Jun 19

Jun 19 Flight Of The Conchords...Weekly Weight Update

This week started off strong with Rizzo and me attending a show at Wolf Trap so see Flight of the Conchords. If you aren't familiar with the duo then I suggest you check out some of their music. They are a two-man novelty band from New Zealand that is bound to make you laugh. Rizzo and I are big fans; so much so that we used their song "Friends" as the song to introduce our wedding party.

The show was great with lots of new stuff mixed in with classic Conchords. It would have been nice if I had a better view of the performance but that is our own fault for choosing to sit where we did. As many of you know, Wolf Trap offers lawn seats where you can bring your own food and beverages, including alcoholic beverages. This is great because Rizzo and I were able to bring in the craft beers of our choosing. The downside is the limited view of the stage which, depending on the performer, can be crucial. It wasn't overly terrible for the Conchords show but they did some bits using the screens that were lost on us. Otherwise it was a pleasant time and a beautiful evening to enjoy some live music.

Some cool cats enjoying a pre-show meal on the lawn.

A beautiful day for a show (this is a shot of the pavilion).

It was after the show that I learned another lesson in being truly old. Rizzo and I are old from the perspective that we are usually in bed by 9:30pm every night and asleep by 10:00pm after a few minutes of reading. I know you are picturing Ozzie and Harriet sleeping in separate twin beds but I assure you that we share a bed. The Conchords show ended about 10:30pm, which was to be expected, and we made our way back to our car for the drive home. Now, I expected some traffic to get out (I'm not an idiot), but for some reason I didn't think it would take an hour to move 15 inches. It was as if this was the first time that Wolf Trap ever held a concert of any kind and just didn't know how to get the cars out of the parking lot. All the vehicles looked just like a herd of cattle pushing from every direction to get into the pen.

I almost lost my mind just sitting and waiting. How about you set up some lanes? How about you direct some traffic? How about someone do something to clear out these cars in a reasonable manner? I'm not saying that we should all be able to immediately leave the venue in a split second but just having everyone haphazardly dash in 2000lb machines after drinking for 3-4 hours probably isn't be best idea in the world.

On Thursday I decided to try out a new gym/exercise program called Orange Theory. Rizzo had joined just a few days before and I wanted to try something different to change up my workout routine. I have been running for over a year now and sure, I can just run longer, but I also wanted to try to get in more strength training. I quickly learned this was the answer.

I think the best way to describe Orange Theory is interval training with a heart monitor. It is all about keeping your heart going and working in the primary range. The workout consisted of jogging and sprints on a treadmill, varied workouts on a rowing machine, and multiple weight training movements using body weight, dumbbells, and wall-mounted straps. There was never a moment of just waiting or sitting. It was always movement and the intervals changed to get your heart rate into various zones. I enjoyed the workout and I’ll be going back on Sunday.

What I learned most about the Orange Theory workout is that I’m in much better cardiovascular shape than I thought. I never felt like my lungs were straining to get enough oxygen. I felt especially comfortable on the treadmill which I didn’t think would happen. I was also happy during the recovery moments that after a sprint I was able to catch my breath quickly. I also learned, as I expected, that my muscles are virtually useless and no matter how easily I caught my breath my legs wouldn’t carry me anymore after the 617th squat. It was a killer workout but it felt good in the end.

Me before Orange Theory. Calm, cool, and dry.

5 minutes into the workout with so much sweat I can barely see.

Friday morning really showed me how much I need to implement the strength training into my workout. My quads shot pain through my entire body with each step I took up the stairs to my office. No amount of stretching seemed to relieve the tightness in my hamstrings after grinding it out on the rowing machine for an eternity. It hurt but it wasn’t an injury so I decided to just keep powering through until my muscles learn to recover faster.

Saturday morning wasn't any better, in fact, it was probably worse. I hobbled down the stairs like an old man who just got both of his hips replaced. If I had a cane I would surely have used it (and don't call me Shirley). I was miserable. Even through the pain I still made sure to get in my run (at the recommendation of Rizzo) I had to do some intervals to keep from screaming out in agony. I went out for 65 minutes starting with 5 minutes of walking and then intervals of 3 minutes of running and 1 minute of walking then wrapped it up with another five minutes of walking. I'm was happy that it wasn't my cardiovascular health that was slowing me down. I was miserable that my muscles just wouldn't recover. At least I got it done and in the end it was worth it.

Why, do you way, was it worth it? Well, because this week I finally got over the hump in regards to getting a massage. I advertise weekly the Bring It On! challenge between Rizzo and I but the lesser known reward is that for every 10 pounds lost the loser is entitled to a professional massage. I've been within 2 pounds of the massage for months now but could never get over that hump until this morning. This morning I finally got that last .4 pounds needed to earn a massage and a bit more. I lost 1 pound for the week bringing the current weight down to 204.6 which is the lowest I've ever been (except for that time in 2nd grade when I got the flu). That brings the total weight loss to 63.2 lbs and tells me that it is time to call and schedule that massage.

This whole week Rizzo and I had been battling back and forth for the lead in the Bring It On! challenge. I stayed fairly consistent with my regular big days and small days based upon my workout routine. Rizzo was had more dramatic shifts at one point being 8 miles down then coming back and taking the lead. Of course, Rizzo has two things she is currently training for: a 20K run and the Avon Walk. That just kicked me right in the ass. Saturday was one of her long walks so she got in 10 miles just during that training session. That was after she already went out running 4 miles. What a jerk! Why don’t you just sit on the couch and eat bonbons? Isn’t Peg Bundy supposed to be the pinnacle of a wife that every woman should reach? Why do you have to keep improving yourself and helping others? Oh well. I guess it has been awhile since Rizzo has one a monthly challenge. This week Rizzo broke me like Drago tried to break Rocky with 63.3 compared to my embarrassingly low 49.3 miles. That gives RIzzo the lead in June with 130.6 miles to 124.9 miles. I'm going to bet that Rizzo is going to get her trip to Red Door Spa this month but that won't stop me from trying.

P.S. Here are some random pictures from the week.