Susie's Back (and neck!) Log

[Susie Rosenberg]

So today is Day One of my serious return to fitness. I'm rehabbed sufficiently to go about this in a more organized and dedicated fashion than I've been able to before now. There will be some trial and error in figuring out what this body can do but I'm choosing to be optimistic and hopeful that it will be quite a bit. I am really starting to feel well for the first time in seven months, thank God.

I'm really glad Jay Cohen has offered to help me by being a kind of long-distance coach and buddy, thank you, Jay, for the following pointers:

1. Determine specifically what you are going to achieve.
-I want to lose fat and gain muscle, maintaining a lean 145-150lb. body weight.
-I want to be able to take regular (non-senior) dance classes again.
-I want to be able to do strenuous hikes in the summer.
-I want to row a 2:10 500m. and a 9:00 2K. (Previous PRs were 2:01 and 8:25, respectively, very good times for a 53-year-old woman)

2. Stay focused on this goal.

3. Find the areas in your training as well as your conditioning and recovery processes that need work.
-I'm way down on strength and endurance, and my flexibility isn't what it should be, either. But strength is the weakest area, especially my upper body.

4. Find ways to hold yourself accountable.
-Fitday journal daily (public journal in sig) and activity log here.

TODAY:
Took two very brisk 30 min. walks, first of which was this morning BEFORE breakfast. Felt great. Second was this afternoon. Walked fast enough both times to get warm and breathe heavily. Felt much better than usual doing this walking, I find I can reduce the discomfort in my neck and across my shoulders by very consciously bringing my scapulae together and down, so that my neck feels more supported. MUCH less pain!

Strength: 1 set of 10 pushups off the wall, as deep as possible.
2 sets of 10 unweighted squats, full depth
1 set of 10 lunges, each side

Rehab: Full set of shoulder exercises, doing so much better!

Flexibility: 10 min. of stretching

I just feel wonderful, having had so many suggestions about what to do and having a total plan for this week. I'm determined to forge on. Tomorrow is dance class. (NIA dance, very adaptable to limitations and quite a bit of huffin' and puffin')

Susie

[Steve Rogers]

Welcome aboard Susie. Great start!

[Susie Rosenberg]

Today's activities:

60 minutes NIA dance class. Worked hard, felt great.

I was going to do four 500m. erg sprints after class, but was only able to do two because my neck felt stiff and funny. The two sprints came in at 2:19 and 2:21.

My quads are moderately sore today from yesterday's squats and lunges, in a good way. I feel like I am just waking up my body from a seven month sleep.

Yesterday's meals:

B: coffee w/half and half
2 eggs w/spinach and 2 oz. salmon
1/2 small grapefruit

L: homemade chicken soup w/ lots of veggies and chicken
small green salad w/ olive oil and vinegar, raisins and walnuts

D: Lamb stew

Cal: 1652 39% fat, 22% carb, 39% protein

Thanks for the drive-by, Steve.

[Jay Cohen]

Good work and nice to have you back in the community, again.
Jay

[Gant Grimes]

Good to have you back.

[Susie Rosenberg]

Good to have you back.

It's so good to be back!

I realized that for most of the past seven months, I was in so much pain so much of the time that I couldn't really "inhabit" my body with awareness. I lost touch with when I was hungry and when I was not, and I ate carbocrap for comfort, despite knowing a good diet would hasten healing.

The past couple of weeks I have really turned a corner on recovery. I can feel it. Before, I didn't want to exercise because I couldn't stand adding one jit of discomfort to my baseline pain. Now, I am reawakening to the feeling of soreness in a well-used muscle, and I don't fear it or dread it. I'm looking forward to reanimating this body, pushing myself so that I get that rush that comes with having energy to spare.

Today: 2 hours of (gentle) dance class: this is very rehabiliatative for me, lots of activity mobility, balance, and a little huffin' and puffin'.

Yesterday's Meals:

B: 2/3 c. cooked oatmeal w/ blueberries, nonfat Greek yogurt and 2 eggs
L: 3 oz. cooked salmon w/2 c. raw spinach and 11 almonds
Snack: 1 crispbread w/ 1 TB. peanut butter
D: collard greens cooked w/bacon, 6 oz. cod with lemon butter sauce, 1/3c. brown rice

Cal: 1122 35% fat, 32% carb, 32% protein

I feel wonderful today. Trifle sore in the quads, but wonderful. Tomorrow is strength work day, such as I can do. I'm going to concentrate on squats, lunges, situps, back ext., plank poses, body rows.

