Road to (Senior) Olympics: Muscles burn but I do not die

Editor’s note: The Star’s Kathleen Allen is training to compete in the Tucson Senior Olympics Festival powerlifting event. She takes us along on her road to the competition. Find last week’s column at bit.ly/1J7sgKZ

I continue on my road to the Senior Olympics powerlifting event. My trainer, Gab Rico, also continues to make me suffer.

Jan. 6

Gab again. I’m beginning to think she will never leave me alone. “Endurance,” she says. “We’re building endurance.” It is difficult to endure her endurance shtick. She starts with 10 pounds and makes me work up to deadlifting 112. Ten times. No wait, it was 30 times, with barely a moment between. I have decided to change her name to Sadie, short for sadist.

Jan. 7

My head aches a bit tonight. I have decided all this weightlifting has somehow loosened a blood clot that will travel to my brain and kill me tonight, but not before it wakes me and demands another 50 squats.

Jan. 8

I did not die. I’m not sure that is a relief.

Jan. 9

Lots and lots of weightlifting today. I was exhausted within a few minutes of working out with Gab. She says we have started doing a more vigorous warm-up. She might have had some traineresque reason, but I’m not falling for it. I believe it’s because she is committed to making me feel my age. Yes, she really is a Sadie.

Jan. 10

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I slipped, fell and sprained my ankle. As I struggled to get up, all I could think was, “Oh, thank God, now I don’t have to do the Senior Olympics.”

Jan. 11

Unfortunately, my ankle is healing quickly. And a hurt ankle won’t keep me from working my arms, Gab insists. The woman has no mercy.

Jan. 12

Gab has concocted some torturous exercises that don’t involve using my feet. “This will give you strong back muscles,” she says with a smile. Then she ups the weight another 20 pounds. I’ve no idea what the final poundage was that she had me pulling down from an overhead contraption, but it was enough to make me scream with the effort. She says I can scream at the Senior Olympics, but she hopes I’ll refrain from using the four-letter words that go along with my vocalizations. I swore at her.

Jan. 13

My ankle continues to recoup quickly, which just gives Gab more license. I did deadlifting of about 2 tons over and over. OK, it was about 112 pounds, but it felt like more; and it was for about 30 reps. Oddly, I was concentrating so hard on lifting that I forgot about my ankle — Gab caught me walking without a limp. Must remember to limp around her.

Jan. 14

Gab continues to build up my endurance before she ups the weight. She asked me if my arms hurt after the last workout. “Yes,” I said, probably exaggerating the pain. “Good,” she replied. Why would I expect any other response? Tonight I’ll go to the gym — I’ll do that late so no one else is around; I don’t think I could take the humiliation of trying to lift 100 pounds next to someone who can lift 300 with one finger.

Jan. 15

I wasn’t able to exercise last night. I had a really good reason. Honest. Just can’t remember what it was. But I’ve come to realize I love working out, feeling stronger. I love the pumped up feeling of hard exercise. Please, do not let Gab know. It will only encourage her.