without

So today at the pool was fecking awful.  That’s the only way it can be described.  Did my 1k (in 27:30), 100m with the kick board and then got the hell out of there.  I was just fatigued.  Although I’m not sure it actually was fatigue, or soreness from the weights session that I did – more just that the thrashing about was much harder.  Had a tendonitis click going on in my left shoulder which was while not actually hurting, uncomfortable and distracting.  It was more that I was noticing it there, not that it was sore.  Pain in the arse more than anything.  It wasn’t at all that I was without motivation today – it was a physical thing.  In a way I see this swim session as a good thing.  After the first 200 I seriously would have considered packing up and going home – if it weren’t for determination to do the 1k – at a minimum.  I made sure I was in there for at least 30 minutes.  A bit of a win for me, over the pool, today.  Sometimes it’s just hard.

30:00

340cal,  25%

AHR: 151

MHR: 177

Work was shit!  At some times I really, really, hate my life.  It’s like I’m just showing up and spending time there.  The fucking stock is all over the fucking place.  I had to count the bloody singlets about 15 times today as things weren’t included in the snapshot when they should have been and were when they shouldn’t have been.  I finally said that I wasn’t doing it anymore and headed off to harass customers.  I was helping a guy with shoes at the end of the day – he had a sore ankle for which he wanted plenty of cushioning.  After talking a little bit, it seems that he had Plantar Fasciitis, or so I thought.  He was surprised that I knew what was going on.  I think I also surprised myself.  Surprised at the amount of knowledge that I have, that I can talk to people about and the help that could have come from me sorting out what his issue was.  I also briefly considered whether infact I should go into physiotherapy, and briefly considered looking up to see the requirements for an Ex. Phys. to do Phty at uni.  But then I want to be a cop.  That’s all I want.

After work I realised I’d forgotten the ipod (essential for gym cardio, or any cardio really) so headed home.  Did some stuff on the treadmill to make up for the lack of swimming/gym cardio today.  I did run intervals and was happy with how they went.  I didn’t think that I’d got to the point where they weren’t an absolute bitch to get done – I guess I was wrong.  Although I worked hard, I wasn’t anywhere near maximum, and felt stronger than I have previously.

20 mins run intervals, 3 minutes stretching.
30:30 -  all at 4%

3 mins 10

5 mins 10.5
5 mins 11
5 mins 11.5
2 mins 11

20:00

230 cal, 17%

AHR: 164

MHR: 186

Not 100% accurate as HRM wasn’t working the whole time I don’t think…  It was fucking pissing me off, perhaps escalated by tiredness, but I felt some of the gear rage coming back.  Bastard.  Anyway, it was s pretty good session, even if the HRM fucked up.  I also iced afterwards, which I need to start doing more often (and am going to start doing, nightly).

I’m not nearly as sore as I expected to be from the weights session that I did the other day.  Perhaps the huge walk with golf helped that, perhaps also wearing skins while I was running tonight helped.  I think that that might be a good way to take some of the DOMs away from my future legs sessions – stretching, rest and then some form of activity (preferably walking/golf) later in the day.  Seems to have worked this time round.

More one glove tan tomorrow, along with a bit of training.  Short game work.

once bitten

Weights

5 mins cycle
5 x 5 Sq – 20,22.5,25,30,30,30
5 x 8 C & J @ 25
5 x 5 45 LP @ 90
5 x 5 SLDL @ 25
10 mins cycle

49:05

457c, 33%

AHR: 137

MHR: 180

When I returned from my weights, and got on the bike, there was a kerfuffle at the treadmills behind the bikes.  A little sticky revealed that there was a woman there, who had previously been ‘working out’ (cardio junkie) and a ‘trainer’ (6week ‘this is your leg’ course) attending to some guy who was looking all passed out on the treadmills.  I’d seen him earlier in the day, while I was warming up, and he was struggling.  It wasn’t just that he had the complete wrong idea about the stepper (no, it is not correct to stand, will all your body weight pushing the bloody step down) but he just looked fatigued; like he was going to fall over.  So the straw that broke his back must have been the treadmill.  Perhaps, and this is just what he looked like (and a complete stereotype, deduced from the thousands of people I’ve met in my gym career) that he might be the type of guy that is desperate to lose weight, so he comes to the gym without having eaten all day.  Fasting guys, we should call them.  Anyway, I’m assuming that he got an attack of the hypoglycemia bug and took badly to it.  He musn’t have fainted though as sure as shit if he fell over the two girls with him wouldn’t have been able to get him back up again.

Post gym I stretched for a good 10 minutes, which is pretty much unheard of for me.  I think I’m going to be less sore cause of it, and hence should, finally, learn that lesson.  Stretching is good.  After coming home and having a shake and a little food I played 18 holes at Innes Park.  Not too bad.  Actually better than I thought I would.  Still need work on lots of my game, and think I can be more aggressive with the chipping, though I’ve more confidence with my 60 now that I have previously.

