Monday morning strength class -- rejuvenation after a weekend of riding

Got up Saturday at 4 AM and Sunday at 3:45 AM to race in Prospect and Central Park respectively, so getting up at 5 AM to be at Brett's 6 AM Strength (TARGET Tough) class was like waking up late for brunch...well almost.

Brett took us through a routine of active warm-up, where we inched like a worm and climbed like Spidey. Then we did a series of upper body and core strength routines, like modified "jerks" (post the clean...), pull-ups (hard on my old body) with assistance (and I needed it) and various pike position exercises that seemed to find every under-used core muscle I have.

We did stuff that goes side to side (lateral that is), up and down, in and out, over and under.

How do I feel now? I have to say, in one word, rejuvenated. I mean I was shot yesterday afternoon, just exhausted. And I was half asleep when I started the session with Brett. I could not have looked at a bike. But my body is happy, and that makes me happy, too.

And Fred pitched in by helping me stretch out at the end -- very cool.

Target Tough is going to make the rest of my week a little easier. Thanks Brett. From the top of my head to the tips of my toes.