Raptron Embraces the Darkness

[raptron]

Sunset is creeping earlier and earlier. Restrictions are tightening again due to the pandemic. Our federal election is two weeks away and likely will have violence as a result, no matter which candidates get elected. I'm delving deeper into a half-marathon training plan...

 

Yes, this does seem to be the darkest timeline. 

 

 

GOALS

DARK

• Handbalance practice 2x per week -- This is basically for core and overhead work 

DARKER

• Yoga 3x per week -- Move my hips more good! 

EVEN DARKER SHADE OF BLACK

• Write a short story -- National Novel Writing Month is coming and I definitely don't have the bandwidth for that, but I can write SOMETHING! 

VANTABLACK

• Follow the half marathon program (3-4 runs per week) -- Did you get the memo? I run now. 🙈

 

[sylph]

Following for Raptron-ness.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Following along. You don't know it, but you have tangentially touched upon the theme of this year's holiday mini.

[Mike Wazowski]

Here (sporadically) and grateful for the reminder of the delightful social media sh*tshow that was anish kapoor and vantablack. And the solidarity as someone who's maaaaybe picking up running this year.

[KB Girl]

7 hours ago, raptron said:

Our federal election is two weeks away and likely will have violence as a result, no matter which candidates get elected.

Dx 

much anxiety

 

7 hours ago, raptron said:

Write a short story

Awesome! 

[JuiceeTarget]

Following because you are awesome

[Epsilonte]

Following for awesomeness! Love that you are doing NaNo. I never participated, but always look in awe at the people who do.

[raptron]

On 10/21/2020 at 4:03 PM, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Following along. You don't know it, but you have tangentially touched upon the theme of this year's holiday mini.

I recall the conversation that spawned this, back when. 👀

 

On 10/21/2020 at 6:07 PM, Mike Wazowski said:

And the solidarity as someone who's maaaaybe picking up running this year.

OH BOY. Welcome.

 

On 10/22/2020 at 5:17 AM, Epsilonte said:

Following for awesomeness! Love that you are doing NaNo. I never participated, but always look in awe at the people who do.

I haven't "won" since maybe college? I've participated a few times, but SHOCKINGLY it's a huge time commitment to churn out that many words. And it occurred to me that MAYBE, like many things, taking smaller steps is a better way to approach something than diving into the deep end. Strange. 😉

 

On 10/21/2020 at 6:13 PM, KB Girl said:

Dx 

much anxiety

SO MUCH.

[raptron]

Zero Week Updates

Monday - DID NOTHING, rested muchly

Tuesday - Lifted moderately okay. I did a bunch of deadlifts (3 x 5 x 305#, 4 x 3 x 310), bench (4 x 5 x 145#), and other stuff I forgot about already

Wednesday - Ran 6 miles at ~9:00/mile pace. My feet blistered! Dang it! Still not nearly as bad as the previous shoes, at least.

Thursday - Jogged a bit under 2 miles to an outdoor HIIT workout with two coworkers. It was about a 10 minute warm-up and 25 minutes of high intensity bodyweight and sprinting intervals. It was a surprisingly good conditioning workout. 

 

I'm going to lift today and tomorrow and try to squeeze in my 5 mile run before doing a bit of a day trip to some waterfalls in Vermont on Sunday. It may involve waking up early-ish... but I can nap on the car ride. This will be a test of my mental fortitude, though. 

 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

7 hours ago, raptron said:

I recall the conversation that spawned this, back when. 👀

[WhiteGhost]

On 10/21/2020 at 11:08 PM, raptron said:

Yes, this does seem to be the darkest timeline.

I'm really looking forward to when the light returns

 

On 10/22/2020 at 4:03 AM, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Following along. You don't know it, but you have tangentially touched upon the theme of this year's holiday mini.

Pease don't tell me the theme is going to be half marathons...

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

15 hours ago, WhiteGhost said:

Pease don't tell me the theme is going to be half marathons...

[Stronkey Kong]

[@mu]

On 10/21/2020 at 5:08 PM, raptron said:

Sunset is creeping earlier and earlier. Restrictions are tightening again due to the pandemic. Our federal election is two weeks away and likely will have violence as a result, no matter which candidates get elected. I'm delving deeper into a half-marathon training plan...

