Be Right Back

No, I haven't fallen off the face of the planet. In fact, I'm in New York City -- the very center of the universe (at least according to a number of New Yorkers I know). 

We're spending a few days here on vacation before heading up to Boston for the 2012 Ancestral Health Symposium, which explains why I've gone radio silent for the past few days.

I'll be back to blogging soon, but in the meantime, you can check out Michelle's daily posts over at Nom Nom Paleo.

And yes, we're still on track for our 100-push-up challenge. (It's Day 47. Have you done your 47 push-ups today?)

Someone's Burning the Midnight Oil

How Big-O vacations:

How Lil-O vacations:

How M vacations:

A blogger's work is never done.

20 Things About Kauai

A list of random things we learned during our week on Kauai:

ONE: With a kitchen (and a sister-in-law who cooks for a living!), it’s easy to eat Paleo on Kauai.

TWO: However, the farmer’s markets are overpriced; the same locally-grown produce can be found for a lot cheaper at roadside stands or even Banana Joe’s (where you can also treat yourself to a Paleo-friendly frozen treat on a hot, sticky day).

THREE: The Costco near the airport is incredible. No crowds or lines -- even on weekends! -- and tons of great stuff you can’t get on the mainland. Plus: cheap(er) gas.

FOUR: Best sources of grassfed beef: The Chevron gas station convenience store at the Princeville Center (I kid you not) and the meat counter at Kojima Market in Kapa’a. But don’t go on Wednesdays or Sundays -- they’re closed.

FIVE: We weren’t able to consume four pounds of butter in one week, but as a family, we easily polished off four dozen eggs, twelve avocados, and countless coconuts and macadamia nuts.

SIX: The least attractive sights on Kauai are Hawaii's anti-meth posters.

SEVEN: Purple sweet potatoes are tasty (and pretty!), but take forever to cook in the oven. Microwave ‘em instead.

EIGHT: Kauai CrossFit is a fantastic place to get your WOD on. Want a challenging workout in a jaw-dropping setting alongside friendly, laid-back (but firebreathing) CrossFitters? Get in touch with Jerome.

NINE: When Big-O says he’s carsick and he’s gonna hurl, he’s not kidding.

TEN: I like the citrus-y, banana-y, pineapple-y taste of soursop, but the slimy texture is a turn-off.

ELEVEN: Wild roosters are everywhere: strip mall parking lots, the middle of the highway, behind restaurants, our front yard. And they don’t limit their crowing to daybreak.

TWELVE: Lil-O appears to be immune to bug bites. Everyone else in our family? Not so much.

THIRTEEN: I'm pretty sure Hawaii state law requires every radio station to play Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours" every hour, on the hour, in perpetuity.

FOURTEEN: Coconut M&Ms exist.

FIFTEEN: So do Macadamia Roca candies.

SIXTEEN: Favorite restaurant on the island: Bar Acuda in Hanalei.

SEVENTEEN: M can rip open coconuts open with her bare hands.

EIGHTEEN: Best hot tub snack: Beef jerky.

NINETEEN: This time, unlike our last couple of trips to Kauai, we didn’t snorkel, take a helicopter ride, hike to hidden beaches/waterfalls, or almost disappear off the side of a treacherous cliff.

TWENTY: But lounging around for a week with my insanely awesome family in an insanely awesome house with insanely awesome views and an insanely awesome pool was insanely awesome nonetheless.

Aloha!

Friday's Workout: Slow Burn

M and I woke up late this morning. By the time we arrived at Kauai CrossFit after a long drive down the Kuhio Highway, it was a couple of minutes after 6, and Jerome had already begun leading the group through some light stretching.

Thankfully, we didn't miss any of the scheduled warm-up:

Jump rope for 3 minutes, and then three rounds of:

• 30 seconds of handstand hold
• 30 seconds of chin-over-bar (basically, a static hold at the top of a pull-up)
• 30 seconds of L-sit
• 30 seconds of mountain climbers

Yes, the warm-up was just 9 minutes long, but by the end, I'd already worked up a nice sweat. (Which, by the way, isn't hard to do while exercising outside in the warm, muggy air.)

