The Exercise Motivation Thread - 2014

[peaches08]

Pretty scenery!  I've never been to Finland.  It looks pretty...I'm guessing you live in a more rural area?  Also, why would bikes be illegal on a road like that? 

I should take pictures next time I go for a ride.  I'll have to figure a way to carry my phone.  Today was a rest day.  My seat bones needed it!

 

[tammat]

Love the pics. Thanks @JTbo. So are they bear paw prints?

 

[jtbo]

Love the pics. Thanks @JTbo. So are they bear paw prints?

Yes, at some places on that road there were more of them than any human or vehicle made tracks, somehow very difficult to take good photo from as some days ago bear and her little one had came to my door and I could see their paw prints on moss, but I could not get any sensible photo from them. There was many people coming to see them, some hunters and everyone did agreed that them bears start to be too close for comfort, but here it is illegal to shoot a bear without a permit, which you can't get unless there is real damage to property or if human life has been endangered.

This means bears are learning to abuse that and people start to be too afraid to go hiking.

@peaches08, that is new bike syndrome that you have, only cure is to keep riding, but every few days and only very short amount of time at once, until body recovers and gets used to it, yes I know, that is impossible to do, that happens me too when I get new bike, I got even some blisters from that last time I had that

I put my pocket computer into plastic bag which I put into my pocket, that plastic bag is to keep moisture out from pocket computer. I think that camera would be easy to carry, just hang it from it's strap to handle bar, but if one does rougher riding strap might not be strong enough.

I guess parts of Canada and Alaska are kind of similar that it is in here, but everything in here is so tiny and small, including bears

That traffic sign from my memory means no vehicles allowed, bicycle being vehicle is then outlawed from that road. It is private road and you would need to ask permission from company that did stop to exists on that name sometimes 70's - 80's, sign has been posted perhaps in 60's I'm thinking that it has perhaps been forgotten as there are some cabin properties being sold along that road, so I don't know if it is really meant to be illegal anymore, but as long as sign is there it has power of law and in theory one could get fined from cycling on that road, however if you call the police because of robbery they might come after few hours or next day, however it have to be thousands of worth being stolen and they still don't bother even taking fingerprints, that is why I think that they are not bothering to come fine me and as I did not see or hear anyone or any human or machine made sounds on that road, I guess that my riding there was no noticed and not bothering anyone

Most of my bicycling trips are to roads where there is not much any sign of traffic, I find those are much more interesting to ride and I'm not getting so sore as I have to move a lot on top of my bike to maintain balance. Only sounds that can be heard from those trips are ones I made and what comes from nature, only things I tend to see is trees and bit of road.
Another reason now is that I have this birch pollen allergy and two days ago it started to be really bad, but there it is mostly pine and spruce trees and also between those trees on narrow road there is not much wind either, so there is a lot less pollen.

Today is a rest day for legs, but some firewood needs to be moved to storage and some more needs to be cut, so it will be upper body training day then

 

[Winchester]

 
I had a good 40-45 minute walk through a local rhododendron garden today - it was Blue Poppy day (they are so lovely!).

Blue poppies? Oh, they sound lovely! I have always loved poppies. We have the standard orange ones and I planted some white poppies last year, but they didn't do well. I'm hoping they come back. Do you have pictures?

JTbo, you're pictures are beautiful. Several years ago when I was up in the back yard mowing, I found bear scat; fortunately the bear wasn't with it 

. So we know we have bears in the area.

Peaches, I have another appt with my doctor and will talk to her then. She wanted me to take bone shots and I've also tried Fosasmax (very allergic to the Fosamax; ended up in the ER with a suspected heart attack, but it was a reaction to the drug). I've talked to Rick about a bike, but he refuses to get me a bike unless I wear the helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, etc. Why? Because I'm one of the most dopic people around; he says that if anybody is going to fall and break a bone, it will be me. And he's not going there. 

So....I did 1.5 miles on the elliptical this morning. Muffin was on the catnapper in the bedroom window and Tabby jumped up to be with her. And the catnapper fell apart; one of the ends fell out of the wall. Both cats are fine, thank goodness. I was able to get the napper back together, but we're a little leery with it now as that's never happened before (and we've had as many as four cats in the thing. At one time.) It's old, so it may be time for a new one. Anyway, until I got it put back together, it was time to clean litterboxes and grab a shower for work. 1.5 miles was as far as I got.

