the lesbian and the kids

Today wasn’t nearly so bad. The ginger was a bit grizzly, but nothing as bad as I’ve seen him in the past.  Bloody horrible would be the only way to describe it, and he certainly wasn’t that.

Training this morning was good.  Consisted of an hour in the pool.  Not a bad effort.  Managed to get a bit of a lie in before having breakfast, making lunch and washing up.  The usual routine.  I wasn’t feeling overly tired this morning, just had enough sleep that I woke up when I was ready, although I did hear the first couple of squeaks from the other side of the wall.

Swam for an hour – my usual 100m on 3 minutes was completely blown out of the water, and I rolled 1k in about 25 and a half.  Was pretty impressed, and just managed to squeeze out another 200m before I hit 30.  Definite improvement.  I’m not actually swimming faster, just having less rest, and continually doing more work in the same amount of time – result!!

A couple of the guys at work asked me why I wasn’t aiming to swim a certain number of laps each time I went – and I think today proved that point.  When I set out, I had no idea that I wanted to swim for so long, or that I wanted to swim 2k in total.  I just felt in the groove, so I kept on going.  I think that that’s how it has to be with my training.  I also think that that approach works for me cause I’m not the type to give in.  I like to give training a bit of lip, and to keep going when times get tough.  I like to beat what I did previously.  Set out to improve each and every session.  I know that at some point that’s not going to be possible, but it’s something that drives me to keep working, to keep getting better.  Think my AHR was also a bit higher this time round – makes sense really.

1 hour

768c, 17%

AHR: 165

MHR: 185

Work wasn’t so bad.  Just bloody counting, counting and more counting.  Went quick enough, but every two hours I was looking round for something to eat.  Was all good though, and well within the diet.  Just sitting here and I’m actually thirsty.  The lesbian and the kids were in today.  Someone I potentially would have hooked up with once, I was just standing, overhearing their conversation thinking that I was a bit weirded out by her child (perhaps only 6 months old) not wanting ‘boob’ anymore.  That, or perhaps the image of being with someone who’s breastfeeding (and said breastfeeding’s implications on fucking) was making me crazy.  As much as I love boobs, I’m not into that at all.

Gym session after work, even though my eyes were well tired.  Went and did my strength work.  I still don’t feel that I’m pushing as hard as I can with the weights at the moment.  Think I’m still in a bit of an adjustment phase being in a new gym and all.  It’s like they’ve tried to cram too much shit in the space and it feels cramped, and you have to negotiate your way around pieces of fluffy equipment to get to the good, and worthwhile stuff – like the single power cage they have in there.

40:10

405c, 30%

AHR: 143

MHR: 166

For the moment I’m concentrating on big exercises – nothing isolation.  I’m doing at least one powerlifting move per workout, although not heavy.  I’m going to have to write myself a program and get into the routine of lifting heavy again.  Shit.  Bring on the mental strength.  The scales were mighty tempting tonight, but I wasn’t really wanting to see what’s going on there.  I feel as though the weight isn’t shifting, although I know I’m getting leaner around my head.  Sounds stupid; but I am seeing weight loss from my face.  Perhaps it’s the little bit of a tan that I’ve going on now.

Done.  Absolutely done.

Grip limitations

The murky fog has finally lifted and rain has arrived.  I’ve sworn never to complain about rain; but it gets me down.  For the last week or so it’s been more snow than rain.  I like white much more than wet! 

 

I was so tired this morning.  A combination of going to bed too late and thoughts about she kept my mind ticking over all night, but I slept quite well.  I was very pleased that come my alarm time I got up and headed for the gym; albeit with a bit of messing about to get my mind on the job.  I’m really enjoying this working out first thing, thing.  It sets me up for the day; wakes me up and fires me up to be motivated.  I am more motivated throughout the day when I’ve trained in the morning.  Training first thing often means that I can train twice in the one day, which makes me feel like I’m working hard and working on achieving my goals, so inherently I’m happier.  The other thing about training first thing is that then if something else comes up later in the day (yet to find a reasonable excuse – although Thursday morning & Friday afternoons it’s usually easy to find one) I’ve already got at least a workout in. 

 

Morning training

Bike 5 mins warm up graduating intensity, dynamic warm up – ballistic stretches.  Intervals.  5 at level 8.  20 seconds on.  Rest as needed. 7 mins level 3 – 4 to finish.

