V-Day

For those of you with significant others, Happy V Day!!  

For those of you without a significant other: Happy Single Awareness Day!

As a guy (in following the stereotype), I spend very little time thinking about this holiday until the last minute.  I actually didn't realize it was Valentine's Day until I had to write the date on a form this morning.  haha  Typical guy, right?

As a scientific, logical, critical human, I find holidays such as this more of an entertainment than a requirement.  I've done things on V-day before for others, but I find it funny how people go out of their way for this one day.  The holiday has a religious foundation, the industry made use of it for profit, and people fall straight into it.  If you have a significant other, I would bet that 70% of you would be thought ill of if you didn't do anything (buy flowers, candy, set up a date or something special).  Sure, I've done things in the past, but I personally find it funny and would prefer to just randomly do that kind of kindness out of pure desire than expectation.  Just saying.

As a single individual, I find no sadness in not having someone today.  Everyone seems to have single parties so that they don't feel left out (aka, trying to get people to hook up with one another).  Yet another piece of entertainment for the day. 

But Aaaaaanywaaaaaayssss....

Who is religious?!  Anyone? Well, I usually get a package of candy for Valentine's Day from my beloved mother, but despite the lack of candy (which I'm perfectly happy with) I instead got an early birthday present; my new bible.  No, not the King James version.  It's a specialty bible made for those who pray to a different type of religious figure; the fitness gods!

(Yes, we still have our Christmas tree up)

Yes, I got the Triathlete's Training Bible by Jon Friel as well as the companion book.  I will be breaking into it tonight and you will of course subjected to many blogs in the future inspired by its pages.  And you'll love it!  

I'm so excited to start reading it - thanks goes out to Amanda for tipping me off to it.  And as today's sacrifice to the fitness gods, I did a double workout:

Morning Workout:
1.  2 min. walk at 4 mph
2.  2.0 mile run at 8.0 - 10.0 mph
3.  2 min. walk at 4 mph
4.  Dumbbell Press (10 reps with 55 lb)
5.  Seated Bicep Curl (10 reps with 50 lb)
Repeat #4-5 for a total of three sets

6.  Tricep Vertical Dip (10 reps)
7.  Lat Pulldown (10 reps with 70 lb)
Repeat #6-7 for a total of three sets

Evening Workout:
SWIMMING
1.  500 Warm Up (free, back, breast)
2.  400 Free - pace
3.  300 Free, back, breast - pace
4.  200 Free - pace
5.  100 IM - strong
6.  10 x 50s Drill down, swim back with 10s rest
7.  2 x 4,3,2,1 with 10s rest
8.  500 Cool Down (free, back, breast)
TOTAL: 3000 yds (1.7 miles)

Unfortunately, I haven't done an upper body workout in awhile, so the morning stuff kind of screwed up my elbow a bit.  My muscles can keep up, but my ligaments/tendons can't quite do so well unless I ease into it and I always seem to forget that fact from time to time.  That should serve as a sign to stick to circuits and lower body workouts aside from swimming.  haha


Tomorrow:
1.  My plan is to get up and do my double workout in the morning.  I might even mix it up and swim BEFORE running.  That or I might run through some new circuit exercises since I have Jess coming to the gym with me tomorrow and that's most likely what I'll have her do.
2.  I'm going to see a free screening of Cedar Rapids in the evening after work, so I may not get around to posting here until Wednesday.  I'll let you know what I think of it.


Question of the Day:
Does anyone have suggestions for good fitness or health related books to read?  Aside from the Bible above, I have Born to Run on my list too.  I'd be happy to add a TON more, I just don't know where to start.


Stay fit.  Stay healthy.