Thank you for being here; thank you for coming home

"Who do you do it for ?"
PT

Launch IST into the jet stream. Long haired blonde off to points way off the beaten track.


Sunday

Rockin 90 minutes with B. EH stops and assists him, she is wading in. Very lucky to have her. Equinox is the best gym; I love those people. We get the big smiles and waved in each Sunday, never a charge for B. All levels of management are stoked to have him there. Nothing but good.

Into the office the up to CT. Dense 60 minutes and more ab work and I'm smoked.


IST planning Monday. In to pick up currency, 1:00 Pradeep class.

Best yoga class I've ever taken. Felt beastly strong, perfect pace (hard) and music rocked it. He knew it too, out later he clasps my hand, we were both sooo pumped. Uplifting energizing experience.
Tuesday, prepping Ian.
Drop him off at airport. He is snarly and terrified. Hands are shaking at checkout and starts the wrong way up people mover. Monitor his gate changes throughout night. He is on his 13 hour flight to Addis Ababa by 7:45am pst.
Wednesday, go in to work and workout, thrashed from little sleep. Decent billing day, but never get to train. Too busy and honestly too fried.  I try to not look at IST's flight on FlightTrack every five minutes, not much luck there.

Texts from IST at 10:00. He is in Ethiopia.  Can't believe he is so far away.  Texts at 3:40 am, problem at Kenya customs, needs hard copy of itinerary. Hah. Offer to email to whoever, hear nothing for 20 min, during which I am convinced it's Midnight Express.
He texts that he is on his way, meets driver and at Reef Hotel in Mombasa.  A few incoherent messages, and he sleeps for 16 hours.

Thursday
Into office.  Tired, fried and cranky.  No training for two days and bizarre partner meeting.  I really want to sleep, but can't go three days.
Knock out 15/15 16kg 7rep pace x 60.

Friday
Better.  Incoming from IST, he is back among the living, high spirits and excited and posting on fb.  Oh to be 18 again.
Running around, good client lunch, in for work late, race out to catch 90 min Pradeep.  Beautiful class.  So hard.  At 80 minutes in we are winding down in seated spinal twist and it feels like time has stopped.  There is nothing but his voice, low thrum of music and breath.  Class stretches to 100 minutes and roll out drenched, shower and down market reborn.
Saturday, early firm picnic, nothing.
Sunday
Long slow dog walk.  Want to throw metal, no time, it's Steve's 70th, Chuck and Steve's 40th year of being together, and third anniversary, they caught the window.  Steve runs through his bio, the room is full of academics, politicos, judges, musicians. As eclectic group as one would find.  Great event:

Pretty crappy week for training, two kettlebell classes, three yoga classes, and a do walk.  S'ok.  Few other things going on, make it up over next couple . . .




 

Launch Party

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.  Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime."

Mark Twain


I hope he is right.  IST does not suffer from bigotry or prejudice.  His narrow-mindedness is not borne of character flaws but lack of experience.  He is about to get that in spades.  He is about to get his mind blown.  He flies off in four days to spend six weeks in a village in Kenya and trying not to come unglued.  Dinner on Sunday and he is rude and unappreciative.  Get that he is freaked out and nervous, but grow up.  Come down on him hard all week and by Thursday he is getting it.

Sunday
Good class with EH and B, B rocking it. He shows no fear in launching into one-legged poses; I have to scoot over and assist before he craters.  He has started hopping up from downward dog - he scoots his stubby feet up a foot or so.  He was not done by the end of class and while everyone was rolling up and out, he was back in the corner practicing triangle. EH was cracking up - he is a heart breaker.

Fairly spectacular success Monday to settle RA's two year nightmare.  Spent two years setting the table.  Countless hours on the phone and six figures in fees all culminating in a meeting on the 48th floor of a LA office tower.  Three on our side, three on theirs and in three hours we are done.  Feels so good to be me.  90 miles an hour to Santa Ana and holding on for dear life, slam the first Big Mac in five years standing up in the John Wayne Airport, can't get out of So Cal fast enough.  Back by 5:00, get into the gym and do this:
Short cycle clean and press:
5+5 20
4+4 24
3+3 28
1+1 x 2 32
Step back lunges 10+10, 50lb barbell
Renegade row 10+10 24kg
Suitcase deads, twin 32
3x through

Am baked from early start and long day, shut it down there.

Tuesday
Spend chunk of day making IST arrangements.  Thinking too fried for anything, but force up to CT for tight hard ladder circuits:

1+1 to 3+3 press, 28
1-3 goblet squat
6+6 snatches 20kg
8+8 single arm swings, 20k
x3
5-1 descending snatch ladder, 20kg

A lot of work in 30 minutes; pleased that the presses went up easy, less so that the snatch swings left me so gassed. Running low on time and cutting out elliptical has hurt conditioning.

