Weight: 10st 4lbs
Blood Pressure: 135/68
Resting Heart Rate: 59
I cycled in to work. Yesterday's 50 miles lay heavy in my legs and I crawled along the A34 at a snail's pace! The cycle home wasn't much better.
When I got back, I picked up the weights and did an hour session (avoiding squats and deadlifts to give the legs a rest.) I always make a slight improvement in each session and tonight I increased the number of reps for barbell curls.
Then I made a huge chicken, tomato and mushroom curry.
Weight training, no junkfood, no alcohol
Tuesday
Weight: 10st 4lbs
Blood Pressure: 152/73
Resting Heart Rate: 52
I was disappointed and confused to see that my blood pressure has rocketed up again. I'm actually considering the possibility that it may be my old blood pressure monitor that's at fault. There doesn't seem to be any reason for a sudden increase after a day of healthy eating and no alcohol with about 2 hours of exercise.
I cycled in to work early. I cycled home into the wind which made my legs ache.
Tonight's Karate session saw me train with the young ADHD student for the entire hour. I didn't mind at all. We did our warm-up together along with our basics, some one-step sparring and then kata.
Tonight he was Buzz Lightyear and I was Iron Man. Whatever works...
After the session, Sensei Russell kindly invited me to put my gloves on for some sparring. He is a formidable fighter and put me under pressure while encouraging me to attack. I felt I did okay at first (he was obviously taking it easy on me) but my lack of fitness quickly became a big problem. I was gasping and feeling weak and if it had been a real fight I would have been in serious trouble. I have to put my faith in Mr Roger's interval training on Wednesday nights!
Back home for a healthy dinner and to watch One Punch Man with Mouse!
Karate, no junkfood, no alcohol.
Wednesday
Weight: 10st 4lbs
Blood Pressure: 147/72
Resting Heart Rate: 58
I cycled in to work.
After lessons, I attended Mr Roger's interval training session. Tonight, we did circuit training. There were four of us training and we did a circuit of nine different exercises all designed to work our core muscles. We used dumbells, Swiss balls, resistance bands, mats and an abdominal wheel/roller. We blasted through this circuit spending 30 seconds on each one with about 10 seconds in between for the change-over. After the circuit of nine was completed we had one minute of rest before doing it again. And again. And again. And again! We did five circuits of the nine exercises in under an hour.
When I got changed and climbed onto the bike, I quickly became aware of how much the training had taken out of me. I could barely pedal! I switched the mountain bike down onto the middle ring - something I never remember doing before on the flat commute. I wobbled home at about 9mph in the rain.
I made a Chinese chicken stir fry for Lucy and myself and didn't drink any of the lovely ales lined up in the kitchen.
Circuit training, no junkfood, no alcohol
Thursday
Weight: 10st 4lbs
Blood Pressure: 155/69
Resting Heart Rate: 55
The blood pressure is bad again. I don't know why.
I cycled in to work and back. My legs were aching so I stayed in the middle ring.
Tonight, I had to go for a run. I really didn't feel like it but once I got going I was okay! It was raining slightly so I got a bit damp. It wasn't too cold, however, so I started to warm up fairly quickly. I was very slow, and only managed to cover 4.6 miles in the 50 minutes of running.
Home for loads of homemade grub - chicken and spuds with salad and couscous.
Run, no junkfood, no alcohol
Friday
Weight: 10st 4lbs
Blood Pressure: 153/68
Resting Heart Rate: 55
I cycled to work and back. I felt a lot more sprightly than I have done recently!
Tonight's Karate session was awesome. We concentrated on kihon for almost the entire lesson (with heian shodan added at the end.) Sensei Gary took charge of the brown belts and instructed us to consider this a mock grading. I gave it my best, all the time trying to get the correct balance of technique, speed, power and spirit. Sensei Ronnie watched from the side, still in his work clothes. He gave invaluable advice during the hour, often calling us over to explain what he wanted to see. He would single out some of the brown belts, myself included, to help them to put their techniques right. It was an excellent, intensive session from the two senior instructors at the club - with everything geared towards getting us our black belts! Tonight showed me how far I still have to go, but now I also know a little bit more about what I have to do to put things right!
As an added bonus, they worked us hard tonight so I managed to work up a bit of a sweat. Fitness training!
I went home to scoff loads of homemade beef chilli and homemade sweet potato wedges.
