Sunday at the Gym

Hi All,

Karina and I have been regular visitors to the gym since committing to this adventure. Today was a gorgeous spring day in New England, with the temperature in the 50's and the snow receding by the second. Maple sap is being pumped from the trees and the sugar shacks are all active. I know that there is more to come (Winter), but it was a nice reminder of what is on the way.

Typically we spend about two hours per session at the gym (2 - 3 sessions per week). Karina mostly splitting her time between the treadmill and the recumbent cycles. Right now she is pedaling for 30 minutes, and then follows that up with an hour's worth of high active walking. Sometimes she'll join in on the weight equipment, but doesn't seem as jazzed about that aspect. Today she watched Harry Potter while she exercised.

I, on the other hand, figure I need all the conditioning I can pack in, so I take a trip through the nautilus circuit, with some extra time spent on the leg machines (press, extensions, curls). Then its off to the recumbent cycle for 30 minutes of hills and high heart rate work, then over to the treadmill for a few miles (2 - 3) of paced running (this has been comfortably in the 8 min/mile rate with partial incline, but I am considering upping that gradually soon, with a target of comfortably running along at 7 min/mile as an end goal.

If I blur my eyes (not hard to manage anymore!), I can almost see the twenty-something in there still willing to put on a good sweat.

Stretching for us both is a part of each session, and we take the time to do that part right. In preparation for something like this, I am trying to make known all the knowable variables and trying to remove anything that can cause unnecessary or avoidable complications (especially over the first ten days of the actual ride).

I should mention that Karina started her training as a strong and active 12 year old, having just finished up downhill skiing season and a full soccer schedule from her school in the Fall. I am fortunate to be consistently more active than the average 50 year old, so I am able to jump into training at a more ambitious level that most. Having many years of rowing in my background helps immeasurably. If you are wanting to begin training of your own, it is best to begin slowly and carefully, especially if it has been a while since you have been more active. Having said that, there is nothing that I am doing that could not be done by any other motivated person.

I think about what we are able to do and also about the folks who we are riding to benefit, and it make me feel fortunate to have the health that I have and makes me feel that much more desiring of assisting to support the return to health of those folks who the Mobility Project aims to help.

More next week....