Friday / Weekend:

Saturday I went up to Devil's Lake to do some climbing. Amazing day! I cleaned two routes, did a variation of a 10d, I kinda my own route by bypassing the crux so it probably wasn't actually a 10d ;), and climbed a few random cracks!

Few highlights. All the pics can be found on my Flickr site.

Man and Superman 5.10d

Thursday: almost the weekend!

Saturday I'm heading up to Devil's Lake for a full day of climbing. Leaving at around 5:00 AM and getting back hopefully before night fall. So can't wait! look forward to a ton of pics!

Last night I spent at the climbing gym, I had tried a new route. It's not a typical route that people climb there because there is no belay rings above it. There is a set about 5 or 6 feet over. Which gives you a nice "swing" if you fall. Hard route though made it to the Crux. A roof (typical) :) New one to work on!

Breakfast: Eggs and stuff
Snack: Coffee
Lunch: Lean cuisine turkey mean, 100 cal pack
Snack: Mojo bar
Dinner: Pasta
Dessert: Ice Cream
Exercise: 1.5 hours climbing.

Wednesday: Rest, tired, blah!

Didn't really do much today, Went to bed at midnight, I was up at 2 am looking in to a crashed server , and Scout got me at 4:30 and I couldn't get back to sleep. In the evening I spent time with Kristen while she worked on her masters class work and then went to bed at about 9:30.

Breakfast: Eggs and stuff
Snack: Coffee
Lunch: Lean cuisine Pizza, 100 cal pack
Snack: Mojo bar
Dinner: Blueberry pancakes w/ Bacon
Dessert: Yogurt w/ granola
Exercise: Rest and recovery day.

Wednesday:

Fun night at the Climbing Gym! Went climbing with Kristen and Robin and met up with Franck. Robin got her belay cert there so she can go climb anytime at the Libertyville Rec Center. Franck and I spent some time attempting to traverse the whole of the climbing wall. He'd climb 10 feet, I'd climb the same 10 feet and add some to it. Then he's start over at the beginning and so on and so on. That's a hell of a work out. Also I think it's good straight/endurance training if I ever plan to climb over 80 feet or any multi-pitch routes in the future. So it's now added to my climbing workout.

Breakfast: Eggs and stuff
Snack: Coffee
Lunch: Lean cuisine Lasagna, 100 cal pack
Snack: 100 cal pack
Dinner: Grilled chicken, Zucchini, and Cuscus
Dessert: 100 cal packs
Exercise: 2 hours climbing

Monday: Yup...Monday

it's finally starting to be light out when I go run in the mornings. I can feel the days of cold, dark and windy mornings slipping away as spring comes in to view. Monday was a typical Monday except I got to sneak off to the climbing gym for an hour. :)

Over the weekend I did some thinking about food I used to eat. One dish came to mind.... Panda Expresses Orange Chicken with fried rice, I went to the Panda Express website and looked up the nutritional information. Holy crap.... 500 calories per service of orange chicken and 450 calories per serving of fried rice. If you got the 2 item to go option (which I commonly did) You end up with a meal totaling 1900 calories. You don't even want to know the Fat content. :) I still enjoy Orange chicken, however it is in the form of Trader Joe's Orange Chicken with steamed rice and a vegi side. rant over.

Breakfast: Eggs and stuff
Snack: Coffee
Lunch: Lean cuisine Pizza, 100 cal pack
Snack: 100 cal pack
Dinner: Pasta w/roll
Dessert: Pie
Exercise: 2. 25 Miles / 1 hour climbing

Weekend

Spent most of saturday relaxing and doing stuff around the homestead, Jessa and Denis where staying with us, good seeing them and hanging out. I did get a good run in Saturday morning. 2.65 miles, about a mile of it though the woods not even on a trail. There is a creek crossing which has a 8" wide concrete "bridge" across it, which makes for a fun little obstacle in the middle of the run. Needless to say I slow down a big and take my time crossing it.

Sunday was started by the same run as saturday morning, however I added about .10 miles to it. Kris made a fabilous breakfast egg casserole. I spend the later morning and the afternoon doing some yard work. We had one of the trees out front fall over the last big snow storm so I had to trim it up a little bit to help on the weight so the roots would take. And then I fired up the old lawn mower. I did manage to get a hour at the climbing gym in after that. Needless to say. I am just plain tired right now. Here's hoping for a good week ahead to all of you!

Breakfast: Eggs and stuff
Snack: Coffee
Lunch: Froze pizza and Cliff bar
Snack: 100 cal pack
Dinner: Pasta w/roll // BBQ Chicken, mashed potatos.
Dessert: Ice Cream
Exercise: 2.65 Miles @ 26:11 / 2.75 Miles @ 25:38 / 1.5 hours climbing

Friday: Weekend!