2:25

1319 c, 35%

AHR: 135

MHR: 160

 

Rilex has found out that he can open things, like containers, by biting on them (like on the side, you get the picture).  Well…my finger didn’t ‘open’ so he just kept biting harder and harder. little fecker.   All the while he was hanging onto my other finger (on the other hand) so I couldn’t get him off.  I actually had to shake my hand, with quite a bit of force mind you, to get him to let go.  Then chucked him out of the pool real quick.

missed the eagle

Putting practice required.

Golf today at the rum.  Was not entirely bad.  Not bad at all.  I went round in 97 – 6 more than someone off about 9, and all six shots really came from penalties.  One in the water, one out of bounds and one as a penalty shot when I had to crawl under the bushes to retrieve my ball.  Better than a lost ball, but it would have been nice if had even trickled from the bush out into the other fairway.

Short game was much much better.  Not so much the putting, although I think it was significantly better than the last game I played, but I chipped with a lot more confidence, and think I’ve started to have a bit more faith in hitting my cute little 60 degree wedge.  I was using a pro V for a while there, and it was awesome – it really was like the ball stopped a lot quicker.

Driving was ok, but I’ve started to pull them towards the end – perhaps just a little of playing around with my swing…  On the 18th I’d hit a fair drive, up the middle, but I didn’t really feel as though it went all that well.  We got up there and I took my 3 wood and hit it – long and straight baby!  We got to the green and my ball’s sat, pin high, about 5 foot from the hole, in two, on a par 5.  I think probably the best (and maybe only) eagle chance I’ll ever have.  Missed the putt – on the amateur side, although it wasn’t an easy putt.

Was much happier with golfing today, however I still think there’s plenty of room for improvement.  At least I’m back to playing off 25.  Now I’ve just got to stay there.

My FT set me a pretty rediculous goal for this week – 6:40 of training, burning 4050 cal.  I never thought I could do it while working, but I’ve surprised myself this week.  Although I’m not going to make the target this week (even though I was well on track the whole week and extremely motivated to get there) I think it’s a positive thing.  I was fatigued at the end of the week, but I don’t think that I was to the point that I couldn’t have done one more training session if it had been necessary.  I chose to do nothing on Saturday, and to train relatively easily on Friday in the manner of keeping healthy.  I know that I did some exercise today, with the golf, and although I didn’t make the goal set by my heart rate monitor I’m sure that I’ve achieved more than enough this week.

Even if it’s just having a tune up when I need one!

unravelling the good

What a great weekend I had.  Friday night there were drinks and a delicious roast and polenta dinner here, Saturday I spent all day at work, before heading in for more beers with the rellies.  Sunday we played golf at the town course then had some more drinks.  Obviously, from that ultra quick run down, all the good work from last week was nearly undone with the diet and booze blow out of the weekend.  I’ve really got to tighten up on the control thing here.  One night in at the rellies, as one night a week on the booze is well enough for me while I’m working hard at what I’m doing.

Otherwise, I’m pretty happy with how the training is going.  Have really only been into it a week or so, coming up on two weeks, but it’s starting to feel like routine.  Starting to see some results – my pants were definately looser than a couple of weekends ago when I was out with Dad.  That is pleasing, particularly cause it’s only two weeks.  I think the goal for this week will be to train 2 per day on at least 3 days, and golf twice.  Money’s always an issue with that though.

Golf was ok.  Nothing to write home about.  Hitting the driver well.  Still some inconsistencies to iron out, but it’s the short game that really needs the bulk of the work.  It was atrocious at best.  Putting was not great, missed quite a lot of relatively straight puts – maybe quitting on the follow through as Dad suggested.  Am planning to, and want to get some more work done – perhaps the short course at Innes Park is what I need to do a fair bit of for a while, just until I get the short game under control.  Have tried suggesting that MG put a putting surface in in the yard, but to no avail.  Bastards.  Although understandable – maintenance would be horrendous.

On the upside, we’ve discovered, through extensive research and experimentation, that low carb beer doesn’t give you a hangover!  There’s less alcohol and lower total volume of beer in the bottles, but at the end of the day, when you’ve had 10 stubbies, you feel like you’ve had 10 stubbies.  It’s full on strength but low on carbs, great for the diet and no hangover to boot!

Rules of Unattraction

The verdict is out.  He’s not leaving her.  We’re allowed to see each other.  We’re allowed to go to Dublin together. 

I say allowed like she needs his permission.  I can understand why she needs him to be ok with it; and I’m glad he trusts her enough to be alone with me; but I don’t think that she should need his permission.  At the end of the day it all comes down to trust.  I asked if he trusted her to be alone with me.  She said she didn’t trust herself to be alone with me, in my house.  Rules of Unattraction. 

