Tree trunks

I swear, I keep training legs like this and they're just gonna turn into tree trunks. I only have to look at the leg press or leg extension and my thighs engorge with blood. So much so that it almost inhibits my training and recovery seems to take days.... Here it is Wednesday afternoon and my legs still hurt from Monday nights session and tomorrow I'm booked in for a massage. Dont know if I'll cope with Ruth going hard core on my ITB.

Bench tonight, shoulder no better and I'm downing the voltaren like smarties. Close grip will have to be my main exercise for a while.

Latest Project

A few weeks back Leigh handed over his brand new TomTom Navigator for me to setup/play with etc and being an absolute gadget freak I decided that I had to have one....

Of course being me I had to have one with all the bells and whistles which was going to be quite expensive. I also had to consider that this would be an independent unit - not really ideal.

So I set about researching GPS software for my Dopod. A lot of the pre-packaged software and maps available here in Australia, while getting great reviews from retailers and the like, were being trashed in the various forums that I joined. Upshot is that I managed to get a copy of TomTom Navigator 6.00 (which technically is not for sale in Australia) and 650.1114 maps (somewhat out of date - no Eastlink). Coupled with a $99 bluetooth GPS receiver it worked like a charm and with a few tweaks from some other sites I was able to get red light and speed camera warnings.

Dissatisfied still tho' that the maps were not current I set about trawling the forums until I found a site where I could get both a software update 6.032 AND current maps 675.1431. After much fiddling I have the new maps working and Eastlink now shows on the maps, however routing onto the freeway doesnt take place, I know its not open yet but I'm still wondering how it will know when the freeway can be used.... Some more investigation required I think.....

Training is plodding along, setting the ground work for deeper squats still and squeezing a little more out of my deadlift - neither of which I've trained particularly heavy for quite some time. Benching... that is definitely on the backburner at the moment because of my rear delt injury, close grip benching is about as close as I can get to doing a real bench press at the moment.

Leigh is quite content for me to keep chipping away at the close grip and strengthen my triceps further while I get treatment. Unfortunately he's still suffering from healing loss and so communication is pretty much one-way - in some respects thats good for my training, no point complaining 'cos he cant hear me so I just listen to his instructions and focus on what I'm meant to be doing.

Tho' I did have a whinge about some bruises I discovered on my butt Tuesday morning after our Monday night squat session. Doing low box squats, a couple of times I fell heavily onto the box and so had some rather distinctive bruises which I photographed and showed Leigh when we met for a latte in the city later on Tuesday morning.... No, dont even ask, I am not posting the picture here!

Work has organized for a masseur to come into the office once a week, not free, but may as well be since Oracle provides us with great hospital and extras cover. Remedial massage is claimable and with HBA (who we are moving to in June) cover 90% of the cost. Tried out the new masseuse last week, Ruth, little lady with tough elbows!! Got into my right ITB and and glute where I am getting pain squatting and then she worked on my right shoulder and pec. I know I'm not doing enough post training stretching, this is something she says I really need to address if I'm to get over these injuries - another appt next Thursday.

Earthworks last week - finally got the driveway extended. Tuesday they started digging and Thursday they poured the concrete. Hard yaka walking up and down the driveway for those few days - really unfit!! By Sunday night we were able to drive on it. The mount of dirt and rock from the escavation is still to be moved - Leah's boyfriend Andrew is organizing a bobcat for the job.

Giddyap

On pager last week, reasonably quiet except for Wednesday when it wouldn't stop going off! Still I was glad when Friday came around and that I was not 'on' for the weekend.

Entered my first riding comp in over a year, A combined training event out at Wandin, so big and open... Mojo was terribly excited - which was not good news for me. My first ever dressage test and I came dead last, Mojo simply would not settle and jogged thru where he should have been walking and traveled sideways instead of straight down the line. The judges commented that I 'did the best I could' given that Mojo was so unsettled. Fared better in the show jumping arena with a clear round - albeit some time penalties - at least I stayed on which was more than some other poor competitors.


Benching is still giving me grief. Delt pain is so intense - but only when I lift, doesn't trouble me for day to day stuff, ohh it does play up at night sometimes, the way I sleep I think.

Deadlifted well on Thursday night, heavy partials, Worked in with one of guy's that George is training whose name escapes me, anyway we were both doing 3's at the same weight - although he made it look a little easier - I think it was his determination not to look bad against a woman - LOL.

Lower back was pretty sore into the weekend but I was keen to ride at DARC. Dressage was a little boring and quite hot sitting on our horses in the arena in the sun. The show jumping lesson was more fun and the instructor encouraged me to have a go at cantering over the jumps which Mojo took in his stride - even managed a low grid which was 3 jumps very close together - like bouncing over the jumps - no strides between. I was trying to slow Mojo be he went at them at a canter. Adrenalin plus!

Pony Club on Sunday for Madii, while I helped out back at the working bee.... had to shift piles of pine logs used to build jumps on the new cross country course that we are getting. Needed to move them into the compound so they don't get stolen (the clubhouse was broken into during the holidays - kids, took the drinks, chocolate stash and the kettle. Yeah, the kettle - go figure!)

Anyways, result = trashed lower back from the training, riding and working bee... Tonight it has to hold up for an intense squat session - I think Leigh has plans to make me cry.

Cheers
Vicki

PS. Bobo... yes the stats on Andy's page are out of date. My current stats are on the right side panel of this page.