A late success.

I've spent the past two weeks on four-time weekly bouts with the elliptical trainer, hill intervals, level three, thirty minutes plus five-minute cooldown.

At first, it sucked hard.

Now, it sucks a lot less hard, so I moved it up to level four. Cardio sucks at a manageable level again.

Perhaps even a level that can be maintained while I stretch it out to 45 minutes plus 5 minute cooldown, my end-of-October goal.

FEELING MANRY

Ladies and gents of the Internet void, I am pleased to announce that I had, as of the 25th, surpassed my July fitness goal of 600 minutes.

It's the 27th now. I'm at 731 minutes and I've taken the day off cardio to rest up after two physically grueling nights of contract DJ work and prepare for lifting tomorrow.

It's been a good month for cardio. I began the month with 20-minute sessions of Olympic speed walking which winded me and sucked, and I'm ending the month with 35-minute elliptical training interval sessions that wind me and suck a lot less. But, the more I read, the more I'm sure I need to incorporate free weight lifting into my routine. I'm waiting on a copy of The New Rules of Lifting for Women at the Battleground Barnes & Noble; fingers crossed it's in by Monday of next week.

Yesterday, I learned to squat. Tomorrow I'm going to try bench pressing and deadlifts.

I am a MAN.