 

[jtbo]

I have seen such cargo bikes that have three wheels, I think there was two at rear and one at front, then there was large bucket/basket behind front tire, so one could do shopping easily or have pet/kid in there and as it had three wheels there was no issue with the balance.

Horribly expensive though, but I guess such might be possible to find with less cost too.

Of course then there are recumbent bicycles, again price is very high, but those are really nice, wind is not much of bother and one can zoom from one place to another quite fast too, but for me too expensive and we don't have hard shoulder on our roads, it would be too wide for here, but I have often hoped to have such with some cargo capacity, like transporting those big logs from forest to home etc.

There was something about those cargo bikes:
http://worksmancycles.com/cargo-bik...erican-made-bicycles-adult-three-wheeler.html

Here weather did go bit too warm, +28C in shadow and sun is shining so hot that standing still makes me feel exhausted. In house downstairs is only +12C, seems not to be warming up very fast so I can cool there. I have to wait for evening so that I can even visit a shop, I'm still used to +5C which here was just few days ago.


Too bad about cat napper, I had once a table that had unsupported section at the end, them all six decided to use single cat bed that I had placed on that table, poor things did fell on to floor as end of table just did broke off from the table, they were not happy but they were okay. I put cat bed to end of bed and they all did go there, into single cat bed again.

 

[pat]

Why not try a stationary exercise bicyle?  I love mine!  Then you won't need the helmet etc

BluePoppy.jpg

• pat
• May 19, 2014

 

[Winchester]

Gorgeous blue poppy! Thank you for posting. I love poppies.

Rick will not allow another piece of exercise equipment in the basement and I can't say as I blame him. Right now, there's the treadmill, the Bowflex, the weight bench with several hundred pounds of weights, and the Ab Lounger thingie. And now I'm bringing the Cardio Glide back down there again. The elliptical is upstairs in the bedroom. He'd blow a gasket if I even mentioned an exercise bicycle at this point, I'm sure he would.

 

[peaches08]

@Winchester hopefully PT can help you figure out stuff you can do until the pool warms up.  Or in addition to the pool walking.  Sounds like you have a lot you can do now (Bowflex, etc.)

So, talk about a bundle of nerves today.  Got my "authorization to test: for the big nursing exam.  I went on a longer than normal ride (no watch, but almost 2 hours) to let off some stress.  I found a small bag to carry my phone in so I could take some pictures.

This is at Gould's inlet, East Beach.  It's still high tide but you can see the sandbar. 

IMG_20140519_140044_930.jpg

• peaches08
• May 19, 2014

One of the many marshes, hence "Marshes of Glynn" by the poet Sidney Lanier.

IMG_20140519_140736_741.jpg

• peaches08
• May 19, 2014

The Maritime Center, in the Historic Coast Guard Station.

IMG_20140519_141243_722.jpg

• peaches08
• May 19, 2014

Our lighthouse.

IMG_20140519_142735_034.jpg

• peaches08
• May 19, 2014

The pier.

IMG_20140519_143040_845.jpg

• peaches08
• May 19, 2014

Pier Village.

IMG_20140519_144010_802.jpg

• peaches08
• May 19, 2014

And one of the streets I live near, known for "the killer oaks" that many people have hit (drunk?  just can't drive?).

IMG_20140519_145239_398.jpg

• peaches08
• May 19, 2014

Don't forget to click on the pictures to enlarge them.  I say this because I used to squint. 

 

[Winchester]

You have beautiful scenery for biking, Peaches....I love that lighthouse (big lighthouse fan here). Just beautiful pictures.

3 miles (43 minutes) on the elliptical this morning (and no catnapper mishaps)

 

[jtbo]

@peaches08, I have thought every place with palm trees must be a paradise because of warm weather, but as there are those marshes it must mean tons of mosquitoes too?

How nice it would be to have orange tree on yard, I think those grow only where palm trees grow or even warmer?

