Great week this last week! All my workouts were in so #cigarSunday was going to be a thing, and it was delightful! But that is another blog post.
So the week went like this:
Monday: off
Tuesday: 1500m swim + 13mile bike
Wednesday: 5km run + 2x750m swim
Thursday: 5km run + 10mile swim
Friday: 2500m swim with Dave
Saturday: 4km run (outside) with Dave + 13mile bike
Sunday: off
I was really looking forward to this week, 99% of the time my workouts are solitary, I dont attempt much social interaction at the pool or gym, and the few times I make it outdoors, the pitying stares from people as I trudge by is enough to make me want to break out in a turrets fueled rampage that would make paint curl from the wall. 
But for 2 workouts this week, one in the pool and one outdoors, I was going to have friend of the show, and Epic Canada run and swim partner in town for a couple of days. So we scheduled a swim for Friday morning and a run for Saturday so he was free in his afternoons to inspire the young minds that were here on our campus. 
So the swim, well right off the bat, no bones about it, Dave is a much better swimmer then I am, but his is also very kind and is determined not to swim ahead of me more then a length or two so I can landmark him when we are on our actual 5km swim.  Now that that is cleared up, it was a great swim. We were a little lane crowded, but for the most part people stayed out of our way as we were on a mission to get in 2500km in less then an hour so that we would be on pace with our time last year. After a few wardrobe malfunctions ( damn my lack of hips) we finished out our 100 lengths at about 57min. Not awful. But that is only half the distance we are swimming, so much more practice is needed.
Next up was our run. Now Dave doesnt really run although he is extremely active. Again, as stated, many, many, many times throughout this blog, I am not a fast runner, in fact, I am more of a trotter, but saying im going for a trot just doesnt sound that appealing.
I was debating on taking him around Antigonish's many hills, but decided on a more scenic route on the landing. It was a little cool, but the sun was out and it was a very good morning for a run/trot. Right away I could tell that Dave could totally do this way faster then I can. But like a good friend he basically ran on the spot all the way while I trot/ran our route. As we were approaching the half way mark, we started to get swarmed. No not by Dartmouth mall parking lot hooligans, but bugs. Hundrends, nay, Thousands, nay MILLIONS of the little friggers.YUCK. Frig I hate those little bugs that seem to land in your face holes.
They got so thick I was actually breathing them in and out at one point. After about 15 seconds of the bug cloud, we turned and started to run back. I was hacking and coughing like a 15 year old taking their first hit off a dube. One little frigger got caught in my throat and I kept hacking and gagging the whole way back. #classy
We did tack an additional amount on the end of the run, but probably were only around the 4km mark. Again not awful, but the goal was 5km.
As much as I like running in the fresh air, i think i appreciate the treadmill more. Climate controlled, ready access to water, a selection of programming on the overhead tv screens ahhhh delightful. Outside bugs, dogs, at the whims of the Nova Scotia weather system, pot holes, mean dogs, gah what a disaster.
Yeah okay, I suppose the scenery has its value, and maybe if I was not a trotter and more graceful I might appreciate the outdoor running a bit more, but right now, I would take a treadmill anyday.
This next week is going to be interesting as I have a trip to Vancouver in the mix. I will be forced to do some outdoor running there as the hotel gym, upon last inspection, was a little lacking in the equipment section. The treadmill there had a stutter in it that almost sent me flying back into the weight rack stand. So Stanley park it is, hopefully I wont be stabbed by a heroin junkie trying to trainspotting me.
Sean"BigBoyRunning" Ryan

Okay so this week is a two fur ( for), here is the last two weeks of work outs:
Monday: off
Tuesday: 13mile bike + 1500m swim
Wednesday: 750m swim + 500m of sprints + 5km run
Thursday: 5km run
Friday: 2x750m swims + 13mile bike
Saturday: 60min Spin class
Sunday: 6km run ( outdoors)

Last week:
Monday: 1500m swim
Tuesday: off
Wednesday: 2mile run + 10mile bike + 2 x750m swims
Thursday: 5km run
Friday: 2x750m swims + 13mile bike
Saturday: 60min spin class
Sunday: 6km run ( outdoors - hills)

So yeah me, two weeks of workouts in and complete!! So in that time I am back to giving vegetarianismness a try. Yeah I know, I know, once a meat eater always a meat eater. But my tum-tum feels much better when I forgo the meat. I know, I know, a 40 something man should probably not say tum-tum, but i hate it when i get an owwwie from my boom-booms not being as free flowing as they should be. Okay may have stepped over a TMI line there, but you can stop reading this anyyyytime.

