyone out there been reading about how bad all this "cardio" work we do is, and how we would be much better off doing more "weight training"? I saw another article in a local running magazine that interviewed a local trainer who insists that cardio work doesn't do anymore for the cardiovascular system than weight training. Huh? I've read about five articles about this theory, and I don't think I buy it. Yes, we all agree that strength training is essential for what we do, actually, for any physical activity, but skip the cardio because it doesn't help? I don't think so

I've talked to several trainers about it, and they tend to agree with what I've learned over the past 40 plus years. What do you think/know? I'd love to hear if anyone else has read about this.

Enough rambling. Need to go pick up peanut at the gym. It's raining, dark, cold, and I hate driving in these conditions--plus MY TOE REALLY HURTS!

Hope everyone had a good week and have a great weekend!

Until next time--God bless!

2 comments:

Irene said...

Ironically, a lot of weight trainers don't like doing cardio, which is why they often push for a no cardio regimen, and I've found that runners often don't do anything but run. Have you ever read anything by Alwyn Cossgrove? He has a lot of data to back up what ever he's talking about, fitness wise, and he always talks about high intensity interval training when it comes to cardio. Serious weight trainers tend to lean out when they do more cardio, which is why they don't like it. They're usually going for more mass.

Ouch on that freak accident! Stuff like that happens to me all the time!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Kimberly Rae said...

As someone that has competed in bodybuilding and loves weights but hates cardio... I do see the benefit of both. As you get ready for a contest cardio is a must, sometimes in excess of 2hrs a day to lean out properly for show time. But even for day to day, I think we need resistance training just as much as cardio. In line with what Irene is mentioning, Alywn Cosgrove... I'm all for HIIT training, get in, get out, nobody gets hurt... guess the real trick is no matter if its weights or cardio, don't continue to do the same thing over and over, the body adapts, we have to shock it from time to time... right now... mine would be SHOCKED to death if I walked into the gym I've been so lazy...