Weight: 10st 5lbs
Blood Pressure: 123/67
Resting Heart Rate: 47
Half term!
I woke up with a bit of a headache after staying up late sipping beers and completing GTA5 on the PS4. Happily, I didn't waste the day: After some aspirin, I walked the dogs, went to the Post Office and then returned to do a weight lifting session. I'm pleased that I increased the weight a little and still managed to complete the exercises with good form.
I ate healthily all day: A tin of tuna with tomatoes and wholeweheat pasta for lunch, followed by scrambled eggs and homemade wedges for dinner (with mushrooms, peppers and more tomatoes!)
I managed to resist a beer in the evening, mainly due to the fact that I don't have any in the house!
No junkfood, no alcohol, weight training.
Tuesday
Martha and I went along to the dojo tonight for an intensive kata session. We must have performed various kata at least 20 times during the hour. After the session, I was taken to one side by Sensei Jody and we worked on Enpi together.
In the evening, I treated myself to two glasses of red wine.
Karate, no junkfood, 2 glasses of red wine.
Wednesday
Today, I decided another long bike ride was necessary to prepare for the Mad March Hare. I wanted to increase the distance a little after Sunday's 60 miles. It was a cold dry day with a bit of wind. I headed south via a bit of the Purity route which brought me out at the top of Binton. After Luddington, I rode straight through Wilmcote and kept going along the High Cross route in reverse until I reached Wolverton. At this point I'd covered 32.5 miles so I turned the bike around and headed back again! By the time I was going up past The Snitterfield Armories I was really beginning to struggle: My breathing had changed to a kind of ragged gasping and my legs felt empty. At this stage in my ride on Sunday, I was still feeling strong. Today, I was suffering...
I got to the cakestop after 38 miles. I was glad to get stuck into hot tea, biscuits, a cheese toastie and a banana. I had a long sit down for almost half an hour and then it was decision time - the long way home (27 miles) or the direct route (15 miles.) I opted for the longer route even though I knew it was really going to hurt - I had to push myself to get ready for the MMH.
The way home was a real struggle. I pushed desperately hard to keep the average above 13mph but I kept finding myself in smaller and smaller gears! In the last 8 miles, to keep myself distracted from the pain in my legs and back, I made a mental list of as many professional riders as I could name. I was pleased to find that I got through 4 miles like this before the soreness demanded more attention.
I eventually completed 65 miles solo. The bike computer said I made it back at a speed of 13mph. Unfortunately, Strava claims I had an average speed of 12.9mph.
After the ride, I refuelled with a pint of milk and a lunch of rice, chicken and green beans - training food!
In the evening, Lucy and I went out for a posh dinner. We had a lovely time but stayed up far too late drinking. I'm very frustrated with myself for ruining all my hard work by drinking loads of red wine and beer until about 2am!
65 miles on the bike, junkfood, alcohol
Thursday
My most hated of things: a wasted day. I sat on the couch with a hangover and tried to make myself feel better with junkfood (Lucy calls it comfort food.) In the evening, I had 2 bottles of stout (Mud City by Sadler's) in front of the TV.
Junkfood, no exercise, 2 beers.
Friday
I cycled in to work in order to prepare lessons for the coming week. After a couple of hours, I was far too hungry to resist two of the biscuits in the staff room.
I cycled home via Halfords and picked up some new brake pads and a couple of energy drink powders - all in readiness for the Mad March Hare.
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| The Mad March Hare should be easy now... |
Karate, junkfood, 2 ales.
Saturday
I had a lie in until 9am! Feeling very rested, I made bacon and eggs for Lucy and myself before cycling into Solihull centre for some shopping. After cycling home for some of last night's leftover curry, I put some new brake pads on the front of the Specialized ready for the MMH next week. The weather forecast is looking terrible: freezing temperatures with rain moving in at lunchtime.
I dropped Martha off at work and then headed for the dojo. As I've mentioned before, Saturday afternoon is my favourite session of the week. It has a more relaxed, personal vibe compared to the other lessons in the week. I'm also finding the mirrored walls extremely useful when trying to correct my technique.
This week was a bit of a surprise: Sensei Gary revealed that he has read this blog and noted that I'd said I'd prepare a warm-up for the Saturday class in case Sensei Jody asked me to do it again! However, I knew that Sensei Jody couldn't make today's session so I hadn't prepared anything! Sensei Gary asked me to lead the warm up anyway and I was very happy to take the group (mainly beginners) through some dynamic stretches and some structured jumping up and down.
Today's session started with an intense run through of the basics. Sensei was pushing me to get my technique as fast as possible while making sure my feet were in the right position and my weight was where it should be. It's never as simple as just getting the block right.
After lots of this excellent practice, I was asked to help a purple belt learn her kata. The mirrors made this task a lot easier as she could copy my moves as we went through the initial stages of Tekki Shodan.
In the evening, I picked Martha up from work, treated myself to one beer, and scoffed a wonderful homemade pasta dish. Carbtastic!
Karate, no junkfood, 1 ale.
Sunday
Up early to ride. It was a beautifully sunny but cold morning. The cold wasn't much of a problem, but a 12mph icy cross wind most certainly was. We also had to be aware that, although 99% of the lanes were dry today, what standing water there was had turned to sheets of ice!
We headed off down my original route which takes us through Lowsonford, out to Langley up to Norton Lindsey and then drops into Snitterfield. It was in Snitterfield, when we turned right to head into Wilmcote, that the crosswind became a tailwind and pushed us a long at a comfortable 15.5mph uphill!
We turned left at Wilmcote, ignoring the temptation of tea and cake at this early stage, and headed for Luddington. Again, the wind wafted us along until we reached the climb at Binton. However, turning right at Binton meant we met the wind head on! It was a real battle to get the legs moving. Jonnie described it as riding with the brakes on!
When we got to Wilmcote for the second time, with 35 miles in the legs, we discovered that one of the local ladies had lost her dog. I jumped in the car with her to help her look. We found the missing pooch in a few minutes and order was restored.
I refuelled with tea, a banana, a cheese toastie and some homemade coffee cake. Splendid!
Back on the road, Jonnie and I struggled into the wind through Aston Cantlow but when we turned west towards Shelfield the tailwind pushed us along nicely!
The rest of the ride was the usual tale of two friends pushing hard on the bikes, battling the cold wind, the gradients and our own lack of fitness. When we eventually got back to Jonnie's, the results were as follows:
51 miles at 13.2mph with 2540 feet of climbing.
The very scary fact is that next Sunday we are going to have to ride for a further 23 miles to complete the Mad March Hare, and the weather conditions are forecast to be a lot worse...
Jonnie and I contemplated this over a Purity energy drink.
At home, I drank some milk and did some ironing. There was no need to clean the bike - the lanes had been bone dry.
In the evening, there were 7 of us for dinner. I ended up having some apple pie with ice cream along with another 2 beers!
51 miles of cycling, junkfood, 3 beers
As far as Mad March Hare training goes - it's pretty bad. I did enough exercise but I can't find the willpower/desire to cut down on the beers and treats!
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