Day 457: Thunderstorms, Rowing and Flutter Kicks
When I took Sasha outside this morning, though it wasn’t sunny, it seemed like it would just be a chilly start to the morning. Once I got to my office, however, the skies opened up and the third storm in the last seven days started.
It was a strong thunderstorm packing lots of lightning. It is only a handful of times in the four years of living here that we have had an active lightning storm.
One of the best photos I saw today was sourced by SFGate on Instagram showing the Golden Gate Bridge getting hit:
"#picoftheday : Golden Gate Bridge gets struck by lightning. Crazy #weather in the #bayarea (photo:ap)! #goldengate #goldengatebridge #lightningbolt..."
I had several meetings throughout the day and found myself tied up in a number of other things that popped up. Before I knew it, it was already time for me to change for the gym even though I still had a lot more that I wanted to accomplish today.
My goal tonight was to complete the 2,000 meter row without taking any breaks and improve on my time over last week.
I also wanted to ensure that I was doing specific exercises to help prepare me for this Saturday’s GORUCK Light. Therefore, tonight’s workout was:
- 2,000 meter row - 8:04 (unbroken)
- Farmer’s Walk - 1 x 3 mins (45 lb plate/hand), 1 x 2 mins (45 lb plate/hand)
- Flutter Kicks w/35 lb Plate Extended - 1 x 50 reps, 2 x 25 reps (double count)
- Planks - 3 x 1 minute
- Standing Oblique Crunches - 3 x 15 reps/side (45 lb plate)
I was really happy to shave a full minute off of my 2,000 meter row time. I still need to knock another minute off to hit the standard but I’ll take such an improvement in one week.
"I was able to cut a full minute off of my 2,000 meter row tonight"
I wanted to ensure that I got flutter kicks in while holding a 35 lb plate fully extended because, from everything I’ve been told and seen, holding your 25 lb ruck fully extended and flutter kicks are both staples of GORUCK events.
I’ve seen them combined and have also seen them as separate exercises from the photos that I have scoured. Either way, I’m prepared.
Tomorrow I have back-to-back meetings from 8:30a-3:00p with only a 30 minute break scheduled. It’s going to be an exhausting day but I schedule it that way purposely so that it frees up other days…hopefully.