I'm going to try some swings with a DB to see how that motion feels, if it doesn't feel wrong, I might order myself a couple of kettlebells. I could probably do SDHP with the KB without much difficulty, I think. I can use the DBs at the Y for that. Maybe Jay has some other ideas. I'm looking forward to regaining some strength!
I'm weak as a kitten, especially upper body. I really miss my strong muscles.

Susie

[Garrett Smith]

Susie,
I'd suggest you forget about the SDHP and either just do OL-style clean pulls or simply learn how to swing and snatch a KB the "Girevoy Sport" way (as in, using as little effort as possible).

SDHP are an exercise that puts a lot of strain on the lower back as form degrades with higher reps, along with putting the shoulder in the internally rotated position at the top of the pull.

Or you could just row instead, since the original implementation of SDHPs was as a substitute for those who didn't have rowers...

[Jay Cohen]

Susie;

Doc G is spot on. Goes easy, slowly work back into your program. Err on the side of caution.

You've outlined a great program, tweak it some, but stay the course for the next 4-6 weeks.

Good job on eating.

[Susie Rosenberg]

Wow. Thank you both, Dr. G and Jay. What an awesome community. I can't thank you enough for the suggestions and support. I'm not part of my local Crossfit community anymore, so I'm without a coach and working on my own just now, so your help is extremely valuable to me. Thank you!

I'll take it easy tomorrow with the core work, squats and lunges, rows and such.
I have physical therapy at noon, so I'll get the work done in the morning.

Question: would I be better off doing fewer squats, but with a little weight, or more unweighted (air) squats? Goal being to really get stronger. I have done a few squats with 20 lbs. of DBs on my shoulders. My problem is I can't grip a bar across the back (nor hold it overhead) because of limited ROM in my shoulder, but I can place a DB on my shoulder and hold it with my hand.

Thanks!

Susie

[Garrett Smith]

Question: would I be better off doing fewer squats, but with a little weight, or more unweighted (air) squats? Goal being to really get stronger. I have done a few squats with 20 lbs. of DBs on my shoulders. My problem is I can't grip a bar across the back (nor hold it overhead) because of limited ROM in my shoulder, but I can place a DB on my shoulder and hold it with my hand.


Considering your history, my suggestions for you would be both. Even better than that, I'd suggest the majority of your leg work come from hill walking and multidirectional lunges (with or without weight).

[Craig Brown]

Hi Susie-

I really don't see a reason to add load until you are fully rocking again. While you won't be building max strength, from what you describe your goals as, you don't need it. Work on moving the body through space, the lunges and hills sound right. Figure out what you can do without compromising your structural integrity and then be progressive. I'm working on this myself, and while it's hard to be smart, it is less painful!

Craig

[Susie Rosenberg]

I'm working on this myself, and while it's hard to be smart, it is less painful! Craig


I think I have learned that.

Yeah, thinking about what I want out of all this is big piece of the puzzle. It keeps coming back to functional fitness.

I want to be able to pedal my old, heavy single-geared bike to the market and back.

I want to be able to do some serious hiking next year.

I want to be able to do yoga classes again.

I would like to be the best, strongest dancer I can be at this age. I'd really like to be fit enough to keep up with a general dance class.

With that in mind, here's my workout for today:

1. Treadmill
5 min. warmup
15 min. walking at 10-15% grade between 2.2 and 2.5 mph. HR was up there (142 at highest) and I really kept a tight core and used my legs, not my arms. Glutes feel it.

2. 2 sets of 10 squats to pick up a 15 lb. DB and bring it to chest height.
2 sets of 15 declined situps
2 sets of 10 back extensions
2 sets of 8 angled body rows using Smith machine.

Then, I went to PT. They started me on strength work today, using a resistence band, rotating at the shoulder. It was the lightest band, and it wasn't easy! But I feel as if I have graduated from purely stretching and moving the joint.

