The Price of Stupidity and Pride

I have not hid the fact that I find joy in running and it is my preferred exercise in my efforts to loose weight. While traveling I try to work out (go for a run) each night I am on the road. It is a luxury that I cannot afford here at home due to the many other duties, responsibilities, and distractions I have here. Now given the choice I would have those "distractions" over travel any day!

I have been running well of late and last week in Louisiana I actually ran a 27:10 5K, cutting 2:35 off of my race time I blogged about previously. Following that run I was feeling particularly strong, superhuman, and generally just proud of myself. It is funny how fast those humbling moments come after you have allowed yourself to let the pride in...

A co-worker wanted to stay at the gym a little longer and asked if I wanted to lift some weights with him. With a thump of the chest I eagerly dove right in. Now that I explained my mind set, let me also set the picture. My co-worker is 6 years my Sr., 100 lbs my Jr., but he also lifts almost daily. I have also not lifted weights on a regular basis in over 15 years. Seeing as our legs had been exercised with the run, we decided to work out our upper bodies.

Note to self, aerobic success does not directly translate to anaerobic strength. Note to anyone reading this just because your lifting buddy can do 3 reps of 8 on every weight machine in the place does not mean you should do the same PARTICULARLY if you are unwilling to move the pin because you think you will loose face to an older, smaller individual!

5 days have passed since that stupidity. I am probably 80% recovered. The pain is gone but the tight and worthless arms remain. For days I could not raise my hands to my neckline without letting out a blood curdling cry. I almost asked my wife to shampoo my hair, putting on my tie for church was torture, and holding up the music to sing with our ward choir truly required divine intervention!

From now on, I will stick to what I enjoy. Who cares if the fat is gone off of my legs while my gut and arms still suffer from Jello syndrome, in time that will rectify itself. Get your laughs in now, because you know, in person, I can catch you, even if my arms are too weak to do anything about it when I do!