This, her and I, is a somewhat destructive relationship.  Destructive cause I’m built up then shot straight back down.  It’s more in my own head.  She couldn’t work yesterday cause she was distracted.  He asked what she was thinking about and she said to me ‘I can’t text back saying I’m thinking about kissing (me)’.  Hearing that made me so hot.  Made me feel as though she was attracted to me, like I am to her.  It’s also pretty fucked up cause she’s in the middle of this shit with her husband, feeling bad for having feelings for me but then always comes back to thinking about me.  That’s the good bit.  The bad is when she goes home to him.  When she says something about him.  That’s when I take bad form.  Mrs U knows this – we discussed it after my sudden change of form at Bushmills.  I think that Mrs U knows me well enough to know when to leave me alone with my thoughts.

I’ve fallen for her.  Fallen hard.  I am so attracted to her.  The thought of us crossing the line on Monday night makes my stomach do backflips and gives me tingles in places it shouldn’t.  I can’t get her out of my head.  Can’t stop thinking about her.  How the fuck am I going to walk away from her at the airport.

I don’t know how my blog has turned to this.  I know it seems as though my life is completely consumed by her, thoughts of her and spending as much time with her as possible.  I guess in a way it has.  It feels like the start of a very special relationship that I know can not go anywhere.

Today we’re golfing at Dunmurry.  Ma, Mrs U, Ms G & I.  It is a final girls day out with the people who bullied me into playing golf.  It’s a lovely day outside.  Completely different to yesterday and I’m actually looking forward to getting out and having a walk around in the sun.  I can not wait.  Determined to be in good form and to have a day of good craic. 

I’m so glad that they bullied me into playing golf.  I only wish that I’d started earlier.  Not sure why I didn’t – and why I didn’t get out more when I first arrived.  I’ve become such great friends with Mrs U and really enjoy spending time with her.  We have such a laugh together and just click.  Even when I raced over to the dirty car on Friday night and wrote “if you think this is dirty you should see my wife” – she laughed saying she was thinking the exact same thing!  Class.

Feels so strange to be unemployed again.  Not money wise, just not having to go to work.  I am free to be alone, to be myself and to do exactly what I want.  Without any restrictions.  I love it!

Off to golf.  Glad of the sunshine and the end of winter!

ABBA

Played golf with Lego girl and enjoyed it alright even though I didn’t play all that well.  12 points just but it was a nice day and the craic was alright.

Saturday was the ABBA party at The Watsons.  K had come up for the party which was nice as she’s had a bit of a shit time of it in Dublin.  Niamh is probably the biggest bitch in the world, as well as being one of the thickest people in existence.  I know…from personal experience!! 

We went to Munich & Berlin with her around Christmas time last year and it was one of the longest weeks of my life.  Everything from her lack of knowledge about travelling, both where we were travelling to and of how to survive on the road.  We went to some of the most culturally significant areas in Europe, in terms of recent history, and she had not a clue.  I mean seriously…  There was no knowledge of  Nazi history, what the Berlin wall was about and Dachau.  Really; she didn’t even think to bring her camera to Dachau, and even forgot the bloody charger, so took about 3 photos of the whole trip.  She was always bloody whining about money, every-bloody-thing cost too much for her, really, she bloody showed up in sneakers.  It’s Berlin, in the middle of winter – come on!  Enough about that trip, I’m angry with her cause she made K feel like shit.  She didn’t even wish her happy birthday – the bitch! 

I think the party on Saturday somewhat made up for it.   It was a cracking night.  Everyone made a really big effort with the costumes; so everyone fit in great.  When we first walked in it was actually a little difficult to recognise people cause of the get ups & the wigs.  Just about everyone at the club has short hair, but they were all in long wigs for the party and it was hilarious as everyone who didn’t normally ‘have hair’ kept walking around touching it all night.  Kinda crazy really.  By the end of the night I acquired a punk rocker wig with hair sticking everywhere.  There was some discussion about me having long hair & K said that if I did infact grow my hair out it would probably look exactly the same as what the wig looked like.  It was very cool though.

Managed not to get too drunk at the party.  Actually I wasn’t even drunk.  Had maybe 5 or 6 bottles of beer, so was very sensible.  Had good fun though.  The craic was mighty and everyone was in good form.  I really enjoyed the night that we had, I think partially because it was really my last night of ‘my life’; although I guess that Sunday really is the last night before I have to think about packing.

Two down, the rest of my life to go

I woke about 3 times between 2am and 5am, putting a swift end to my plan to get up early and a do core workout before work.  Think maybe I was thinking about it too much.  Did however manage to find out that I can get up, dress, eat & be out the door in 20 minutes.  A pointless fact now that I’m training properly again and plan to frequently train before I work in the mornings.  It will come in handy on the 7am starts though.  I suspect I’ve only two of them left.  Or maybe one. 