Next: the main event.

Metcon:

As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes:

• 5 handstand push-ups
• 10 dumbbell ground-to-overheads (35lbs / 25lbs)
• 15 toes-to-bar
• 20 bent-over dumbbell rows (35lbs /25lbs)

I knew I could do all these movements using the RXed weights (i.e., a pair of 35-pound dumbbells), and I wasn't concerned about the toes-to-bar -- but I also recognized from past experience that the HSPUs would take me forever to finish. (And possibly cause facial hemorrhages to boot.) All of this was expected.

What I didn't expect was that the dumbbell moves would take me as long as they did. I especially struggled with the bent-over rows; although I have a vague recollection of doing similar exercises in P90X, I'm rusty. My form was ugly, and I stopped for more breaks than I'd like to admit.

During one of my breathers, Jerome walked over and shared with me that the original workout as listed on the Main Site was "an 8-minute AMRAP" incorporating similar movements -- not a 20-minute one. "But there's no way the other gym members would go for that," he continued. "So we threw this one together last night."

On the one hand, I REALLY wish Jerome hadn't told me that he'd extended the length of the WOD by 250 percent. But on the other hand, I felt like a badass (albeit a slow one) every time I flipped upside down against the wall to eke out another HSPU or five.

Result: 3 rounds plus 39 reps as RXed. I was the only person in our class to do this workout RXed -- but I was also the slowest. Ugh. I'm determined to do better next time, but I guess "next time" will have to wait -- we're flying back home tomorrow.

Nonetheless, mark my words: You'll definitely see both of us back at Kauai CrossFit again.

Monday's Workout: Aloha, Lumberjacks

It may seem crazy that M and I got up before the crack of dawn -- WHILE ON VACATION -- to get ready for the 6 a.m. class at Kauai CrossFit this morning. But hey: 6 a.m. in Hawaii is 9 a.m. in California, so we actually got to sleep in. Besides, how could we possibly pass up a chance to WOD in paradise?

Open since last October, Kauai CrossFit is the only affiliate on the island. Owned and run by Jerome Hromiak, a recent transplant from the Bay Area, the gym has physical features resembling that of San Francisco CrossFit (which makes sense when you consider that Jerome was introduced to CrossFit by Kelly Starrett). Members exercise under a large waterproof tent and a wooden pull-up structure that offers some extra protection from the rain -- but otherwise wide-open to the sea breeze and sunshine. It's perfect, given the jaw-dropping tropical setting.

We showed up a few minutes before 6 a.m. to sign some waivers and learn a bit more about the gym and its programming. Since February, Kauai CrossFit has followed the workouts posted on CrossFit.com, though the WODs aren't necessarily done concurrently with the Main Site. And, of course, Main Site WODs tend to lean towards long metcon beat-downs -- something we do at CrossFit Palo Alto only one-quarter of the time. "People here like the 30 to 60 minute metcons," Jerome said. Holy hell.

And just to drive home the point, he warned us (with a smile!): "We have a really hard one planned for today."

But first, he led the eight early birds in the 6 a.m. class through a directed warm-up, and then three rounds of:

• 150-meter run
• 10 walking lunges
• 10 push-ups
• 10 knees-to-elbows
• 10 Good Mornings

The box's running path, by the way, runs along the shoreline. It's distractingly beautiful.

Then, it was super-long chipper time.

Metcon:

"The Lumberjack 20"

• 20 deadlifts (275lbs/185lbs)
• Run 400 meters
• 20 kettlebell swings (70lbs / 53lbs)
• Run 400 meters
• 20 overhead squats (115lbs / 75lbs)
• Run 400 meters
• 20 burpees
• Run 400 meters
• 20 chest-to-bar pull-ups
• Run 400 meters
• 20 box jumps (24" / 20″)
• Run 400 meters
• 20 dumbbell squat cleans (45lbs / 30 lbs each)
• Run 400 meters

The Lumberjack 20 is a "Hero WOD" named for those who were wounded in the Fort Hood shooting in November of 2009. Four of those killed and eleven of the wounded were members of Lumberjack CrossFit in the 20th Engineer Battalion. Sad, sad stuff.