28:24

283 cal, 27% fat

MHR: 89%

AHR: 73%

Zones: H:05:03; M: 15:26; L: 07:46

 

Truth be told I’m actually quite disappointed in my training this morning.  Not the effort I put in…the performance.  I’m abslutely bleatered after it; and I really put in.  On the last two intervals I could really feel the lactic acid pouring into my glutes & hammies; but surprisingly my quads survived ok.  I had gone down wanting to get 10 intervals done; but there was no way that was happening.  Never.  I guess the session took more out of me than I had expected.  Level 8 was higher than normal, and the interval was longer.  I think both of these things contributed significantly to my disappointing performance.  I’m not sure exactly why my performance was so down.  After the 15:30 intervals I have been doing I would have expected to only need the minute rest, but if frequently pushed out over that.  Obviously cause my work time has increased my rest time will also need to; but will it need to increase so significantly that I need a rest that’s extended that much.  5 intervals at 20 seconds mean a total of one minute and forty seconds.  10 intervals at 15 seconds come to a total of 2 minutes and 30 seconds work time. 

 

Afternoon training

5 mins walk to warm up. 30:30 run intervals -5% incline - 5 at 11.0, 5 at 11.5. 

Cable High Row – 2 x 10 @ 35; 2 x 10 @ 32.5

DB Inc Row – 4 x 10 @ 12

DB Cable Narrow Pulldown 1 x 10 @ 32.5

DB Deadlift – 4 x 10 @ 14

DB Bench Press – 2 x 10 @ 18; 1 x 8 @ 16; 1 x 6 @ 16.

50:56

422 cal, 25%

MHR: 96%

AHR: 75%

Zones: H: 13:41; M: 12:03; L: 15:08

 

Training this afternoon was alright.  Ran hard during the intervals but it didn’t really feel comfortable.  The rhythm wasn’t there.  The running felt easier than I expected considering the incline and my HR probably didn’t really go as high as I was expecting; but towards the end of the intervals I was pretty shagged.  The weights were quite tough; my grip was definitely the limiting factor today.  I couldn’t grip any more on the cable narrow pulldown.  My forearms were killing me towards the end of each set of the deadlifts and I was definitely feeling them during the bench press.  Tempo was slower on the third set and it killed me on the 4th.

 

I feel like doing more today.  I was ready to go to hockey; but it’s been cancelled.  I guess the pitch is frozen, but that doesn’t compensate for me wanting to go out and do more.  I spoke with her earlier and said that I wanted to go out and do more.  I’d like to do some SAQ or sprint work.  Maybe even some hill sprints.  Am considering trying to work out before work tomorrow; but that would mean a 5am start…at least.  Unless I take food with me into work & eat as I open up.  Get up, workout, shower in the gym, scoff some cereal & coffee as I open.  Perhaps a good plan. 

 

Tomorrow I plan to do some core in the morning before work; without any cardio then do a lower body program with some steady state cardio at the start and the end, before I go to the stupid AGM.

Monday

Weights

28:02 

137 cal, 47% fat

MHR: 81%

AHR: 56%

Zones: M: 01:55; L: 18:32

 

Hockey Training

1:30:49 

333 cal, 55% fat

MHR: 70%

AHR: 51%

Zones: M: 00:18; L: 52:15

 

Split shift again. 15 Hours Down

Yet another split shift.  Feel more used & abused than I really want, although how can one tell the difference between being a good person, kind hearted & doing the right thing and being just plain walked all over?  Sometimes I feel as though I get stuck in the middle of that great big abandon.  I won’t see them stuck, but I feel as though I really can’t say no.  I’m too close.  I live to close.  I’m too nice.

 

To be fair GI Joe is very good to me at times, like letting me off work early to play golf, then giving me the hours, saying that I make it up anyway.  Which I do.  Simone the big man would never have considered that to be fair but GI Joe knows I put in.  Knows I earn what I get.  Loads of people have said to me that the place will fall apart when I’m gone.  K-C reckons she’s leaving.  No motivation to come she says.  Is that me, or the program?!  Hmmm.

 

I was surprisingly busy at work today.  Not so busy, but every time I was just getting into something someone was lookin me for something or other, just generally being high maintenance.  Me being tempermental…  Ma’s mate phoned me twice, once to say that Big Pelier could come to the spin-a-thon (bloody good thing too or I would have had to call and shout at him).  So I mentioned that one of us would be in contact with him.  Then she called again to tell me that I shouldn’t phone him, that he was busy at work & he said to her not to phone him at work.  Bloody hell – I can imagine why – no doubt he doesn’t want her rabbitting on at him while he’s doing his copper thing.  I briefly wondered if she phoned him to ask if she could take a crap.  Probably.  GI Joe and I laughed about that, she’s a nutter – harmless but an absolute numpty head.

