tobymax's training log

[tobymax]

Wow I haven't been here since June 26.  Only 4 pretty light weight lifting days since then.  Doing more running than lifting lately, trying to lean out a little.  Since I'm a terrible diet manager, I've resorted to running on the gym's indoor track, 1/10 mile per lap.

I'm not a disciplined runner.  It's like a contest to myself to run faster and faster, and then I have to walk a lap.  Every now and then I chill out and slow the pace so I can run at least a mile before I have to walk, but usually I run 3 to 8 laps then walk one.


June 27:
Run 2.1 miles, 23 minutes
10 flights of stairs


June 28:
Run 2.2 miles, 24 minutes.
6 flights of stairs


June 30
Run 0.6 miles (no walk) warm up

Bench Press
45x20, 135x10, 155x5, 175x5, 185x5, 195x5, 200x5

Hammer Strength High Row:
180x10, 180x10, 180x10, 180x10, 180x10

Pec Deck Flyes:
100x12, 110x11, 120x10, 125x9, 130x8


July 4
Run 0.8 miles (no walk)

Bench Press:
45x25, 135x5, 155x5, 175x5, 195x5, 200x5, 205x4, 210x3, 215x3, 225x2, 230x1, 185x10

Hammer Strength High Row:
180x10, 180x10, 200x8, 220x6, 230x6, 230x5


July 5-8
I got in a couple days of running and stair running, but did not log them.


July 9
Low weight & very fast pace...

BB Seated OHP:
95x5, 95x5, 95x5, 105x5, 115x5

Bench Press:
45x20, 135x10, 185x5, 185x5, 185x5, 185x5, 185x5

Dumbbell Reverse Incline Flyes:
15's x 10, 17.5x10, 17.5x10, 17.5x10, 17.5x10

Pec Deck Flyes:
110x10, 110x10, 110x10, 110x10, 110x10, 110x10

Dumbbell Lateral Raises:
17.5x10, 17.5x10, 17.5x10, 17.5x10, 15x10

Face Pulls:
70x10, 75x10, 75x10, 75x10, 75x10


July 12:
Run 1.8 miles, got in the first mile with no walking.
10 flights of stairs.


July 16:

Run 0.6 mile (no walk) warm up

Deadlifts - fast pace, very little rest time:
135x5, 185x5, 205x5, 225x5, 245x1, 255x5, 275x1 285x3, 290x1, 255x3

Hammer Strength High Row:
180x10, 200x10, 220x10, 230x8, 240x8, 250x8, 180x12

Reverse Flyes on Pec Deck:
60x10, 65x10, 65x10, 70x10, 60x10, 55x10, 50x10

[piperdown]

Good to see you're still getting in some exercise!

How's your partner doing?

[tobymax]

Thanks Eric.   He seems to be doing pretty well.  He feels good and pretty "normal" except for being really tired lately.  The cancer is still there, but down to the one primary tumor which is pretty small now. He gets a new blood test tomorrow to see if he's anemic again, and a CAT scan tomorrow (because insurance didn't approve the PET scan), and chemo on Friday unless the scan shows something to indicate a change in the course of treatment. 

[piperdown]

Thanks Eric.   He seems to be doing pretty well.  He feels good and pretty "normal" except for being really tired lately.  The cancer is still there, but down to the one primary tumor which is pretty small now. He gets a new blood test tomorrow to see if he's anemic again, and a CAT scan tomorrow (because insurance didn't approve the PET scan), and chemo on Friday unless the scan shows something to indicate a change in the course of treatment.

Sounds optimistic. Will they surgically remove the tumor once it's down to a certain size?

[tobymax]

Sounds optimistic. Will they surgically remove the tumor once it's down to a certain size?

Apparently not.  His oncologist and pulmonologist both said no.  As explained to us: With Stage IV adenocarcinoma lung cancer, once the cat is out of the bag, meaning once the cancer has spread outside of the lung, it's too late -- there is no difference in lifespan or in the likelihood of it returning elsewhere if you surgically remove it.  If it hadn't already been to Stage IV, then I think they would have removed it by now.  As long as the chemo keeps shrinking it, you keep doing what works and don't change horses mid-stream.  If it stops working then we will switch to new Immunotherapy treatment, probably the drug Keytruda which is all over TV in commercials now.  That's probably the best hope to get rid of it completely.  Some people with his type of lung cancer have been on the "maintenance chemo" for years, but we try not to think about that.

[piperdown]

Man Toby...can't express the words. Hang in there and I hope the treatments continue to improve.

[Merkley]

Man Toby...can't express the words. Hang in there and I hope the treatments continue to improve.

 Ditto, 

[ShawnJ]

Nice to see some training Toby. Sounds like things sound pretty optimistic with the hubby. My father had stage 3B lung cancer 11 years ago, chemo was the only option. Chemo shrank his primary tumour down to 1cm and destroyed all the other tumours. He had been without any return of cancer for 11 years...and still smokes like a truck driver 

[tobymax]

Well, a lot has happened in the last 3 months, and working out was not one of them.

I mentioned in my last post about my husband that he was feeling tired a lot.  On Aug 20 he had a seizure which resulted in me calling 911, and the next day we found out that the cancer had spread to the fluid and membranes surround the brain and spinal cord, known as leptomeningeal carcinomatosis.  Google it.  It's grim.  He went through 10 sessions of whole brain radiation which might buy him enough time to start Keytuda immunotherapy as a last ditch effort.  Oct 4, after one Keytruda session and another brain MRI, it became apparent that the radiation didn't work.  He was having confusion, difficulty communicating and walking, etc.  He was hospitalized for 5 days and sent home on Hospice with a 2 week prognosis.  At this point he couldn't even stand without assistance, then became bedridden.  Saturday Oct 21 he passed away in our home as our best friend and I held his hands.

His death came one month to the day after another of our closest friends died of ALS.

Randy was cremated, and insisted on no funeral, but wanted us to have a party instead.  We will be holding two Celebrations of Life; one in our hometown in Oklahoma, and on Nov 5 we will hold the big party that he wanted and a local event space, while the Chiefs play the Cowboys, a game he would have been over the moon about watching.

Eventually I will get back in the gym.

[BLK00TJ]

Toby, so sorry to hear about your loss. 

[tobymax]

Made it to the gym this evening for the first time in 3 months, and 25 days after losing my husband and partner of 25 years.

I went to a row of Technogym machines and did a circuit.  3 sets of 10 reps each, very light weights:  leg press, calf press, leg curls, chest press, lat pulldown, upper back row, shoulder press, curls, tricep pushdown, and lower back extension.  Lots of sets, but with very light weights so it went quickly.

[piperdown]

Toby, I didn't get on here much in Sept/Oct so this is the first I've heard of what happened.
I can't express in words the sorrow for your partners passing, just that you have my deepest sympathies.

[reduni]

Wow. So sorry to hear of your loss. I hadn't looked in here in a bit but things were looking optomistic. Sending thoughts and prayer your way. There are far too many people that know the heartache that cancer causes. I know there's going to be tough days ahead but I'm sure the whole IS gang is behind you.

[Bando]

Made it to the gym this evening for the first time in 3 months, and 25 days after losing my husband and partner of 25 years.

My condolences on your loss. Hoping the gym helps in some small way with your grieving process.