Thanks Surfermom, much appreciated.
Yes it’s ideal round here for running and outdoor pursuits, with open country just five minutes away in most directions, criss crossed with minor roads and lanes to get your teeth into…Or running shoes…
What the maps maybe don’t show though, is how flat it is, so I have to travel a bit if I want hills…
I feel so sorry for the residents of Fishlake, and this close to Christmas, though it’s still heartbreaking whatever the time of year.
What I don’t understand though is; Fishlake has become a very desirable place to live over the last thirty years or so with new builds and barn conversions springing up everywhere, but my late Dad told me many stories about the flooding that took place in Fishlake when he was a boy, and nothing has been done to the flood defences since then, so how come nobody expected this to happen again in the future when it was so common back in his day…?
Anyway, it’s nice to see you running and posting again Surfermom, I suppose it’s easy for me because I’ve got bugger all else to do with my days…
It really is a shame about that flooding, especially with the holidays and cold weather coming. I can (sort of) understand the places that were restored, but how did the new buildings get past permitting, I wonder?
As crazy as it sounds to most people, I feel you pain for too much ease in having to run flat surfaces! I do have a trail system that has a series of hills - quite an interesting place, as it was once the hideout for Indians and Spanish explorers alike during 15th and 16th century hurricanes. As my only other options two bridges that are too heavily traversed and not worth breathing the exhaust, I spend most days as a flatlander.
Not today though. Life totally hijacked my running, blast it all. And blasting it was; wind chill factors were below freezing. Oh, the suffering …tomorrow .
In addition to walking at least 2 miles per day I am working through the exercises recommended on the Preventing Diabetes Programme. Today I have done:-
Marching on the spot swinging the arms - to warm up.
Then 10 each of the following:-
Shoulder Circles
Spinal Twists
Toe Taps
Neck Rotations
Side Bends
Ankle Circles
Sit to Stand
Lat Pull Downs
Abductors
Chest Press
Single Leg Press
External Rotations
Triceps Press
Calf Raise
Biceps Curls
Hamstring Stretches
Chest Stretches
Quad Stretches
Inner Thigh Stretches
Calf Stretches
Triceps Stretches
Forearm Stretches
Neck Stretches
Shoulder Rolls
A lot of these using a Resistance Band. Aim to increase repeats to 15 at the week end.
That’s brilliant Tabby and I hope you can keep them up…
You will certainly keep your body in the best of shape…
I have difficulty doing anything indoors, except a few press ups and one minute of high intensity cycling each day…Phew!..
Being as my walks take me through a small woodland or along the river bank - I can do a lot of my exercises out of doors, Foxy. Never anyone around when I go out - usually about 5:15am. I have the benefit of breathing ‘green’ clean air and it gives the local wildlife a laugh!
Hello lads and lasses! Sorry for the long absence but I’ve been keeping an eye on my mother, which took longer than I thought it would. I haven’t been training since she took ill, and it looks like it will be a few months more. I had more breathing problems in the last 3 weeks and have been diagnosed with blood clots in both lungs and “in some of the lung arteries” (doctor being understandably vague there!). I’m allowed short walks on a daily basis and have to inject myself with anticoagulants for a few days while they organise a treatment plan.
My over-active immune system is also acting up, and my low chemo dose has been stopped until I get better, just to add to the fun. That said, I most definitely WILL get back on my feet, so to speak, and will hit the gym (with my doctor’s permission) for light workouts.
Sorry to hear that Tachyon, please wish your Mum all the best from me and Mrs Fox…:hug: Hugs for your Mum by the way…
It’s good to hear that at least you have got a diagnosis and will be able to sort it out. We’re missing you and Floydy’s input on here, and hope that both of you will soon be up to scratch and raring to go. Until then, all the best for a speedy recovery Tachyon…
Thanks OGF, I’ll return to training soon I hope. Just injected first course of 2x60mg anticoagulant - needles only about 12mm long but they stung! - and another lot tomorrow, then tablets thereafter once I get prescribed with them. Off for a medicinal whiskey and early night.
Tachyon, I echo Bob’s post here and wish you all the best in dealing with your health issues. Having to look after your mum will be doubly stressful and you have all my support bud.