But honestly, I knew nothing of the context when the WOD began. I just knew I wanted to survive the damned thing. Even at six in the morning, the air was moist and warm. Rain had soaked everything around us, and as I loaded my barbell with plates, I started getting worried.

And in fact, it took a while to get through this one -- not because it was technically challenging (aside from the overhead squats), but because there was a ton of stuff to complete, and a lot of running, too. I had little-to-no difficulty with the deadlifts (though I scaled the weight down to 225 pounds), kettlebell swings, burpees or chest-to-bar pull-ups, and the first few 400-meter runs felt good. (Probably because I was so dazzled by the view from the running path.) The overhead squats were a killer, but at least they came fairly early in the WOD. I was proud of myself for snatching the barbell overhead, even though I'd scaled the weight down to 95 pounds.

It wasn't until the last two rounds that I really hit the wall. Box jumps at 24 inches are typically one of my favorites because I can whip through them quickly. Today, though, I was slow as molasses -- and even took a tumble off the rain-slicked surface. The dumbbell squat cleans seemed impossibly heavy.  And my ragged running looked more like stumbling -- though whenever I felt tired, I just stared out at the blue of the Pacific and imagined I was stretching out on a beach towel instead of hustling back to the box to lift more heavy stuff.

Result: 30:12. Seemed like a lot longer, but I had it better than M, who -- because she didn't have her contacts in -- didn't see that the WOD kept going after the burpees. I'm sure she silently mouthed some expletives before powering through the rest of the workout.

The folks we met this morning were pretty kick-ass. They're clearly used to regularly grinding out long metcons, and all of them tackled the Lumberjack 20 with an unbelievably cheery, can-do attitude. For the first three rounds, I did my best to keep up with the leader of the pack. While we ran, she shared with me that she's currently recovering from knee surgery -- but by the end of the WOD, she'd lapped me. In fact, the thing that impressed me most was everyone's running prowess; even after over a hundred reps of fairly heavy lifts, these folks could still hustle like jackrabbits.

During the WOD, Jerome calmly walked around, helping us strip our bars to transition from deadlifts to overhead squats, and helping folks with squat clean technique. Even with all the clanking bumper plates and grunting CrossFitters around him, Jerome maintained a friendly, low-key approach that's perfectly matched to the environment.

As M and I gobbled down our post-workout purple sweet potatoes, we agreed that a good butt-kicking was the perfect way to start a morning on Kauai. To be frank, though, I don't think I could handle a bunch of Hero WODs three times a week on an ongoing basis. I think my head would explode and the cortisol would erupt like a volcano from the top of my neck-stump and slowly ooze down the front of my shirt, mixing with the briny sweat and blood. I can't help but have mad respect for the members of Kauai CrossFit, who throw down like this regularly.

How to Pack for Vacation

We pack light. Between the four of us, we're bringing a grand total of two carry-on bags to Kauai -- a little one stuffed with clothes, and a bigger one loaded with the really important stuff:

I hope this'll last us the week.

One Week (So Far...)

Since arriving on Maui a week ago, I've not only stayed Paleo (you can read about our meals on M's blog), but I've also managed to abstain from all artificial sweeteners. Despite a fridge packed with Coke Zeros and other sugar-free (but chemically-sweetened) drinks, and although I brought tons of chewing gum with me, I've kept on the straight and narrow.

(Yes, I've had a bit more fruit than usual, but I'm not sure if this is because I'm craving something sweet, or because I'm on vacation and the pineapple here is really awesome.)

I wonder how long this'll last...

Monday's Workout

Miss me? Don't worry: Just because we're on vacation doesn't mean I'm not going to squeeze in my regular workout (and blog about it).

During last year's visit to Maui, my exercise routine consisted of some self-customized P90X-esque chipper workouts, and I started running in earnest in my FiveFingers.

