Monday
Cycled in to work on the race bike. I worked relatively late, for me, and then went off to do another 15 miles on the bike before cooking dinner for the family.
Tonight, Mouse and I watched the final episode of Stranger Things (season 1.) This series has been one of the most entertaining TV productions I've seen. It's based in 80s America and is quite obviously inspired and influenced by classic 70s and 80s films such as ET, Poltergeist, Alien, Jaws, Stand by Me, Carrie and Close Encounters of the Third Kind as well as the RPG Dungeons and Dragons. In fact, the season opens and ends with a group of friends playing D&D around a table. The series follows a group of 4 children as they investigate the disappearance of their friend. It soon becomes clear that he's been abducted by some kind of supernatural monster...
I was a kid myself in the 80s and played outside on my BMX with my mates just as the Stranger Things kids do. The 80s music along with the images of warm summer evenings with friends evoked a strong sense of nostalgia in me. Mouse's generation, seemingly slaves to mobile phones and console games, have missed out on the adventure that is roaming the streets with your best friends, building dens in the park and finding places to bask in the sunshine and make your own fun.
As well as being an enjoyable series, it is also a very scary one! It has some genuinely creepy moments where I could feel the hairs rise on the back of my neck. The performances by the players were never less than convincing and the attention to detail was impressive. Highly recommended.
No junkfood, no booze.
Tuesday
I cycled in to work for a very busy morning! At lunch time, I experienced a strange feeling in my right thumb. Eventually it went completely numb and the sensation was gradually making its way up my forearm. I pinched my skin, thumped it, held it under a hot tap but I couldn't feel anything. Thankfully, somewhere during the afternoon's teaching, the feeling returned. I have no idea what caused it and I hadn't experienced it before. How strange.
I cycled home and then got ready for the dojo.
Tonight's karate session was, once again, focused on those of us who are taking part in the competition next month. I was at the front of a line-up and was attacked by all the male adult karateka in the club, one after another, over and over. I was quickly exhausted and, if I did manage to block their attacks, I rarely found the energy to respond with a counter that scored. It certainly didn't make me feel better about my competition fight, but I'm still very grateful for all the time Sensei Gary is dedicating to Martha and me. (Martha was put through the same exercise facing female fighters and some of the teenagers. I couldn't watch her because I was fighting my own fight at the time, but she said she did very well apart from over-thinking her techniques.)
The lesson had run over and then Martha and I stayed behind while I was given some good advice from Sensei Jodi.
Back home late for homemade stir fry.
No junkfood, no booze.
Wednesday
Cycled in to work and back and then did a good weights session - the heaviest since March.
No junkfood, no booze.
Thursday
Cycled in to work. In the afternoon, I took the Sports lads on a two mile run. It was a better effort than the last time we tried it but it was still a rather embarrassing spectacle. Two of the lads failed to complete the course, two simply walked around and three strolled back in 24 minutes. The rest put in a decent effort with the winner crossing the line in a fast 17m 59s. I stayed with the back marker and returned to college after 27 minutes!
I gave the lads a bit of a lecture about putting in some effort and then reaping the rewards. Some of them actually went to their personal tutor afterwards to complain that I was pushing them to be as good as me but that I'm fitter than they are! There's no way that I'm as fit as these skinny 17 and 18 year olds - they're just lazy. I explained that an hour of exercise is only 4% of a day. They then complained that I'd told them this before...
I cycled home and then went out for my weekly 10K. I had a few aches and pains but got home in 65m 01s.
No junkfood, no booze.
Friday
I like Fridays.
I cycled in to work in a good mood. My morning lesson was frantic but we got a lot done. In the afternoon, I took part in my first ever Skype meeting. Then I cycled home.
Tonight's karate session was, of course, all about the competition next week. I had the honour of training with former world team kumite champion Sensei Ronnie Christopher. Of course, I expected to do nothing but fight all evening, but instead, Sensei had us training in kata! Perhaps Sensei recognises that I don't have much of a chance in the fighting but I could get a medal in kata? A very enjoyable hour where I won both my kata contests and Sensei made us laugh with his self-depreciating tales of his own kata efforts.
At home, Lucy had prepared a wonderful homemade curry. In this situation, after a week of work and training, I would automatically reach for a beer. This month, however, I'm attempting to go Sober for October raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support. It was a bit of a shock to the system to be sipping Tesco Effervescent Vitamin C drink instead of a pint of Sadler's Mud City Stout!
No junkfood, no booze
Saturday
Up early to go riding. Unfortunately, contradictory to the weather forecast, it was tipping it down with rain! Very sensibly, Nigel decided to stay indoors.
By the time I got to Jonnie's, the rain had turned into a fine drizzle and by the time we set off, the rain had stopped. A few miles in, we spotted some blue sky and it wasn't long before the sun was out and we were rather warm in our three layers! The roads were very, very wet and the sun was low and strong in our eyes. Some lanes were quite muddy and we both experienced some wheelspin. I was careful on the descents.
Today, we headed off for the shorter version of the Purity Route. I added a little detour (turned out to be rather longer than I'd intended) following the Tommy Godwin route up over Shelfield Green. It's a very 'horsey' area and we passed at least six riders in a row. I think the original Purity Route is more enjoyable.
 |
| A bit muddy |
 |
| "Is this for the blog?" |
I'm pleased to report that the ladies, Sally and Lucy, had gone riding too today! They covered 16 miles of canal. Well done both!
At home, I walked the dogs, built a planter for the back garden and loaded the car ready for the tabletop sale tomorrow. Bed at midnight.
No junkfood (apart from the slice of cake), no booze.
Sunday
Blood Pressure: 131/79
Resting Heart Rate: 45
My blood pressure and heart rate are a bit healthier than this time last week (143/80 51bpm). Maybe the alcohol free days are having an effect already?
Up at 7 ready for the tabletop sale with Jane, Mouse and Hydra. We didn't make much money (less than £40) but we had a good laugh. I literally had tears of laughter rolling down my cheeks.
This afternoon's karate session was a strange experience. Sensei Ronnie was missing some teeth! He told me it had happened in a training session yesterday! However, he managed to run a very good and varied session with something for everyone from white belt to black belt. There was some bad news at the end for the session when it was announced that Sensei Chris has to return home to Ireland and so won't be training with us any longer. I'll see him on Tuesday before he leaves the club for good.
Home to eat dinner and watch everyone eat pudding and Jane and Lucy get sloshed on wine!
No junkfood, no booze.
So, I made it through my first week of being Sober for October. I also manged to eat healthily (apart from one slice of homemade cake) and to exercise for at least an hour every day. I hope this puts me in good stead for the competition next week!
No comments:
Post a Comment