Day 3 - Double Down

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Another excellent looking morning, although the forecast is not encouraging for most of the day. Rain chances are pretty high as the morning progresses and through the evening too. It may be a real-time call if I go up this afternoon. A second training is one thing, but getting there and being totally soaked is another. Starting to sleep a little better, but lots of texts and emails from work about significant layoffs yesterday. I wasn’t one of them, but I know a lot of the people who were let go. It’s going to be a very different environment when I get back to work. I arrived a bit late to Breakfast this morning, and found I was only the second one here. It sure has the makings of a weird day. Since I’m still anticipating an afternoon workout, my plan for the morning run is to drop one lap. Looking back at previous trips, the afternoon running started with 5 laps, and because running is just so fun, they also finish the session with about 3 laps also. I’ll see about that, I need to have enough energy for that walk to the BTS at the end of the day.

So much for the iPhone forecast of 70% rain chance by 9am. It’s 11:30, and the sun is shining still. There’s a few clouds, but nothing looking threatening. That means the afternoon session is on! I’ve got about 4 hours to recover before I set out again. I already have my running orders - 5 laps jogging. Then it’s likely to be clinching. after that, who knows. Now to try and describe the morning. On the walk I for the BTS, it seemed to be a color day. The first I noticed was the many monks in their orange-rust colored robes and begin bowls who seemed to just reach the street. Then with the new construction on the corner where we turn for the gym, there are many other colors. Looks like they’ve taken a page from the US Navy and have assigned a color for different jobs. I saw fluorescent orange shirts, blue, and yellow shirts all heading into the construction site. The street vendors are all moved much further up the street too. It’s a very different picture on that corner now.

Now for the morning training rundown, which probably gets boring as it sounds like the same thing every day. Yes, the running was the same - 9 laps because I was afraid of the forecast and not trying this afternoon. Followed that by 10 minutes of jump rope. Still only 1 other person showed up for training today, along with one for the fighters. It’s amazing to have the gym pretty much to myself. Next was a couple rounds on the heavy bags, with all the various techniques being fine tuned and corrected. Oh, and I almost forgot, there were a couple rounds of boxing on the static pads for jab/cross/hook/uppercut. Next was pad work, but at this point I was already starting to get tired. I think it was 4 rounds but i really lost count as I was just focusing the current moment. The first one was pretty good, but I started burning out in the next two. The next round or two, Ajahn had me work with the opposite lead, and was working to get more power from my left kicks. He seemed happy, but still said my right was better than left. Right now both feet are a little sore and bruised, so I hope the afternoon won’t have a lot of kicking. The morning finished up with weights, which from what I remember, were normally an afternoon event. We’ll see exactly what happens in the afternoon. I think I’m going to make it a short one so I’m not totally trashed for tomorrow.

Obviously I didn’t finish the post from last night. I was exhausted. Still am and I slept pretty well. Weather was really nice yesterday so I headed out looking at running my 5 laps at a nice and easy pace. It was hotter, but still there was breeze and some shade to run in. I don’t know why I was thinking it was going to be easier knowing who is training me.... Jump rope was 15 minutes. I broke it down into 3, 5 minute blocks and was totally soaked after that. Afternoons are always a different workout than the morning. Typically clinching with another fighter is practiced. I got to work with one of the younger fighters, who was tossing me around like a toy, until he was told to take it easy and let me do more of the work instead of practicing my uncoordinated falling. Three rounds of that was a good start. Thinking it was going to be just weights and situps and an early walk back to the train, I was corrected into next doing 3 rounds on the pads. During the clinching though, I tried a leg sweep and caught my toe on his leg, so I have a really nice bruise on my foot. It hurt a little and I was reluctant to kick much with that leg. The pad work was reduced just to two rounds. I’m just hoping it doesn't become a problem. it feels a little better this morning so I don’t think it’s anything very serious or I wouldn’t be walking. I‘ll leave the option open of taking the afternoon off though. Saturday, Jomhod fights in his boxing match. I think the plan is train in the morning and then go to the fight. I’ll have to get the details of that figured out today. It’s now 5:00 am, so I have to get ready, and do a little stretching before breakfast. Hopefully I’ll have a good morning session with minimal limits. The weather is looking pretty good the next few days, although the temps are getting back into the mid 90’s, with a much higher heat index.

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Photos

Road to the gym
the bottom right corner is where the new condo construction is taking place. Last time here it was an empty lot.

Post running and jumprope
I had to get at least one picture of the sweat puddle after the run/jumping. While jumping, I was watching the sweat just flying and dripping everywhere. This was the result over the time it took to reach into the bag, grab the phone and take the picture. Less than 1 minute probably.

New bag day !
Yesterday when hitting the bags I noticed how very ragged they were. I managed a couple scrapes on my knees from one of them. Today, two bags were replace with brand new ones. All the trainers were involved in the emptying and stuffing of the new bags.