Yes, this does seem to be the darkest timeline. 

 

Following...  it is getting creepy for real!

 

On 10/21/2020 at 5:08 PM, raptron said:

Did you get the memo? I run now. 🙈

 

 

 

[raptron]

Zero Week Wrap-up

Lifted Friday and Sat -- Saturday saw a return to back squats. My tattoo was unbothered, which is sublime and means we're back in business. Bench and other things were just okay. 

 

I did not manage to get up early to jog on Sunday before the long road trip day -- I was up until 4 AM on Saturday and then close to 4 AM again on Sunday without sleeping in on either day. THAT plus the return to back squatting had my entire legs made of cement. I went to bed very early last night to catch up on that lost sleep. I will shift things around to get in the last w3 run and take care of all of the w4 runs. 

[Mad Hatter]

On 10/21/2020 at 6:08 PM, raptron said:

• Write a short story -- National Novel Writing Month is coming and I definitely don't have the bandwidth for that, but I can write SOMETHING! 

Fun! How's the guide to day drinking coming along btw? Or is it done and I missed it?!

[raptron]

18 hours ago, Mad Hatter said:

Fun! How's the guide to day drinking coming along btw? Or is it done and I missed it?!

WELLLLLL. I have not finished it still. 🙈

 

I know. I know. Maybe I can chip away at that as part of this -- swapping between two projects when I get stuck with the other usually helps me get more done. 🤔

 

Day 1.1

Since I didn't run on Sunday, I had to run on Monday! And given that I might be hungover or grumpy this coming Sunday (post-Halloween!), the typical long run day, I moved a few miles forward in the week to get the longest run of the week out of the way first. It makes sense in my head -- that's all that matters right now. 😝

 

I did 7 miles at a bit under 9:00 mile/min in a kind of spritzy, misty weather. It was a pretty satisfying run, since I decided to only make it longer while I was running -- I was going to do 6, but then realized that I might as well get the 7 miler out of the way now. In theory, I still need to get in a 6, a 5, and a 3 this week, though I may just carry over some extra milage to next week when I am going to be likely without access to a lifting gym. See? Things get confusing when you mess up the program. 

 

Dark: 0/2 handbalances

Darker: 0/3 yoga

Darker Black: No writing yet

Vantablack: 1/4 jogging

 

Remembering to do yoga is going to be the hardest part as I get this started. I'll try to slate it in during lunch breaks, maybe? 

[Mike Wazowski]

I do not follow the logic, but I assume it's because I do not yet fully comprehend running programming.

[raptron]

Day 1.2

I'm playing with some 5/3/1 programming while I train for my half. It's a lot shorter and much less physically intensive than most of the lifting programming I've run in recent years. The biggest challenge is going to be convincing myself "okay, you've done enough" and going home before I add on a bunch more sets or accessories. 😝

 

Bench: 2 x 9 x 135#, 2 x 5 x 145#, 10 x 135#

Squat: 2 x 8 x 235#, 2 x 5 x 245# <-- lol my legs after running 7 miles the day before had some thoughts about squats

Walking lunges: 4 x 10 x 40#

Dips: 4 x 8

Lots of clamshells and abs in the warm-up room

 

I went a bit late (because I worked a bit late), so I didn't get home until 9:30, did a bunch of cooking (roasted squash and brussels, rice, and ground turkey stir fry with zucchini), and ate late. However, I did a bedtime yoga session of just 15 minutes and fell asleep IMMEDIATELY when I got into bed so I guess it works. ✌️ 

 

Dark: 0/2 handbalances

Darker: 1/3 yoga

Darker Black: No writing yet

Vantablack: 1/4 jogging

 

This is why I always sneak lifting into my goals -- it feels weird to do a whole workout and not get any imaginary points for it. 

[Mike Wazowski]

1 hour ago, raptron said:

The biggest challenge is going to be convincing myself "okay, you've done enough" and going home before I add on a bunch more sets or accessories. 😝

V relatable

 

1 hour ago, raptron said:

Squat: 2 x 8 x 235#, 2 x 5 x 245# <-- lol my legs after running 7 miles the day before had some thoughts about squats

And yet, you did accessories afterwards!

