It has been nearly 3 years since I started running/sprinting on our neighborhood hill. Our hill is challenging because its grade is around a 7-8% and roughly an quarter mile however it doesn't stop there, it goes through the woods and into another neighborhood continues upward another quarter of a mile. The hill is such a challenge that the high school team and running enthusaists like to run on it. This hill is nasty in the winter and its one of the three bad hills in "Mudville" so prepared to wait for PennDot to show up to clear the way if you don't have a capable vehicle which really sucks! Been there, done that! FJ is here now

Now on the hill is the main road which is sectioned off with streets A-H, we're on the last street. So since I started increasing sets and reps during workouts where I had left off 3 years ago, it was time to get back to running. The last time I ran the hill, I sprinted all the way to G street and mind you, at that time, I was a smoker and a lot lighter! Since I had quit smoking I put on the pounds and now in the process of losing it. And you know, I really think the nicotine helped out a lot with the weight loss as it was a lot easier. Now, making it up to E Street is a chore itself because at that point, you are winded and your legs are burning. I was really curious to see how far I would go but I really did not want to push it since it had been awhile. I walked all the way the hill and crossed the street then stretched. Then I was off!

The first two streets go by rather easily. I am not winded at all. C Street comes, OK, there is some muscle work and D comes in and my legs are telling to stop and I am slightly winded. Now I know I could have gone to E street since this stuff is all mental. I did 3-4 deep breaths and I was fine. I guess my lungs seemed to be healed. So I walked up to E Street and then sprinted to F and took a breather to G. And then sprinted the last street, H. My heart was pounding but I didn't feel like I was dying. I sure wasn't winded. But I can tell I was running with more weight. I feel sluggish when running.

I am actually pleased with myself so far and will continue to do to this for the remaining warm days. All this was sparked because I am 75% near the capacity where I left off when I last worked out some 3 years ago. So what the hell, let's just do it! I started back up working out again at the beginning of this year. Progress has been slow because I was making it so but its now time to kick it into gear. I am pleased that not all my strength is not lost however some girth is gone that I do know. No more 18" arms but hey, doing 300 push ups now and i hope to be in the 400-450 by Fall. That's where I was.

Now ab work has always been a task because my kiddies love to attack me while I am on the ground because they either want to play or want attention.