dang it was cold

When my friend Pam and I decided to walk today, it was a balmy 45 degrees out. What a difference a couple of weeks makes.

We planned to go to Cedar Creek (beach) Park off of Hamilton Street.I awoke this morning thinking, "does the city do winter maintenance"? The parks are heavily used, so I hoped they did. the backup plan was Trexler Park. I was fairly sure they plowed that.

As I was driving down Ott I could see the left side was plowed. Yes!

Pam was waiting for me by the pool. We headed east around Lake Muhlenberg. But when we went to cross the bridge quickly realized the other side was not done. We headed toward the sidewalk but that had drifted shut. We returned to the pool the way we came. After crossing Ott we went south towards Cedar Crest College. (All directions are totally random. Hopefully after hearing landmarks you can make your way around.)

After we went past the rear of the college there were city trucks working. They were pruning and removing trees. It was 30 degrees out. Maybe. Why? Seemed like a more appropriate job for spring, summer, autumn ... not winter. Pam had a great theory. Maybe it's true. Many of the trees run along the creek. Perhaps the banks of the creek are so soft and unstable that they do it when it is hard and frozen. And the trucks won't fall in. Sounds plausible. I'm sticking with it.

When we finished the loop at Ott, we decided to go around again.

As we returned to the pool, Pam told me the Allentown JCC was  having a Polar Plunge and was I game. It's supporting their aquatics program. She always goes with me on my adventures, so I said yes. Yes, I know. No spending money. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

On the way home I took a picture of this fellow on Hamilton, across from the park. Clearly he is a Phantoms phan. He's built on top of the snow bank and pretty hard to miss.

A friend posted this race on FB. It's in York. I am so tempted. How many times do you get to race around a giant shoe? I will resist. It's 3 hours away.

Sunday is the Tri-to-help Triathlon. I signed up to do this event, but my friend backed out. Not really interested in doing it alone. It's a two-hour drive. Probably will just skip it.

today

Tail on the Trail announced today the winter challenge. 30 miles in 30 days. Not much of a challenge. But I'll do it anyway.

Today's walk was hilly. I got to thinking as I walked it that I used to think these hills were steep. They aren't. I think I need a new neighborhood.

Today's walk  was down the hill and back up to Seneca. Then down Seneca, and up Clewell to Jeter. Down the steep hill at the hospital (almost lost mama in her wheelchair on that one!) and up St Luke's Place. Then down Fiot, and back up Fiot and home.

Again, it wasn't a long walk, but I got it done.

I took my iPod and took a pix of these red berries. It is my first picture for 2015. I need to remember to take it with me for the camera function. (All the music on it stinks. Never buy workout tapes.) I'll have to borrow the SLR from school for the Niagara Falls Volkssport trip in May.

I've also been busy unsubscribing from race-fitness emails. My in-box used to be filled with  them. So many temptations. But if I stick to "buy only essentials" I can't be tempted. I'm weak.

I nearly failed at this goal about a week ago. I found a Nordic Walking workshop in King of Prussia. I was literally filling out the form to sign up and I stopped myself. The same day I found a Chi Walking workshop in NYC. Both were about $100. Plus travel. Clearly non-essential.

The only other pre-paid events on my calendar are the Idita-Walk, Tri-To-Help in Lancaster in February, and the Yuengling Loger Jogger with my niece and friend in April. I was doing the Tri-To-Help with a fitness friend, but she withdrew to do yet another half marathon. (Her plan is two a month for the whole year. No thank-you.) Other than that it's Volkssport walks/events and just plain old walking.

Now where is my log info for the Idita-walk?

tri-to-help

 Jen, Nora and I at the finish line.

Today I did my first triathlon. Okay, it wasn't an Ironman, but it was a lot. And it was indoors and only took an hour. I did it with a few people from the sugar crushers group. Bonnie came along to take pictures and for moral support. Next year she's doing it.

Jen and Nora were in the noon group. I was in the 12:40 group. It started with the swim. Needless to say hell will freeze over before I wear a swimsuit. Bonnie even offered me one of hers. No, thank you. We were in the pool area while Nora and Jen were warming up. Then even drew on my number while I was waiting. Them, there was one space left in the Noon group, so I was able to go. Yeah, no waiting.

I can't swim. The little I knew I forgot. So I tried walking in water for 10 minutes. It was hard. I kept slipping. Water shoes would have been a good idea. Next year.  I did 13 laps. Not bad, I guess.

 Then we changed and headed down to the spin bikes. Again, I have never used one. Do you hold-on or not? I couldn't decide. We rode for 30 minutes. The seats are uncomfortable and my butt hurt. But more than that, my lady parts hurt. They still hurt hours later. I rode 6.8 miles in the allotted time.

 Then it was off to the treadmill. I've used a treadmill twice before. Both for testing as part of the Walk Your Butt Off panel. Bonnie stood behind me at the beginning and told me what to do. I set the machine a 4 mph and on level two. I was supposed to set it at number one. Oops.

I did 1.25 miles in the twenty minutes.

Afterwards we waited for the others in the 12:40 wave. We stayed in a group in one of the corners. I also walked the track several times. I'm not used to do eight miles in an hour. I had jelly legs!

We arrived home to another snow storm. I guess I'll be up even earlier tomorrow shoveling before work.

Me at the end with my tally sheet.