So yeah as of today, we are on Day 6. Im not going to get self righteous and i promise this will be my only update, we will see where it goes.

On a more serious note lets talk about Spin classes. Now I recognize that I have a severe allergy to really happy people, not that I hate them or anything, but the continually enthusiastic make me question the sincerity of that enthusiasm. Like are these the same people that listen to the Smiths when they get home, in the dark, petting a lot of cats, eating a mister noodle for one, rocking themselves to sleep, crying out way mommy didnt love them? Maybe, maybe not.

So upon entering my first spin class I was weary. I quickly slipped to the back row and started adjusting my bike. First up, these bikes are not like the stationary bikes out in the free-for-all section of the gym, oh no, these are high tech super stationary bikes that if they were not afixed to the ground could probably take flight through magical or superhuman means.

Once I started adjusting my various knobs(heh heh, knobs), I straddled my space age bike and immediately felt the most discomfort my groin has felt since i got a line drive to the balls 8-9 years ago. After much shy wiggling around I got myself into a position that didnt have me wishing for a Lance Armstrong type surgery.

I was flanked on either side by gals that clearly were not there for fun as they got their bikes adjusted with military style precision, mounted the saddle and began " warming up" at a pace that could have ripped a whole in the space time continuum. The instructor then kicked the door open like a old west gun fighter that just found out a rival gunslinger shot her dog. A lot.

She surveyed the room with a steely glare, walked to the front, hoped on her bike and began to set up her mic and music. Im not sure what happened for the next 60 minutes, but there was a lot of yelling of words like: attack, and digdigdigdig, and work harder! But at the end of it I was sweaty mess, out of breath, and legs in a remorseful spasm. But I survived. The gals on either side popped off their bikes, and gracefully exited, while I tried to loosen the straps holding my feet in the peddle stirups. 

I want to say this was a graceful move, but my legs not wanting to support me in any way, and the handle slick with sweat and tears almost led me to an epic collapse taking out the row of bikes with me still sitting on it. I finally wiggled my feet out of the iron clamped stirups, slide off my bike like melted cheese off a pizza, and walked out like a duck with backwards knees, flapping my feet on the floor to get feeling back in my legs.

I made my way home and promptly napped for 2.5 hours. 
Now while that may not have been the most successful venture, and i am clearly the uncoolest person in the class, i went back again the next week. It wasnt as awful, still wasnt great, but not completely awful. Im sure this week it will be just fiiiine. Third times the charm right? Right!?

Sean "BigBoyRunning" Ryan

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K so I am not sure what 'Sweat is the new 40' means, but I feel like in the last couple of years since turning 40 I have reached a new level of sweatyness during any given workout, running, biking or even after getting out of the pool. Maybe I dont cool down or stretch enough, who is to say? Okay maybe wearing the hoodie during workouts is contributing to the overall squishy sweatyness but I have had workouts sans hoodie and the same sweat level seems achieved. 
This can take on many different forms, my entire shirt being soaked to the point that I can wring it out on the bottom edge ( gross) to having my under gitch soaked and sagging like a toddler that just took a massive dump. ( so pleasent I know)
So yes, I am a sweaty, sweaty human. 
I like to think that I am working hard so, yea i should be sweating. Some may not feel the same, some may just be going to the gym for, I dont know the social aspects? To be seen? To wear the latest Under Armour Superman dry fit shirt? Who knows, but, I was taken aback last week when another member of the gym jumped out of my way, petrified that they would get any of my sweat on them. Not moved out of the way, not stopped to let me by, but jumped out of the way like John McClane after the window above him is shot out by Euro trash terrorists. 
I must have given her a funny look, like were you about to step on a snake or something, because she gave me a look of disgust and mouthed ' you are so sweaty' as she moved past me.
Its a gym.
People sweat.
Some more then others.
I am a sweaty human.
I didnt say any of that, i really wasnt sure if what happened actually happened, but I went to the next thing on my list and carried on.
Im not sure what phobia, or issue this person has with another persons sweat, but good luck to anyone having coitus with this person, it is probably a very dry affair.
#luckyyou
Anywho, I am not sure why I am running into these humans in my workout circles the last couple of weeks, but will be glad when it stops.
Other then that strange encounter, great week!
Monday: off
Tuesday: 1500m swim + 13mile bike
Wednesday: 5km run
Thursday: 2x 750m swim + 13mile bike
Friday: 2000m swim + 5km run
Saturday: 13mile bike
Sunday: 6km run on the landing
So with those in the books a #cigarSunday was had and a #cigarMonday too, but that is another blog post!
​Sean "BigBoyRunning" Ryan