Oooph!

I went to the gym yesterday and started lifting again.  And I'm sore today.  It has been quite a while since I've lifted.  For a number of years, I was very regular with lifting weights, typically twice/week, except after the end of the season for about a month.  I figured that lifting weights would help to keep up my muscle mass, since I'm not exactly built like a power lifter, and lose muscle mass quickly.  For about 8-9 years, I utilized the same lifting program, which was in Joe Friel's "Triathlete's Training Bible."  I certainly got a lot stronger, and my bike strength was very high.  Several years ago, I decided to change my lifting to more of a circuit, lifting either 1-2 sets but doing a lot of different exercises, following the Mark Allen plan.  While it did give me a more balanced routine, it didn't work an individual group of muscles quite as hard.  And then I stopped lifting completely, relying more on the swimming/biking/running to keep me strong.  After I broke my clavicle, I restarted the Mark Allen program on and off (but more off than on), and periodically did a workout with pullups, pushups and crunches.  To be honest, part of the reason I stopped lifting was also the convenience.  When Keeler gym (across the street from the hospital) closed, I lost a very convenient, never crowded place to lift. 

Having gradually gotten away from the lifting, I decided to restart.  Since the TTB plan made me feel a lot stronger than I did with the MA program, I went back to it.  And after much delay, yesterday was the first day.  The first thing I noticed was how out of place I felt in the gym.  I went to Wilson gym on North Fort, and it was busy.  A lot of large individuals lifting a lot of weight.  And there were women in there throwing weights around, too.  I used to feel at home in the gym, but now, my weak, endurance athlete's body was conspicuous.  However, I managed to find the weights I needed and do the lifting that I planned to do.  3 sets of 20 seemed a lot harder than I remembered.

This morning, I awoke to some muscle soreness that I haven't had in awhile.  It's a good soreness and tightness, since it reminds me that I did some work yesterday.  It will be interesting to see what happens when I try to swim today.