  

Today was the beginning of the end of the spin-a-thon challenge, or Saturday from hell as I’ve begun referring to it as.  My god, I can not believe what I’ve signed up for.  So, it’s currently all systems go on the eating front.  7000cal in a day.  Shite.  Actually, that might be a great weight management plan…do one of them a month & bada-bing bada-boom, all of a sudden you’re maintaining the athlete look no worries.  Insane thought.  Definitely saner people locked up…

 

 

The new Polar is awesome.  FT60 training computer it’s officially known as.  I’ll just say it’s class.  It is clear, does everything one could ever want and looks smashing.  And at £184.50 it costs more than most can afford, or will pay, making it kinda exclusive.  I love my Polar.  I’ll be sad to get rid of the orange one, but I kinda need the 50 quid.

 

Training today was light.  Just a quick spin to empty the glycogen out of my legs before I load up again for Saturday.  After the spin I did K-C’s new weights program, somewhat to see what it was like, somewhat out of boredom & somewhat to tell her that I can do it, to push her further.  Was a bit easy, I must say.  Although I think a lot of it was cause of the fatigue from spin, that I probably didn’t push as hard as I could have.  That I just set out to do what she did…only a little more weight.  GI Joe stretched the hell out of my hammies & calves before I spun.  Was surprised by the flexibility still in them, even though they felt as tight as hell.  Also getting pretty happy with the development in my legs, some nice shape coming through above my knees.  Although still not as good at K-Cs.  I love her legs.  Could look at them all night long, all day & for, well, just such great definition in her quads - absolutely class!

 

SPIN (Maximise performance & improve fitness)

1:00:27

554 cal (23% fat)

AHR: 153

MHR: 183

Zones: H: 25:04; M: 22:52; L: 12:30

 

WEIGHTS (fat burn & improve fitness)

00:23:34

158 cal (36% fat)

AHR: 131

MHR: 185

Zones: H: 00:41; M: 07:49; L: 13:59

After I’d trained & rested for an hour I was back at work for shift 2/2 today.  K-C was in looking through her program – we had some great craic.  I love working with her…cause I can tell her what I think & she takes it.  Cause I don’t have to baby her.  I just like hanging out with her.  In so deep.  Feck!

Just went off to get some food before.  Loads of protein, stuff for sangas – cooked chicken, turkey, avoes etc.  Steak, broccoli & loads of fruit.  Also got some of my favourite greek yoghurt and some of the wonderfully delicious and zingy Intense burn energy drink – 2 for £1.50 woot.  Bring on Saturday of hell. 

 

 

 

Spin-a-thon…Bloody Hell.

So, I’m back.  After quite a significant absence.  Not my fault at all…bloody internet.  Now I’m reconnected with the world. 

So, of late…things go like this.  Training was well back on track – maintaining quite easily at 73 – 74ish.  Not really eating that well – been kinda up and down, mainly through inconsistent timing, poor choices and lots of booze.

Training wise, not so bad.  Was getting full into the cardio, working it hard & suffering a whole lot.  I’d swapped to another formula.  Yet another formula.  It was all going well then I got sick.  It was after Belfast’s Oktoberfest.  Was such a great, crazy, unintentional night out, but then the sickness hit.  Was well out of action, dosed with the flu for about 2 weeks. 

Stupidly I’ve signed on for a bloody spin-a-thon for the fecking Children in Need.  Everyone in the gym, well everyone who’s signed on, is doing 3 hour stints.  GI Joe & I are doing 2 hours on, 1 hour off for the whole 18 hours.  That’s 12 hours on a bike.  Nearly a whole flight from London – Hong Kong.  Bloody hell.  Been doing lots of training for it.  Worked up to 2 hours, which, when company is good is pretty easy.  Very doable.  Last Thursday, the 30th did 2 hours on, 1 off, 2 on.  Bit of a zombie-esque state at the end of it, and my head was away at work.  No wonder, burnt approximately 2200 cal that day – a whole day worth of food. 

That in itself concerns me a bit cause of the amount that I’m going to do in 12 hours.  The 2nd lot burnt more, definitely more – was harder on the body I guess, pushed a bit more cause K-C was there, motivation!  By the end of the 12 hours no doubt I’ll be working at a lower rate, but cause of the duration & intensity I’ll probably be burning more.  Probably about 7000cal for the day, maybe more.  That’s like a weeks worth of calories.  How the hell am I going to put all that in.  K-C is becoming a waitress for the day.  I’m gonna have to give her millions to cover my food/drink bill that day.

Competition

00:34:46
197 cal (55% fat)
MHR: 158 (79%)
AHR: 121 (61%)
Zones: M: 03:16; L: 25:58

DB Benched 1 x 8 @ 25 – fucking class!

Rough as hell

0915 – Oats & Green Tea

1030 – Coffee

1200 – random fruit, 3 x ¼ salmon mix sangas on white.

1345 – small coffee

1400 – Training – 10 min warm up on treadmill.  DBBP – 3 x 9 (18s).  Standing cable row (rope) – 12 @ 25, 2 x 10 @ 27.5.  DB pyramid chest flyes – 3 x 10 (6s).  Cable straight arm pushdown – 3 x 12 (12.5).  DB Lat Raises – 3 x 10 (6s).  DBSP – 1 x 5 (6s).

