Looks like I've fallen off the wagon, again.

Photos at bottom of post

I've been so busy on my new "schedule" I didn't notice I only blogged two times last month!

Quick recap. 

I've been riding 2-3 times a week, mostly on the local jogging path.  Cartman has started to get into acceptable condition despite our lack of good "trail miles".  I've kinda used the sand as a substitute for hill climbing.

I started going to "Team Training" 2-3 times a week at the gym- Three Rivers Athletic Club.  Originally I planned on just going in and working out on my own, but I somehow didn't quite get around to that after that first "killer" workout.

So, I called and found that their T. Training program might be just the ticket for me!  I met with one of the fitness instructors and got weighed (gag) and callipered (again, gag)!  Let's just say there is plenty of room for improvement :) 

I got a manual to read that covers some basic fitness principles and physiology stuff- being schooled in the biology field I eat that stuff up. 

I also had to come up with some 30 day goals- since I wasn't really prepared for that in the meeting I only came up with a few, kinda lame ones.

1) lose 6 pounds
2) Be able to do 30 real push ups (real, not the cheater knee push ups!)

Afterwards I realized I have TONS of goals!  Since I'm committed this time I'm gonna put them in print:

3) Be able to see the muscles in my arms (don't laugh!)
4) Be able to physically complete a 50 mile Endurance ride- and still walk the next morning.
5) Look good in my gym clothes/breeches.
6) Be able to run without feeling like I am dying, or wanting to!
7) Feel comfortable walking into the gym.
8) Be and feel strong.
9) Learn to use the weight lifting equiptment.

So, now I'm getting up at 4:30am to get to the gym two days a week.  The work outs are HARD.  Knowing that, I am really careful to get to bed at a decent time on the nights before T. Training. 

I wasn't really expecting this side effect, but I am sleeping really really well.  I'm not waking up at night and am actually waking BEFORE the alarm- for the first time in my entire life:)

I love it.

I think it's spilling over into other parts of my life as I feel really strong mentally.  At work I've been able to let all the stress/panic/drama just kinda slide off my back. Not that I really get too worked up about that stuff anyway but I feel more "in control". (That's actually kind of funny, because in reality I have absolutely NO control over what happens in the lab.  Oh well...)

So, enough about my new hobby...

Friday I took Cartman up to Red Rock for a longer, hillier ride.  He did awesome.  Although he was somewhat hesitant starting out he really picked up the pace once he realized we weren't turning around.

We did a lot of long trot sets and some long canter sets as well.  I made sure to stop for breaks and grass several times, since he hasn't really been out on anything like this since last fall.  Our jogging path is great, but it's like a groomed path.  No holes, lumps, bumps, or even real long hills.

This trail is deceptively up, up, up and then down pretty quick right at the end.

We completed the ride in 2 hours and its about 9 miles total.

Just as we were getting back it started to sprinkle, booooooo!!!!

The saddle did great!  Unfortunately we are now having some saddle pad issues.  The test pad I had was a Matte's wool pad.  Definitely used but still pretty fluffy.  It worked perfectly.

The new Skito I got with the saddle is so thin, it totally doesn't work for us.  I got bad sweat patterns from it and felt the saddle was slipping off  to the right again:(  Celena Pentrack (awesome RP saddle fitter- and TB rider!) lent me an Equipedic to try.

The Equipedic is definitely better than the Skito.  The saddle doesn't move with it- the pad does though.  Sigh.  I used it for a quick 1 hour ride last week and it slipped back a little.  Yesterday it slipped back and caused an odd sweat pattern.  I cinched down the billet keepers as tight as I could, but still it slipped back.

I think I'm going to need a pad made for the RP- they have "pockets" that you pull onto the panels, so the pad stays in place.  I'm going to call and ask about the RP Toklat pads on Monday.  I only have 14 days until Mt. Adams!!!

pre-ride

post-ride

Saddle stays put.