 

My body knows it.  I’m fatigued.  I can barely keep my eyes open tonight; but I’m ready for the stupid AGM.  Doesn’t start till 8, which is fecking late if you ask me.  Ma says it will go on about an hour-and a half, and there will be sandwiches and all afterwards, but at the moment I just want to climb into bed. 

 

Golf – 9 holes

1:39:13

632 cal; 45% fat

MHR: 84%

AHR: 59%

Zones: M: 09:47; L: 1:16:18

 

Golf was alright.  Didn’t really feel as though I played brilliantly, but ended up on 19 points, with one ding, so it wasn’t too bad.  I think I won for the day; and proved again to SW that I can play. 

 

Strength Training

3 mins bike, warm up

Breathing squats 5 x 10, 10 breaths

4 x 10 DB Deadlift (16s)

4 x 12 Man Makers (5s)

3 x 12 Bench Reverse Crunches

4 x 5 Straight Leg Deadlift, per side (8s)

1 x 5 Bench Single Leg Squats (per side)

4 x 10 DB Squat to Press (10, 9, 9, 9)

3 x 12 FB Crunches

2 x 20 Elbow Crucifix side hold

42:24

426 cal, 26% fat

MHR: 94%

AHR: 74%

Zones: H: 11:42; M: 16:31; L: 13:37

 

The squat to press fecking killed me!  I really had to push for the last 2 sets of those, although on the second one I felt I could have done more than 10.  I chose to save myself.  I’m not sure if that’s the right way to go about things.  I just know I was juiced by the end of the workout. 

 

And now, I sit waiting for the AGM.  I’m contemplating a beer.  Solely for the purpose of making the meeting bearable.  The bitching will be fun though.  I can only hope that it doesn’t drag on all night.  Straight to bed when it’s done.  I’ve had one beer per night over the last two nights.  I don’t feel like having one tonight. 

Bloody Marys

Today has been kinda shite.  Yesterday at work I just took a real foul mood and was in bad form pretty much all night.   By about half 6 I’d taken the notion to get very very drunk.  I don’ t know what came over me.  I think it’s just about the Ginger boss not wanting to pay me for the work that I’ve done, but then expects me to do work that I really shouldn’t have to do.  I spent most of the first 5 hours at work doing a H & S risk assessment for Legionella & Legionnaires’ disease.  It was shite; then as I’d finished it he goes through and picks out mistakes without even acknowledging that I’d done it.  Bastard.

 

So not all was good last night.  I got out and proceeded to get hammered.  Went for chinese, but after the platter decided I’d had enough, so cancelled the beef & fresh pineapple and headed for Marys again.  By the end of the night I was well blocked and ready for bed.  Ma didn’t pull up so well this morning, infact she was bunging up in the toilets before we went out to play.  Golf was absolutely shite!  9 points just cause I was whacking balls into the field or onto the road all day.  Bloody hell!  Ma played surprisingly well, despite her form.  The ‘woot, 9 holes without puking’ was a funny, funny end to the day.

 

01:43:16

609 cal; 48% fat

MHR: 73%

AHR: 57%

Zones: M: 02:26; L: 1:26:46

 

All is well.  Can’t believe I’m leaving in 3 weeks.  It’s kinda scary really; but I’m totally looking forward to getting to Canada.  The more I think about it the less I want to settle somewhere; more just get a van that I can nap in & go exploring.  I would totally be into doing work just as I go; but I also want to spend time with the big K.

Running rhythm

Played golf today.  Was alright – 9 holes just, had 16 points but it was good considering I was playing like a numpty head.

1:49:16

578cal; 51%

AHR: 54%

MHR: 72%

Zones: M: 02:03; L: 01:23:41

Went training after; it was class.  Ma couldn’t believe that I was actually training after; but it felt good to do it; and I was motivated to do it. 

Interval Run – 120:60 – 10, 10.5, 11, 11.5, 12; 45:15 x 5

27:31

322 Cal; 17% fat

AHR: 82%

MHR: 98%

Zones: H: 19:19; M: 04:51; L: 02:53

Happy enough – felt really good while running.  No issues and felt as though I really controlled my heart rate really well – it wasn’t going nearly as high as it normally does.  My breathing was good, steady, even.  I just felt good while running and wasn’t particularly bothered at the end of it.  Wish I felt like that every day…if only!

Tuesday Golf + cardio

Golf

1:30:49 

333 cal, 55% fat

MHR: 70%

AHR: 51%

Zones: M: 00:18; L: 52:15

 

Cardio – run intervals + core

45:55 

520 cal, 18% fat

MHR: 100%

AHR: 82%

Zones: H: 26:07; M: 11:21; L: 08:18