How to Lose a Belly When You're 43 (part 7)

Monday
10st 1lbs
I had to drive to work in Tilly's car today. I dropped it in for Kwik Fit to have a look at the exhaust. They wanted far too much money to replace two bits. I ended up paying my friend Scott half of the Kwik Fit quote to replace the whole exhaust.
At home, I did a weight lifting session which was just a little heavier than last week's.
I had a couple of beers tonight.
No junkfood.

Tuesday
Cycled to work and back.
At the dojo, it was a hard kata session run by Sensei Gary. Both Sensei Jody and I agreed that it was the kind of session we needed!
No alcohol, no junkfood.

Wednesday
Today was a write-off as far as a healthy lifestyle is concerned. I did no exercise apart from cycling to work and back, I also indulged in some tasty treats!
In the evening, I met up with my good mate Chris to see RIDE in concert.

Andy Bell, Mark Gardener, Steve Queralt

I was a big fan of RIDE when  I was a teenager. I had the T-shirt, the records and I'd seen them when the played at the Hummingbird in Birmingham. I remember them as sounding a lot heavier than they were tonight. Obviously, they're a shoegazing band so they have their tender, introspective moments with the cleaner guitar tones but I seem to remember the louder bits being more dramatic. Maybe it was where I was sitting.

RIDE at the Institute, Birmingham 2017

Anyway, it was still a very enjoyable gig and a great night out with one of my oldest friends.
Unfortunately, I had to leave early, at the start of Leave Them All Behind which is one of my favourite tunes of all time! I managed to get the 11pm train and was tucked up in bed before midnight.

Thursday
9st 12lbs
I cycled in to work and back. Unfortunately, on the way to work, I had another of my ridiculous heart 'flutters'. This was followed by another one about 2 hours later when I was right in the middle of teaching (I was actually mid-sentence!) My appointment with the cardiologist is on the 22nd of this month. I need to get this sorted as soon as possible, but I'm also dreading what they're going to tell me. Will I have to give up cycling? Cake? Martial arts? Beer? Teaching? It doesn't bear thinking about.
This evening, with thoughts of heart disease hanging over me, I decided not to go for my 10k run. I did a light weights session instead.
I needed a couple of beers after dinner.
No junkfood.

Friday
I cycled to work and back.
In the evening, Martha and I attended the advanced karate session run by Sensei Gary. We both agreed that Sensei Gary was stricter and scarier than Sensei Ronnie tonight! His session reminded me of training 18 years ago where you were expected to perform kata at full power, one after another, without a break. The kumite half of the lesson was fantastic and I was lucky enough to train with Sensei Jody and Sensei Joey. They both pushed me hard. During the competition at the end I managed to defeat Sensei Joey but only after some suspicious refereeing from Sensei Gary!
Home for some beer and the final episode of season 2 of Stranger Things. It's one of the best shows I've seen on TV for a long while. Highly recommended.
Later, Lucy and I stretched out on the couch to watch an Elvis concert DVD.

Saturday 11th November
Up at 7 to go riding. It was cold enough for me to see my breath. Jonnie and I set off to ride the shortened Purity Route where we turn left at Temple Grafton. The roads were very wet with standing water everywhere, but the rain was only light. Thankfully, there was no wind.
We didn't worry too much about the average and chatted away through the lanes discussing Monty Python sketches. We arrived at the cakestop after 20 miles. With not a mudguard between us, we were both wet and muddy.  Unfortunately, the cakemaker was away this morning, but she had left us some cake to enjoy with our tea. After observing the silence at 11am, we headed uphill for home. Thankfully, it had stopped raining and the sun was even making an appearance. My wet legs began to warm up and I was in danger of breaking a sweat!
We struggled on up the hills determined to maintain a 14mph average. It dropped to 13.9 after Tom Hill but we soon clawed that back on the flat run for home.
Jonnie destroyed me on the uphill sprint for his house!
We enjoyed a couple of bottles of hop-based energy drinks and then I headed home for a cup of tea and some eggs on toast.
Ride: 35 miles at 14.0mph.
In the evening, Lucy opened a box of chocolates 'for Christmas' and I opened some beers!

Sunday
This morning, Mouse, her friend H and I set off for the monthly Alderbrook Tabletop Sale. We set up across 4 tables selling old CDs, books, clothes and bric-a-brac. We made £28 and had a good giggle.
We didn't get back until 2pm so I didn't have time to unload the car, eat lunch and be able to get ready for dojo. Plus, Martha is currently injured and couldn't train. Instead, after lunch, I went out for my weekly 10 kilometre run. I got round in 64 minutes 50 seconds and it was bloody cold!
In the evening, we had 5 family and friends join us so Lucy did a fabulous Sunday Dinner for ten. I was very hungry after my run so I ended up having 2 dinners, 2 helpings of apple pie and 2 beers! Too much!
I went to bed bloated.

Not a good week as far as my health and training are concerned. I'll have to take things a bit more seriously next week, especially with the karate competition on Sunday and the gradings next month.