One hundred pushups - Week 1 completed

I just finished the final day of my first week of the One Hundred Pushups challenge.  I did 42 in total between all my sets, with a maximum of 10 in my final set.  I had forgotten just how much I can dislike pushups!

I did not get out running this weekend.  Our kitchen sink broke--leaking cracks in both basins--so I lost some hours yesterday dealing with a run to Menards and the other shopping we needed to get done while we were in Hutchinson.  Then my grad school work ate the rest of my day, as well as most of today.  I just finished my paper for this week about an hour ago, but I decided to take a zero on the preceding week's paper.  I had gotten permission to turn it in late, but I just did not have the time to write it while I was simply struggling to get the current assignments done.  Technically, I don't even have all of the reading done for this week.  My essay was on one specific text, so the other book was only general reading for the week.  That puts me at a six chapter deficit going into this week, and, althought in includes the Thanksgiving holiday, we have no break from class.  That's one of the things I really despise about this college's online courses.  The on-campus classes get breaks for holidays, but the online classes don't.

I had really wanted to run, but just could not set aside any more time. Had the sink not given out, I would have had time for the run.

Mrs. F is going to be doing a little extra work this week.  She's going to be emptying our bedroom so we can paint it.  One of the stops we made on Saturday was to pick out a new mattress, as ours is the only one in the house that has not been replaced recently. In fact, we've had ours for over 13 years--and it shows! We also opted to get our first ever new bedroom set. You didn't think we'd paint just for a mattress, do you? If we manage to get everything other than the bed out of the room (and the closet) by next weekend, it can be painted. Of course, I'm likely to be tied up with homework, but the prof did promise a lighter courseload this week.

Oh, well.  I need to get moving. I need to send an email message out to the other Scout families about a change in our meeting location for this week.  That was a set of phone calls I was supposed to make this afternoon--another thing left undone due to my schoolwork. [Sigh.]

Note to self: read things through (and, a little extra weight)

Well, I was up early enough today to fit in my pushups before getting ready for work.  I had been under the impression that the One Hundred Pushups challege would be similar to the Couch-to-5k program, so I expected that I'd need to complete the same number of reps today as I did on Wednesday. I was wrong! I need to remember to read things through before I get into them!

Today's workout was as follows (with a minute of rest between each set): 6, 8, 6, 6, min 7.

I completed the workout, but was only able to finish the minimum required in the final set.  Of course, it did not help that our youngest girl was up and she decided to try to sit on my head and shoulders during that final set! That was a little extra weight I wasn't intended to lift.  The ironic thing, however, is that her current weight just about matches what I've already lost (she's about 20 lbs., and I've lost 21 lbs.). I don't think I would have been able to start on level two before I started Couch-to-5k and lost the weight.

I could definately feel it in my arms and pectorals last night, so I wasn't sure how it was going to go.  In reality, my first workout was only about a day and six hours earlier, rather than a dull two days prior, because my first workout was just before midnight on Wednesday.  I want to do these regularly in the morning.  I'll complete the third day for Week One on Sunday, and then will be on Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday for next week.  On the following week, I'll switch to M-W-F, so I'll have T-R-Sa free for One Hour Runner with Mrs. F. I'm not quite sure what I'll do for running next week, when the days coincide.  I might just do the runs anyway, since we'll likely run in the afternoons.

I hope to pick up running on Saturday morning with Mrs. F.  The first three weeks of One Hour Runner are just 30 minute runs, so I know I can handle that.  Times don't increase until Week Four, so we know that some Couch-to-5k graduates jump in there.  We decided that we'll take the extra weeks to make sure we are giving our joints, connective tissues, and muscles time to adjust to running.  Though, as you've probably noticed, I've not run for a week, since our first 5k.  It's not that I've even been sore or injured.  I've just been way too busy with my schoolwork (I'm now behind).

I've told the other Troop leaders (I'm Scoutmaster in a brand new Scout Troop that includes three of our sons) that I need someone else to take over program planning. I just don't have the time or ability to do that right now. I already stepped down from leading worship at church, but that's due to my internal struggles more than time. Work is a killer lately.  Being the only IT guy, it falls on me to keep everything running, and we've had a number of hot issues lately.  Thankfully, it's not as crazy as it was a year ago, when I worked the equivalent of extra weeks of work each in November and December.

I want to put a shout out to everyone at Active.com, especially in the 200+ lb. runners threads in the Newbie Cafe.  I've not been able to post as much lately, but I am reading.  Thanks for all of the words of encouragement.  Yes, I know I need to get out and get running.  Yes, I know my plate seems over-full, but I cannot comprehend of anything I can cut (ditching the Scout Troop would cause it to fold, because we are at minimum levels already). I have too much invested in my education to give that up, especially when I have only three or four classes (beyond the current one) yet to finish for my M.A.  One of the downsides of taking a job close to home is that I now have less than half the vacation time I once had.  How I so wish I could just take a few days off, catch up on my homework, and get back into a "normal" groove again!

I'll make it through.  I always do.  I'm going to try to negotiate the afternoon off for having put in time over the weekend last week and late work this week.  That, at least, would help.

Blah, blah, blah...I could go on and on and on.  Maybe one day I'll be able to set aside time for writing--not just this blog, but the fiction I love to write.  Well, until then, I'll just keep doing what I can.

100 Pushups - Day 1

I did not get out for a run yesterday, but I did remember to get my pushups in today.  I started at Level 2 of the program, since I completed six (6) pushups during my pre-test.  That meant today's workout looked like this:

6 pushups
  (1 minute rest)

6 pushups
  (1 minute rest)

4 pushups
  (1 minute rest)

4 pushups
  (1 minute rest)

Max pushups: 6

That final "Max pushups" is the final set.  Each day, you go through the prescribed set and then push through one last set where you do as many as you can.  Each day's final set has a listed minimum, so you have to do at least that many in the final set.  For me, today, that minimum was five (5), but I managed six (6).
I'm trying to do regular pushups, but am a little awkward on my flat palms.  I had dual carpal tunnel realeases about a year ago, and my body is still cautious about putting pressure on my wrists and palms.  It turned out okay, but I think I had my hands a bit too far foarward.  Mrs. F was already retired for the night, so I didn't have anyone to watch my form.  I'll keep it in mind for Wednesday. If I need to change things a bit, I can likely complete mine on my fists.

One hundred Pushups - Week 1,Day 1 - Mrs. F

I have a lot of emotional crap going on right now. I just want to eat my way thru a truffle bag. In fact, Im part way thru that goal... sigh.

Given everything thats going on, I wasnt going to do the pushups. I really hate pushups. I think I hate them more than I hated running! I was going to put it off and just not do it.

Im not sure what changed but as I was sitting here browsing the net,checking our blog for the billionth time, I saw the log. And I got up and just did it. My arms hurt!!!!

Im positive my form sucks but I guess IM trying at least. I only managed 2 on the intial test, so Im in column one. So it wasnt as horrible as it could be, my sets were 2 and 3.

Im looking forward to running tommorrow. It seems easier than pushups at this point. That makes me giggle a little :)

Mr. F is bogged down with graduate work and tech issues at his day job as well. So Im not sure when things will ease up for him, hopefully soon.

Keep on running
Mrs. F