Urban League of the Upstate Sorta 5K

My daughter, Gabrielle Baker, was on the organizing committee for the Urban League of the Upstate's first annual Heart and Sole 5K. Our nuclear family all signed up to show our support. In addition my brother-in-law from Aiken and his wife as well as his daughter from Rock Hill came to Greenville to participate. A couple of my wife's friends and one of Gabby's friends joined us for the race as well

I haven't been running so I decided to just walk the 5K. They also had a 1 mile walking route planned, but walking the 5K would be no problem. Unfortunately, the biker leading the the initial group of runners and the volunteers out in the middle of the course went and sent us the wrong way! They accidentally cut off somewhere between 0.6 and 0.7 miles. It was still a fun time. 

Even though I was walking I did exercise my competitive spirit. I started out in the middle of the pack of walkers. I would pick out someone walking ahead of me and set a goal of catching them and passing them without running. I did this time and time again over the course. No walkers behind me passed me. And speaking of competition my oldest son, Isaiah at the back left of the picture, finished third overall! 

It was a nice, partly cloudy and surprisingly cool morning for the race on the beautiful campus of Furman University. We all had a good time and then went for a nice big breakfast at Stax Omega.

Walk for Lunch and Evening FMS Exercises

I took a walk at lunchtime. I covered 1.41 miles in 32:48 for an average speed of just 2.6 mph. Much slower than my 3.1 mph walk on Saturday evening with Laura.

This evening I did my FMS corrective exercises. I got them done in 12:48. Once again I did some extra rolling of my hip flexors after I was done with the FMS prescribed stuff. Nearly at 10K steps at the time of this writing with 9889. I'm sure I'll get the 10K before I go to bed.

Late Evening Walk

The day about got away from me. Looked up and it was 2030 and I hadn't been for a walk yet. Got out and got it done! Laura went with me, too, which is great because her pace is generally faster than mine and it was tonight. We walked 2.01 miles in 38:39 for an average of 3.1 mph.

Once we got home I did the corrective exercises as prescribed after the Functional Movement Screen which I did a few weeks ago. Those took about 20 minutes. Did some extra rolling of my hip flexors and calves when I was done w/ the FMS related exercises. I'm at 11K+ steps for the day.

Recovery Day

Nothing special today. Walked 2.33 miles in 51 minutes for an average of 2.7 mph. Once I returned from my walk I did the corrective exercises recommended as a result of the Functional Movement Screen. That took about 14 minutes. I did a little extra release of my hip flexors, calves, ankles and feet. That's it.

Tracy Reifkind Kettlebell Workout Two

So, a week has gone by without a formal workout until today. But once again, I took my son to his lacrosse practice at Pittman Park and decided to get in my training while most parents sat and watched. There were a handful of adults running and walking but no one was doing an intense workout like mine.

Warm Up

Walk 15:00, 0.54 miles for an average of 2.2 mph.

Circuit 3 circuits 5 reps each 13 minutes

• Prying Goblet Squat w/ 15# kettlebell
• Lying Hip Extension
• Halo (each direction) w/ 15# kettlebell
• Flying Dog (5 reps per side)

The Practice

• Kettlebell Swings 5x10x35# Two Handed
• Kettlebell Swings 5x11,12,13,14,15x35# Two Handed
• Kettlebell Swings 5x15x35# Two Handed
• Turkish Get Ups 5x1x25# (per side)

My warm up walk was pretty slow. It was super humid and hot as blazes, well for early May anyway. The last 3 or 4 minutes were basically farmer's carries of my kettlebells from my truck to the grass spot I had chosen for my training. Then on too my normal warmup circuit. I was pretty stiff to start with, but by the time I had finished the three rounds I was nice and loose and even warmer. The prying goblet squats felt especially good.

By the time I got to the main practice some clouds had rolled in and the temperature dropped a few degrees. It felt much cooler. I decided to do Tracy Reifkind's full workout #2 for my kettlebell swings. The first five sets were easy as expected, really more warming up. Second 5 sets I laddered up, adding one rep per set finishing the series at 15 reps. Felt good, not too winded but breathing hard.

As I started the third series of 5 sets I told heard Tracy in my head saying, "Just because you've reached your top reps you don't have to stay there." OK I said to myself, start with 15 reps and if you can't hack it drop down to 12 or 10 for the second set. But once I started my determination kicked in. I decided to get 15 reps for all 5 sets. I heard one of the Crossfit Games athletes I like, though I can't remember who said it, you have to decide to stay in that pain zone, you have to come to love living in that pain zone.

Once I finished I was gassed. I just collapsed on my yoga matt gasping for breath. After a couple of minutes my breathing was back to near normal and my heart rate had dropped so it was on to the Turkish get ups. These were pretty routine. Felt smooth and strong. My hips felt nice and open. I could feel my core working hard, too. All in all a great workout.

And the really cool thing? I did this routine at about the 9 hour mark of a 24 hour fast as per Eat Stop Eat. Our bodies are evolved to go long periods of time without food, while hunting and doing other work. Twenty-four hours should be child's play.

Soakin' Wet With Sweat!

I actually got up from my desk and took a walk outside today! It's been weeks. I've either convinced myself I was too busy, or too engaged or it was raining. No excuses today. I walked 1.69 miles in 35 minutes. That's not too shabby, 2.9 mph.

Came home after work and cooked dinner. Then I put on my workout clothes and headed out the door.