This time, before leaving California, I'd arranged to drop into a local CrossFit affiliate. The island has several CrossFit gyms, and the one closest to where we're staying is one of the newest; it's not yet fully stocked with equipment, and most members are brand-new to CrossFit (even more so than me). But the owner/coach is open and friendly, and the programming seems solid.

Warm-Up:

Unlike my gym back home, where each of us gets loose and ready however we like, the warm-ups here are directed by the coach. Today, we were instructed to warm up with a little taste of Cindy: Instead of 20 minutes of pull-ups, push-ups and squats, though, we did just three rounds. In the sticky morning heat, it was enough to get me sweating.

It also reminded me of a CrossFit saying (that I've always disliked for its braggadocio, but with which I agree): "My warm-up is your workout."

And so, after the mini-Cindy, the workout began in earnest.

Strength Skills:

• Barbell Hang Cleans (5 sets of 3)
• Dumbbell Floor Presses (5 sets of 5 per side)

The hang cleans weren't difficult, but the floor presses were new to me -- at least in a CrossFit setting. (I'd been introduced to them before as part of my Turbulence Training routine from earlier in the year, but I often subbed in bench presses instead.) I like new things, so I had fun with them.

The best part: Practicing a compound motion requiring full-body neuromuscular coordination (hang cleans) and then throwing in some pure strength work (floor presses) for good measure.

Metcon:

CrossFit isn't CrossFit without a metcon, right?

For time:

• 10 overhead kettlebell swings
• Run 100 meters
• 9 overhead kettlebell swings
• Run 100 meters
• 8 overhead kettlebell swings
• Run 100 meters
• 7 overhead kettlebell swings
• Run 100 meters
• 6 overhead kettlebell swings
• Run 100 meters
• 5 overhead kettlebell swings
• Run 100 meters
• 4 overhead kettlebell swings
• Run 100 meters
• 3 overhead kettlebell swings
• Run 100 meters
• 2 overhead kettlebell swings
• Run 100 meters
• 1 overhead kettlebell swing
• Run 100 meters

I've done this one twice before. But it's one thing to do a crazy metcon in the pre-dawn chill of northern California. It's another thing entirely to do one in the mid-morning humidity of Maui. I still managed to fly through this one, finishing in 7:37 (7 seconds faster than my previous effort), but I'm pretty sure I've never before perspired that much in just seven-and-a-half minutes.

What I Did on Vacation

We’re (finally) back home from our family vacation, so beware: I am about to bore you with details of our Alaskan cruise.

Alaska was beautiful (but what's with all the Sarah Palin calendars for sale? And in June?) and the weather couldn’t have been better, but there wasn’t a whole lot we could do with our kids and our parents in tow. It turns out that AARP members and pre-schoolers don’t have a lot of mutual interests other than the ship’s all-you-can-eat buffet. We ate plenty of meals at the two main dining rooms onboard, but the buffet restaurant scored the biggest hit with our family. The kids loved the 24-hour access to ice cream and French fries, and their grandparents enjoyed ingesting massive -- possibly toxic -- amounts of fruit. (They were taking no chances with scurvy.)

M and I carefully steered clear of the buffet's endless aisle o’ bread ‘n pastries, which didn’t look all that appetizing to me despite the homey glow of the heat lamps. Still, it was eye-opening to witness some of our fellow passengers load up their plates with as much carbohydrate content as possible. (I saw someone stack eight pieces of whole wheat toast on her plate and then head over to the pancake station to ladle a huge glob of imitation maple syrup over her tower of bread. She explained to her companion: “The French toast is too soggy.”) The amount of sugary (and sugar-loaded) food items on garish display at the buffet was almost enough to send anyone into diabetic shock by just looking at it.

To be honest, M and I ate a lot, too, but we tried to stick mostly to the meat, eggs and vegetables. Breakfast usually consisted of eggs (or an omelet), bacon, sausage and plain yogurt with berries. For lunch, we had heaping veggie-loaded salads with whatever meat was being carved up. And dinner was usually more meat (steak, pork, lamb, etc.) or fish.