1530 – 3 x cheese on granary toast

2100 – Chicken & Veg big soup (Heinz), 4 slices granary toast with butter

 

Absolutely busted my upper body in training.  Was great.  But so disappointed in so many ways.  The Friday blow out was so bad.  But it was such a great night.  Pleased that I did the run before I went out, or Friday would have been a complete failure.

Short Day

1020 – Oats, 1 & ½ scoops natural Yoghurt, 1 tblsp Bramley Apple Sauce.  Coffee.

1300 – Tuna, sweetcorn & low fat mayo mix on 2 slices of granary bread.

1400 – Small Banana, bottle of hydroactive (50 cal).

1500 – ½ cup coffee

1600 – Thermobol, Coffee

Training – 1 hr spin (hill intervals). 588 cal (40%). MHR: 93% (179). AHR: 81% (157). Zones: H: 41mins. Chest/shoulders – 3 x 8 DBBP (18s); 12, 12, 10 DBSP (6s); 2 x 10 Inc. Pyramid flyes (5s); 2 x 10 DB Lat Raise (5s).

1920 – 1 nectarine, handful peanuts, Green Tea.

2100 – 4 x chocolate chip digestive biscuits (272cal)

2115 – grilled steak & green veg (broccoli, beans, snow peas)

2230 – 200g grapes,

2300 – Thermobol, ¾ serve Promax Diet shake with 250ml skim milk.

 

Extremely busy at work today.  Not doing the second part of the shift that I’d planned to do; but it’s all good.  Everything was rescheduled.  Ate regularly, between appointments, although I really haven’t had that much to eat today.  I was so tired this morning.  Looking back I’m not sure where the day went.  Short shift, late up & tired I think made the day go faster. 

 

Training was good.  Pleased with how it went; worked hard through the hill intervals.  Was a bit sore on my legs; but worked hard.  My heart rate was lower than what I expected from the soreness in my legs.  Obviously I’m getting fitter cause I can do more work at a lower heart rate; but still work to do.  It’s the intensity.  During some of the hills the question in my head was ‘Can I work harder?’ & then I’d push it up a bit.  Happy with my effort.  Legs though aren’t sore at all.  Obviously I didn’t push them hard enough last night.  Thought I would have been sore from the one leg squats; however I’m not.  Will have to go back and do them again.  Fucking effort!  Need to produce 100% at all times.  Judging from the lack of DOMS I didn’t do that last night.  Shit!

 

I feel somewhat deflated by my results this week – 73.4kg & 29.6% body fat.  I know the body fat result will be highly dependant on my hydration levels, and that’s slipped a little in the last couple of days.  Also I’d had a few coffees which would have dehydrated my levels a little.  The weight thing though – I know exactly what happened…too much crap.  It’s as simple as that – not exercise/training related, but bloody food.  Getting too lax with my food – either letting bad snacks slip in, or not eating regularly enough.  GET IT SORTED FAT-ARSE!!

 

Tuna Melt

0915 – Thermobol, Detox & Green Tea
0945 – Training. 10 mins bike, warm up. Chest (heavy) – DBBP (10, 8, 8 @ 18). DBCF (3 x 10 @ 7). Incline DBBP (10 @ 8, 8, 9). DB MB Plyo Chest Throw (3 x 12 @ 5). DB INC Chest Flye (low angle) 2 x 10 @ 5. DBSP 1 x 10 @ 7. 30 mins treadmill, walk.
1130 – Tuna, cottage cheese, sweet corn & 25g cheese on 2 slices Granary Bread – toasted. 10 g cheese.
1210 – 1 nectarine, cup coffee
1530 – Thermobol + Coffee
1615 – Cottage Cheese, greek yoghurt, raspberries + 1 small apple
1900 – salad with tuna
2000 – Tomato & roasted red pepper soup + 1 small white roll + 1 tsp butter
2400 – 1 nectarine, handful pistachios

Feels like I’ve hurt the distal medial portion of my left pec. A bit sore, stabbing pain rather than a twinge. Back & hamstrings are very tight…feels so good. Especially through my back. The tuna melt for brekkie was good. Quite ’strong’ in flavour – surprise surprise – but was quick (especially now I’ve the mix made up), packed with protein, some carbs for muscle recovery & different. Oats tomorrow I think. Last night I wanted chicos, and had planned to have a couple, but realised after drinking some water that I didn’t actually want some. I think the tuna, cottage cheese & corn mix would be perfect with grated carrott on ryvita. Hmmm. Going to try some cottage cheese with some chopped raspberries bunged in. We’ll see how it goes.