Exercise Goals for 2008

George--

Good for you. Come 2012 you'll be carrying the Olympic Torch.

Played with the stability ball some more. Man, anyone ever do a plank? It is not easy.

PS I just realized that that looks like sig line material.

i am the plank queen, especially since i can't do pushups anymore. not with the ball though, haven't tried that, but on elbows. when you get 'comfortable' - as in, can hold the plank for 30 seconds or so, try also raising one leg at a time - straight, just lift off the ground some 6 inches. ouch, but it works wonders.

Plank?

Yep, just picture that but with the belly on the stability ball.

And, good to know that it's effective. It's going into my repertoire.

I have decided that I am the most out of shape 60 year old who is also able to run fifteen miles in the world.

Joe(Is there a reality show for that?)Nation

It's called My Favorite Joe.

Will prolly up the fitness level soon -- the stability ball is working out nicely.

It was snowing here in Chelmsford. This winter just won't quit.
Took a 4 mile jog through the slush. Character-building, that's what it is.

[Scampering through Woodbridge NJ on the virtual jog to Georgia]

George--

Your character is shining like a fog light in a blizzard.

I did a lot of beach running when I was in FL which absolutely rocked. (One time it didn't but I was glad I was able -- a large [6 mos?] lab puppy got away from its owner and chased sozlet, who freaked. I yelled at her to stop -- she was already quite a distance from me when it all started -- but she went the other way. The owners were kind of jogging along in a casual "oopsie, ha ha" sort of way, so I took off. Had to overtake sprinting sozlet and the long-legged puppy on her heels... got there seconds after she tripped and puppy pounced. The puppy only wanted to play but sozlet was hysterical. She'd mostly gotten over her fear of dogs and now we're back to square one. Oh well. More therapy with neighbor's sweet, placid, adult lab, I guess.)

Still spring break but E.G.'s on his way home to give me time to go to the gym, which I'm so in the mood for. Starting to feel sluggish.

I can relate to that, Soz. Nigel has always had an almost pathological
fear of dogs. Many dog owners just don't get that anyone could be
terrified of their sweet little doggie and allow the animal to scare the
bejeezus out of some poor soul.

yeah, i had a doggie phobia 'til i was 8, maybe 9.
the big ones, and the mouthy ones really freaked me out.

at the time my aunt M had two really sweet, gentle cocker spaniels.
visiting with them one summer, it dawned on me that dogs could be as different as people -- some were nicer, friendlier than others.

the following winter, my folks got D, a dobie mix.
the rest is history

***

ok, today's goal --
rake up last year's leaves n' junk in the front yard & flower beds.

tomorrow --
ditto, back yard...

Knock on my brother's door, George, whilst you are in Woodbridge. He's got a horse. Might come in handy.

Got the Scotland Run in the morning tomorrow. 10k and what the fools don't know is that the route is the same one I run in the morning. BAWAAHHHHH ha ha.
MAP

I know every stick and stone the whole way round.

Temperatures are STILL going to be around the frigging freezing mark causing all the Scottish bagpipers to have an especially thick BBuuurrrr.

Joe(got to check the map. I think I am in East Hartford.)Nation

Go Joe!

I gymmed yesterday btw.

Thanks for the doggie-phobia sympathy, Region and George. Fast movements are what seem to really get to sozlet. So she can be as scared of little zoomers as of big lugs. She prefers a big lug if it just stands there.

Fast movements are also what get to the dogs. They also tend to be more comfortable meeting slow-moving people - fast little kids freak out a lot of dogs (sometimes good freaks, sometimes not so much).

I totally get that people have different comfort levels with dogs. It's a bit of a debate in this pack. There are quite a few older Chinese women in the neighbourhood who seem to be extremely anxious around dogs, so I make a point of having the dogs EXACTLY at my heel when we approach on sidewalks. On leash, and at heel. The ladies seem to appreciate that - and stay on the same side of the street (and on the sidewalk with me) Set's not quite as attentive to the anxieties of those lil old ladies, so they end up crossing the street. Debate time

~~~

Dancing continues. The toe's not taped up anymore. Intermediate performance class is the land of mondo schveatting and condensation. Our glasses steam up, the mirrors and windows steam up, the floor gets slippery. It is sooooooo pleasant.

yep

Definitely understood re the doggie phobia. I'm usually not afraid of them but some do startle me.

Anyway -- while I realize that there's no such thing as spot-reducing -- anything I can do to firm my hips? I suppose belly dancing or similar moves would be in order. I'm usually not caring too much, just trying to pull the overall poundage down, but I have some blouses and blazers that are not sitting right. I am about 2 sizes smaller from shoulder to belly, then once it hits the hip it all goes to hell.

Belly-dancing will firm up your hips and thighs, and strengthen your core and back (or so my experience would suggest).