Ahhh Friday..is there any better day....(maybe Saturday...)
Went running again, made decent time too. After work went to dinner with Jessa, Denis and a number of their friends. Good times. And then went to Ben and Jerry's for desert. FINALLY
got to have the Steven Colbert Americone dream . So So so yummy... (please don't point out the irony of blogging about Ben & Jerry's on this blog) ;)


Breakfast: Eggs, Smokey links, cereal , Coffee
Snack: Coffee
Lunch: Lean Cuisine Lasagna
Snack: 100 cal pack
Dinner: Orange Chicken w/rice
Dessert: 1 pint Ben & Jerry's Steven Colbert Americone dream.
Exercise: 2.15 miles @ 18:48

Wednesday/Thursday: Um....?

Not much happened actually. I hate to say. No running because of my back, I got my hair cut that was exciting, it was getting to shabby to fit under my helmet the next time I go outdoor. Which I hope is soon. And then watched part of Monty Python and the Meaning of Life before Kristen fell a sleep. So huh..... exciting day :) Oh, and I did some laundry.

Came across this link today.....kinda um....interesting


Breakfast: Eggs, Smokey links, cereal , Coffee
Snack: Coffee
Lunch: Lean Cuisine Pizza w/100 cal pack
Snack: 100 cal pack
Dinner: Pasta, vegies, roll.
Dessert: Ben & Jerry's Half Baked
Exercise: Zero day.

Tuesday: Ouch

I have a bruise the shape of an ATC on my ass after climbing last night. I was trying a new route at the gym, all naturals, and ended up bailing about 3-4 feet up, landing on my ass, rolling back spilling chalk and throwing my back out as well. ::sigh:: I went home and ate ice cream and went to bed. ::UGH::


Breakfast: Eggs, Smokey links, yogurt w/granola , Coffee
Snack: Coffee
Lunch: Leftovers 100 cal pack
Snack: 100 cal pack
Dinner: Roladen, cabbage, mashed potatoes, 1/2 Chocolate eclair
Dessert: Ben & Jerry's Half Baked
Exercise: 1 hour climbing

Monday: Poor Scout

No running for me this morning, I was up with Scout till about 12:30 in the morning because of her leg. We went to the park for a swim and I think the water still has not warmed up all the way and it did something to whatever is wrong with her leg :( When I got home from work however she was back to how she was walking before we went swimming. I really wish the vet could do something for her, but they keep telling me there is nothing they can do. They have her on steroids still from that weird skin thing she picked up down in Southern Illinois and I think those are also helping out her leg. So here's hoping :)

Breakfast: Eggs, Smokey links, yogurt w/granola , Coffee
Snack: Coffee
Lunch: Leftovers w/100 cal pack
Snack: Coffee Clif Mojo Bar
Dinner: French Onion Soup
Dessert: Chocolate and 100 cal pack
Exercise: Zero day

Friday - Saturday - Sunday

My apologizes for not posting in the last few days. I have just been hella busy. Friday was spent with a morning run and work followed by a date with Kristen. Saturday was spent at VE with Robin, Holly, Ryan, and with my brother Tom and his buddy Shawn. I practiced more mock leading up 5.8s and 5.9s I also had my first real attempt at a 5.10c (indoor/pic at left) made it 3 or 4 holds short of the top. do'h i'll get it next time!

Sunday we had brunch at my parents house and then cleaned cleaned oh and cleaned :) Also was able to get a quick trip to the dog park. Mmmmm...2 big wet labs......

Food: Lots :) Well earned though.

P.S. If anyone has seen where you can buy (Lake Co. IL) Ben & Jerry's Steven Colbert Americone Dream. PLEASE let me know!!!!!!!!!!!

Thursday: Is it Friday yet?

No running again for me this morning. Freezing rain, not worth it. blah!

Excellent night at the gym, yes yes gym climbing...it still and clears my head and it's a work out :)

I did yet another route that I have been trying to do for the last few months. That made my night. Great crux move, always where I kept falling previously, followed by about 15 feet of hugging the wall.
My family showed up though, that's what really made my night! My dad just flew in from Texas and my bro from Colorado and they and a few of my bro's friends came up to watch.

I'm taking some of them to Vertical Endeavors this weekend because they want to try climbing. I figure the gym would be the best place for them to start. Along with a few of my regular climbing folks.

Breakfast: Eggs, Smokey links, yogurt w/granola , Coffee
Snack: Coffee
Lunch: Lean Cuisine 100 cal pack
Snack: Coffee 100 cal pack
Dinner: Pasta
Dessert: yogurt w/granola
Exercise: 2 hours climbing

Wednesday: April snow brings...wait...wha?

