Daily Exercise Log October 2026

 Welcome to October 2026. The weather is still humid, but cooler, as we approach Winter.

Links to prior 2026 months in June version.

The 6 day cycle: 1) Weights A, 2)walk, 3)row, 4)Weights B, 5)walk, 6)row. Then, do it again.

The 8 cycle cycle: repeat the 6 day cycle 8 times. Then, a deload - no weights. Then, do it again.

October 21, 2026

Day 2, walk

Day 2, walk, is a recovery day from Weights A. Usually I feel the need to recover, but not today.

I felt surprisingly good - none of stiff, or sore, or any other bad thing. First time this season I wore my shirtJac. Man, it's feels colder than 33 degF. So, went to the far end of the Archer Rd sidewalk, then back. Decided to bail on the Wegmans Heights walk. Enuf's enuf.

October 20, 2026

Day 1, weights A

Day 1, weights A, is the heavier of the A/B split. Today is the first day of the last 6 day cycle of cycle of 8s. In simple terms, I get the next cycle to deload - no weights, and the less otherwise, the better.

Start the tracker, do 5 min warm up on the rower, go thru the exercise list, duration 41 minutes, so I probably skipped a set, go home.

A few of these sets are heavier than prior - 04_ added a full set, to level it up to 4x8; 08_ from prior sheet's 2 plates to 4. Barely noticed the change. 02_ had odd form show up - my arms didn't want to fully extend. 

October 19, 2020

Day 6, row

Day 6, row, is a recovery / prep day. Also, Day 6 - end of cycle. Good.

Felt like hell at the start, rowed thru it. Nothing special.

October 18, 2026

Day 5, walk

Day 5, walk, is a recovery day, and it became required. Strange morning.

My alarm is, 6 days a week, set for 7am, and it rarely sounds off. Sunday, no alarm, and I woke  promptly at like quarter to 8. Great, I thought, good sleep, nice enuf day, maybe some distance? Yeah, no. Got my legs alive and working and they didn't approve. Every step forward is another length sliced off the distance. Bailed at distance when I got to Paul and Chili intersecion. Turned around, went home.

October 17, 2026

Day 4, weights B

Day 4, weights B, is the lighter of the A/B split. Simply a psychological way to make this session feel easier. Duration 43 minutes. Situation normal.

I'm surprised that there were no notes taken from this session. First few reps of 01_ and I was thinking 'maybe more weight'. Last few, this feels nicely heavy. And, so it went. Shit's heavy, and I'm moving it.

Curious about the hr loading. Seems it's creeping up on each weights session. I'm of the impression that I'm getting stronger, and when overfed and rested, I move the weights better / harder / faster. Funny that.

October 16, 2026

Day 3, row

Day 3, row, is a recovery / prep day. Former, if I need it; latter, if I want it. Today, I did the first 35 minutes mostly at a slow push - increase the 500m pace just a little bit over the duration. Just let it float.

As a result, I wanted, and did, more power output the last several minutes. Hit pace numbers that have been rare. Felt strong at the end. Then, 2x20 bench crunches, easily. All good news.

October 15, 2026

Day 2, walk

Day 2, walk, ia a recovery day from the heavier of the weights A/B split. Worked out that way.

I was uncertain about what I'd try this morning. A cool 50 degF, overcast, and kinda unpleasant. So, go for distance seemed premature, and going back home just ill-advised. So, I walked against my usual pattern, did the complex loop, with a trip up the hill of Paul Rd. and Chili Ave. Then, my legs were all recovered up, thanks, and wanted home. OK.

October 14, 2026

Day 1, weights A

Day 1, weights A, is the heavier of the A/B split. Today is Day 1, or cycle 7 or eight. I admit, I'm looking fwd to the off cycle.

Duration is 41 minutes, and I have a lingering feeling I cannot always count to 4. TFB.

01_ felt heavy. 02_ actually felt like I had proper form. Looking fwd to another pair of plates. maybe. All else normal-ish.

October 13, 2026

Day 6, row

Day 6, row, is a recovery / prep day. This day was a mild surprise.

Didn't get to the gym until 11am. Did this, Felt funny being that 11am awake on the rower. Pulled harder than usual. Did my 2x20 bench crunches. At least, I got the tracker start / stop sorted. Nice day.

October 12, 2026

Day 5, walk

Day 5, walk, is a recovery day. Today I needed one. Nothing much hurts, but all of it feels stiff and full of iDunnaWanna. So, walk. Easy, not too long. Fortunately, it's cool, damp and misty. Makes me just want to go back to bed.

October 11, 2026

Day 4, weights B

Day 4, weights B, is the lighter of the A/B split. Felt heavy and then some today. No 'add weight' impulse. Duration was 44 minutes. Tried 08_ at 2 plates, and regretted the choice PDQ. Back to 1.

