The Bailing Butt and Bucket Biceps Workout Program

Before I get to this new whizbang workout program, I have a few final words to say about my foray into detoxland.

At my celebratory breakfast at American Table at the week's end, Heidi says to me: "Thank you so much for inviting me to your retox."

JJ, being the always supportive friend that she is, eyes my two breakfasts. "I'm eating one of your crepes," she declares. "You are not supposed to overdo. You're just supposed to do."

And apparently, I was supposed to make do with two crepes.

Now the new workout program - The Bailing Butt and Bucket Biceps Workout Program.

During stressful times, I forgo activities like regular exercise. Like the time my husband and I bought our first house, I had been training (for real) for the Madison Marathon. With three months to go, I went cold turkey. No training. No running. With two weeks to go, I realized, "Hey, I have a marathon in two weeks."

Those of you who run marathons know that the last two-three weeks are supposed to be easy weeks. I did it backwards. I went easy for the first 12 weeks and crammed the final two weeks. I went for a long run. Well, why the heck not? Marathoners will tell you the importance of the long training run.

Marathoners will also tell that that doing a long run cold is stupid, stupid, stupid.

When I told my sis-in-law who has run marathons what I had done (or not done), she says brightly, "Great job, Grace, you made it almost half-way." (I had suffered through a grueling, ugly, ugly 11-mile long run, 2.1 miles shy of a marathon's half-way point.)

So when the skies opened up Thursday, I refused to let my regular exercise regimen be swept away.

A sidenote on the recent floods: I am gratified to see people helping people. Good on ya. (That's the Aussie in me coming out.)

Here is the six-step Bailing Butt and Bucket Biceps Workout Program.

1. First squat for hours on end while scooping flood water into a small bucket.
2. Pour water into a five-gallon bucket.
3. Carry five-gallon bucket upstairs.
4. Walk away from house.
5. Pour water.
6. Repeat.

I took turns with two other people and carried buckets, while our flood-stricken friend bailed. If filled to the top, the five gallons of water weighs 40 pounds. At the beginning, I was all gung-ho, thinking, "Oh, my working out at the Y is paying off." A few hours later, I'm dragging the bucket behind me, water splashing every which way, thinking, "I need to eat more meat."

Two days after the flood, I visited with my friend who tells me, "My butt is sore."
I reply, "My biceps are sore."

A great workout, indeed.

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