Tangled in Time

Any day that starts at 3 a.m. is bound to be a long one.

I woke up with a start just before 3 and knew that there was no way I would be able to relax and fall back asleep, so I got up.

I had a specific task that I was working on last night and I guess leaving it unfinished before going to bed kept haunting me - anyway, I got up and got it done. It's amazing how something that you thought would only take 1 1/2 hours or so can end up taking almost 4 hours - talk about gross underestimation of time!

Unfortunately this seems to be quite a trend in my life lately -- a task that shouldn't take more than an hour ends up taking three, or preparing a meal (even when the prep time on the recipe says '40 minutes' it always takes longer) ... or going to the gym.

The gym trip is always misleading. A one hour cardio workout does not include the 15 minutes to get ready, 20 minutes to drive there, park, get into the gym, the at least 5 minute cool-down, 20 minutes to drive back home, and 30 minutes to shower etc. That's not even including any conversations you might have with friends at the gym (minimum of an extra 15 minutes added on, though for me it's more likely an extra half hour to one hour ...). So that one hour workout ends up being 2 1/2 - 3 hours out of your day.

Of course it's totally worth it, but I definitely feel the pressure when I'm working under so much stress ... luckily my home-gym is building up nicely. Well, part of it is D's, but I also got a few nifty additions for Christmas - a Reebok step (for step aerobics, not a step machine), some Kettlebells (I love Kettlebell workouts), plus a Zumba DVD - complete with Zumba sticks!!

So today, I decided to cut out that 40 minute drive to the gym and just workout from home. Even getting started at home can sometimes be a task. I wanted to start at 6:15 ... but I was in the middle of writing something so I postponed it a bit, and then I had to put the clothes from the washer into the drier ... etc. etc. I didn't get to the 'gym' until 7:15 ...

I started with the 20-minute quick Zumba workout for my cardio (LOVED IT!!!) and then proceeded to do NROL4W - Workout A4 (Stage 2) - that's when I hit an obstacle. The trouble with the weights etc. that I have at home is that I don't have much variety ... like I don't have 8 kg dumbbells or a combination of 22 kg plates to put on the barbell (I found out the hard way that going from 20 kg to 26 kg for front press squats is TOUGH) ...

So, I did what I could (only half of the program) and called it quits. Sometimes it just wasn't meant to be. I noted my reps but I'm not counting this as a completed workout. I'll attempt it again at the actual gym.