How to Lose a Belly When You're 43 (part 34)

Monday
Weight10st 1lb
Back to work. I cycled in to work, resisted all junkfood, and cycled home again.
In the evening, I did a solid weight session but dropped the barbell curls down to 37kg for 5x5.
Weight training, no junkfood, no alcohol.

Tuesday
Weight: 10st 1lbs
Cycled to work and back and then headed off to dojo.
The dreaded fitness guy was there! Expecting an hour of skipping and medicine ball torture, I rushed to the changing rooms to change out of my groin guard. Thankfully, I didn't do any circuit training, just lots of excellent kata training and pad work.
I was talking to Martha in the car on the way to dojo and explaining that I miss doing the pad work that I did in two of my previous clubs. Sensei Gary must be a mind reader because he had the pads ready to go for our session tonight! I got myself to the front of a line up, ready to get stuck in to the pads. We were asked to do a mawashi geri using the back foot. I launched myself into it, determined to go for height and power...
The next thing I knew, I was lying on the floor with about four black belts looking down at me. "You alright?" one of them asked.
I picked myself up and staggered off to the back of the line for another go...
We were also drilled in basics by Sensei Jody and went through some of the detail of Kata Jion with Sensei Tony. An excellent Tuesday night session!
Karate, no junkfood, no alcohol.

Wednesday
I cycled in to work and back and then did a good weights session.
Weight training, no junkfood, no alcohol.

Thursday
Weight: 10st 0lbs
Blood pressure: 127/80
Resting heart rate: 48
I cycled to work and back.
After work, I went out for a 10K run. As well as painful to my lower back and knees, I also find running rather boring. I must invest in some headphones one day. Good heavy metal would help to pass the hour nicely! I was slow and tired tonight, finishing in 63m and 16s.
I allowed myself a couple of beers with dinner.
10K run, no junkfood, 2 beers.

Friday
Weight: 10st 0lbs
Cycled in to work and back.
Tonight's Karate session was run by Sensei Jody. He did a great job of keeping the lesson moving and provided something for everyone. The kids enjoy themselves and the adults work hard. Sensei Jody was kind enough to spend half an hour with me after the lesson working on the very basics of my Karate: my stance, use of hips, breathing and weight distribution. Priceless training!
I celebrated the end of the working week with three quality ales.
Karate, no junkfood, 3 beers.

Saturday
Weight:9st 13lbs
Today, Mouse and I wandered around the Barber Institute of Fine Arts at the University of Birmingham. It is a wonderfully calm and beautifully presented gallery. I was very pleasantly surprised to find works by Degas, Manet, Van Gogh, Gauguin and Turner! After this, we had a good look around the university itself before heading up to Birmingham to buy comics!
I didn't get back in time for Karate this afternoon so I did an hour of weight lifting instead.
Of course, there were weekend beers too...
Weight training, no junkfood, 3 beers.

Sunday
Weight: 10st 0lbs
A lovely dry day for a bike ride!
Jonnie and I headed off into the lanes at 9am. It was a little chilly. I had three layers on but Jonnie was down to his bare arms! He hurtled off the front in an effort to get warm and it was all I could do to stay with him! After a few miles of this I had to ask him to slow down, I just didn't have the legs. We were overtaken by the Solihull A ride; we know they were the A ride because we asked them. We tried to stay on the back of their peleton. I was up to 28 mph in the largest gear I have (I'd never used it before!) and they still just rode away from me. Their level of fitness it amazing. I know I'll never be that fit and it makes me a little sad. But not sad enough to give up beer and cake...
Speaking of cake, Jane was away today but she had left some of her wonderful coffee and walnut cake. Jonnie and I got stuck in and spent a pleasant half hour chatting to Tina and Eric.
The ride back was better than the ride there. I think Jonnie was finally beginning to slow down and I was managing to hold the average at 14.6mph. Unfortunately, the last few hills ate away at my energy and Jonnie ended up waiting for me on the flat three miles back to base.
We discussed my worrying lack of fitness and decided that I may be overtraining. Next week will be a rest week to see if it makes a difference to my cycling!
38 miles at 14.5mph.
The Sunday Karate session was awesome! Sensei Ronnie ran the session and I got to partner Sensei Jody and Sensei Russell. I know that they weren't giving it full power but I still feel I did okay against them. Sensie Jody wasn't correcting me as much as he usually has to. He did give me another nice bruise however! 

Bruises on bruises. I must be getting tougher, right?

In the line up, we were under intense scrutiny from Sensei Ronnie and I really felt the pressure. Sensei even gave me press ups as a punishment when I screwed up dangerously. However, I did manage to get in a good mawashi geri and a few black belts complimented me on it which felt amazing! Especially as this was the same kick that put me on my back on Tuesday (although today I was using my front leg.) By the end of the 2 hour session, the sweat was running down my face and with 38 miles in the legs before the session had even started, I was almost exhausted! Brilliant training! Book your place at Ruach Karate.
In the evening, Jane and Eric came for dinner and I felt it necessary to indulge in even more beer!
Cycling: 38 miles, Karate: 2 hours, junkfood, beer.