TyrantLizard: Lift Climb Run Farm

[TyrantLizard]

My first battle log! I started this to keep me organized and motivated, and to have a record of my progress. 

 

I have a few goals I'm focusing on right now:

• Progress toward being able to do a pullup
• Improve my rock climbing (first stage goal: be able to fluidly climb a 5.10)
• Run a 5K sometime in the fall

In the longer term, a bit more weight loss and some body recomposition are also goals of mine, but right now I want to focus on doing things and not on how I look.

 

My running is pretty mediocre at the moment, so I'm using the Zombies 5K training program on my smartphone and occasionally rowing to help build up cardio endurance. I have a weight setup in my basement (bench, squat rack, barbell, plates, and dumbbells) and I just ordered a pullup bar; a combination of basic lifts and body weight is how I plan to progress toward my pullup goal. Climbing will improve, I expect, through a combination of my strength training efforts and simply through climbing, which I currently do once per week.

 

Since I have a physical job, I have to be pretty careful not to overtrain (if I get injured I'm useless at work!) but I don't have any particular time limit on anything so there's no reason to rush. All I'm asking of myself is to stay active, progress at a safe but challenging rate, and have fun.

 

In case anyone's curious, here's the short version of my backstory: a Canadian woman who lives in Boston. Used to be obese until a few years ago when I lost 90 pounds and improved my fitness. Currently striving to improve it even more. I like to rock climb, I like getting stronger, and I'm working on improving my running endurance. Used to be in corporate law, now assistant manager of an organic farm on the edge of the city. I work in the fields and drive tractors and make crop planning spreadsheets. I'm a nerd who likes languages, history, computer games, biology, camping, music, building things, and dancing.

[TyrantLizard]

Last night was rock climbing night and I came home feeling proud and tired. I finished a 5.8- that I tried just for the hell of it, thinking I'd only get halfway up. I also climbed a few challenging (for me) 5.7s, did some work on overhangs (which I'm getting better at!) and I got further on a V1 bouldering problem I've been battling. I'm still a beginner but I'm seeing concrete progress and it feels good. There are definitely moves I can do now that I couldn't do three weeks ago, and my climbing buddy says my footwork is getting much better.

 

Going to get in some inverted rows tonight and a few rounds of bodyweight squats (which is the best way I have found to work on my squat form, something I am trying to improve) and maybe go for a Zombies run if I have the energy.

 

Random happy moment for the day: 

Today was a big harvest day and at one point I carried a stack of bins of carrots in from the truck and then weighed it for the log book and realized I was carrying around 100 pounds of carrots like it was no big deal. That felt pretty awesome, and it was a nice pick-me-up on a morning when I was slightly grumpy about my boots leaking and leaving me with wet feet.

[TyrantLizard]

Did a zombie run last night, woo! I'm right near the beginning of the training program, still doing walking/jogging intervals, so I don't think anyone would really want me to be the supply runner for their post-apocalyptic settlement just yet, but I got a good workout and I'm seeing some improvement in my running form. That's key for me - I'd rather be slow than injured.

 

I'm seeing some progress on my inverted rows, too. Better form for sure and I'm able to use an ever decreasing angle for full range of motion reps. If I try to start lying down on the floor I'm not quite able to pull myself all the way up to the bar, but I'm getting closer. Only about 2-3 inches shy now. I think rock climbing is definitely helping my back and shoulder strength.

[TyrantLizard]

I've been climbing once a week at a really awesome climbing gym for over a month now and I've been thinking seriously about getting a membership. It pays for itself if you go once a week, and it'd mean I could drop in for bouldering on days when I have energy after work. They also offer yoga classes, which is something I've thought about on and off for years but never wanted to pay for. If I'm still in favour of the idea after thinking about it for a couple more days, I'll spring for it.

 

Work was pretty tiring today (harvest, twining tomatoes, and a bunch of weeding) and I didn't sleep well last night, so I'm glad it's a rest day as far as running goes. 

[TyrantLizard]

Did another run on Friday night (July 18) and was really happy with my running form and how I got into a groove after a while. The people I live with think I'm a wee bit insane for running after a day of farming, but it feels good. Scheduled for another run tonight and I'm looking forward to it. I'm starting to get a bit over-the-top nerdy with my run tracking apps (I use Endomondo, in addition to Zombies, Run! and my spreadsheets) but I regret nothing.

 

Pushup form is improving and I've started doing a few different exercises for core strength. Still doing inverted rows whenever I can sneak them in, and the pullup bar will arrive Wednesday. I suspect I'll do nothing but hang from it at first, and some controlled descents starting from standing on a chair, if I'm lucky. But hey, everyone has to start somewhere.

 

Tomorrow is climbing and I can't wait. Going to try that overhang I almost had last week and see if I can make any progress on my bouldering problem.

[Stonie]

Oh man, the idea of a T-Rex rock climbing is absud...ly brilliant. xD

Also a T-Rex farming vegetables all peaceful like.

 

I like your story, and I applaud you for such a change.

Most people think that's how you're supposed to live, and I don't get it either! 