Yesterday's meals:

B: 1/3 c. oat bran, cooked w/ 1/2 c. blackberries, 1 oz. half and half, and 2 eggs
L: 1/2 c. brown rice w/ 4 oz. baked chicken and 5 small beets, 1 TB. pine nuts
D: 5 oz. london broil, 2 c. mixed green salad, 1 TB. bleu cheese dressing, 4 oz. wine, 1 c. red cabbage, 1 TB. butter
snacks: 1 crispbread w/ 1 TB. peanut butter; 1/3 c. brown rice w/ raisins and spinach and 1 cup 1% milk

Total cal: 1548 41% fat, 25% carb, 28% protein

I feel good!

Susie

[Jay Cohen]

Awesome, Awesome Awesome WOD Susie.

Maybe consider a rest day tomorrow.

Good advice from Craig.

One day at a time, day in, day out.

[Steve Rogers]

The squat to pick up a dumbell and bring it to chest height sounds like a good movement for this point in your training. Is this like a clean, or a squat and a curl?

As Dan John says: "The movement of squatting is important. Squatting heavy is not." He's got me just doing goblet squats with a kettlebell, mostly for the stretch.

[Susie Rosenberg]

The squat to pick up a dumbell and bring it to chest height sounds like a good movement for this point in your training. Is this like a clean, or a squat and a curl?

As Dan John says: "The movement of squatting is important. Squatting heavy is not." He's got me just doing goblet squats with a kettlebell, mostly for the stretch.

I can't do cleans yet....maybe ever.....because the explosive component of getting under the bar is not good for my spine. Since I'm fused from C3 to C7, forces on my spine are transmitted to the thoracic spine and not diffused so much through nice healthy cushioned disks. This is why I can't run, which is a loss to me---I enjoyed running.

So the movement I concocted was a squat with a quick curl. Looked like my first attempt at a clean...:)

Today, I was going to swim for 45 minutes, but I am feeling tender in my shoulder and neck this morning, so I'm going to bail on that plan. I'm going to take today as an active recovery day and go for a moderately paced walk or two instead, as tolerated, and make time to do some stretching.

Yesterday's meals:

B: cottage cheese w/ berries and nuts, a bit of Fiber One cereal
L: (on the run) a few slices of ham, 1 slice of cheese, 1 apple
D: buffalo meat loaf, chinese cabbage cooked w/ bacon and mushrooms
S: nonfat plain Greek yogurt, berries, nuts

Total calories: 1400 51% fat, 21% carbs, 29% protein

Interesting thing is, my family is saying how tasty the dinners I've been serving are since I put the fat back into them. (I have to confess, during the time I put on these extra 15 pounds, it's from a lowfat reducing diet during the day along with carb binges at night. My family went through a TON of cereal while I was cooking that way, now all of a sudden, we're going through less cereal. I think even my hubby and kids aren't as hungry all the time.)

I sure feel a lot better.

Susie

[Jay Cohen]

Good choice as to active recovery.

You're eating is right on the mark.

Enjoy the Day!

Jay

[Susie Rosenberg]

Yesterday, I took a 30 min. walk that ended with a jog UP a short hill. Felt wonderful. Jogging uphill doesn't jar my spine for some reason. Had PT and a massage.

Yesterday's meals:
B: 2 eggs, 1/2 avocado, 1/2 orange
S: yogurt w/ almonds
L: collard greens cooked w/ bacon, raisins and salmon; 1 slice of cheddar cheese
D: collard greens w/shrimp; yogurt w/blackberries and Fiber One
S: 1 c. light ice cream

Cal: 1599 40% fat, 34% carbs, 27% protein

Today, I'm aiming to either swim or do a treadmill workout, then do my wee "strength" routine as I did the other day. I probably won't exercise tomorrow, as we're having a ton of company for dinner and I have to get ready, so I want to work hard today.

I'm so grateful that I feel well enough to do what I'm doing. I'm not impatient, I'm just happy to be moving, and my mood is so much better with a cleaner diet.

Susie

[Jay Cohen]

S;

Again, you're right on track. Food choices rock.

Have a great Friday.

[Garrett Smith]

Susie,
Nearly all the jogging/sprinting I do is uphill. I do believe it is "easier" on the body, while much harder on the CV system and mind. :-)

[Susie Rosenberg]

Susie,
Nearly all the jogging/sprinting I do is uphill. I do believe it is "easier" on the body, while much harder on the CV system and mind. :-)

Hey, Garrett, that made me laugh, because if I could cycle cross country but only do the UPHILLS I'd be on it in a second. I'm terrified to get on my bike because of the downhills, so I know where you are comin' from.

