February 7, 2011
Day Two PMC Training

As I have been tweaking my PMC profile, and will continue to do so, more and more folks who have dealt with cancer come to my mind: recently my uncle, the woman I went to China with who passed away from pancreatic cancer last year. Walking into the school library to face over a hundred devastated high school kids was something I will never forget, I don’t think. I made Chinese food this past weekend, and thought of Yafei who probably would have had several things to say about my lack of technique. It was mostly funny.Making Chinese food also reminded me of an old girlfriend’s mother who died years ago from breast cancer. She was such a kind and loving person, an artist, and yes the first white person I knew who could use a wok properly. This whole thing is a bit strange, to say the least.

Full day of school today, which is actually excellent. Then help mom take out her trash and recycling and then drive her over to the car repair place to pick up her car. THEN to the gym.  Tonight I will attend a an online webinar on Religion and Education. Busy day.

Workout February 7, 2011

  • 20 minutes at a consistent cadence on the fake bicycles
  • 20 minutes on the treadmill

Playlist was just songs on the iPod, alphabetically played, but randomly listed here:

  • Dancing Queen
  • Full Moon
  • American Girls
  • Big Yellow Taxi
  • Factory Girl
  • Funkytown
  • I Don’t Know Why
  • Does Anybody Know What Time it Is
  • Black Betty
  • Diamond Girl
  • Carpet of the Sun
  • Blue Sky
  • Black Dog
  • Uncle John’s Band
  • Africa

It was hard not to sing along like I do in the car. I don’t think that would go over well at the Quincy Y. 

Today felt really good again. But boy am I hungry. Guess I picked the wrong spring to cut back on carbs.

7:10pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/Za4iay2z1tj6
Filed under: PMC training 
February 5, 2011
Day 1 PMC Training

PMC Training Day 1

After convincing myself a couple of days ago to sign up for the Pan Mass Challenge, both a physical and fundraising project of no small magnitude, I started the training process officially.

Why I am riding, which has a lot to do with my brother John who died on Father’s Day in 1983 of an aggressive brain tumor, can be found on the link above.

But here’s one of what I hope to be many blog entries about the training:

The Workout Feb 5, 2011

  • Morning Yoga: Sun Salutations and Warrior series plus stretching
  • 20 minutes on the bike at the Y
  • 15 minutes on the treadmill

Playlist was taken directly from my wedding playlist:

  • Anita Baker’s “My Favorite Things”
  • Wanna Dance with Somebody
  • Bad Girls
  • I Will Survive
  • September
  • Funkytown
  • Some Madonna Song
  • String of Pearls
  • Never Gonna Give you Up

The tunes are great as they are dance music from back in the days of high school and college, and the steady beat is great for keeping the cadence on the bike and on the treadmill. I know, however, that I will probably OD on these as I go along and need to freshen the playlist. And what about when the 3 hour rides happen?

Today, as is so often the case with new projects, I was pumped and motivated. It was also a little weird, becauase my brother died in 1983 and all of this music was from them — not intentionally as far as he was concerned, but because it was in the beginning of my bar days. As well, I was pulled back to a time with him because I am riding with him foremost in my mind and because the music was there as a strong reminder of a time when he was quite alive. He was only sick 9 months, mercifully in a lot of ways.

Today was a pretty light workout. I have been following their recommendation for the two-day ride training regimen. I know I can’t fool around here. But OK. Let’s. Get. Busy

3:39pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/Za4iay2wVwl2
Filed under: Pan Mass Challenge Training Cycling