Keep the short walks going, you need to do something to keep yourself reasonably active if you can. I’ve been there with this thing of mine, although it’s pretty minor in comparison, but it hits us fitness-minded individuals like a boulder when we cannot do what we enjoy and love doing.
One day at a time mate and you’ll get back there, believe me
ST, I am so terribly sorry. A post I wrote to you disappeared . Most likely due to my failure to hit the “post” button. Brilliant thing I am! Congratulations on your workout! It encompasses all of your major muscle groups with a good amount of stretching. As they increase the number and sets, don’t feel bad about going at your own pace. You’ll be more inclined to stick with it that way. Between your walks, this workout, and your sunny disposition, you seem to have it all figured out!
Hi, Tachyon! Good to hear from you. Taking care of our mothers is a privilege after all they have given us and certainly worth giving up a little in our fitness regimens for a time.
I have to say that I admire you and your physicians for staying on top of your health so vigorously. Those treatments sound miserable, but you are ever doing what you have to do.
Thanks Floydy and Surfermom, I appreciate the kind comments which have cheered me up. I did the two injections last night and I can tell you a 12mm needle into the waist stings out of all proportion to the relatively small size. Still, only tonight to go and the injections to speed up clot breakdown are over.
I’m just wondering if my previous bout or two of chestiness this year were maybe the onset of the problem that I currently have, and not simply an infection as I thought. If so it’s weird that I could train for all those months! Anyway, I just wanted to say if anyone has similar symptoms and just puts it down to a virus, I would get yourselves checked out. Better to be safe than sorry.
You are a tough one, Tachyon, I am not sure I would have the will to do that. Very good advice though, I am putting into my mental files. Most appreciated.
It was chilly and windy, but even with a late departure I squeezed in four miles, expecting to have managed none. Hope you all are getting along safely!
Well. I’m back!
I returned to the gym yesterday after being absent since my last proper session way back on the 26th August, when the hernia and the pulled back muscle which has caused me so many problems.
A month now since my operation and although it took me an absolute age to motivate myself to get myself together, I entered the gym and completed a thorough enjoyable hour on the treadmill and the bike (40/20 minutes respectively).
I took it steady to begin with and with no problems from my post-op I started to really tramp that treadmill, playing around with the inclines and striding out as far as my legs would go before I’d end up doping the splits! headphones on with some fantastically wonderful mid-80’s electro-dance rock, I moved onto the bike and powered my legs up to go as fast as they would carry me, sometimes causing the bike to teeter from side to side almost falling over.
It was as is I’d never been away and I was quite amazed how my legs could suddenly spring back into action after being dormant for two and a half months sat in a chair. Loved every second.
So with my second operation taking place on the 28th of this month I’m now taking the opportunity to go to the gym every day (pending what my wife wants me to do of course) to do either cardio or some high rep exercises. When I do the weights, I will only be doing machine exercises whereby I can sit down. No way am I doing anything that involves “standing up pulling work” as that could affect my operation/wound, but things such as bicep curls I may go heavier as I can be seated doing those with no stress on the abdomen. The other thing I will never do again is direct abs crunches; that would be foolhardy and I’ll leave general cardio (and from January, outdoor running) and of course my diet to take care of my midriff situation.
Physically, I have put weight on around my middle, but nothing I can’t lose rather soon, that’s mainly because I haven’t been at work I guess, being inactive at home - but the contrary side of that is positive because it means I haven’t been eating those extra night snacks, so that’s a good thing.
Muscular-wise, I’m still in pretty good shape considering the lay-off from exercise. After yesterday’s cardio, my legs have suddenly bulked-up again to their usual shape which is reassuring. I was looking rather thin and wasted while I was absent from the gym. My chest, shoulders and arms will soon follow, starting today I reckon with some upper body work on light weights with lots of reps, Tachyon-stylee!
Back later with my report. Gee, it’s great to be back!
Good to see you back Floydy, just don’t go mad…
I went on an early morning eight mile gallivant in the rain around country roads with water lapping up both sides, but I’m pleased to announce that the level of the river Don has dropped and the houses in and around Bramwith look like they have avoided the flooding…Meanwhile back on the road, I felt surprisingly strong right to the end, and it looks like Surfermoms advice has paid off…
She suggested it might be my diminishing quad strength that was letting me down. Although I don’t like the idea of squats (bad for the knees) everyday I’ve been doing some very hard resistance work on the static bike…One minute of eyeballs out cycling with it set at a very hard resistance setting…:shock: I dismount hardly able to stand and gasping for breath…Anaerobic I think they call it, I call it ‘Bloody Hard!’
