How to Achieve a Black Belt in Your Forties (13 days to go!)

Monday
Weight: 10st 2lbs
I cycled in to work.
In the afternoon, I noticed that my two smallest fingers on my right hand had gone completely numb. I had no idea what was causing it. I cycled carefully home. By the time I'd set up my weights session, I had the feeling back in my digits.
Weight training, no junkfood, no alcohol

Tuesday
I woke up feeling a little under the weather. I decided to go in to work in the car with Lucy.
Again, in the late afternoon, my two smallest fingers went numb. This time they went purple too. The only way I could have injured myself was on the punch bag when I was training with Sensei Ronnie on Sunday. How strange.

Purple and numb.

I'd rallied a little bit by the time we got home so I did a weight lifting session.
Weight training, no junkfood, no alcohol

Wednesday
Weight: 10st 1lbs
Lucy, Jane, Tilly, Jonnie, Jess and I travelled to Cambridge for a funeral. After saying goodbye to a much-loved family member, we had a drink with our family and friends. 
No exercise, no junkfood, alcohol

Thursday
Weight: 10st 0lbs
I'm the lightest I've been since the end of July (I put on 11 pounds over the summer!)
I woke up feeling a bit rough so I jumped in the car with Lucy. I did some weight training after work but felt more and more ill as the evening went on. I had a Lemsip before bed.
Weight training, no junkfood, no alcohol

Friday
Weight: 10st 2lbs
I felt absolutely terrible and I was losing my voice. Again, I used the car, not the bicycle to get to work.
I went along to the dojo to watch Martha training. I sucked cough sweets and blew my nose a lot.
Sensei Gary was kind enough to invite me along to the seminar with Sensei Hazard but I will be at a wake tomorrow.
No exercise, no junkfood, no alcohol

Saturday
Weight: 10st 0lbs
I felt a bit better in the morning, but not by much.
We attended Uncle Graham's wake at Camp Hill Rugby Club. A minute's silence was observed and Camp Hill quite rightly won the match. I drank a few beers with family and friends.
I was back home at 5pm for Lemsip and homemade dinner.
No exercise, no junkfood, alcohol

Sunday
Weight: 10st 0lbs
I woke up feeling better than I have a for a few days. I still have a ridiculously croaky voice however!
I jumped on the bike and joined Jonnie, James and Roger in the lanes. We did our flattest route: the Honiley Route. There was a light rain all day, the lanes were absolutely soaked and full of debris and mud. It was great to be out in the fresh air with the chaps and Roger did a great job of looking after me at the back of our little group. I went along okay, it just took me a little while to recover after climbs.
I was very grateful for all the hard work that James and Jonnie were doing on the front.

Waiting for Roger to have a wee.

At Wilmcote, all the boxes were ticked: homemade cake, hot tea, and cricket highlights on the TV! It was with great reluctance that we put our wet shoes back on and cycled back into the rain.
I got home after 40 miles at 13.9mph.
After some soup and wholemeal bread, I did some ironing and then headed off to dojo. 
Sensei Gary was in charge today and I got to perform 8 kata all at full pace followed by some self defence stuff. I was a bit sweaty and my throat was raw by the end!
And then, and I really don't know why, I decided to have a couple of beers with my dinner. Why I ruined all my training by drinking alcohol is a complete mystery. It just seemed like a good idea at the time...
Cycling, Karate, junkfood, alcohol