I had THE BEST TIME this morning in the gym. I could dance for joy right now.

Here's why I chose what I did: I thought about my goals (thank you, Jay Cohen) and I realized it really is all about functional fitness for me at this point. I'm not interested in Crossfit PRs anymore; I'm interested in being fit enough to bike to the market, to hike up a mountain, to go camping and kayaking and stair climbing up Macchu Picchu (sp?) when I'm able to travel in a scant couple more years (kids growing up, retiring.)

So I imagined myself as a primitive tribe person, a la Primal Fitness thinking. I figured I'd row across the river with enemies in pursuit.

Translation: I did a 2K as fast as I could. (10:01, previous best 8:25!).

Then I thought I'd have to walk through the hills to get to the host village, so I did hill program on the treadmill for 25 minutes. (HR up to 142 for a good chunk of it).

Then it was time to build a temporary shelter, so I lifted things for a while (2 sets of 15 reps picking up a 15lb. DB from full squat to just overhead, elbows bent to 90 degrees). 2 sets of 8 angled body rows with step-ups onto a bench; 2 sets of wall pushups with stepups onto a bench; 2 sets of 20 declined situps, and I was spent.

I left the gym feeling really, really good, as if I really worked my body properly. No pathological pain, just a good muscle fatigue.

The 2K row really tired me out. I was bent over huffin' and puffin' recovering when one of the trainers came over and asked me if I was okay. It surprised me, because aren't you supposed to huff and puff after exertion? Why should anything be wrong?

Susie

[Jay Cohen]

Excellent mind set and good post.

Also agree with you and Doc G on up hill work. I've rediscovered the benifits of the treadmill.

Set to 15 degrees, crank up to 10 MPH, do 20 secs sprint, rest 40. Great short, fast hard WOD.

Chow On

[Susie Rosenberg]

Man, oh man.

I am sore today, mostly in the muscles all around my shoulder joints, precisely the muscles I have moved the least during the past seven months. It's a good sore, though; the sore of muscles that have been worked the right amount past their limits. The kind of sore that promises gains in strength, if responded to appropriately. (ie, REST)

But, the two physical therapists I've been working with have suggested strongly that I don't do real strength work until I have full ROM of the left shoulder, because growing muscle before the joint mobility is restored might result in less ultimate ROM. Much as I don't want to listen to that---I feel ready to take on growing muscles---it makes sense, and I think it would be wise to stop the lifting and pulling for a while longer, work on mobility. *sigh*

Today all I will do, if I get to it, is walk. We're having about 20 people for dinner tonight, and I have a ton of stuff to do.

Yesterday's meals:

B: 2/3 c. cooked oat bran w/blueberries and cream; 2 eggs w/swiss cheese
L: large green salad w/shredded cabbage, beets, avocado, olive oil, 2 oz. salmon
D: meatballs, cauliflower and broccoli w/butter, 1/2 c. quinoa

Cal: 1448 51% fat, 27% carb, 22% protein (85.3 gm. pro)

I have been feeling wonderful, great mood and good energy. Amazing. Two weeks ago, I was tired, cranky, and discouraged. Thank you, Jay!

Susie

[Jay Cohen]

Susie;

You're doing the hard stuff and getting great support from a great group of friends.

Enjoy your dinner party

Life's a Journey, enjoy the trip.

[Susie Rosenberg]

Just came back from NIA class (sort of combo dance and T'ai Chi), 60 minutes.

I really like this kind of rehab!

I'm still pretty sore just from the teensy work with weights I did last week, in a way that makes me feel not good in the neck and spine, so I skipped them today. I think maybe twice a week is plenty to start off with, so if I'm feeling better I will do some strength work on Wednesday. Tomorrow's my 2 hour dance class, which I do for the sheer joy of it.

One thing does seem to be getting clearer and clearer to me: I'm not in a place to be thinking about "athletic training" yet---I'm doing repair, strengthening and rehab work.

It's just an utter joy to be so free of debilitating pain and to be able to MOVE. I don't want to muck it up by getting too ambitious too soon.

