Weight: 10st 10lbs
I've lost a pound! Well, the weight is finally moving, despite my binge drinking at the weekend. 1 pound in 2 weeks is rather slower progress than I'd hoped for but it's a start. Let's see if I can take my training a little more seriously this week.
Feeling rather tired and lazy this morning, when faced with the prospect of riding into work in the heavy rain, I opted for the car instead. Not a good start!
I ate healthily at work and tried to remember to drink water.
Back at home, I did an hour long weight lifting session (heavier squats than last week) and then cooked Mexican scrambled eggs for the family.
No junkfood, no booze
Exercise
100 push ups
100 leg raises
100 triceps dips
Front raise (8kg): 5 sets of 5 reps
DB Curls (17kg): 5x5
Shrugs (48kg): 5x5
Side raise (6.5kg): 5x5
Squats (39kg): 5x5
Curls (37kg): 5x5
Food
Crumpets with peanut butter
Juice
Tea
Fruity malt loaf
Fistful of mixed nuts and raisins
Banana
Mexican scrambled eggs (with peppers, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic) served with homemade potato wedges and wholewheat pasta.
Alcohol
None
Tuesday
Rode in to work - it was jolly cold but dry.
After an enjoyable day with my students, I cycled back home and then headed off to the dojo.
It was an enjoyable lesson tonight - kata followed by some useful fighting techniques. I didn't quite work up a sweat but it was good to stretch the muscles.
Home for gloriously healthy salmon, veggies and noodles prepared by Lucy.
Exercise
Cycled to work and back
One hour martial arts training
Food
Wholemeal toast with peanut butter
Juice
Tea
Fruity malt loaf
Fistful of mixed nuts and raisins
Banana
2 salmon steaks with stir fried vegetables and noodles.
Coffee
Alcohol
none
Wednesday
Up at 6am for my long day at work.
In the afternoon, before travelling to Digbeth for the evening class, I entered Jonnie and myself for the Tommy Godwin Challenge. Then I entered my brother and myself for the Birmingham 10K.
So I'm now registered for all three of the organised challenges I've set myself this year (I'm also determined to walk up Cadair Idris again but that's free!)
After 12 hours at work, I made my way home to collapse in front of the TV (The Dark Knight) with homemade dinner and a pint of water.
No junkfood, no booze, no exercise.
Exercise
None
Food
2 x Wholemeal toast with peanut butter
Apple and grape juice
Cup of redbush tea
Two chicken and salad sandwiches (prepared at home) on wholemeal bread
3 slices of fruit loaf
Apple
Homemade spaghetti bolognese
Alcohol
None
Thursday
I cycled in to work. In the afternoon sports lesson, I took part in a warm-up session followed by some circuit training. It was only as short session so I pushed it hard.
Back home on the bike after running my homework club workshop.
A quick change and Lucy, Mouse and I went along to the school 6th form evening. By the time I got home it was almost 9pm. After a large dinner I simply couldn't motivate myself to do any exercise (I probably would have been sick anyway - too soon after eating!) So, another day without exercise...
No junkfood, no booze.
Exercise
Cycled to work and back
A bit of circuit training
Food
2 Wholemeal toast with peanut butter
Apple and grape juice
2 Cups of redbush tea
3 slices of fruit loaf
Banana
2 bowls of homemade beef chili with wholewheat pasta
Alcohol
None
Friday
I had to drive to work and back today, do some shopping and fetch a prescription.
Finally home, I did some stretches, smothered my right leg in Deep Heat, and then took to the streets. It was around 1 or 2 degrees tonight - cold enough to stop me working up a sweat at any point during the run. I was very pleasantly surprised to discover that my leg didn't protest at all for the first half of the 10K route. I was able to maintain a half-decent pace with no aches and pains at all. However, after about 3 miles, the leg started to hurt - the calf muscle feeling more and more tender, the pain gradually rising into the hamstring. By the time I'd completed the 10K I had a bit of a limp. The good news is, I shaved more than 4 and a half minutes off last weeks time! I'm happy with any sort of progress, but 4 minutes in one week is rather good news.
Feeling smug, I limped into the house to cook dinner and flop in front of the TV to watch lots of Animated Batman with Mouse.
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| Training fuel |
No booze, no junkfood.
Exercise
10K run: 64m 05s
Food
Cornflakes with semi-skimmed milk
2 cups of redbush tea
Glass of juice
Banana
Tuna, pasta, salad with beetroot (prepared at home)
Handful of mixed fruit and nuts
2 chicken breasts, homemade potato wedges and green beans.
Coffee
Alcohol
None
Saturday
Up early because Saturday.
After I made breakfast for Lucy and myself, we went off to Balsall Heath to buy a car on behalf of Tilly. We ended up buying a 2006 Citroen C1. When I went for a test drive, it sounded like I was riding a motorbike! Thankfully, it was going very slowly - should be ideal.
