Monday 26th August
I had two breakfasts this morning, I'm not sure why. Maybe because it's a Bank Holiday?
Today, I decided to refill the firewood boxes. We had burned through three boxes on Saturday evening when we had a barbecue with friends in the back garden. I put my Black and Decker Workmate on the front drive and set about sawing up all the old wood I had lying around in various places. It was lovely working with my hands in the sunshine, listening to some great tunes on the portable speaker.
When that was done, Lucy and I walked up to Tilly's house to help her with her garden. I put her new lawnmower together and then mowed the small lawn in the back garden. Also in the back garden is a relatively small, gnarled spiky tree. It was possibly a blackthorne, but I can't say with any certainty. Its thorns looked quite dangerous and could easily do a lot of damage if trodden on. Tilly decided that she didn't want the tree - it blocked out the light, was dangerous and simply ugly. I was given a saw, a set of step ladders, safety glasses, and a pair of gloves, and then set to work.
It was a strange feeling cutting down a tree. I didn't enjoy the thought of killing something so essential to life as a tree, as spiky and ugly as this one was. However, I did enjoy the physical labour and working outdoors in the sunshine.
Once the tree was down, I went home to fetch my workbench and my portable speaker. I got deja vu while I cut the tree into logs and listened to some great music!
Back at home, I did a full hour of weight training. It wasn't my heaviest lift, but it was certainly my heaviest lift so far this year. I really struggled with the military press today, but, although my form suffered, I managed to get the last set of twelve done before moving on to squats.
After this, Lucy served up some fantastic weight training food: chicken, potatoes, salad and tomatoes from the greenhouse. Fantastic! I drank water with dinner and was in bed with a cup of tea by 10:30.
Weight Training
Tuesday
I downed 500ml of water before getting out of bed, got up for a healthy breakfast, leaped onto the road bike, headed off to work and then realised that I had my Karate rucksack on my back and not my work bag. I turned around and headed home... I eventually got to work just before 9am!
I met some lovely students, helped them to enrol on to courses, and then headed off to the college gym. Just like last week, I had it to myself - all the equipment was still set up the way I had left it! I blasted out some heavy tunes and then raced through my back, chest and shoulders routine. Forty minutes later, I was aching mightily and feeling very good about it! I cycled home just as it started to rain.
At home, I got changed and then walked up to Jake and Tilly's place. Tilly, Jane, Lucy, Mouse, Martha and Cassie all got stuck in to Jake's homemade curry. It was a lovely dinner with good company. I steered clear of the naans and the poppadoms, and managed to resist all the lovely deserts on offer. Cassie called me "scrawny".
Back at home, I drank tea and was in bed by 10:40.
College Workout
Wednesday
I cycled in to work. Pushed some paper about, enrolled some students, and then headed to the college gym. I was about a third into my workout when I was joined by a member of staff named Zed - a very positive friendly chap who gets on well with everyone. Without any warm-up, he started shoulder pressing and swinging barbells about. I got to my last exercise - the bench press. I always use the bench at college because I no longer have one at home. I warmed up at 30kg, moved up to 40, then 45 and then got down to business with the last two sets at 50kg. This involved much grunting and a bit of swearing. When I finally got it done, I invited Zed to have a go. While chatting and smiling, Zed loaded an extra 40kg on the bar to bring it up to 90kg. He then proceeded to do three reps.
I cycled home feeling scrawnier than ever.
I made a healthy protein rich dinner for Lucy and myself, stuck to drinking water, played Minceraft with Mouse and went to bed at 10:30.
College Workout
Thursday
I used the car for work today because I had some parcels to drop off at the Post Office. My knee was aching a bit today. After driving home, I set up my weights for an hour long session.
Tonight, I concentrated on curls, deadlifts, shrugs and some dumbbell work. Along with 300 bodyweight reps. It was the heaviest session I've managed so far this year. I was aching a bit afterwards! Lucy served up plenty of chicken and rice for dinner, which was perfect recovery fuel. I drank water.
Weight training
Friday
I cycled in to work on the road bike. Good news! Lucy has a new position at the college. It's a promotion, but happily she is still part of the department and I'll continue to work closely with her throughout the year.
