Taking a Step Back, To Make a Stride Forward II…

Eleven days ago I posted about the realization that all the running and physical fitness training I was doing was rather selfish and wasn’t really benefiting my son and that at this point the best way to be a role model for him in terms of health and wellness was to actually help him by doing his CPTs.

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• Taking a step back, to make a stride forward… (lifeinthefatherhoodblog.wordpress.com)

Since then, I’ve actually done as I planned and made his CPTs part of my morning routine. I’ve made an effort to do that every day since then and I’ve done it all but one of those days — when I had an early morning appointment that I needed to get to for work.

At the same time, I’ve also not been able to get in both my son’s CPTs and a workout (at least not regularly, and certainly not a run.)

But… today, I was able to get in my son’s CPTs, a run, and a workout. Now, I just need to translate that into continuing to do that so I can continue to make gains or strides in my own health and fitness goals.

Those 11 days that I haven’t been running have definitely taken a toll on my performance measures from the last time I did run too. My last run, I managed to eke out an average speed of a 9 minute mile, certainly not record breaking by any means, but keep in mind that with most running you’re only competing against yourself and your own prior performances. My average pace today was around a 13 minute mile — yes, I walked most of my route.

But, as always, I wanted to share some of the sights from my run.

Talk about mixed signals.

I’ve seen this sign so many times, and I just love it. I’m not sure why it hasn’t been replaced. It reminds me of a sign I saw on vacation that said “Speed Enforced Electrically.” (If you don’t see the problem with that…)

But this sign is a lot less subtle in the problems with ambiguity or mixed signals.

Most of us are probably familiar with the usual “No Littering ” signs that show the prohibited or “no symbol” over trash or refuse along with the written words “No Littering” or something to that effect along with language about a $250 fine or whatever local law may allow.

But this sign… wow, right? It’s telling you quite literally, “Littering Is Illegal” but… then it puts the no sign on there. Now, admittedly the type is superimposed over the no symbol, but there’s nothing else there. So one can reasonably presume that the no symbol (especially if just glanced quickly) is over the words, making the meaning “Littering Is NOT Illegal.”

Now, like I said I got in not only a run, but an actual workout.

Currently I’m trying to follow the George St.-Pierre Rushfit Workout.

Quick background: Georges St. Pierre is a Mixed Martial Artist fighter in the UFC. He’s also one of my favorite fighters.

At any rate, today was the Abdominal Strength and Core Conditioning workout day. I guess.

OK… so I haven’t been following the schedule very closely… I did do Strength and Endurance on Friday night, then Saturday I did about 5 hours of cardio while carrying around a lot of camera equipment at the bull run, including up and down 5 flights of steps, and mowing part of the lawn. Sunday I mowed the rest of the lawn with a traditional push-reel mower (2 hours cardio) and then played airsoft (like paintball) for 2 hours, so four hours of cardio. I meant to only take a break Monday as a recovery day… but I ended up not doing much of anything yesterday… the GSP Rushfit Calendar begins with Strength and Endurance (S&E) on Day 1  (Friday), Day 2 Abdominal Strength and Core Conditioning (what I should have done Saturday), Day 3 Cardio (of your own choice) and stretch for flexibility (Should have been Sunday… and sort of did…), Day 4 S&E (took as a rest day Monday), Day 5 Cardio and Balance & Agility (should have been yesterday), Day 6 Full Body Strength and Conditioning (should have been today), Day 7 Rest (tomorrow.) So… since I’ve kind of messed everything up… tomorrow I’m going to do what should be Day 3… Cardio and Stretch for Flexibility.

Anyway, so unlike a lot of workouts that concentrate on lower rep(itition) numbers and higher weight, Rushfit instead concentrates on higher reps with lower weight. They recommend starting with 5-10 lbs, and GSP himself only goes up to a maximum of around 15-20 lbs depending on the exercise.

My select tech weights set to 10 lbs for the GSP Rushfit workout.

But, despite not really following the routine as closely as I should and not having done the Ab&Core workout in probably two weeks — I wasn’t feeling the burn as much with 10 as I did the last time I did the workout, which is a good thing… it just means I need to crank that dial on the weights to the next higher weight.