Still training for Mt. Washington

I've been busy training away. I'm not sure if I'm ready, but I do know I'm in better shape than I've been for a few years. I even lost 3 pounds (but they were the 3 I gained when I started slacking off a few months ago, so net=0).

I've climbed the steepest part of the blue trail twice - once in 1.5 hrs, the second time in a little over 1 hr. I felt like crap both times.

I've done stairs -- once I wanted to see how many I could do in 20 minutes, and came up with 36 round trips (only because I wanted to at least do half as well as the Cockney Sparrow's 72 times in 20 minute).

The next time I took a leisurely 1/2 hour and did 45 round trips.

No ill effects afterwards either time, except for feeling a little wembly in the knees for an hour or so.

I've been going to Curves twice a week. I think I'm going to start doing 3 circuits instead of 2 if I can only make it there twice. I have amazed the ladies with my attack on the "thigh-buster." I went from 8 wimpy reps to 11 power reps.

This machine is one where what looks like the Canada arm of the space shuttle is resting on your shoulders (with pads) and you're supposed to squat down and then come up, while the entire weight of the space shuttle is pushing back at you.

They do give you handles on the arm to help stabilize you, thank god.

Actually it's just some hydraulic thingy, so if you come up slowly, it's not as much pressure.

A lot of women at Curves don't squat far, and then come up slowly. I did likewise until Mt. Wash lit a fire under my butt. Now I squat so that my thighs are parallel to the floor and then push up as hard and fast as I can. 11 times in 30 seconds.

Then I recuperate at the next station, where you jog, walk, whatever on a mat. I think it's done me good.

We'll see, I guess.