After some frantic last-minute planning and paperwork, and some very last-minute enrolment, I was glad to get back on the bike, get home and then get in the dojo! I got there early enough to hit the heavy bag for five minutes before the lesson started. It felt great!
Sensei Gary was in charge tonight. After the warm up, he had Martha and me teaching the lower grades while he took the brown and black belts through some sparring. After a little while trying to get the white belts revved up, I was called over to do some sparring myself. I honestly can't remember the last time I did any freestyle. The last time I sparred could possibly have been 2023...
In my one and only fight, I was up against arguably one of the best fighters in the club - a very fast and fit young man who works in construction. At first he was backing away from me: he wasn't nervous of me, just my belt. Then he recovered his confidence and took the first point. In the second round, he tried a front foot mawashi which was low and I blocked it with my arm. Unfortunately, Martha was refereeing and she scored it as a Jodan Mawashi Geri which won the young man the fight! He looked at me quizzically and I shrugged. You can't, and must not, argue with the referee. This isn't football.
Martha did really well. It must be at least a year since Martha has done any sparring. However, she looked confident and her opponent was backing away from her. She lost her fights, but she did get in a tremendous kizami zuki Jodan which impressed both Sensei Gary and myself.
After some one-step ippon and then a line up (always enjoyable - I must do this on Saturday!) we went home red-faced and happy. We washed the karategis and then I hung them out to dry.
Dinner was a fantastically hot beef chilli with plenty of water!
Karate
Saturday
A visit to the post office. On the way there, I saw Mark and Jane. I offered to sell Mark's old Specialized for him (now that he has a brand new Trek!) After the post office, I carried on to the shop to try to find some cycling glasses with clear lenses which would be suitable for winter/night commuting. I tried Halford's, the middle of Lidl, TK Max and Mountain Warehouse, but they didn't have any. I found some at Sports Direct but they wanted £49.99! I cycled home.
After some ironing while watching the cricket, Lucy and I drove up to Jonnie and Sally's place for a family get together. It was a very pleasant time and Jonnie was very busy with the barbecue. I had to leave before the food was served because I had my Saturday Karate class to teach!
We had a great session this afternoon: about a dozen students all getting ready for their next grading. It was a kumite lesson. I started with the white-belt syllabus and intended to work my way up to the brown belt drills. Sensei Gary arrived and asked to look at the kata! It was like an Ofsted inspection. My group did their best with kata but there were some students who still have some work to do to bring their kata up to standard. Alter Sensei Gary left, we continued with our kumite drills.
At one point, I had to stop the class to discuss the necessary attitude required. They seemed rather hesitant or reluctant to actually make contact during the fighting drills. I explained that it was necessary to 'hit' their training partners during kumite, especially as they progressed up the belts. We carried on, but I failed to notice any improvement. It's an area we need to work on.
Back at the party, I had a few beers with family and friends before Lucy and I walked home to watch an episode of the excellent 'Sherwood' on BBC.
Karate, beers
Sunday
I woke up with a bit of a sore head! I had an aspirin, lubricated my bicycle, and then headed off to join the lads. Mark, Jonnie, James and I rode our 'flat 40' - The Honiley Route. Jonnie seemed the most spritely this morning and took the lead for the first few miles, After the Horrible A Road Bit, Mark and I rode on the front in full chatting mode. It was a lovely day for it, bone dry with a friendly wind. We were cruising along well above 15mph. Upon reaching the Armories, I got on the front as usual and declared "All aboard!"... but then nothing happened. I suddenly felt rather ropey and didn't feel up to putting the effort in. James must have noticed this as he immediately volunteered to take over. I tried to stick it out for a while, but then gratefully took him up on his offer, dropped down the line and got on the back.
We got to Wilmcote with a still decent average speed of 15.4mph. The weather was good and we sat outside eating the excellent homemade cake. I felt a bit better by now and even felt up to taking a selfie:
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| James didn't get the memo about wearing shades to eat cake. |
On the way back, I felt okay, but definitely wasn't up to racing up hills. James came past me in the sprint like I wasn't there!
In the evening, I did some ironing, watched cricket (England crushing Sri Lanka) and drank a few ales. I spent an hour, degreasing Mark's old bike ready to put it up on eBay. Lucy served up an excellent homemade chicken pie.
Cycling: 39+ miles, junkfood, beers
