Mondays equal tired days, for me. Either from a lazy weekend and the lethargic
feeling plans to run right into the next day; or “a way too busy” one, and I’m
super tired from fun. It reminds me of the saying “When it rains, it pours.” I need
to work on balance.
This
weekend turned into two nights of utterly decadent FOOD COMAS. I love to eat so it was perfection. The
only thing I liked better than the incredible food was sharing both nights with
my best friends who just so happen to be food piglets too. Subscribing to the
theory “keep a good thing going”, I ate more chocolate chip cookies yesterday than
I ever have in my life (wonder why I made them… to eat the dough?). Yummy all
the way around!
Is
it possible to gain ten pounds in one weekend? My sassy scale got a wide berth
this morning.
Snapping
back to reality was a jolt today especially as I contemplated my Monday morning
nemesis. I reference them a lot here and they may not look like much to anyone
but believe me, they’re rough.
If
I don’t run for 30 minutes to warm up, my brain sends an instant message to my
hamstrings and tells them to start freaking out when I get within 20 yards…it’s
no lie.
These
are “The Stairs” at Swallow Cliff Forest Preserve. 125 uneven, flagstone steps that once gave access to the best toboggan
run around. The first 20 stairs are a breeze; by stair 25, they start ramping
up and by 35, there’re just straight up. Sounds fun, ya?
**4
sets of 125 stairs done 4 times for a total of 16 times up. That’s 2000 stairs. Approximately 44 minutes. (I have
never actually calculated that before; it’s just what I do. YIKES!)**
These
stairs and this workout have a cult following of sorts in the Chicago area for
people of all fitness levels and ages. Today was quiet because it was drizzling but
I ran into an older man who always asks me how many I’ve done and, RATS! if he
didn’t beat me by one today.
On
Sundays, you get the studly, tough guy athletes who sprint up then do handstand
pushups, pull-ups and shoulder press logs at the top (kind of fun to see if I happen to be
there at noon on a Sunday) or people with their kids and dogs. The best is a guy
that does them with his wee little baby strapped to his chest. So cute!
If
you live in the Chicago suburbs or are looking to get out of the city for a
beautiful afternoon, this is an awesome Forest Preserve for stair climbing or
hiking and walking through the woods (over a dozen miles of trails).
Anyone can join me Monday or Thursday mornings and sometimes on a Sunday! Here
is a short video clip of the infamous “Stairs”. Take a look if you're interested.
8 comments:
Oh my! I get tired going upstairs to bed....13 stairs ;0
They were really hard the very first time. The "real" soreness doesn't set in until 48 hours after when you can hardly walk and this continues for a few days. After the initial time, you are never really sore again (if you do them at least once a week.) It does get a smidge easier.
That girl in the blue is my friend. She started barely able to do 4 times up and now she can do 12. You work up to it, my friend. If you were here, I'd make you go with me.
Wow!! Those are some stairs. I think that this weekend I gained close to ten pounds after multiple large meals and large amounts of ice cream Saturday and even more food on Sunday. But, I did get back into my exercise routine this morning... got to stick with it so one day I can attack those stairs!
Your food consumption this weekend sounds just about like mine. I actually wasn't very hungry today at all. Always best to get right back on it first thing Monday or it'll get away from you.
Those stairs can be yours if you get yourself to Chicago! If you live here, meet me on Thursday. It will be fun ;-) Not really, but challenging, for sure.
I had an asthma attack just reading this! My goodness, you must have seriously muscular thighs.
No, not at all. This is a really good leg and booty shaper! No need for Spanx then. Mostly, it gets your heart pumping.
I've seen people running a bank of stairs near the Kennedy Center here in DC, by the Tidal Basin. I forget what it's called. It looks very daunting (maybe more so to me since I'm not a runner) but I always imagine that if you're tired when you come down, you should stop a few steps from the bottom b/c there's nothing separating the stairs and the street and those drivers heading for the parkway are CRAZY.
Giggling at TMW Hickman. Well, not the asthma attack, but the thought...find your inhaler.
TMW is funny! Nothing like a good heart pumper though!
Wise to always be careful on steep steps, especially with traffic at the bottom. I've seen some slips...not good!
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