Aclimated

Did I spell that right?  No worries!

The bike ride was awesome this morning after a frustrating week.  I got called in the early early AM twice.  Tuesday and Thursday.  The second time to go in and work.  It really threw off my work out rhythm!  As a result, I only rode my bike twice this week  :-(

I was really looking forward to a hike this morning, but after sleeping in I didn’t think I’d have time.  I have an eye appointment at 11:00.  So, I rode the bike.  It was 91 degress when I left at 9:00.  After I carried my bike downstairs and hopped on, I was thinking.  “91 is pleasant.”  I must be used to the heat.

So up the hill I went.  It was the first time since I restarted my workout that I was able to climb the hill with no rest in the middle!  Normally I stop at a stop sign at the top of the steepest hill on the climb to catch my breath and have some water before I continue on.  This morning I huffed and puffed right through!

I didn’t stay long at the Pima Canyon Trailhead either.  A few drinks of water and bit of stretching and then it was back down the hill.  Yippeeeeeeee!

Then I noticed.  I had a bit of a head wind going down slowing me down.  that means my climb was a bit wind aided :-)  Still.  It’s progress.  I still want to loose like 30 pounds of fat and add half that back as muscle.  If I keep working, maybe someday it’ll be more than just a dream!

The Heat that is Hot

I didn’t check the record for the date, but it’s one of the hottest days since I moved here 2 1/2 years ago.  It’s 1:27 in the afternoon and the thermometer says 113.6.  Ouch!

Update:  114.7 at 2:05 p.m.

Updated Update:  113.6 at 2:45 after topping out at 115.2.  Maybe we’ll go back up some, but there are a few clouds :-)

Update to the Updates:  It’s down to 110.5 at 4:25.  Not sure what it got up to officially or if it was a record.  I’ll check.  definitely the hottest day since I moved her!

Final? Update:  Just checked and it’s only hit 110 today at Tucson International.  It is cooler there sometimes for some reason.  Today’s record is 112, so it may be safe officially.

The Final Update:  National Weather Service says the high was 111 hit at 3:50 in the afternoon.  The record of 112 is safe.

I was thinking I should have gone outside when my thermometer read 115.  The hottest I’ve been out was 114 on the all-time record hot day in Roswell.  115 would have been a personal best :-)

On the Trail Again!

The workout routine continues.  Very nice hike this morning to the “first saddle” on the Pusch Peak Trail.  1,000 feet vertical and maybe 3 miles round trip?  It is more intense overall then the bike ride since it’s more effort for a longer duration going up.  Really keeps the heart pounding for most of the hour and a half!.  Coming downhill you really use your quads and concentration.  On the bike you just coast down at 40 mph!  Yippeeeeeee!

It was hot early!  I left the apartment at 7:50 and it was already 84.  When I got home just barely after 9, it was 98!  It’s 107 right now and just 11:30 a.m.  Heat advisory today.  Be advised.  It’s Hot :-)

While I was hiking, the Lord was reminding me about keeping my eye on my walk.  How it’s so easy to get our eyes off the trail and end up on our rears!  We can all avoid many troubles in life if we’ll just stay close to the Lord and take careful steps on the trail of life.

God is good!  He longs to have that relationship with us.  He is passionate about it!  So much so He gave His life as payment for ours!  I think the reason God has told me not to ever forget how much He Loves me, is because when I do is when I get discouraged.  When I remember how much He is for me!  That He is passionate about guiding me, even transforming me into the likeness of Christ!, I get excited and the joy of the Lord becomes my strength!  Strength to stay close to His love, and His best, for His glory!

Bike on the Bike Again Still

Awesome!

I’m going to a later church service this morning to hear one of my co-workers preach at the Salvation Army, so I decided to make good use of the extra time.  I went on my usual bike ride up Pusch Peak on East McGee.  Much better today!  It was still hard, but my legs did better and I didn’t feel ill when I got home like yesterday.

I left a half hour earlier than yesterday and the temperature was almost 90 both days!  When I got back at 9:00 (same time I left yesterday) it was already 92.4.  Expecting maybe 108 this afternoon.  We topped out at 106 yesterday, I think.

It is that time of year.  Seeing as how I have trouble exercising after work, (it is too hot to hike at 5:30pm) I’m starting to think I can do my bike ride every morning before work!  Why not?  It gets light around 5am.  I can get up by 5ish,  (I’m usually up around 5:30 anyway)  drink my coffee and a smootie while I read my Bible until 6ish, then I could ride from around 6:00 to 6:30 and still have plenty of time to get to work by 8:00!

Great idea.  Now I just need implementation.

Seasonably Hot

After a cool April and May (all Spring & Winter, really) we are realizing our seasonably hot season in mid June.  As you can see, the hottest part of the day is still a few hours a way and we are already at 106!  The “cool” thing is because of the lack of humidity, it “feels like” 105 :-)

The average high for today is 100, so 106 is pretty normal for this time of year.  Tomorrow is supposed to be hotter, so maybe we’ll hit that 110.  Too me it’s not terribly terribly hot until we start getting over 110.  Overall it’s been quite cool around here until lately.  I guess we couldn’t skip Summer this year.  Hopefully the thunderstorms will start on time two to three weeks from now.  The monsoon in Arizona is good times!

UPDATE:  We topped out at 106, but stayed 105 – 106 until almost 6pm.

Back on the Bike!

I’m tellin’ ya.  If you are exercising regularly, don’t stop!  I was doing very well with my diet, hiking and biking in March and April until my business trip to Las Vegas in mid April.  It knocked me out of my routine and I allowed myself to stay out of my routine… until today.

I’ve been eating right again (for the most part) all week, but this morning was the first day back on the bike.  I love where I live.  Right across the street from Pusch Peak, so I am able to do a somewhat intense 4 mile ride from my front door.  The first two miles (and about 20 minutes) is uphill.  Pretty brutal today!  Intense even when I am in shape.  The second two miles (about 10 minutes) is back downhill!  The reward :-)  It is fun!

I had my two cups of coffee first thing this morning and two eggs on whole wheat bread.  A couple of hours later I pumped up the tires on my mountain bike and hit the road.  I was just before 9am and already 90 degrees!  Seeing as how we are already over 100 (it’s 10:57am right now) 90 isn’t so bad :-)

Honesty, the first part of the climb wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.  Don’t get me wrong, I was breathing hard at the half way point where I stop to catch my breath and drink some water.  But I was happy that my legs were holding up well.

The second half of the climb is the toughest and I considered quitting, but I pressed through.  By the time I got home I was hurting!   I almost thought I was gonna lose my breakfast, but I got past it.  An hour and a half later I feel pretty good :-)

My endurance is definitely what I have lost the most.  My leg strength some, but it’s my heart and lungs that need to catch up the most.  I guess more hiking and biking is in order!