Bike sounds to be perfect for you, such makes one so 'free' in a way, also for me there is not much of any interesting that is further that I can cycle, so easy to just jump on bike and go

 

[peaches08]

You know @Winchester, I have never toured the lighthouse but since they finished restoring it I hope to see it this summer.  Good that there were no catnapper issues!

@JTbo There are areas of this island that are bombarded with mosquitos, yes!  I thankfully do not live in one of those areas.  Plus they run the mosquito trucks.  On one hand, I don't like the mosquito trucks because of the chemicals.  On the other hand, it beats West Nile Virus which is a very real problem in areas like here.  We can grow some citrus here, usually the colder varieties of certain citrus fruits.  It does get to freezing and below here sometimes, but we don't have snow. 

Ran 18 min this morning.  I had a bowl of oatmeal an hour before, but still got dizzy, so I wonder if this is just a fitness issue.  Oh well, I'll just run shorter times and/or take walk breaks and ride my bike later in the day.  And of course walk.

 

[jtbo]

You know @Winchester
, I have never toured the lighthouse but since they finished restoring it I hope to see it this summer.  Good that there were no catnapper issues!

@JTbo
There are areas of this island that are bombarded with mosquitos, yes!  I thankfully do not live in one of those areas.  Plus they run the mosquito trucks.  On one hand, I don't like the mosquito trucks because of the chemicals.  On the other hand, it beats West Nile Virus which is a very real problem in areas like here.  We can grow some citrus here, usually the colder varieties of certain citrus fruits.  It does get to freezing and below here sometimes, but we don't have snow. 

Ran 18 min this morning.  I had a bowl of oatmeal an hour before, but still got dizzy, so I wonder if this is just a fitness issue.  Oh well, I'll just run shorter times and/or take walk breaks and ride my bike later in the day.  And of course walk.

I wonder if dizzyness could be related to oxygen levels if it happens when exercising longer? With my Asthma it did not cause dizzyness but I did eyesight got dark when I did push really hard and Asthma kicked in so that my air intake ability dropped even more.

 

[peaches08]

I wonder if dizzyness could be related to oxygen levels if it happens when exercising longer? With my Asthma it did not cause dizzyness but I did eyesight got dark when I did push really hard and Asthma kicked in so that my air intake ability dropped even more.

It very well could be.  I have been somewhat diagnosed with asthma and I have allergies.  I take Singulair and Zyrtec daily for it.  I have an albuterol inhaler, and honestly it doesn't make any difference to take a couple of puffs then go running.  I'm quit now but I have a history of smoking, so I more than likely have damage.

I know exactly what you mean by darkness, almost like curtains closing from the periphery.  Also, if I get dizzy while running and come to an easy walk, I'll almost faint.  I have to make a point to walk hard to let myself come down a little easier.  And pardon the TMI, I know no shame and it may help someone, but you know that ammonia-smelling sweat that comes with heavy exertion?  Yeah, I get that mess even on a 15 minute run.  That's usually for long runs in fit people, but as it has warmed up I've noticed it a lot sooner in the runs overall.  It's just so frustrating that I had gotten up to 35 minute straight runs and now if I can't get to 25 minutes without at least one break.  Then again, I was feeling pretty poor during that time so I better be happy with the runs I can do and shut my mouth.  I keep reminding myself:  at least I can run.  I've had patients almost pass out trying to get to the bathroom.

 

[jtbo]

It very well could be.  I have been somewhat diagnosed with asthma and I have allergies.  I take Singulair and Zyrtec daily for it.  I have an albuterol inhaler, and honestly it doesn't make any difference to take a couple of puffs then go running.  I'm quit now but I have a history of smoking, so I more than likely have damage.

I know exactly what you mean by darkness, almost like curtains closing from the periphery.  Also, if I get dizzy while running and come to an easy walk, I'll almost faint.  I have to make a point to walk hard to let myself come down a little easier.  And pardon the TMI, I know no shame and it may help someone, but you know that ammonia-smelling sweat that comes with heavy exertion?  Yeah, I get that mess even on a 15 minute run.  That's usually for long runs in fit people, but as it has warmed up I've noticed it a lot sooner in the runs overall.  It's just so frustrating that I had gotten up to 35 minute straight runs and now if I can't get to 25 minutes without at least one break.  Then again, I was feeling pretty poor during that time so I better be happy with the runs I can do and shut my mouth.  I keep reminding myself:  at least I can run.  I've had patients almost pass out trying to get to the bathroom.