We also ate freakish quantities of nuts. We purchased about eight pounds of nuts in Seattle to bring with us on the ship, and made bags and bags of trail mix in our cabin -- but that wasn’t enough for me. There was a cheese station at the buffet where you could spoon some nuts and dried fruit onto your plate to accompany your cheese slices (or blocks, depending on your level of hunger/gluttony). But every time I passed by, I loaded up whatever empty container I happened to have with me -- coffee cup, soup bowl, Ziplock bag, pants pockets -- with fistfuls of nuts. On the last night of the cruise, I walked by the cheese station again, and they were completely out of nuts. I like to think I had something to do with that.

Besides eating, our primary activities on the ship were: (1) sleeping, (2) keeping the kids from hurtling things overboard (although our five-year-old did manage to kick his shoe into the frigid waters of Glacier National Park), (3) compulsively washing our hands to avoid the risk of contracting illnesses involving “diarrhea and vomiting,” as the helpful signs in the elevators put it, and (4) trying to find time to exercise.

Eighty-five percent of a cruise is spent cooped up in a floating hotel. About a third of that time is spent eating, and another third is spent sleeping. And unless you love gambling, drinking, playing shuffleboard and/or bingo, or buying really overpriced, mass-manufactured “art” on the high seas, you might as well go work out. One great benefit of having lots of adult family members aboard: Free babysitting while you hit the gym.

Sadly, the fitness center on the cruise ship was less than awesome. Sure, the view from the row of cardio machines was incredible; passengers looking to trudge endlessly on the ellipticals and treadmills could gaze for hours out the floor-to-ceiling windows at the water stretching to the horizon. But there was little space in the narrow gym for anything other than cardio and weight machines. Three benches were bracketed by two small dumbbell racks -- and that was it.

And don’t get me started on the water situation. Thirsty gym-goers had three choices: (1) bring their own water bottles; (2) line up at the one water fountain in the busiest corner of the fitness center with a tiny Dixie cup in hand, or (3) pay $4.50 for a bottle of water.

One saving grace? The gym had a pull-up bar. This is huge. Most hotel gyms don’t have one, figuring that a lat pull-down machine is sufficient. For this cruise ship to have a pull-up bar was awesome -- especially for someone like me, who’s just starting to get into CrossFit, a program that heavily features pull-ups.

Another plus: The gym was next to the pool deck, which had lots of sturdy benches built at the edge of the swimming pools. For most of our time at sea, it was too cold for swimming, so the deck was mostly empty, which meant I could use the benches in place of plyo boxes for depth jumping without too many people laughing at me.

Anyway, for those of you who are keeping track, below are my past week’s workouts. None took more than an hour (most took far less time), but with the exception of the Sunday workouts, each day's session kicked me in the balls.

Sunday:

Before we checked out of our hotel in Seattle, I ran from the Westlake Center downtown to Cafe Flora (at East Madison and 29th -- a restaurant we visited regularly when we were last in Seattle) and back. On the way back, I stopped at Trader Joe's and bought a few big bags of nuts, which wasn't a smart idea given that I still had a few more miles to run and no easy way to carry my purchases. (Again: I like nuts.)

Monday:

Bodyweight Fran workout (21-15-9 reps of burpees and pull-ups)

Tuesday:

Half-Angie (50 pull-ups, 50 push-ups, 50 squats, 50 sit-ups), but not done for time
3 X 6 dumbbell bench presses
3 X 6 dumbbell back rows
10 X 10 plyo box jumps
4 minutes Tabata row
The other half of Angie (50 pull-ups, 50 push-ups, 50 squats, 50 sit-ups), not done for time

Wednesday:

6 X 5 pull-ups
6 X 4 pistols
100 plyo box jumps (broken up into as few sets as possible)
6 X 25 push-ups
6 X 25 sit-ups
6X 25 squats

Thursday:

5-minutes of L-sit (it look me almost 12 minutes to do this, and my “L” often looked more like an “N”)
50 long-form burpees (1X squat, 1X push-up, 1X sit-up, 1X superman, 1X tuck jump)

Friday:

