Two cool tidbits

[cjsmith]

Yay #1: exercise

Yesterday I did the coolest thing I've done in probably three years. Rob and I went to a fitness store to try out weight machines & see how many exercises I could do without standing, and while we were there I found a water rower.

I'd always believed rowing machines would be too rough on my feet. Some of them probably would be, and certainly if I hadn't been wearing my special shoes there'd have been no way. But I sat on that thing in the store for fifteen minutes, breaking a sweat, making myself red in the face... and I was happier than I've been in years. NOTHING else I've tried can get my heart rate up, really up. Swimming doesn't even remotely come close, for me. Operating a wheelchair I'm limited by my wrist strength. But THIS I could DO.

I was almost afraid to smile, coming out of the store, because I didn't know whether my feet would flare up in pain later in the day or the next morning. If they did there'd be no point. But it's the next morning now, and they don't seem to be too bad. I may have a winner.

I'll have to rework the foot straps completely, of course. They're terrible.

Nifty Thing #2: Iridium flare

I'm still not over jet lag, so I was awake at 4:30 anyway. I went outside to look for my first Iridium flare. The sky was very cloudy, but this one was supposed to be incredibly bright (-8) so I waited. Thanks to Rob mentioning it last night, I knew what direction to face, how high up to look, and what time to be looking (plus or minus the uncertainty of an analog watch that's been time-zone-changed a lot lately). Sure enough, I saw it, even through the clouds! It lasted maybe a second or a second and a half, a bright spot moving quickly across the sky. That was really nifty. I can see how people who don't, say, need sleep for some reason, can get caught up in going to chase these things.

Comments

[wooddragon.livejournal.com]

I am really excited about the rowing machine. I *love* rowing, too, though I don't do it often enough (why is that? Other than access to a machine, I mean).

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I am so excited I don't even know how to describe it. Maybe no one but another runner (or other kind of athlete?) would know what these years have been like, but MY GOD this is like seeing the sunlight after years of darkness. It's not running, but it's pretty darned good.

It's such a smooth motion, the rowing. I can see why people would like it. I found out later that the type of machine I tried is known for its smooth action and a feel that is closest to that of oars in the water. If I get good at this I may have to go sculling somewhere.

Access to a machine is significant, I'm sure. That's a big piece of my no-love for swimming; I have to drive somewhere and do it on someone else's timetable. Fortunately, it's a lot cheaper to buy one of these machines than it is to heat a pool of my own.

[wooddragon.livejournal.com]

Feet still okay?

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

They were okay well into the morning. I've now ruined the test by spending a lot of energy rearranging a room so's I can put a water rower in it. :-)

[wooddragon.livejournal.com]

Well, I suppose that's very promising all around! :)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Fingers crossed! (Hands on the table!)

[rfrench.livejournal.com]

Why not get a machine? They're really pretty small. The one we're looking at will stand up in a corner out of the way.

[wooddragon.livejournal.com]

I'd be interested in what machine you folks are looking at...

[rfrench.livejournal.com]

CJ linked to it in her original post. We're getting the wood, home version.

[wooddragon.livejournal.com]

Got it. Looks pretty nice. I'd be even more interested if I'd ever bought a piece of exercise equipment that didn't end up functioning as a towel rack... :(

[rfrench.livejournal.com]

The secret is always to find the form of exercise you actually enjoy. For me, the stationary bike works great because I can watch DVDs while exercising. That made all the difference in the world. Otherwise it was just boring.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Try it out next time you're here? Lots of exercise equipment does wind up as towel racks, but if you get a chance to try it first maybe it's got a better shot.