Warm Up

Walk 17:32, 0.55 miles for an average of 1.9 mph. This was kinda' bogus. I stopped for about 5 minutes talking to my neighbor in the middle of this walk but apparently my phone didn't detect the lack of movement and pause my walk tracking app. Grrrr....should have been more like 12 minutes or so. Then I followed on with my normal warm up circuit.

Circuit 3 circuits 5 reps each

• Prying Squat
• Lying Hip Extension
• Halo (each direction)
• Flying Dog (5 reps per side)

The Practice

• Kettlebell Swings 15x10x35# Two Handed
• Turkish Get Ups 5x1x25# (per side)

This was a good workout. I stuck to 10 reps every minute on the minute for 15 minutes. I think I'll keep with that set/rep pattern through Friday then start increasing reps again on Sunday or Monday. Even with only doing 150 reps I was still pretty winded and sweating profusely once I completed my swings. 

On to the Turkish Get Ups. By the end of the second set I was sweating so much that I had to stop and wipe the sweat out of my eyes. My right ankle was giving me a little pain. Felt tighter than normal, of course it's the one I tore up so badly that I couldn't go to West Point. All in all a good workout. I finished the warm up circuits in 11 minutes. I finished the kettlebell practice in 27 minutes. 

Tried Tracy Reifkind #2 Again Same Result

I tried to move on to Tracy Reifkind's Kettlebell Workout #2. I just felt like I could do it, but once again I wasn't quite ready. But let me put down the details and then I'll talk about my performance.

Warm Up

Walking 12:39 minutes, 0.56 miles. That's 2.67 mph, I want to be able to consistently walk at 3.0 mph or better.

Warm Up Circuit 3 circuits 5 reps each

• Prying Squat
• Lying Hip Extension
• Halo (each direction)
• Flying Dog (5 reps per side)

The Practice

• Kettlebell Swings 5x10x35# Two Handed
• Kettlebell Swings 5x11,12,13,14,15x35# Two Handed
• Kettlebell Swings 5x10x35# Two Handed
• Turkish Get Ups 5x1x25# (per side)

I didn't have time for a finishing walk. I needed to finish cooking dinner. After the warmup walk, the warm up circuits took just over another 12 minutes. Then on to the kettlebell training.

I felt so good, so in control after the first five sets of kettlebell swings that I was sure I could handle workout #2. However, by the sets 9 and 10 my lower back was tightening up some and I didn't have enough time to catch my breath. I dropped back down to 10 reps for the final 5 sets. All of these sets are done on the minute, so I only have rest from the end of one set to the beginning of the next minute.

After the swings I moved on as usual to turkish get ups. By the middle of the third set I was on the verge of nausea but I kept going. I took deep breaths and was able to suppress that feeling. I completed the kettlebell training in 30 minutes. 

By the way I was training outside in the carport. It was a nice, warm sunny day. By the time I walked back in the house I could feel muscular exhaustion all the way from my feet up to my traps. I could hardly believe how pumped my calves felt. My abs, my whole core, was feeling super tight. It's crazy how two simple exercises can have such an almost total body effect.

30 Days of Change Day 7

Day 7 of 30 Days of Change was a moderate intensity and ab focused workout.

3 Rounds 10 Reps Each Exercise

Half Jacks

High Knees

Side-to-side lunges

Air Bike Crunches

Leg Raises

Leg Pull-ins

The first three exercises were pretty easy. The ab exercises, the last three, were a bit more challenging. Abs have always been a challenge for me but I'm getting better. Exercised out of doors and got a little sunshine, but it was too cool for me to workout shirtless and barefoot.

30 Days of Change Day 6

30 Days of Change Day 6 was primarily an active recovery day. Nothing strenuous.

Part 1: Walk 20 minutes.

Part 2: 3 rounds of 5 reps each

Chest Expansions
Calf Raises

Pretty easy. My walk was through my father-in-law's very hilly neighborhood in Aiken, SC. My back was a little tight and my left hip was hurting, but otherwise no issues.

30 Days of Change Day 3

I was a little sore this morning but I did most of Day 3 of 30 Days of Change. Exercised outdoors. It was cool and cloudy, but not bad.

5 rounds

6 Lunges
6 Plank jump-ins
6 Shoulder taps

Rested two minutes after first round. Reduced to 1 minute for subsequent rounds. Total time 12 minutes. Once that was done I walked 1.4 miles in 31 minutes.

Today's routine calls for a total of 60 minutes of walking or some other aerobic activity.  After getting to the office and working for an hour I took a 10 minute walk around the floor I work on.

30 Days of Change Day 2

30 Days of Change Day 2 a day late. I only got in a 30 minute walk at lunch time yesterday. But I got it in today! This is a bodyweight exercise cardio day.

Part 1: 3 rounds with 2 minutes rest between rounds.

6 Jumping Jacks
6 High Knees
10 Jumping Jacks
10 High Knees
20 Jumping Jacks
20 High Knees
10 Jumping Jacks
10 High Knees
6 Jumping Jacks
6 High Knees

After the final 2 minute break I did the first round of Part 2:

Plank 30 seconds
Wall-sit 30 seconds

Once again, I could probably have done it with shorter breaks between rounds but I was blowing pretty hard by the third round anyway and my calves were on fire! I need to get two more rounds of Part 2 in during the course of the day. Thanks for the program Neila Rey!