3 X 6 dumbbell bench presses
3 X 6 dumbbell back rows
3 X 6 pull-ups - feet-to-bar
3 X 6 corkscrew dumbbell shoulder presses
3 X 6 chin-ups - feet-to-bar
3 X 6 pistols

Saturday:

For time: 100 plyo box jumps (it took me 4:10 - ugh)
20 bodyblasters (burpee to pull-up to knees-to-elbows)
Run 5K (on the ship’s jogging track, where people kept gawking at my Vibram FiveFingers and saying helpful things like: “You look like you have otter feet.”)
20 more bodyblasters

Sunday (yesterday):

M and I carried a bunch of luggage and two small children off a cruise ship, up and down rainy hills in Seattle, to the airport, on a plane, and off a plane.

I need a vacation.

I'm Baaaack!

Did you miss me?

Tabata Run

Today's recovery workout:

3 sets of 6 bench presses
3 sets of 5 front squats
3 sets of 3 front squats
3 sets of 6 pull-ups
3 sets of pistols

I put on my Vibram FiveFingers KSOs and took off for a 20 minute Tabata run (alternating between 20 seconds of sprinting and 10 seconds of jogging -- I covered a surprising amount of ground here in Seattle and simultaneously squeezed in a nice interval workout).

And then, I chilled out in the pool.

Round 3 / Day 105: CrossFit WOD

Hotel gyms are such crap.

Take the one downstairs from our room. Like just about every other hotel fitness center I've seen, it's filled with treadmills and Stairclimbers and stationary bikes -- all with TV screens affixed to them. Pristine weight machines form a labyrinth in the room, but relatively few hotel guests use them. Mostly, people come in to tread hypnotically for 30 to 60 minutes at a time on a cardio machine while watching CNN. I used to be one of them, but not anymore.

My workout today consisted of a bunch of groove-greasing repetitions of dumbbell hang cleans, pistols, and tricep dips. Then, using my Blackberry, I pulled up the Workout of the Day -- the routine "prescribed" by CrossFit's central command and posted online each morning on crossfit.com -- and steeled myself for a good asskicking:

 15 rounds of the following (for time):

• 5 pull-ups
• 10 push-ups
• 15 squats

It took me exactly 14 minutes to complete all 15 rounds, and I was seriously lagging towards the end. There's a CrossFit workout named "Cindy" that's similar, but instead of timing how long it takes you to crank out 15 rounds, it requires that you do as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes. I don't think I could last 20 minutes without passing out (or at least taking a nap break).

Afterwards, I was spent. I wandered over to the pool to watch M and our 5-year-old play in the water. Our big boy's been taking swim lessons for months now, and he's fearless in the water (though, like me, he's not exactly earning style points in the pool). I can't wait until I get to the point when CrossFit WODs fail to strike terror into my heart.

But let's be honest: that's unlikely to ever happen.

Today's workout marked not only my very first attempt at an official CrossFit WOD, but also my last workout of Round 3. It's been a hell of a ride these last 105 days as I've continued to refine my approach to nutrition and fitness.

I'm working on a lengthy post summarizing my latest thoughts on eating and exercise, and I'll do my best to post it soon. [UPDATED: It's right over here.] But right now, I'm going to focus on vacationing with my family. I'm not going to post as regularly (and possibly not at all) over the next week due to travel and limited Internet access, but will be back to daily blogging no later than Monday, June 21st.

When I do, though, I won't be ticking off the days on a 90- (or 105-) day calendar anymore, so you won't be able to just click onto "Day 26" and check out what I'm doing. My plan's to make exercise a part of my everyday life from now until I keel over, so I no longer see the point in treating it like I'm in a jail cell, scratching little hash marks on the wall in a countdown to freedom. If you want to keep tabs on my workouts, just keep reading my daily posts, or check out the archives.

But until I get back from vacation, you can find me at a shitty fitness center, rolling my eyes and making a gagging sound while sticking a finger down my throat. And then working out like a crazy person.