I'm not disciplined about taking my supplements, so this week, I'm going to commit to getting that fish oil in.

Susie

[Steve Rogers]

...
One thing does seem to be getting clearer and clearer to me: I'm not in a place to be thinking about "athletic training" yet---I'm doing repair, strengthening and rehab work.
...

Though you may have more limitations than you like at this point, you can still be an "athlete in training". There are things you can't do now, but there's a lot that you can do. Part of the challenge is discovering which is which without taking a bad turn. Take care.

[Susie Rosenberg]

Steve, your response got me thinking this morning about what's been going on with me the past few days.

I've noticed something: when I think of myself as a recovering athlete, it's easier to discipline my eating, but more frustrating to bump up against my physical limitations, which is stressful.

When I think of myself as striving for good health and function, I find myself eating with less restraint and discipline, but not as hung up on performance at activities, and just taking more pleasure from being able to move without excessive pain.

I really don't know who I am anymore with regard to this part of my life.

What makes this hard is coming off a Crossfit template for fitness. I think what happened to me last year is that I trained to my peak, and then overtrained. Right before my surgery, I had true adrenal fatigue (if you believe in that sort of thing) because I was training hard at the gym, and dealing with life-threatening illnesses in both of my children, as well as my neurologic condition and my upcoming surgery. I'm sure that the reason it took me so long to recover (and why I developed the frozen shoulder) was because of this burnout.

So I am conflicted when I go to the gym. I don't know whether to tough it out or take it easy. I'm just really thinking this out here and now.

When I do a risk/reward analysis, it gets clearer.

1. I am not a professional athlete whose career is on the line.
2. My goals are to be able to enjoy life and have sufficient fitness to do the things I really want to do, most notably travel, hike, bike (if possible) and to feel intensely well and vital, as I did when I was highly, but not over, trained. I'll never forget how wonderful it was to keep up with my teenaged son hiking, kayaking and rock-climbing during a trip out West.

To that end, it's better to go slowly and under-train (at this point) than to overdo it and suffer the consequences. The rewards of pushing hard---getting there faster, getting stronger quicker, feeling like a badass, etc.---just aren't worth the risk of injury or even excessive fatigue at this point.

So where does that leave me? (I'm going to talk to myself out loud now)

1. Remember, this is only your second week of regular, daily physical activity!
2. Continue to develop the ability to listen to your body and trust its wisdom in healing.
3. Think about the primary attributes of fitness---endurance, strength, and flexibility---in new, creative ways.
4. Train for vibrant health with the same degree of dedication and excitement as you trained for Crossfit. Create a new yardstick instead of the leader board.
5. Realize that every choice you make in terms of diet and supplementation is even more critical now, because you are supporting your repair and recovery. Since you are emerging from a critical BURNOUT state, EVERYTHING you choose must support recovery.
6. Learn especially novel ways of strength training: think resistence bands, bodyweight, etc.
7. Start the process of finding yourself a sensitive and skilled coach who won't impose a Crossfit template on your program.

That helped! I'm going to go enjoy my dance class today without guilt that I am not working on heavy deadlifts or, heaven forbid, "Fran." I have just enjoyed my breakfast of brussel sprouts cooked in bacon and topped with two eggs. Now I'm going to take my fish oil and call it a morning!

Susie

[sarena kopciel]

Susie, I love you:)

[Steve Rogers]

You're right not to rush things. Under the circumstances it's best to sneak up on your fitness potential rather than charging up that hill as quickly as possible. Taking time to decide what you want to be fit for is also important.

[Craig Brown]

HI Susie-

Looks like you are doing great! I am going to use you as my diet guardian angel for inspiration as I get back on track.

Best-

[Susie Rosenberg]

HI Susie-

Looks like you are doing great! I am going to use you as my diet guardian angel for inspiration as I get back on track.

Best-

Oh, man. You're in trouble now. :)

Susie

ps: Love ya right back, Sarena!

pps: I enjoyed the heck out of my 2 hour dance class. It's a lot more fun putting my shoulder through a ROM to music than it is cranking it out during a PT session. (Yes, I am doing all my ROM exercises. I'm stuck mostly at external rotation, so I lean into doorways a lot and reach behind me to clasp hands.)