I'm surprised, a little, by the hr chart. the beginning / most of the chart is nominal normal. that increase towards the end is a surprise. I could feel it a bit, but have nothing solid to report.

The tracker and I are having issues currently. I thought I selected strength training, not outdoor running. Ah well, the physio data is OK. My brains don't always get to the gym at the same shift as me. 

October 10, 2026

Day 3, row

Day 3, row is a recovery / prep day. Did my 40 minutes, medium easy. Then bench crunches. Nothing special.  I let the tracker run very long. I'll create the numbers for the daily log. The picture above is entertainment value.

October 9, 2026

Day 2, walk

Day 2, walk, is a recovery day from weights A. I didn't much feel the need to 'recover', so I chose to go for distance/time, rather than anything harder. Oh my ...

The theory of ops is that the longer I walk, the harder my heart needs to work as I burn thru local energy stores, and start the "send more" signals to my heart. Turns out, longer works much better than harder. Seems to have worked. Nice PAI pop. Implies large reserve. good ...

October 8, 2026

Day 1, weights A

Day 1, weights A, is the heavier of the A/B split. And, it needs to get heavier. Slowly ...

Duration was 43 minutes. On track.

Pretty much an ordinary weights A day. 02_ went from good form last time, to wanting more weight today. 04_ i apparently did an extra set because I was into it (ok, my balance was working), and 4 just too high to count. Made 08_ heavier, and preferred it to lighter. Always good to move another half ton.  Improved form. So, keep improving it.

I feel stronger on the lifts, and more tired afterwards. I have the muscle, and the CNS activations, but the fuel systems are sluggish. TFB, hit it harder.

October 7, 2026

Day 6, row

Day 6, row, is a recovery / prep day. Gotta weights A tomorrow. Pull too hard, you'll gas out maybe tomorrow. Pull too easy, and it's just too little.

Other than 4x4s, I rarely try to pull harder for long periods. I can gas out if I try. The hr chart is much like the pace reading - steadily up a little. So, I'm pulling harder / more successfully over the course of the 40 minutes. Kinda cool. Makes me wonder ...

October 6, 2026

Day 5, walk

Day 5, walk, is a recovery day. The tracker ran kinda long, but it's visible where / when I got home. 

The intention was 'distance', not speed. I did nothing to press / go faster / go further / none of that. Not what I had intended, but reality has a vote. Lower quads didn't want to go the extra mile, and that was OK. My alternative wasn't a good one, so I went home.

October 5, 2026

Day 4, weights B

Day 4, weights B, is the lighter of the A/B split. It's kinda fake, but it's 'easier'. Mind games.

Duration was 46 minutes. Other than being unable to always count successfully to 4, today's session was almost flawless. Nothing too heavy, nothing too fast. Just the feels good grind. Onwards.

October 4, 2026

Day 3, row

Day 3, row, is a recovery / prep session. Full body stretch and see what feels funny. I felt fine. Nothing sore. This session clamped at 40 minutes, and I got surprisingly faster over it. The upslope is visible on the hr image. I'd guess I was cruising at 5-10 seconds faster on the 500m splits. For me, that's a WTF? Power output too, up into upper 40s - low 50s. That's two.

I've no claim to know why, today, but I'll take it.

October 3, 2026

Day 2, walk

Day 2, walk, is a recovery day, after weights A. Always useful, occasionally really needed.

Not today, though. I felt really good, rested, and nothing much ached. I can still find the sore spots if I poke my mental finger at it. But, while present, those are just annoying. Since I felt fine, I went a bit further than usual, hoping for the long past PAI boost. Nope. That's an issue w/ being in shape / condition / old.

October 2, 2026

Day 1, weights A

Day 1, weights A, is the heavier of the A/B split. It's has 2 increased weight exercises - 01_ and 05_ - both added weight. And, yes, it felt heavier. Indeed, I could feel my tender groin muscle wonder about the added weight on 05_. F' that.

All else felt nicely heavy. 02_ form was surprisingly good, enuf so, that I thought about adding another plate. I'll keep thinking about it. 08_ feels really light. But, if my wrist is rotated 'incorrectly', I can feel distress inside my left shoulder (home of many tragic aches and oopsies). Maybe play with it next A day.

No changes yet, but I feel better than I thought I might. It's good.

October 1, 2026

Day 6, row

Day 6, row, is a recovery / prep day, depending on how I feel. No point in my being the dead horse. So, just row and see what happens. works every time.

I felt fine on the machine. Did my time, hit my marks for 'go faster'. Stood up, and lo and behold, nothing hurt or acted sore. Yesterday's upper groin and associated 'trying to not use it', turned into today's 'you feel fine, what's the issue?' That's excellent news. So, for today, my left side all feels fine. I'm grateful.