Canyon Ranch: Day 5

Hoping to squeeze in a full day of exercise classes (and shower in our room instead of in the spa) before leaving Canyon Ranch, we called the front desk first thing this morning to inquire about a late checkout. The staffer at Guest Services was more than accommodating, and arranged for us to keep our room until 4:30 p.m., when our shuttle would depart for the airport. Score!

Our day, after the jump...

Canyon Ranch: Day 4

We're leaving Canyon Ranch tomorrow afternoon, so I was determined not to slack off today.

A full rundown is after the jump...

Canyon Ranch: Day 3

I slept fitfully, owing to massive gas. Here at Canyon Ranch, I’ve been eating tons of salad, cruciferous vegetables, beans, and other gastastic foods, and it’s starting to catch up with me. I woke up exhausted from farting all night.

M, on the other hand, woke up ready to jump right into another day of heavy-duty workouts. After a quick breakfast (of muesli, fruit, egg white veggie omelet, and huevos rancheros -- washed down with OJ and a blueberry-cherry smoothie), we got started.

Our day in excruciating detail, after the jump.

Canyon Ranch: Day 2

Our second day at Canyon Ranch got off to a late start. We had planned to get up early to down some chow and let it digest a little before diving into another day of hardcore exercising. Instead, due to our exhaustion from yesterday, we didn’t crawl out of bed until 7:40 a.m. – less than an hour before our scheduled “Serious Cycle” class. Once we were up, though, we moved quickly, and slammed down breakfast at the Double U Café (Canyon Ranch’s casual restaurant): a veggie omelet, some muesli, yogurt and granola, and fruit. Then it was off to the gym.

Lots more after the jump...

Canyon Ranch: Day 1

With two little kids, time-consuming jobs and a host of other day-to-day responsibilities, it can be challenging for M and me to find time for ourselves (other than the hour or so we spend exercising every day). That's why it feels so good to run away to another state and do nothing but focus on ourselves.

Our first day back at Canyon Ranch has been fantastic. In some ways, it's even better this time around because we're familiar with the layout of the place, the schedule, the trainers, the classes, and the food; instead of trying to figure out what we're supposed to be doing, we're just soaking up the whole experience and focusing on exercising, eating right, and relaxing.

After the jump, a rundown the things we did today, along with scoop about the Hollywood film actor who's been sweating next to us in our exercise classes.

Stretch on a Plane

Our flight to Tucson yesterday was a typically horrible experience: The departure was delayed for hours, and the plane was small and cramped. (We did, however, sit directly behind Peter Coyote, which was a welcome distraction -- though neither of us could remember any of the movies in which we'd seen him.) Our total time in the air was only about two hours, but we'd been sitting around for close to five, and I felt achy and stiff, so while M napped, I did the stretches and rotations I recently read about on the Times' Frugal Traveler blog. I recommend them, but I did look pretty weird -- like doing yoga on a bus.

Vacation: Soreness

My calves are more sore than I'd anticipated. Serves me right for not heeding advice to start with very short distances when first attempting to run barefoot.

Thankfully, my ass is going to remain planted in an airline seat today.

Vacation: Barefoot Running

I ran "barefoot" for almost 9 miles in my super-fugly Vibram FiveFingers KSOs today. (I've previously written about my other pair of FiveFingers -- the Sprint -- here, and you can read reviews of them here and here.) The Ka'anapali beachfront was beautiful today, and it was oddly relaxing to get out there and just...go.

I'd never attempted to run this distance in nothing more than what amounts to a pair of socks with a thin rubber sole, but my feet were surprisingly comfortable throughout (except for during a one-mile stretch of rock-strewn dirt trail). Afterwards, I chucked off my KSOs to check out my feet; the undersides were pink, but not blistered or particularly sensitive to the touch. My right knee, which has plagued me for years, didn't bother me at all, and I was shin-splint-free. And thanks to P90X, I wasn't winded or even tired after running over an hour.

Despite having been a fairly regular runner in years past, I still know next to nothing about the "barefoot running" movement. But I've been reading about it in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and on websites like runBARE, and based on my experiences this week, I'm seriously considering adding barefoot running to my fitness routine.

(But is it crazy to do a combination of P90X, Insanity and barefoot running all at once?)