[TyrantLizard]

Thanks! I can't even remember how the nickname started, but it makes for some hilarious imagery so I jumped on board with it. I till the soil with my claws, rawr.

 

Someone on Nerd Fitness linked me this and I think it's my favourite t-rex image: 

 

 

With reacher-grabbers and the right attitude, anything is possible.

[TyrantLizard]

Huge climbing victory tonight! I climbed my first ever 5.8 and my first ever V1 bouldering problem, both of which I got on the first try! My climbing buddy says my footwork is improving really quickly and I can feel my toolbox of moves expanding every time I climb. I also progressed on both of the bouldering problems I've been working on since last week (one of which is an overhang, which are hard for me) and I made good progress on a tough 5.8 and climbed the 5.7 overhang I couldn't do last week.

[TyrantLizard]

Ran for almost the entire free-form-run section of the zombies training session last night. That's huge for me! I ran almost ten minutes straight (admittedly, only running about 5 miles per hour on average, but still) with only a few breaks to walk for 15-20 seconds maybe three or four times. I'm so tempted to push it and just try to run on my own, without the training program, but I won't because I know it's a good way to risk injury and develop bad running form. I'm going to trust the program and stick to it, even if I feel like maybe I could do more than it asks of me. Even if I have the cardio endurance to run more, my joints and muscles need time to adjust to running for longer distances.

 

Oh, and I'm finalizing the goals for the next challenge. Excited about starting it!

[Stonie]

Wow, way to knock that rock climbing out of the park! And I'd definitely follow the running plan; even the first time I ran using the c25k app I pushed it too far and couldn't walk for a week. I was very upset. xD

 

But I shall not be making that mistake again, I can tell you!

[TyrantLizard]

My pullup bar arrived yesterday! It's now securely mounted to one of the support beams in the basement, and the only hurdle was an unexpected trip to Home Depot for a 7/16 drill bit.

 

Much to my surprise, I can do a flexed arm hang! ...for six seconds. But STILL! It's more than I was expecting to be able to do. I'm going to keep up with my inverted rows and add in the flexed arm hangs, working up to negative pullups as my next step. Wish me luck.

 

It's funny, but pure bodyweight exercises like the pullup are a really good motivator to lose excess body fat. I'm already pretty happy with how I look, and I honestly don't care what size jeans I'm wearing or what my BMI is or any of that crap. But I do care about being able to climb things and pull myself up and be self sufficient and strong, and for those things dropping ten or twenty pounds seems very appealing in a pleasingly practical way.

[Ciara]

Another Bostonian! I love it~

 

Way to go! You're already improving so much. You must feel wicked proud of yourself. Keep it up

 

 

It's funny, but pure bodyweight exercises like the pullup are a really good motivator to lose excess body fat. I'm already pretty happy with how I look, and I honestly don't care what size jeans I'm wearing or what my BMI is or any of that crap. But I do care about being able to climb things and pull myself up and be self sufficient and strong, and for those things dropping ten or twenty pounds seems very appealing in a pleasingly practical way.

 

I'm the same as you. I mean, I would like to lose 10-15 pounds of fat but mostly I just want to be able to do things with my body that I can't at the moment. The weight loss is more of a supplement to that. By any chance do you plan on being an Assassin? If so, we can be future assassin buddies together! hehehe

[Lingophile406]

Oh man, the idea of a T-Rex rock climbing is absud...ly brilliant. xD

Also a T-Rex farming vegetables all peaceful like.

Seconded. What other awesome images of a T-Rex can we find?

 

[NicTheRugger]

Just found your Battle Log. Climbing sounds like an excellent pastime! I wish I could do it more often! Best of luck on your journey!

 

Also, Unstoppable T-Rex is beautiful. That just made my day.

[Stonie]

Seconded. What other awesome images of a T-Rex can we find?

 

 

 

 

HAHAHAHA aww, I feel bad for laughing at the dino but that's adorable. 

 

This one always makes me laugh (And perfectly sums up my hate of push ups)

 

[MogiShade]

Poor T-Rex.  One of the baddest muthas of the dinosaur world the butt of all your jokes about his small little arms.  Truth is, T-Rex squats and never curled.  So he looks a little funny to you modern gym goers.  It's just that he's all about massive quads and having a sick booty pump.  Also, he once caught someone curling in his squat rack.  He ate him. 

 

Mind if I ask you what lured you to Boston?

[TyrantLizard]

Poor T-Rex.  One of the baddest muthas of the dinosaur world the butt of all your jokes about his small little arms.  Truth is, T-Rex squats and never curled.  So he looks a little funny to you modern gym goers.  It's just that he's all about massive quads and having a sick booty pump.  Also, he once caught someone curling in his squat rack.  He ate him. 

 

Okay, that's probably the best defence of T-Rex's honour I've ever encountered. And I'm pretty sure if I ever found someone curling in my squat rack, I'd eat them too. With some fava beans and a nice chianti. No right-minded jury would convict me.

 

Mind if I ask you what lured you to Boston?