I wonder if Albuterol is for treating infection or opening breathing 'pipe'? I have Beclomet for infection and Buventol for opening breathing 'pipe', not sure about proper English terms of biological nature. But Buventol being opener does help a lot for me but I don't feel effect until I push to limit where that dark vision thing happens, I don't run out of breath then and I can push hard far longer. Also Beclomet is such that it can't be felt, mostly it's effect is to reduce need for Buventol, air runs more freely with less Buventol, but that does not really feel so much, if at all. However when one is sick or having an allergy and not taking, that does feel, it is like someone would be standing on top of chest, also it makes me very edgy, I loose my temper easier as it is so difficult to breathe that it pulls some nerve really badly, but using it does not feel, only not using it feels with some delay, so that is bit mysterious stuff.
Anyway using a week and then running might give you some insight if it really does not do anything or if it does, but only not using can be felt. Also did longer runs happen when you did use Albuterol?
Might need several tests with and without to find out what is true effect and which is just noise.

This time of year has one good thing, farmers drive manure to fields, so there is constant odor in air that keeps everything else hidden, I can't even smell much of any smells but that might be partly due to allergy of pollen too

I did today some rock throwing, I did pull some rocks with bare hands out from my potato field, rocks were bigger than adult one's head, then one farmer saw me and asked if I could do their field too and I said ok, so some day now I go to help them, I like to do heavy stuff, two years ago I could not lift much more than mouse of computer, but now with exercise and with asthma medication I can do a lot more and it is so fun to be able to lift things that just recently were completely impossible to lift, but now I can even throw such things, which is nice.

Even with bicycle, uphills where I needed lowest gear and go slow, I can now use quite high gear and still accelerate, before I just run out of breath and felt exhausted even when walking, without asthma medication I would not of improved so much as before those I could not use full power for more than second or two, but few days ago I did several kilometers flat out and could of done even longer, but I did arrive my destination before. Those medications seem to work bit odd way, they are not immediate effect but are somehow giving help when used longer and when pushing hard.


Also I found out that I need to up amount of potassium I'm getting, I had huge amount missing from that, so I drink orange juice, which has it, effect seem to be such that muscles don't tire so easily, however this numb or pins and needles effect is still there, constantly, but it is not limiting what I can do, not sure what it is but maybe doctors will find it some day.

 

[pat]

 
Thanks, guys.

Stress fractures (yeah, more than one). Doctor is making an appt with the ortho-weenies.....she's thinking there will be no physical therapy for a while anyway because I'm probably going to be wearing a boot. I don't know for how long; it all depends on how bad the ortho-weenie thinks the fractures are. She did say that, if my foot does not hurt at all, she won't make me stop using the elliptical. Yet. Although she thinks the ortho-weenie will stop me from doing everything for a while. No walking even right now. She saw the look on my face and told me not to bother going into work today...to go home and hit the couch with my Nook and the cats for the day. But I'm at work.

I made it through that crappy winter....and now that the weather is getting gorgeous, here I am. 

(One of my GFs has been in a boot cast now since February....she has a broken ankle and it's not healing properly. Anyway, she and I have always said that we share a brain...and that I have the smart part

. So I called her this morning and told her that now we can share a boot, too. She laughed. So did I, but I'm not particularly amused by the whole thing.

About a year or so ago, I gave my Cardio-Glide to another GF, but she's not using it at all. I called her this morning and asked if I could borrow it back again; if the doctor thinks the Cardio-Glide is OK, I'll try to use that until I can start walking again. A Cardio Glide is a piece of equipment that you sit on. You row with your arms and you use your feet to push out at the same time, using your arms to pull it all back in again. Since I'd be sitting, maybe the ortho will let me do this, even with the boot. It's better than nothing at this point.)

I may be down, but I swear, I'm not out.

I missed this   I'm sorry for the news, but honestly?  I'm glad you have an answer..this will heal, you'll learn what you need to do to prevent this in the future. 