Anyway, that takes the scores on the doors (mileage for this year) to 995.9…One more five miler on Tuesday should do it…
I think, Bob, that’s it’s wise not to start doing ‘squats’ at your age. No offence at all intended, it’s just that starting anything which puts pressure on our joints as we age just isn’t a good thing. Look at me with my knee issues a couple of years ago - it floored me for a while and the reason I gave up squats myself (after at one time pushing 300kg+, was that it was because of lower back problems and seeing others damage their knees. Nothing wrong with Suzie suggesting it, I just think there comes a time where we need to evaluate things and think ‘Do I really need to do this?’
Meanwhile, I did my second gym session yesterday and without going into detail (I’ll leave the lengthy detailed write-ups for when I get a rigid plan back together in January), I did some effective and mildly gruelling high reps on the upper body.
Briefly, some lat pulls, shoulders presses, chest presses, fly and delt pulls, pec deck and tricep extensions. It all went very well and today I’ll be doing a similar thing on the legs, Probably just half an hour on high reps but it’s all very nice and accumulative towards my regaining of fitness levels after so long away.
It’s good to catch up with things in here. Tachyon - keep it going buddy, you’ll be back in no time. It’s what we do mate
And Tabby, brilliant workout there gal - keep us posted on these sessions, we need more folk in here. Well done there!
How fun it is to check in and read such good news!
I am tickled pink to find that you’re back at the gym, Floydy! I know how central it is to your fitness and it sounds like you had a great time. Isn’t interesting how after so many years of working out …or running…or riding a bike, that it comes back to us so quickly. There is definitely something to set point. It sounds like you’ll be going in for the next round of surgery in great condition. Well done!
OGF, I never doubted that you would make it to your 1K mark. Congratulations (almost )! Do let us know when you cross that imaginary finish line. That cycling sounds like it’s doing the trick. I bought a stationary bike to use in the colder months, so you’ve inspired me to give it a go. I suspect that my own subtle decline may be leg-related. Doctor, heal thyself? Just maybe!:-D.
I’m about to do a presentation on Karenia brevis, the dinoflagellate responsible for red tides, so I’ve had my nose in the research all weekend. I did come up for air long enough to run and today my daughter likewise broke from her studies to join me. We had the whole sportsplex to ourself. 5 miles and a few tenths.
Non taken Floydy, I really respect all the advice, especially from you and Surfermom, we’ve all been at it long enough to know what works and what doesn’t…
I’ve lost count over the years of how many of my running friends and colleagues have had to pack up running due to knee trouble. Even as we speak Mrs Fox is waiting for a new knee operation and is feeling so frustrated that she can no longer go out on her daily walk…
All seems so right with the world when I come in here and read that everyone is getting out and doing their stuff, it’s so encouraging…
I can really recommend the bike Surfermom, it’s so handy to just pop on it anytime of the day and just put out a couple of miles, but the eyeballs out sessions should be done sparingly…:shock:
Ah yes!..the old Karenia Brevis problem…
Seriously though, we have had problems with ‘Green Algae’ in our lakes and ponds round here, it has been having a serious effect on our freshwater pondlife, I have always wondered if it’s due to ‘run off’ getting into the drainage ditches by chemicals used on the crops…
Good to see your daughter accompanying you out on what is, a very respectable distance… Give her my regards…
Looks like tomorrows run will tip me over the edge (in more ways than one) and I’m thinking what to write in my report already…
…tomorrow 
.
. Most likely due to my failure to hit the “post” button. Brilliant thing I am! Congratulations on your workout! It encompasses all of your major muscle groups with a good amount of stretching. As they increase the number and sets, don’t feel bad about going at your own pace. You’ll be more inclined to stick with it that way. Between your walks, this workout, and your sunny disposition, you seem to have it all figured out! 
)! Do let us know when you cross that imaginary finish line. That cycling sounds like it’s doing the trick. I bought a stationary bike to use in the colder months, so you’ve inspired me to give it a go. I suspect that my own subtle decline may be leg-related. Doctor, heal thyself? Just maybe!:-D.
Give her my regards…