 

1 hour ago, raptron said:

This is why I always sneak lifting into my goals -- it feels weird to do a whole workout and not get any imaginary points for it. 

Oh ya, sneaking gimme points into the goals is clutch!

[dancezwithkittehz]

I realize I am following but I did NOT post I was following. If you didn't say you were following are you really doing the thing? I THINK NOT MY FRIENDS! I THINK NOT!

 

Anywayyy ❤️ and following as alwaysssss

 

[KB Girl]

9 hours ago, raptron said:

The biggest challenge is going to be convincing myself "okay, you've done enough" and going home before I add on a bunch more sets or accessories. 😝

Haha! So glad I'm not your coach the people you gotta convince that enough is enough and that rest days are actually mandatory are such a pain in the butt

(just kidding, I wish I had like 10 more of those, but I do like to complain about this aspect) 

[PaulG]

On 10/27/2020 at 6:51 AM, raptron said:

On 10/26/2020 at 11:59 AM, Mad Hatter said:

Fun! How's the guide to day drinking coming along btw? Or is it done and I missed it?!

WELLLLLL. I have not finished it still. 🙈

 

To be fair, a guide like that needs to draw from a deep well of field research. 😁

[raptron]

15 hours ago, KB Girl said:

Haha! So glad I'm not your coach the people you gotta convince that enough is enough and that rest days are actually mandatory are such a pain in the butt

(just kidding, I wish I had like 10 more of those, but I do like to complain about this aspect) 

Hahahaha. Yeaaah. I'm considering getting a strength coach this winter after my race if gyms are still open or I figure out another way to have access to weights. But I will need to find one that will accept that I classify a 6 hour hike as a rest day. 😝

 

11 hours ago, PaulG said:

To be fair, a guide like that needs to draw from a deep well of field research. 😁

TRULY. 🥂

 

I figure many people who've been WFH have become experts as well in recent months... But, mostly I've paused because a lot of it had to do with going out and doing social things and attending events, which aren't realllllly the norm for most people right now.

 

Day 1.3

Bench: 5 x 135#, 3 x 145#, 2 x 3 x 150#, 6 x 145#

Deadlift: 5 x 235#, 5 x 255#, 10 x 275# (amrap, ugh lol. 10 seems like a good stopping point), 10 x 245#

Pull-ups: 4 x 4

 

AND THAT WAS IT. A friend and I got noodles and ate them on my porch. Jacket socialization time. I maybe ordered a deer onesie for all of the upcoming outdoor hangs this fall/winter. SO I CAN BE FESTIVE. 

 

Dark: 0/2 handbalances

Darker: 1/3 yoga

Darker Black: No writing yet

Vantablack: 1/4 jogging

 

A day without points at all! Woe! 

 

I'm jogging today and MAYBE tomorrow if it isn't snowing/sleeting all day (gross). I will hand balance one of these days. Friday night is spooky movies with QP.

Saturday is Halloween lifting (my lifting BFF and I are dressing up as each other... it will be very silly). I'm debating going to gymnastics practice that evening just for costumed gymnastics fun... but I don't know if I actually will -- it's people I haven't seen in months and I don't really want to be expanding my exposure profile right now, even if we're all masked and distanced. My lifting friend is doing a small, outdoor fire gathering for a few gym friends (and BB) Saturday for Halloween as well.

Sunday should have another jog, yoga, handstands, and then Halloween haunted house D&D online with some nerds. 

 

YOU DIDN'T THINK I WAS GOING TO LET A GLOBAL PANDEMIC AND LIVING THROUGH A DEMOCRACY IN CRISIS RUIN MY FAVORITE HOLIDAY, DID YOU? 

[Mike Wazowski]

You know my vote for which Saturday evening plans you should pick!

 

Also, LOVE the idea of dressing up as each other - I keep joking with the dance teachers that we should do something like that at the studio (since I am not currently teaching, it will *not* be this year for me).