 

The short version? Sleeping with an American. A particular one, I mean  

 

I was in law school back in Toronto and living there with a dashing Bostonian. Our original plan was to stay in Canada, but the company he worked for was acquired by another company in a way that made his job suddenly much more attractive, and they wanted him back in Boston. Canadian law degrees are valid in Massachusetts, and making radical life changes is one of my well-honed skills, so we moved to Boston in 2008. A bunch of stuff has happened since then to anchor me here, most importantly the addition of the lovely Orphos (she of the wizardly cooking skills and rhetorical gravitas) to our household. Living in the United States is still quite bizarre sometimes, but Boston has become a second home.

[TyrantLizard]

Last night was another Zombies, Run! workout - about 2.5 miles. I'm itching to skip ahead to the harder bits but making myself stick to the program. Can't be a badass if you're injured, I keep telling myself.

 

Tonight was strength training: upper body and core work. Featuring a colourful selection of ways to make my abs and arms ache:

• Pushups
• Inverted bodyweight rows
• Bent over barbell rows
• Flexed arm hang for not enough time
• Dead hang for a boringly long amount of time
• Lying leg raises (first step in the dragon flag progression)
• Stability ball crunches

Every now and then I get a bit frustrated because I want my progress to be quicker. And then the part of my brain that remembers what it was like to be me in 2005 laughs and bops me on the nose and says, "You can do bloody pushups. Real ones! Don't you remember how impossible that used to seem? Don't you remember how much you looked forward to that? Shut up and appreciate what you've accomplished and get back to work."

 

Thanks, mental representation of past me. Though the violence was really uncalled for.

[TyrantLizard]

Another Zombies training run tonight. About 45 minutes with only little smatterings of walking here and there. My endurance is improving noticeably. I'm thinking of doing the Zombie Run 5K in Boston in October. What better motivation for my first official 5K than a bunch of people in zombie makeup chasing me?

 

Yesterday was a rest day as far as formal exercise goes, but Saturday is also a work day, and that's plenty of exercise on its own. In the evening we watched Elysium, which was mediocre but kept my attention because it starred Matt Damon and also featured evil Jodi Foster. It was nice to have a quiet night in. Recently I've been going dancing on Saturdays (I mean house music and strong vodka tonics, not the foxtrot and tango) but the guy I go dancing with had his sister in town for a visit, and none of my other Boston people are currently interested in spending their Saturday in a nightclub.

 

I'm excited for the challenge starting tomorrow. The link to it is in my signature, and I'll be updating my challenge spreadsheet as I go. I'll try to keep challenge talk mostly to the challenge thread, but this will be a good place to keep track of stuff I'm doing outside my challenge, like running and flexibility work.

[Mrshaworth]

Ran for almost the entire free-form-run section of the zombies training session last night. That's huge for me! I ran almost ten minutes straight (admittedly, only running about 5 miles per hour on average, but still) with only a few breaks to walk for 15-20 seconds maybe three or four times. I'm so tempted to push it and just try to run on my own, without the training program, but I won't because I know it's a good way to risk injury and develop bad running form. I'm going to trust the program and stick to it, even if I feel like maybe I could do more than it asks of me. Even if I have the cardio endurance to run more, my joints and muscles need time to adjust to running for longer distances.

 

Oh, and I'm finalizing the goals for the next challenge. Excited about starting it!

Wow! That's fabulous. I walked through mine today, but Wednesday and Friday I'll run ya least a portion of them. How long gave you been using the app? I'm only on week 2/day 1, and with bad knees I'm trying not to overdo it myself. Great job breaking personal bests!!! See you in the accountabilbuddies forum

[TyrantLizard]

Wow! That's fabulous. I walked through mine today, but Wednesday and Friday I'll run ya least a portion of them. How long gave you been using the app? I'm only on week 2/day 1, and with bad knees I'm trying not to overdo it myself. Great job breaking personal bests!!! See you in the accountabilbuddies forum

 

I'm pretty close to the beginning, too. Last night was Week 3, Day 1. I've been trying to run for as much of the free form runs as possible, though, because I feel like I get more training that way. And ideally by the end of the training program I'd like to be able to run a 5K in under 30 minutes. We'll see, though!

[Lingophile406]

Dang rex, you are nailing this thing. Good luck on day one! Im headed over to check your challenge page riiight...now!

[TyrantLizard]

Climbing last night was fantastic. The details are in my challenge but the short version is that I climbed my first 5.9 ever and I am thrilled.

 

Long day at work today (6:45am - 8pm) so I took the night off from outrunning zombies.

 

Thought I'd share a photo I took at the farm today: over 1200 happy little lettuce plants (a mix of different varieties) waiting to be planted tomorrow morning. We start our plants from seed in the greenhouse and transplant them, by hand, into the fields when they're big enough. We grow over 45 different crops, so it's a lot of transplanting. Hundreds of thousands of transplants over the course of a season.

 

[Stonie]

Nice lettuces! I'm attempting to grow some at the moment; hopefully they end up half as healthy as those when they're grown up! 

[MogiShade]

Nice lettuces!

Why does this sound lewd to me?