 

[peaches08]

I wonder if Albuterol is for treating infection or opening breathing 'pipe'? I have Beclomet for infection and Buventol for opening breathing 'pipe', not sure about proper English terms of biological nature. But Buventol being opener does help a lot for me but I don't feel effect until I push to limit where that dark vision thing happens, I don't run out of breath then and I can push hard far longer. Also Beclomet is such that it can't be felt, mostly it's effect is to reduce need for Buventol, air runs more freely with less Buventol, but that does not really feel so much, if at all. However when one is sick or having an allergy and not taking, that does feel, it is like someone would be standing on top of chest, also it makes me very edgy, I loose my temper easier as it is so difficult to breathe that it pulls some nerve really badly, but using it does not feel, only not using it feels with some delay, so that is bit mysterious stuff.
Anyway using a week and then running might give you some insight if it really does not do anything or if it does, but only not using can be felt. Also did longer runs happen when you did use Albuterol?
Might need several tests with and without to find out what is true effect and which is just noise.
 

Added a 45 min bike ride to today's totals.  Albuterol is an airway opener; it's what we call a rescue inhaler since it is for immediate relief.  The Singulair and Zyrtec do more for me, honestly.  The longer runs were on the same regimen I'm doing now.  The only change is the weather/season. 

Amazing that you've made so much progress!  Was there anything specific that inspired you to get fit?

 

[tammat]

Love the pictures peaches.
I have Rohan coming to my house today to discuss my routine for next week. He wants me to have my head around it before I start on Monday. My goodness. It has me worried about what I will be doing?? I am actually enjoying my week off. Good to see you are all working hard!!!

 

[Winchester]

Keep it up! Doing great! Good luck with Rohan, Tammat!

3 miles (43 minutes) on the elliptical this morning--long, sweaty miles 

 

 

[jtbo]

Added a 45 min bike ride to today's totals.  Albuterol is an airway opener; it's what we call a rescue inhaler since it is for immediate relief.  The Singulair and Zyrtec do more for me, honestly.  The longer runs were on the same regimen I'm doing now.  The only change is the weather/season. 

Amazing that you've made so much progress!  Was there anything specific that inspired you to get fit?

I got exhausted by lifting a spoon and I had to rest even with short stairs

Also as I have this bad migraine I can't drive car anymore and I wanted to be able to cycle into city, which is about 35km there and another 35km back, but there are a lot of steep hills between here and city so it took time until I was able to ride that far, it takes about 5-6 hours to ride that trip and I have so much to do that I'm not doing that trip too often, but it is nice to know that I now can do it.

As I have to replace car completely with bicycle I need to still improve quite a bit to be able to bring some heavier stuff back with me from the city, adding 20kg to bike and as it is mostly uphill back, that is quite hard work and as I'm not very light weight total weight will be around 140 to 150kg, I think there was total of 800 meters of climbing, from city to here, but that is in several hills and there is some downhills between them, still there is a lot of climbing for my legs.

I have never had asthma seizure, as many are getting those sudden effects where that rescue inhaler is good, only when I'm doing some heavy exercise there is this decrease in air intake and then airway opener helps a lot, but such is rare and normally I don't need that.

I have Glinor for allergy, it is spray that is sprayed into nose, helps a lot to running nose and sneezing, but not much for breathing in general.


Today I managed to cut down last bushes and cleaned a yard a bit, it is nice now, so much more space and at next summer there will be even more as then now turned ground will be usable too and no longer annoying bushes to cast shadows and creeping on lawn more and more. But it was hard work, especially when using respirator because of pollen and having an asthma, lack of oxygen all the time and sweating much more than should of been, but that is feeling bit like being suffocating constantly just a bit which tends to get on my nerves.

Not sure if cats like from that change to yard, I think that they did like from bushes more, however they do have still the forest and when yard is done I can start building theme park for them

 

[peaches08]

That's hard bike work! As you may can see from the pictures, this is a pretty flat island so biking is mostly leisure here.

I walked 3.2 mi in 51:56 min. No bike ride, giving the seat bones a break.  Riding to the bike shop tomorrow though, my new headlight is not working.  One of the lights in the taillight isn't working either.