The HST routine that I am following suggests a week off of lifting weights for each 6 to 8 weeks of progressive overload. Seeing that I have gone 8 weeks, this week is the week off. (HST calls the week off "strategic deconditioning" - whatever that means.) So I turn to vast amounts of aerobic exercise to relieve emotional stress and trauma.
On Monday night I'm out for a run when a black car pulls up next to me - it's Person T_U! Person T_U and I always knew that we were "neighbors", but we'd never run into each other outside the various clubs. So I talk with Person T_U through his passenger window for two minutes. We talk about running ("Let's get together Friday for a run. Call me."), rental properties, and the neighborhood. I continue on for the 8 mile run tonight towards and along the Los Angeles river and horse trails.
Tuesday is to be a bicycle commute day but there is rain in the forecast. Instead I drive the truck to work and take clothes to run sometime during the day at work. The Tuesday night resourcescout meeting precludes an evening run.
I get out for a run late in the afternoon around the Northrop Grumman campus. I'm into the run and crossing a street when a ChiChi stops me and asks, "Which way to the beach?" I point the ChiChi to the next street over and tell him to catch the bus. I ask the obligatory "Where are you from?", "Vacation or work?", "How long are you staying?", and "Where else are you going?" questions. And I wonder - Which is better: A jpop ChiChi or a ChiChi with braces? In this case I want to take a magnet out, get it close to the ChiChi's braces, and then swallow the magnet - with the ChiChi's braces (and everything else) following.
I eventually continue on for the run. And now I get a bit carried away with emotional stress relief. Pick a combination of any ten letters taken two at a time and separated with an underscore and you'll find the source(s) of my emotional confusion and trauma. Just pick any two g*$d@&% letters! The run becomes another 8 mile run as I try to deal with feelings and confusion and disappointment and emotional trauma and bleh!
Wednesday sees a reasonable, if eventfull, bicycle commute to Northrop Grumman. The rear pannier falls off as I'm turning out of my driveway - a great start! My leg light strap comes loose and threatens to get caught in between the chain and chainring before I notice it and fix it. And, as I get off the bicycle to lock it at Northrop Grumman, a toe clip bolt has worked its way loose and the toe clip falls off. But it was still a fun, cold ride.
The Wednesday night ride home is uneventful. A neighbor Al, who I've ridden with, happens to be passing in his truck and gives a quick beep of the horn. Later Person M_C calls and says that he had a heart attack on Monday - as confirmed by the symptoms, the chest x-ray (enlarged heart), and the EKG. We talk about rehabilitation plans and it comes out that he had used ephedra (or ephedrine) for about a year. (Why Person M_C is using it to lose weight is unknown because Person M_C is pretty thin.) We talk about no more ephedra, moderate walking, low saturated fat and cholesterol, and low stress ways of combatting future problems.
On Thursday morning I'm tired from the bicycle commute so I go for a morning run (instead of bicycle commuting again). As I'm finishing up the 7 mile run I see Al (the bicycle neighbor) running his two dogs and so we run together for a short bit and talk about the new bicycle. He says that he recognized the new bicycle before he realized it was me. He and I think alike.
There is more than enough stress in life now, so when I get home on Thursday I decide to give up the strategic deconditioning. Besides, it has been six days off. So I lift weights and it feels good.
On Friday I'm up early to get on the new bicycle and commute to work. This ride is uneventfull - the adjustments made to the bicycle last night helping to make the ride more comfortable and helping to keep all of the pieces on the bike. Another couple of rides and the new bike should be adjusted just right!