Karate, no junkfood, no alcohol
Saturday
Weight: 10st 3lbs
Blood Pressure: 140/70
Resting Heart Rate: 55
I bounced out of bed at 7 ready for some cycling. I called for Jonnie at 9 and we set off into the wind.
It was a beautiful day. We had blue skies and warm sunshine for most of the ride, with just a quick rain shower in the first few miles. The big problem was the big crosswind! It was an 18mph wind coming from the west: an almost totally useless crosswind when we were heading south. All it did was occasionally try to blow us into a hedge! A small peleton of average riders came alongside us for a little while. I got behind their lead man when he leapt off the front going through Billesley. I set a Strava PR in the process!
The crosswind became a headwind as we approached the Blue Boar. Jonnie and I had our heads down and were having to work hard just to keep our speed above 10mph! When we reached the pub, Jonnie removed his jacket because he'd got so hot with the effort. We cruised down the Binton bends and then, turning left into Luddington, the wind was behind us and pushed us along effortlessly. Unfortunately, that didn't last long and before we knew it, we were struggling through the wind along The Ridgeway. This is when I began to struggle...
I was fighting the bike in the wind, I was hungry, my legs felt empty, and I couldn't stay on Jonnie's wheel. We still hadn't reached the halfway point. This was bad. When we turned into the headwind along the Aston Cantlow Road, I was down to 6mph! It was ridiculous! I felt as though I was trying to ride up some monster hill in the Cotswolds instead of the slight incline up to the cakestop.
I ate homemade cake, drank hot tea and then scoffed a banana. I looked out of the window and watched the trees bowing their heads in the wind. I really didn't fancy going back out there, which is unlike me.
When we first set off again, the riding was easy! The wind was behind us, pushing us along Featherbed Lane with the legs spinning easily. We made our way up to Snitterfield with no problem. However, at this point we had to turn north and the crosswind started bashing us. As the ride went on, my energy was used up and I suffered like a dog. Jonnie stayed ahead for most of the route back, giving me a target to aim at. However, in the last few miles I was talking to myself and feeling sick - I was right on the edge of an almighty bonk!
Happily, we made it back although we missed our training target by a huge margin! We were meant to cover the 50 miles at 13.9mph, we actually managed it at 13.1mph. I know that Jonnie could have gone considerably faster but he spent the last 20 miles waiting for me!
 |
| 49.96 miles. You'd think Strava might've rounded that up for me... |
I went home to consider what went wrong.
Trouble is, I can't figure out why I struggled so badly today. I woke up sober, I had a good breakfast (crumpets, peanut butter, tea, banana) and I haven't eaten any junkfood all week. Last week, when I had a brilliant ride over 50 miles, I'd been drinking beer the night before and didn't go to sleep until 1am!
You never know how the legs are going to be until you get on the bike.
For the rest of the day, I was put to work in the garden and then went shopping. I got some new brake pads and a product called MO94 which looks like Muc-Off's version of GT85.
I ate healthily for the rest of the day (homemade chicken and spinach curry) and was in bed by midnight.
Cycling (50 miles), one slice of cake, no alcohol.
Sunday
Weight: 10st 2lbs
Blood Pressure: 140/76
Resting Heart Rate: 45
I woke up very hungry and had two breakfasts! I had scrambled egg and tomatoes on toast followed by cereal.
I walked the dogs in the park. Again, it was a lovely sunny day but very, very windy!
This afternoon's Karate session was very good, and very useful. Sensei Ronnie took charge and drilled us in kihon. We then got to run through Kanku Dai twice which is a kata I'm looking forward to performing with confidence once I get better at it.
Later, in the advanced class, we got to run through ju ippon. Unfortunately I was at the wrong end of the hall and ended up partnered with a very big and enthusiastic chap who just couldn't get the hang of anything, not even his attacks! He was very apologetic. I really could have done with going up against someone who would put me under pressure.
The highlight of the lesson, for me, was hearing Sensei Ronnie talk about the old days. He mentioned Master Enoeda and discussed his thoughts on Kanku Dai. He also gave a very important talk about respect in the dojo and how people need to "respect the grade." He then told a couple of stories from his fighting days which I won't repeat here but caused a good deal of amusement!
Home to eat homemade chicken casserole, refuse pudding, and then drink tea instead of beer.
2 hours of Karate, no junkfood, no alcohol.
I've been a good boy this week. The only naughty thing I had was the slice of cake on the bike ride. I managed to exercise every day and didn't drink any alcohol.
Let's hope next week's cycle ride is back on target.
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