Dad Workouts

No, I'm not talking about DOING workouts with kids like I showed in this video 2.5 years ago when I used Henry as weights for a core workout. (Seriously, if you want to see a cute old video of Henry, check out that link!) I'm talking about logistically working out with kids.

In this post from last month, I showed a 1-lap workout that I got in at the pool:

"My morning workout. After Charlie had breakfast, he seemed to feel a lot better. We took a
chance and went to the gym. I got in 1 lap at the pool before the Playzone sitters came to
get me because he was too sad/crabby. Poor dude."

This past week, I had hoped to do upper body and swim on Monday, a bike ride and core on Tuesday, then upper body and a run on Wednesday. Well, the neighbor girls (who we refer to as "Henry's ladies") invited us to the zoo on Wednesday. So I just had to shift some things around. I can do core as the boys nap on Wednesday (after missing a morning workout to go to the zoo), so I flip-flopped my upper body and core days.

Tuesday was HOT, and Pharmie was off work. We went to the pool:

Sidenote: check out my hot wife!

Pharmie and I both got in a ride on Tuesday. I rode through some pop-up downpours, including this one that was approaching as I had just gotten up Ohio Hill and getting ready to bomb down the Smith Street High Bridge:

Downpour to the left as I was ready to ride down Smith.


Some more rain past the Cathedral.

Wednesday I got in an easy run in the early morning (that felt SLOW and HARD - my first run post-race), and then we hit the zoo with the 3 girls next door:

With a puffin in the background on the left, and lots of big fish on the right.

Then I finished mulching the front boulevard garden. Annie and I planted some annuals and did a lot of weeding post-race after the Duathlon National Championships last weekend. It was good stretching for the legs after that race. So I finished what we started on Wednesday during nap time:

If you drive by a St. Paul home and it looks like this next to the street,
stop up to the house and say "hi." You've found our place.


Lots of fresh little annuals that should be bigger and beautiful in a month.

Thursday, I swam 2000 (20x100) and then got groceries with the dudes:

Charlie's eating raisins as I'm getting lunch ready.


Making a CAKE with Mama in the evening - Henry's birthday was the next day!
(And Charlie always wants to do WHATEVER his big brother is doing.)


This is why Henry likes to make cake. This is why we all like to make cake.

Friday was Henry's 4th birthday! We went hiking by the river:

Instagram caption: "'What do you want to do for your birthday today?' 'Umm, I think I want
to go down to the river and look for dinosaur fossils.' Sweet. After a steep hike with Charlie
in the Bjorn, we were looking at rocks. We brought 2 home. Happy 4th, big guy! #DadLife"

Henry was great on the rocks! We had some steep climbing to do, and Henry loved it. In the photo on the left, we just climbed down the rocks behind him, and that was about 1/3 of the decent (but the worst of it).

Oh, and speaking of "dad" issues, I think I have some tendonitis (or something) in my right elbow from carrying Charlie in the carseat as we run errands. I started to notice some pain maybe 2-3 weeks ago. In the last few days, it's gotten so bad that I've stopped lifting weights. I can't wash my face or grip a knife normally (and push down - like through a watermelon) without pain. I've decided to stop any weight lifting for 10 days because I can't do an upper-body muscle group without it hurting (I can do core and legs though). We'll see what this becomes.

I recently decided that I'm racing a triathlon tomorrow! Stop back for more on that soon!