Snow....I got up at 5 this morning and snow....lots of it. I'll run though most crap, but I don't go during lighting storms or snow/ice storms. Lighting storms...for obvious reasons.... Snow storms... I don't want to slip and break something on a silly little 2 or 3 mile run. Not worth being out for 6 months.

I think my figure is getting better. The ice helped a bunch. I am seriously debating on going back to the gym tonight. I have two remaining routes I need to figure out. Body strength is not a factor with these to. These two it's all about balance.



Breakfast: Eggs, Smokey links, yogurt w/granola , Coffee
Snack: Coffee / Coffee
Lunch: Lean Cuisine 100 cal pack
Snack: Coffee
Dinner: Soup
Dessert: 100 call packs
Exercise: 35:00 incline / 30 minutes weights

Thuesday: Ouch...

Actually saw another person out while I running this morning. Though they where on a bike and gave me a really funny look as the passed me.
The night at the gym was typical. Worked on a few routes that I have yet to climb, did some laps (up and down climbing a few times on the same route). Near the end Kris told me I should try the two roof route again, and so, what the hell, I went for it. Frist time I lost my balance on the mantel and fell off. The Second time up the route I nailed the mantel, but somehow ended up putting about 80-90% of my body weight on my left thumb, and POP! Ouch! It's not broken (I don't think) I can still move it. But i'll know more in the morning for now i'll take Reese's advice and ice it.

Breakfast: Eggs, Smokey links, yogurt w/granola , Coffee
Snack: Coffee / Coffee
Lunch: Lean Cuisine
Snack: Mojo Bar, Coffee
Dinner: Minestrone Soup
Dessert: Ice Cream / 100 cal pack / Tea
Exercise: 2.15 miles @ 18:50 / 1.5 hours climbing

Monday: This week is gonna suck

This week is gonna suck.....is it Friday yet?
Not sure why....just have that feeling. I do however hope I'm wrong. I'm sure i'll find out in a few days. :)

Currently I'm looking forward to my morning run. My workout got cut short tonight because of the surge of people at the gym tonight, I couldn't get to a weight bench. Annoying....


Breakfast: Eggs, Smokey links, Cheerios, Coffee
Snack: Coffee
Lunch: Left over Chicken n' Dumplings , Mashed taters, biscuits.
Snack: Mojo Bar, Coffee
Dinner: Chicken n' Dumplings , Mashed taters, biscuits.
Dessert: 100 cal pack
Exercise: 45 min incline @ 20 ramp / 15 res 15 minutes weights (blah!)

Sunday: 5K!

Woke up this morning and went running. Ran my first 5K! It was over quicker then I would have thought. I ran this same route (just about) a week or so ago. I just added a few little side streets to get from 4.95K to 5.15K (Technicalities huh?) I did slow my average pace down from about 8:30 to about 9:30. Which I think will be the key to running 10K. My next running goal will be 10K under 50:00 by the end of summer. I need new shoes..... Something like a New Balance trail runner perhaps.


Breakfast: Smokey links, Cheerios, Coffee
Snack: Coffee
Lunch: Brunch followed by a nice slice of Cantaloupe
Snack: 100 cal pack
Dinner: Chicken n' Dumplings , Mashed taters, biscuits.
Dessert: Fruit
Exercise: 3.18 Miles @ 28:11

Saturday : Not graceful, but goal reached.

A while ago this route at the gym was put up. Every now and then I would give it a go. Had no problem getting up over the first roof. (Thank's to a nicely placed jug). The second roof....just a weeeee bit more difficult. The move is a mantle (basically a 1 armed push up) using your left hand (redish square hold) while your right foot is on a knot like hold (white round one). The right hand is above you for balance (bright green hold in in the pic to the right). To quote Brian, "Well...you didn't earn any points for being graceful, but you did it."






Breakfast: Eggs, Smokey links, Cheerios, Coffee
Lunch: Gyro, Fries
Snack: 100 cal pack x2
Dinner: Lobster, crab legs and shrimp
Dessert: 100 cal pack
Exercise: 2.5 hours climbing

Friday: Weekend! w00t!

No time for a blog! Sorry folks.

Happy Easter!

Breakfast: Eggs, Smokey links, Cheerios, Coffee
Snack: Coffee
Lunch: Pizza 100 cal pack
Snack: Mojo Bar
Dinner: Burger/hotdog chip w/guac.
Dessert: Cake
Exercise: Rest day

Thursday:

Ahhh...good day, and tomorrow is Friday!

Spent the evening at the climbing gym with a few new folks. Had a good time. I finially was able to down climb a route I have been trying for months to. I kept slipping off with about 10 feet to go. w00t! finally. ya ya...I know...gym climbing.. ;)

Off to bed with me.


