HIIT and chasing pixels

I’ve been slacking on my HIIT workouts lately, preferring to swim laps rather than working up a sweat in my stairwell. But, since it’s Monday, the pool is closed and so it was time for a leg-and-core HIIT session: 33 minutes of step-ups, squats, butt kicks, crunches, leg raises and planks, combined in the most exhausting way possible. I should’ve worn my heart rate monitor; I’m always curious about how hard my body thinks I’m working because I’m pretty sure I’m working darn hard.

Now, I don’t know how many of you are keeping up with nerd news lately, but last week Pokemon Go was released. It’s an Alternate Reality (AR) game where the goal is to walk around with your phone, catch pokemon, collect items, and battle at gyms. And just like the actual Pokemon game, you can hatch eggs by walking a certain distance (most are 5k). We are a Pokemon-loving house– my fiancee is actually a Pokemon Master (he caught them all). So over the weekend we did a lot of walking the trails behind the development where, conveniently, there are several pokestops and a couple gyms.

Getting my partner to go for a walk with me has always been a tough sell– but thanks to Pokemon Go he’s a lot more willing to get outside, even when it’s hot and sticky (he’s a bit heat intolerant). He still complains, but I think it’s a little more enjoyable when it has a goal that’s more than “go walk a while”.

Lots of folks are joking about how this game is the only thing that can get gamer nerds out of their houses, but it’s actually been neat to watch. Friends of mine posted pictures from a big, outdoor shopping center nearby where there were a lot of pokestops and a gym, and on Sunday evening there were literally crowds of people there with their phones, dropping lures, catching pokemon and… talking to each other! It was a big outdoor social Pokemon event. Pretty cool!

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