Lacking Consistency

I am having a terrible time getting back into a fitness "routine". I don't really want a routine I just want to move purposefully on a regular basis but I'm struggling with that right now too. I've managed a few very fun trail runs at Ridley Creek State Park and Carmen and I had a nice hike in BC but that's about it since the doc cleared me for fitness activity July 19th. 7 weeks and I'm still floundering for some sense of fitness stability. Someone asked me the other day if I was itching to get back to training an event. What I'm itching for is two consecutive days and a group outing.

The good news is - except for the itching, sneezing and general fatigue that comes with my end of summer allergies - I feel pretty good and I'm about 90% sticking to my nutrition plan. I also had consistency in the arm challenge which Dave and I successfully completed even while on vacation. In one month we went from

• 5 pushups to 50
• 5 dips to 120
• 10 bicep curls to 150
• 10 second air punches to 150

My September challenge is to continue 50 pushups and 120 dips and to increase the number I can do at one time. I started the pushups in 5 sets of 10 and each day I take two off the last set and add them to the first set. I should get to 50 in one shot on September 27. I started the month doing 4 sets of 30 dips and for September I take 6 off the last set and add them to the first set. I take a rest day every third day just as we did for the arm challenge. So far so good. I also added planks at the rate of the date times 10 seconds (so today is 70 seconds) and 1 burpee for the date (so today is 7 burpees).

A word about burpees - it's enough of a word by itself don't ya think? As a kid we called them squat thrusts because that is the action that performs them; squat then thrust your feet out behind you and back and then back to standing. I was not fond of them in gym class and I cant' say I'm all that thrilled now either. HOWEVER, I am pleased as punch that after the arm challenge in August I have enough strength in my arms and upper body to actually DO them. They are so not pretty but I really don't care about that part. To be able to do 30 at the end of the month when I couldn't even do 1 on August 1st is going to be way cool!

So today is about accepting my condition (Achoo!); vacuuming and dusting (which is way overdo); then heading out to see our nieces and my brother in a presentation at Wheatland; then dinner with the rest of my brothers family and a trip to Udder Choice farm for ice cream. I said 90% on the nutrition plan, remember? :) It may be a little less this week since I will be joining some of my favorite fitness buddies for September's Ice Cream run on Wednesday. YOLO.

Tomorrow Maggi, Mike K and I are setting up support spots along the Perkiomen and Schuylkill trails for some of Perkis People who are running long. I think we may outnumber them though!

Ok so thanks for reading. You helped me feel better. Off to do chores now so the family partying can begin. :)

Keep smiling and keep moving.