Monday
I felt rough all day. I was glad to get home from work so I could put my feet up with a recovery ale! I didn't even consider doing any training.
No exercise, beers
Tuesday
After work, Martha and I headed off to the dojo for a kata masterclass with Sensei Ronnie! We helped out with the lower grades' kata until the last 15 minutes when Sensei Ronnie introduced us to Nijushiho. To me, it seems an awkward kata with lots of stances that aren't clearly defined. Maybe I'll get to like it the more I practise it? Sensei Ronnie informed us that he want us (the Black belts) to be able to cross off (or words to that effect) Nijushiho by next Tuesday. That only give us one week to learn it. I suggested to Martha that we spend 10 minutes a day on it for the next 7 days.
Karate
Wednesday
After lessons, I went along to the college gym and did my usual 40 minute workout focusing on bench presses. Amber, one of the other members of staff, was there doing her cardio work. She was playing the Wedding Present on her phone! It turns out she is also a fan of the band. I connected my phone to the speaker in the gym and we did our workout while we listened to Bizarro by the Wedding Present!
Back at home, I made barbeque and chips for the family. I barbequed chicken breasts, pork belly and a few lamb kebabs. It was my best barbecue yet and the first one without sausages - I'm starting to get the hang of it. Obviously, you can't have barbecue without beer...
College workout, beers
Thursday
Lucy and I stayed at college after lessons so we could help interview students for September. After a quick shop at ALDI, we didn't get home until about 7. I set up my weights and then did a heavy session for an hour while listening to the USA defeat Pakistan in a super over during the T20 World Cup!
We had a late dinner, so I restricted myself to one bowl of spicy pasta before a cup of tea and bed.
Weight training
Friday
Work, work, work.
It was another Sensei Ronnie lesson in the Dojo. We went over Nijushiho. Unfortunately, Martha couldn't train tonight. I had a few beers with my dinner.
Karate, beers
Saturday
A very busy day! In the morning, I did a run. It was a good pace (for me) and I was pleased with the effort. I'm gradually building the distance back up. Today I ran 2.6 miles without slowing to a walk at any point.
Then it was a load of jobs - hanging washing out, doing the washing up, staining some planks of wood for an outside table, stuff like that. In the afternoon, I cycled to my dojo session. It was another quietish lesson where I struggled to get the higher grades motivated. The lower grades are still giving it 100% which is just what we need!
In the evening, I was very sensible and restricted myself to water in readiness for the big bike ride tomorrow morning!
Running, Karate
Sunday
When I woke up at 7, it was a bright morning with bright blue skies and hardly any wind. By the time Mark called for me at 9, it was a chilly, grey windy day! Today, the target was to get Mark's first half century ride (50 miles). Mark, stoically wearing his one layer of Lycra, set off at a startling pace and I did all I could to stay on his wheel. As a result, by the time we got through Wootton Wawen we were cruising at a 15.5mph average!
We had a mix up at the Binton Bends. Mark missed the turn off (he hadn't ridden there before!) and we ended up doing some A road work to bring us back to where we should have been. As soon as we were back on track, we put our heads down, shot along Luddington, and then gritted our teeth up the Ridgeway to arrive in Wilmcote with an average speed of 15.1mph.
The cake was fantastic and the chat was even better. We eventually had to drag ourselves back on to the bikes after a lovely pitstop of 50 minutes! We still had 25 miles to go...
We arrived at the Widowmaker with an average of 15.0mph. After we hit the top, we had an average of 14.9mph. Happily, as soon as we got on the A road out of Langley, we got our 15mph back! We manged to keep it until we got to the Two Towers in Preston Bagot. With 39 miles done, we watched our average speed start to drop down and down as the miles and the gradient took their toll on our legs.
We eventually got home after 50 miles with a very respectable average speed of 14.4mph. Mark did fantastically well in his first half century ride. I'll be happy if I can keep up with him for the rest of the summer!
In the afternoon, I vacuumed, polished the floors, did some ironing, and put the gazebo back in the loft. Then it was time to watch India beat Pakistan in the World Cup. Jane came over for dinner and to watch some tennis.
Cycling, 3 beers, junkfood
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