Back at home, I hit the weights. I discovered that I'd set the bar too light for the shrugs so I made myself do them again. This meant that my session extended to 70 minutes, but that's okay.
This afternoon, I consumed a 140g box of chocolate covered Brazil nuts to myself and I don't care.
After lunch, I walked the dogs around the park for a couple of miles. My right foot was killing me, I must have been visibly limping around. I don't understand why this happened, I was fine this morning. Maybe my walking boots are no good for me?
Home to do some ironing with a beer while watching Star Trek: Voyager, followed by a shower. I love Saturdays.
In the evening: two more beers after a fantastic dinner with the Mrs while watching Sherlock.
Exercise
100 push ups
100 leg raises
100 triceps dips
Front raise (8kg): 5 sets of 5 reps
Shrugs (47kg): 5x5
Shrugs (48kg): 5x5
OHP (29kg): 5x5
Squats (39kg): 5x5
Curls (37kg): 5x5
Deadlift (54kg): 5x5
Food
Glass of juice
Cup of redbush tea
Bacon, tomatoes and eggs on wholemeal toast
Box of chocolate covered Brazil nuts
2 salmon fishcakes with beetroot
Homemade pork steaks in mustard with kale and roast potatoes.
Alcohol
2 bottles of stout
1 bottle of ale
Sunday
I was up early and a little worried about the white world visible from my bedroom window. Frost everywhere! According to our Mad March Hare training plan, we had to ride about 37 miles at an average speed of at least 13.4mph. The frost and ice could make this quite a challenge...
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| Our training plan. |
My good mate Fast Ant came around at about 8:40. He had already cycled about 10 miles from Alvechurch! Ant is a very experienced cyclist having ridden 6000 miles around Europe and completed Land's End to John O'Groats. Today, he was on his Surly adventuring bike complete with bag racks and 26" mountain bike wheels! I picked it up and the thing was more than twice the weight of my Specialized! Nigel soon joined us and then the three of us set off for Jonnie's place. At around 9am we left Jonnie's and headed for the lanes. After about 7 miles it became clear that Nigel was on a good day. He was surging ahead with Fast Ant and he was hitting the climbs well. They even had to wait for Jonnie and me at High Cross. A few miles later, I remarked to Nigel how he was going well and asked him what he'd had for breakfast. Nothing! The guy was riding on an empty stomach! According to Chris Froome's autobiography, he would train on an empty stomach to lose weight. Nigel's excuse was that he got up too late for breakfast! I'm not convinced...maybe he's training harder than the rest of us?
After the lovely descent to Snitterfield, I took to the front and did a big turn past the Armouries and all the way to Wilmcote (about 4 or 5 miles.) I was working hard enough to give myself stomach pains but hey, we're here to train, right?
After some much needed tea and cake, we headed north through Aston Cantlow. As ususal, the lads wouldn't wait for me to set up my bike computer and Strava. I managed to catch up with Jonnie and Fast Ant after a couple of miles. I discovered that Nigel had shot off the front and into the distance. You can read more about his solo time trial in his own blog Diary of a MAMIL.
After Nigel had waited for us we rode off together to Ullenhall. At this point, we should have carried on to The Farm, but I was happy to follow the lads up past Danzey Green instead, it was a bit easier on the legs. By this point I was starting to suffer. The legs were a bit achey but it was my lack of fitness letting me down - it felt like there was a trapped bird fluttering away in my chest as I tried to stay with the others.
We said good bye to Fast Ant at Tanworth. The guy didn't seem to be putting in any effort today - he just glided along, turning a massive gear on his heavy bike while the rest of us pounded the pedals like madmen. Oh, to be that fit!
On the final flat stretch to home, I was on Jonnie's wheel with Nigel just behind me. After about 2 minutes of this, I pulled to the right and explained to Nigel that I couldn't maintain the pace. The fellas kicked for home while I cruised along at a comfy 14mph.
Back at Jonnie's, I was dismayed to find I had an elevated heart rate that showed no signs of slowing down, coupled with double vision! Nigel and I cycled back to my house where I enjoyed a much needed ale.
In the afternoon, with my double-vision getting better and confined to just my left eye now, I went along to dojo and was very pleased to be asked to teach for the last 10 minutes. I helped beginners learn their kata. It was a great feeling.
In the evening, Lucy made a big dinner for us, Jane and Eric. She also made my favourite pudding!
Exercise
35 miles at 13.8mph
One hour of martial arts training - (and teaching!)
Food
Crumpets with peanut butter
Chocolate biscuits
2 cups of tea
Juice
2 slices of homemade cake
Homemade broccoli soup with 2 wholemeal toast
Bag of crisps
Sausage casserole with potatoes and loads of vegetables
Homemade apple pie with ice cream
Alcohol
3 bottles of ale
1 330ml bottle of lager
Didn't know we were supposed to do the Farm - oops!
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