Tomorrow, I am hoping to do a little rowing, maybe a couple of 500 m. sprints, then walk uphill on the treadmill. I don't like doing hill sprints on the treadmill because my balance isn't 100% yet, but I can handle a steady pace uphill, so I'll do that, too.

Add to that some declined situps, back extensions, plank poses and pull-up assists on the machine, and that should be a day! Thursday, I'll swm.

Susie

Today's meals:

B: brussel sprouts, bacon and eggs
L: sm. handful walnuts
D: burger, carrots, green salad w/bleu cheese dressing
nonfat plain Greek yogurt, berries, few walnuts

[Susie Rosenberg]

Wow....I'm so easily thrown off track these days.

Had a couple of over-the-top stressful days. Family health matters. Blew me out of the water. Yesterday, I was so tense, my lower back just spasm'ed up while standing at the sink. Then, it felt sore like I'd been hit with a bat.

For most of 18 months, when I had troubles like-you-wouldn't-believe-if-it-were-a-movie, I managed to get some kind of workout done at least 4 days a week, and my diet stayed clean. I don't think I could have survived what I had to deal with if I didn't.

Yet now, because I'm out of the habit and my motivation's flagging, it's that much harder, and it goes out the window at the least obstacle.

I *know* I will feel better if I eat well and exercise smart. I guess I have to acknowledge there's still a lot of ongoing sources of stress in my life, and cope. I can't take care of people if I don't take care of myself. I have to practice to think of myself not so much as the source of strength and caring, like a bucket with a finite amount of water, but as a channel for Universal strength---yielding strength--that is infinite. Waves of life. Pulses of energy. I have to remember it's possible to "surf" the stress rather than drown in the wave.

And given the givens, it's probably wise for now if I focus on health and strength, not so much on losing 10 pounds. The weight will come off if I keep my focus on healthy eating and let my activity creep up. I'm not eating as consistently well as I should for rebuilding my wellness, and that's a priority.

Now, I feel better.

Today, I need a healing walk of some sort. It's very cold, but I need to be outside.

Susie

[Jay Cohen]

Yep, stay the course, day in, day out.

[sarena kopciel]

As life dictates, obstacles will come and obstacles will go. As you state so eloquently yourself, focus on self will help you cope and manage when those obstacles come to kick you in the a**!!

And you know, your virtual community (and some you have already met) will be here for you when you need to vent.

[Allen Yeh]

Wow....I'm so easily thrown off track these days.

Had a couple of over-the-top stressful days. Family health matters. Blew me out of the water. Yesterday, I was so tense, my lower back just spasm'ed up while standing at the sink. Then, it felt sore like I'd been hit with a bat.

For most of 18 months, when I had troubles like-you-wouldn't-believe-if-it-were-a-movie, I managed to get some kind of workout done at least 4 days a week, and my diet stayed clean. I don't think I could have survived what I had to deal with if I didn't.


I know exactly how this feels, and I've really only gotten to a point in the past few months were I have been really consistent and trying to make up for lost days and such. I know if I don't do it it makes it so much harder to cope with everything else.

Stay strong!

[Susie Rosenberg]

I'm grateful for the support and encouragement, folks. Thank you sincerely.

A milestone today, something else I'm grateful for. Until today, I could not walk longer than 20 minutes without pain bad enough to need to stop. Pain in my neck, upper shoulders, edging in to lower back. I'd learned to mitigate it by bringing my scapulae together and down, creating a shelf for my poor atrophied neck muscles to rest upon.

Well, today, in 24 degree cold, I walked for an hour. A SOLID HOUR!!!! I haven't been able to walk that much since before my surgery. THANK YOU, Lord!!! And I didn't have to think too much about my posture, either. I just didn't have the usual pain....a teeny faraway ache but very minor.

This is A Big Deal...I'm thrilled.

Susie

[Jay Cohen]

That's great news.
Have a super weekend.
Eat great food.
Read a good book.

Jay


“In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins - not through strength, but through persistence.” Buddha

[Susie Rosenberg]

That's great news.
Have a super weekend.
Eat great food.
Read a good book.