Breakfast: Eggs, Smokey links, Cheerios, Coffee
Snack: Coffee
Lunch: Left over Orange chicken 100 cal pack
Snack: Granola Bar
Dinner: Tacos
Dessert: 2 x 100 cal packs
Exercise: 1.45 miles @ 12:39 / 2 hours climbing

Wednesday: Weekend please!

Seriously....weekend please.

Looking forward to running tomorrow and then climbing in the evening. Clear my head and take my mind of things. I think it can do both...ya it can.

Breakfast: Eggs, Smokey links, Cheerios, Coffee
Snack: Coffee
Lunch: Lean cuisine
Snack: Granola Bar
Dinner: Pasta w/ Zucchini
Dessert: 2 x 100 cal packs
Exercise: 35 minutes incline 30 minutes weight training

Tuesday: Poor Scout

Long night. I was woken up at 2am by Scout to be let out. The incoming storms looked bad, so I kinda panic a bit that it might hail and moved the cars in side the garage and took in the patio umbrella. Exactly what I wanted to do at 2am. At 5 the alarm went off. I look out the window and it wasn't raining. So I got ready and not 10 minutes later when I walked outside it had started to rain. Thinking back to a quote I saw a while back "There is no such thing as bad weather, only soft people". I put on my wind shell and went running. I'm glad I went, minus the weird looks I was getting from people in the cars, I made good time. My old wind shell, which is way to baggy on me now was not bad to run in.

Didn't get anywhere tonight, poor Scout developed some rash thing over most of her body, so she was rushed to the Vet as soon as I got the Jeep home (She don't fit so good in Kristen's VW Bug). The Vet has no clue what it was. She gave us basic anti-biontics and told to call in 10 days. So i'm keeping my fingers crossed that she gets better shortly.

Breakfast: Eggs, Smokey links, mini bagel , Coffee
Snack: Mojo Bar
Lunch: Mmmmm....French onion soup, 100 cal pack
Dinner: Pasta w/ Zucchini
Dessert: 1 scoop Culver's
Exercise: 2.15 mils @ 18:15

Monday: I liked it better when it was Zero out.

I actually saw another person out this morning jogging @ 5 AM! It might be due to the weather getting nicer. Chances are i'm the only nut around these parts that don't mind running when it was 0 or colder out. :) "Building Character" I think is what my father would say. Running when it was cold was a different ball game. While I was Albion I ran about 2 miles one afternoon while it was a bit above 80, I think I like running better in colder weather. Much easier, and you have a hat on to keep the sweat from running into your eyes.

This evening I tried to run a 5k. Though I guessed at the route (again) and it ended up being only 4.75K (2.95 miles) do'h! Just means i'll have to do it again. :)

Breakfast: Eggs, Smokey links, mini bagel , Coffee
Snack: Coffee
Lunch: Ham & Swiss sandwich with chips and mango salsa. 100 cal pack
Dinner: Mmmmm....French onion soup
Dessert: Trade Joe's brownie mix made with yogurt
Exercise: 2.15 miles @ 18:43 / 2.95 miles @ 24:30

Sunday: Rain

Scout woke me up at 5, crazy dog. This seams to be a pattern........... anywho, put on a pot of coffee and kinda bummed around a bit. About 7 decided to go for a run, wonderful morning! like 60 degrees and sunny! It was like that till about 10 or 11 or so when we got a good amount of rain. No climbing today :( but I got a good deal of work around the house done.

Also, thank you to the person who pointed out to me today that I have been spelling Desserts wrong for the last three months. I'll admit i'm a bit embarrassed...but then again it's not a secret
i'm a bad speller. :) So thank you again, and I owe you a glass or two of wine. ;)


Breakfast: Eggs, smokey links, cereal, Coffee
Snack: Yougert w/granola
Lunch: Ham & Swiss sandwhich
Dinner: Grilled Fish with mango salsa, rice.
Dessert: Trade Joe's brownie mix made with yogurt
Exercise: 1.43 miles @ 11:53 !

Saturday :

So I have been slacking on the blog a bit the last few days. Just been busy and not really around a computer. That could be planned...but who knows......
Went to VE and spent about half the time doing mock sport leads up there 5.8 and 5.9 routes. Which, I think I learned a lot from. Next time i'm down there i'm going to see if I can get my lead cert. I think I can do it. Also exciting news! Thanks to Reese, Kristen now knows how to belay using an ATC! Congrats to Kristen.


Breakfast: Cereal, Coffee
Snack: Ice Cream
Lunch: Jimmy John's
Dinner: Fajitas, beer
Dessert: none
Exercise: 2.2 miles @ 19:58 / 4 hours climbing.