Wednesday
Insane telephone calls leave me exasperated with client whose fat I'd just pulled out of the fire.  Some people just can't stay out of it.  Leave to go to rare mid-day class with Pradeep and deal with currency exchange.  It's 1:00 on Wednesday and class is packed and he brings the hammer down.  Hang with though come up a bit short on full wheel at the end, his five breath holds are more like fifteen and drop down early which almost never happens, but oh well.  GREAT class

Thursday
Still coming down down down from Monday.  Get stuff out long overdue.  Felt good and did not need to be rest day.  Get out and do this:
100 single arm swing 16kg warm up
10 alternating 24kg press to 5 24 doubles
10 twin 20 front squats
12 120lb lat pulls, to 5 140; I can really isolate so its not a waste of time, arms are secondary.
10 20kg figure 8 to hold to 10 24
3x
5-1 single arm 24kg swing ladder to 28kg tgu x 5
Followed by awesome dinner with awesome company.

Friday
Can't get enough of Ferry Plaza and stop for Frog Hollow breakfast.
Skip out for 4:30 Pradeep, kill it.

Saturday
Final shopping for IST.  Drop the last 300.00 and lay it out on the floor.  He is traveling very light; that is good.  Anti-malarials and a good water supply.  Binoculars, camera, and VFF.  Mosquito netting and a good hat.  Money belt, and extra copies. Bug juice and sunscreen.  Rock & Roll, and Radio.



 

Be Loving You Long Time

 "We can share what we've got of yours 'cause we done shared all of mine."
Jack Straw, Robert Hunter

Hunter's Notes, love the internet

Or as we have said fondly of more than one client:  "what's mine is mine and what's your's is negotiable . . ."
Scrap the bulk of last week.  Too much stress borne of being angry at people not pulling their weight.  Under-performers who take a week off and not think about the bottom line.  Could not walk into the woods with darling daughter without knowing we are going to be ok.  Worry over disappointing her and draws and work creates a noxious chemical stew resulting in completely fucked up the yoga practice, some of the worst classes in years.  MH looks a bit shocked when I can barely stand on one foot.  Nothing good about this.  I tried, kept up the gym routine but cortisol means crappy like Christmas means carnage.  That's a Babe reference, duck to the pig you know.

STFU.  You think you got something to complain about ?  Read Mo Tancharoen's blog and get a grip.  http://itssonotsexy.tumblr.com/post/8760928353/four#notes      You are 51 (very soon 52), and pretty beastly healthy.  Just stop it.

Friday
Pradeep sub, slow easy class and that's fine.

Saturday
Running all over with all three, Brigid buys BMX bike of her dreams and we shop and walk the dog who comes up very gimpy.
About 6:00 go out for this:
10+10x5, 16kg single arm swings
20 total alternating press, 20 KG, to 3 doubles
3+3 24kg
1+1 32
cleans and hold 36 for 10

10 suitcase deads, 32/36
8+8 32kg rows
10 front squats, twin 20's
x3. Fail on the 32 press right second set, both sides third.  Worst 32 press sessions in a very long time, and I don't know if the high reps with the 20's just had me laggard or if I am in a downward spiral or what.  Pressing the 36 feels far far away.
30/30 24kg swings, 20 rep pace x 10.

Sunday.  In to pick up work and 90 min EH.  Lazy ass do not bring B and its a big mistake.  Miss him terribly.  Drenched.  Home to five hours of work.  C is listening to Dr. Horrible, The Commentary, and there is Mo's clear voice singing Nobody's Asian In The Movies http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNmzegQUtFA and then to Joss' brilliant number. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VffJKKp2BrU   Makes me grin and reflect on what matters, what Mo is putting out there and stop feeling angry and sorry for myself.

Monday.  Have told myself its 3 on and 1 off to keep from getting too jacked up so this is off day.

Tuesday.  Late throwdown for 60 with Buckley, his training is catching up with his writing ("I thought, if I could write a tight sonnet and bench press a Buick, some day some girl just might take her top off for me.")  We do an hour of drills.  This is not a workout.  This is Zen and The Art of Kettlebells.  Between this, CT's fine micro movement instruction, yoga, and my own beast sessions, I may have stumbled upon the perfect combo for this time.  Walking out from the studio to the ferry, some really beautiful woman stopped me, called me sweetie,  asked for directions and started chatting me up.  Maybe it was the gun show and the VFF; at my age and status we take what we can get and still with adolescent delight.  52 going on 12.

Wednesday

Its late and fried from seven hours with interruptions every ten minutes from one client.  He chops up my day like a seventh grader dissecting an earth worm and slowly becoming so fucked.  Get one of the four agreements backed up on out after sending an email instructing him that he has to leave me alone for an hour.  By 6:30 it's either me or him and I choose me and get into the gym to see if my press really has deteriorated as far as it seemed to have last Sat.  Goes like:

10+10 16kg one arm swings x 3
Long cycle double C & P
5 20
4 24
3 28
1+1 x 2 32 singles
10 24kg Goblet squats
8 pull ups, 16 lb assist
10 front squats, twin 20's
3x
30/30 24kg swings, 20 reps x 10.
Presses just fine, very good in fact.


Thursday
Just nuts.  Get in really early for some fooling around work.  GS insertion drill, snatch motion practice, upstairs for inversions.  Dan John two minute plank drill.  There's a 25' rope tied to a 40kg bell and do quick Tabata circuit, 20 sec on 10 sec off x 8 with rope and high step drills.  Very good 24kg bu presses and double clean and hold.  Disneyland.

