AnneFamiliaPalooza

Morning weigh-in (Monday): 182#, 14.5% BF

Morning weigh-in (Tuesday): 181#, 12% BF

 

I was less than motivated to hit the trail last night, so I busted out the trainer and did a 45 minute tempo workout in the basement -- cranking the pedals and cranking the tunes, I was still bored out of my mind. But: thirty solid minutes at my aerobic threshold, and that part felt pretty good. Tonight it'll be either the towpath or maybe Sals (which I hear is in great shape right now), followed by Taco Night at Brew Works.

 

Sunday was Anne's family's Christmas get-together, aptly named [Anne's surname]palooza -- her mom, four of her five siblings and their families including children and grandkids, the ages ranges from about 2 months, through grade school, teens and college, twenty- and thirty something, and up into the 60's and 70's. Anne and I went with Emmi, got there around 2 and were immediately absorbed into the mayhem. Dinner, kids running around, moms and grandmothers sharing baby duties, not one but two gift exchanges -- when we finally got home I was both exhausted and (almost) too wound up to sleep, and apparently I'd done my share of damage at the dinner table... Thus ends this year's Christmas season, and the time has come to start working it all off.

 

By the way, more snow is forecast for the next day or so. I have a playdate, with Anne's friend Lois, to do some downhill skiing on Friday, maybe we'll all get in some cross-country before then?

 

Gilead's Precipice

Morning weigh-in (Thursday): 180.0#, 13.5% BF
Morning weigh-in (Sunday): 178#, 14.5% BF

 

One more towpath half-ride, followed by one beer at Brew Works, equals one half pound of weight loss... I hit the towpath again Wednesday night, this time remembering to wear booties over my shoes -- I swear this'll be the year I get winter shoes -- and taking a hit of Proventil before heading out. I'm not sure if the Proventil helped on the ride, I was wheezing and coughing on-and-off for big parts of the ride (other parts I was totally fine lung-wise, though still afflicted with a runny nose), but after I got home and settled down I felt great, like I'd blown out whatever was the problem.

 

For those who asked: The Iguana's original cassette probably didn't last beyond 1992, and was replaced/upgraded several times by the shop before I ever learned how to do those kinds of things. Currently the bike has a fairly new wheelset with a 7-speed cassette in back, removable by the standard chain whip and cassette-remover-nut-thingy. The Iguana is now a flat-pedals cruiser, suitable for townie bike commuting; I was on the Turner last night.

 

Some Internetty Things: Looks like Titus Andronicus had a bit of a personnel change,  and everyone's taking turns, giving Ross Douthat his well-deserved wedgies -- some more than once. That provided a few giggles last week, which is better than what I think this week will bring.

Movie Night: Anne and I saw "True Grit" Thursday night. It was awesome, I highly recommend it. Afterwards we went for dinner at Brew Works, which is why there was no Friday weigh-in...

Friday was snowy, and the drive in was slow -- slower and worse than I thought the relatively mild conditions warranted -- but things were fine by the afternoon and I got in a short Sals ride after work. Conditions were really good, it was cold enough that the snow stayed dry and powdery, squeaking as I rode over it. We were supposed to do Anne's family Christmas visit yesterday, but the snow moved things to today so I hit the gym pretty hard: full body including legs, maxxing out the weights, first time in months I did that. Our free afternoon meant that we were cleared for going to the VMB party last night, but I think my workout (and the snowy bike commuting to/from) took me into nap-becomes-bedtime land a little early. Today we do the Christmas thing; we're leaving in a  few minutes.