Jay


“In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins - not through strength, but through persistence.” Buddha

Oh, I've got a bagful of good books from the library, including---

VANISHING TRIBES by Alain Chenevier
THE BONE COLLECTOR by Jeffrey Deaver
FULL CATASTROPHE LIVING by Jon Kabat-Zinn
WAISTLAND by Deidre Barrett (about paleo living, in a manner of speaking)

B: 2 eggs w/ 2 slices bacon and half an orange
L: handful of pecans, cooked kale in bacon, touch of leftover pot roast
D: large green salad, half rack of beef ribs.

Susie

[Susie Rosenberg]

There's been more mental than physical "training" the past couple of days. I've been very tight and very sore, so physical work has been limited to lots of stretching. Tomorrow I will take my dance class and see how I do.

I found my way today to a group meditation, link here:

http://www.albanyktc.org/about_ktc.html

I am finding a deep need to develop a more disciplined meditation practice. Since I can't exercise hard the way I used to, which was my mindfulness practice, Ineed to develop my ability to sit. There's a lot of "static" within, I need a clear channel.

Susie

[Craig Brown]

Susie, I just picked up this book (http://www.amazon.com/Mindfulness-Plain-English-Updated-Expanded/dp/0861713214/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1227543296&sr=8-4) in Portland last week and it is quite good.

Kettlebells, yoga, meditation and guitar are where it's at for me right now!

Craig

[Jay Cohen]

There's been more mental than physical "training" the past couple of days. I've been very tight and very sore, so physical work has been limited to lots of stretching. Tomorrow I will take my dance class and see how I do.

I found my way today to a group meditation, link here:

http://www.albanyktc.org/about_ktc.html

I am finding a deep need to develop a more disciplined meditation practice. Since I can't exercise hard the way I used to, which was my mindfulness practice, Ineed to develop my ability to sit. There's a lot of "static" within, I need a clear channel.

Susie

Good job.

If you can sit on a regular basis along with working with a teacher, or attending Dharma talks, it will really help.

Be well, train on.

J

[Susie Rosenberg]

Thanks, Jay.

I'm off to a yoga class right now. I'm sort of treading water for the time being, my kid's not doing so well and I'm just....coping, that's all I can do. It's always sumpin'!

Susie

[Susie Rosenberg]

Couldn't do the yoga class---it was too fast and aggressive for me. This was my first try at a yoga class post-operatively. That's okay, I had a good morning anyway.

I did a 2k on the C2 10:01 (yikes! will I ever get an 8:25 time again?)
Then I did:

2 sets of 10 squat/pick up/overhead lifts with a 15 lb. DB. Felt good.
2 sets of 10 declined situps
2 sets of 10 back ext.
3 sets of 5 angled body rows on the Smith machine.

Felt much better after all that.

Susie

[Susie Rosenberg]

*gulp*

I think I am going to try the C2 Holiday Rowing Challenge.

It's 200,000 meters between Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Eve.

I did it last year, near my peak of fitness, and it was tedious, but not difficult. This year, I row a 2K in about 10 min. (as opposed to my best time of 8:25). And 2K tires me at that pace. I figure I will have to do roughly 4 sets of 2K, about an hour of rowing a day. (This takes into account a missed day or two) I think I finished last year around Dec. 19th, because I rowed 10K a day most days after Thanksgiving. That would do me in!

This is a big challenge for me this year. Last year I bought myself the reward sweatshirt, and it remains a treasure of mine. I really want another sweatshirt...:)))) What some people won't do for token clothing!

So today, it's "Hi-ho, hi-ho, off to the Y I go!" in order to row, row, row.................

Wish me luck.
Susie

[Steve Rogers]

Good luck and have fun!

[Susie Rosenberg]

Thanks, Steve!

I did better than I thought I would today.

I rowed a 5K at 26:26, then took a short break, rowed a second 5k at 27:10. I feel pretty good. The first time is around the 50th percentile for women my age range who keep C2 records.

I think I will enjoy completing this challenge because....well, it's challenging!

Susie

[Susie Rosenberg]

Today: 5000 meters: 27:28
2000 meters: 10:45

Total to date: 17,000 meters, only 183,000 meters to go.

I'm glad I'm doing this.

Susie

[Jay Cohen]

Susie;

What an excellent challenge and goal to set for yourself.

Pace yourself, take a rest day when needed, go big other days when you feel really strong.

You'll be wearing that shirt mid Jan.

Jay