Late EH yoga, more than usual planks, good good class.

 Friday
Looking forward to Pradeep all day, no sign of sub online but walk in and it is my least favorite can't chant white boy sub.  No.  Impromptu circuit training session:


100 16kg single arm swing warm-up
20 decline push-ups, one foot up, switch at 10.
20 20kg tactical lunges
10+10 28kg rows
5+5 sls x 2, 16kg bu second time through
x3.  Worst sls since I can remember.  My balance is all fucked up and I can't hold the 16kg bu on the left at all third circuit.  Shake it out and go to Coach Dos complex, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rs0zxwX9HM but lose the handle on the figure 8's, and cleans feel bad and just shut it down and hope to be better tomorrow.

Pariah Dogs

 "You can't have both feet on the ground and kick ass at the same time."
Bronco, street art

Wednesday
Slowish Week. Take 8:20 boat and it's full of Giant's fans getting an early start. Cheerful group; jealous. Leave for mh 5:15. Weeks since an mh class and I'd forgotten what a good teacher he is. He has us in boat about two minutes in and it's slow and hard from there. 

Thursday
Get in late and do this:
10+10 x 2 16kg swing warm up
Press
10 alternating 24kg to 5 doubles
6+6 24kg sls
10+10 rows, 60lb dumbell
5+5sls to same with 16kg bu
3x
5-1 24kg single arm swing ladder to 1 28kg tgu x 7

Uh huh.


Friday
Pradeep.  It's 12 minutes of slow to start which means the hammer will come down later and it does for 40 minutes.  It does, smoked, done, dusted and gloriously wrung out.  Come home to outstanding BBQ by darling daughter.

Saturday
Wracked up with three Kbell (really 4) workouts and three yoga classes in the week.  Have heart set on pushing to 4 with ct on Marina green.  I have all three kids and the dog and scatter them along the North waterfront to Marina Green.  Its pretty cold and windy which is disorienting.  The class is ok but double swings are rough.  Body feels jacked up and weird and I know I've pushed it.

Sunday:  This is going to be a back it way off week.  Body is jacked up and I am stressed out.
Late short dog walk, nada mas

Monday
Molly Class, its not real hard but very informative as usual.  She IS the best pure teacher, very specific as to how to get into and out of a pose and learn a lot.

Tuesday
In early for JWB throw down.  These are not workouts  but lessons and JWB's candor and humor are very very refreshing and he is a guy who can make me better.  Appreciate it much.



Wednesday
@giryagirl Monday Mayhem circuit like this

15 double 16kg swings
5 double 24 clean and press
Renegade rows, 5 left, 5 pushups, 5 right, 24 kg
10 double 16 kg front squats
x3

24kg TGU x 3

10+10 tactical lunges, 20kg
5+5 around the world slingshots, 16 kg
5+5 figure eights, 24 kg
20 swings, 24kg
x3


Good and different, lighter (meaning fewer) on the swings than usual.


Thursday, nothing.  Seething and furious after draw hold email.  I've been pulling my weight.  Others have not, and I am pissed.  Its a familiar refrain.


Friday
In early for bu/headstand/GS snatch practice, back late for Pradeep, does not disappoint, hard class.


Saturday.
Nothing, take Brigid to parkour, throw the ball for goofy dog.  All good.


Sunday
With the light week week before really strong 90 min with EH.  Bring B and he rocks it out.  Scaring the crap out of me with his reverse triangle.   My side plank is just crazy strong and glide through three legged vinyasa even with right foot up which sometimes can be shaky.  Not today.


Taken delivery of 36kg and I need to watch it.  A few sets of push-presses and negatives, this is a fucking heavy bell.  I can feel that this can be pressed, just take your time old man.

Monday
Receipts reports more annoying than expected.  You are killing it.  So why ?

There are times when the writing on the wall is so cool, so awesome.  I am going to choose this.

And then the words:

 more

And there are times when it is exactly as you saw it, before it went up.  Being right does not mean you are smart.  Thanks to Jabari and Amy P. for visuals.  You make your world.  Not cliche, directive.  Make the wall your own, like that guy.


Monday, pissed blowout:


10+10 16kg single arm swings x 5 warm up


1-5+1-5 press ladder, 24kg, no breaks between rungs
5 burpees to double 32kg suitcase deads, to 5 double 32kg suitcase deads
10+10 28kg rows
10 24 kg goblet squats
x3

5-1 24 kg single arm swing ladder to 28kg get-up x 7

31,000 plus angry pounds in 75 min.


Ray and the Pariah Dogs at the Greek soon . . . http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129261520

I would like to turn feral.  Small places with minimal baggage.  Strong body and no yard.  Tiny houses (http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/07/25/110725fa_fact_wilkinson) connected by well worn paths to a large outdoor center, with kitchen, fire pit, places to sit.  Kettlebells, yoga mats and wireless access.  Decent speakers.  Good conversation, or not.  Lovely shapes and eyes.

Big wall to write on; make it so.