Proof that I need professional help.

As i am almost through the swimming section, and the canoe section is now also planned for may I thought I would have a look at the other sports.  I am now down to do 5 more sports!

These, with my reasoning, are:
Rowing - weekend away with cadets will sort that one!
Sailing - see above!
Cycling - I'm training for the triathlon section, that includes cycling, so why not do that as a separate challenge as well.
1/2 marathon - again, if I am looking at a triathlon, then why not try a 1/2 marathon.  I wont be the fastest by any means, but I will give it a go.
Archery - Okay, so I needed another sport and I watched Robin Hood the other day!


Here goes!!!!!

Monday night is circuit training night

Its a bank holiday, what better way to spend the evening then with a group of sweaty gym goers in a gym hall doing a circuit session.

Tonight's circuits consisted of 25 stations that alternated between a "go for it" station and a "recovery" station.  The idea was that you go absolutely mental for 30 seconds on the "go for it" station, then the next 30 seconds you are on the recovery station catching your breath doing things like jogging on the spot or press ups.

This sounds easier then it was, and the recovery stations weren't actually that much different then the "go for it" ones.  I appreciate that you get out of circuit training what you put in, and I now ache!  I know my limits, I know I have very little co-ordination so didn't even attempt the hula hoop station.

The suns out and I'm on leave

  I was thinking, I've been concentrating on my CV fitness and learning to swim, but kind of been neglecting the bike element. 

 As the sun's out I thought this was the ideal opportunity to get my bike out, clean it up and start biking again. 

20 minutes and several miles later and myself and MRS L got home.

Photos

There is finally photos, to prove I am doing this!

This morning was boot camp morning.  Below are some photos kindly taken by Mrs L (I haven't put the photo in of the patch of grass!)

As you can see, this area (Now known as Hells Basin on a Sunday!) appears very tranquil and peaceful, until, we descend on it!

This morning there were 8 of us, and as usual it was hard going but worth it.  The pictures below aren't in any order, but you can see from the expression on my face at what part of the day the snap was taken!

This morning I learnt two things, 

1/ when you are pulling a tyre by a waist cord its not that easy to get the caribina clip to fail and the tyre to fall off.  But when you do manage this, and the tyre falls off, its a fantastic feeling and upsets the opposition!

2/ it would appear I have a what looks like a bald spot emerging at the back of my head.  This hurt more then  the training session.

On a positive note, the bruise on my shoulder is now better!

I'm the one in the green top running!

Run forest, run.

two seconds later, I nearly took my head off trying to keep up with the front person

The god in the background is the fitness guru - AKA Tim.

Dunno who the kid in the background was, but he was annoying! The items we have are Vipers

At this point the small hill felt like a mountain

"Why oh why am I still not in bed?"

I'm not coming out until its all over. 

I hate my photo being taken!

Circuits, the office and a bruise.

I didn't think the aches were too bad yesterday after boot camp training, so I agreed to go to circuit training tonight.  However on waking up it soon became apparent that some one had swapped my legs for two lumps of lead, and my back was really tight. 

Once at work I soon realised that it was far easier on the legs to scoot round the office, to the printer, photocopier etc on my chair with wheels.  This amused several people and I was found on at least two occasions scooting (that is a technical term) down the corridor towards the training rooms to save my legs!  It just seamed easier!

Circuit training tonight was entitled "death row" and essentially was 25 stations including a static rower.  You blasted along on the rower for 250 metres whilst every one else done two other stations then  you swapped.  Times for 250 metres were 48.9 seconds and 50 seconds.  Slightly slower then anticipated however you have to bear in mind today was meant to be a recovery day after yesterdays events!





After the weekend activities I now have a bruise on my shoulder.  I know its not a bad bruise, I know its no where near as bad as other peoples injuries, but I have a bruise!  I have tried to convince Mrs L that this means I can not help under any circumstances with any house work.  I can take my dog for a walk but that's it just in case my arm falls off or something.  To say she was not as supportive in this time of need as I expected is an understatement.  I have been told to grow up but like a true bloke I still have to poke it, just to see if it still hurts or not (poke the bruise not Mrs L.  I don't need to poke my wife to know it would cause me a whole world of hurt!).

Having just read the Sea Cadets newsletter I saw that there were 3 places available for the London 10k run.  Now where does that fit in with my training......................................

Boot camp phase 2

Woke up this morning, the sun was shining, it was going to be a sunny day so how to start the day??  Oh yeah, sundays boot camp day!

For the uninitiated reading this let me explain boot camp for you in the easiest way:  0930 Sunday morning.  Take a field with a gravel area to run in, walk ways and some slopes.  Add to this 8 people, 1 instructor and various pieces of equipment.

Over the next hour get the 8 people (who it could be argued are either slightly unhinged or really dedicated) to run round, do some press ups, sit up and star jumps, run round some more, do some lifting and sit ups with big logs, run round (because we hadn't run round for a whole 5 - 10 minutes) but this time carrying the logs, race each other whilst dragging a tyre round, then a mini circuit in the gravel that included running up and down the slopes with a medicine ball above our heads, crunches, viper work (I'm assured that a viper is made of rubber and targets the core muscles not an instrument of torture.  I'm not convinced of this), burpes and medicine ball work to name a few.  We then cooled down with with a little run (by this time a saunter was more appropriate) and some core work before streching. 

This was a great way to set of on a Sunday.  There was one point, as I'm running up the slope with a medicine ball above my head for the fourth time with my arms, lungs and legs aching and screaming that I did wonder why I was doing this, why not just keep running when I got to the top of the slope until I reached my car, then drive home.  It would be fitting to say at this point some along the lines of "the thought of the cadets and the money that I was raising by doing the gold challenge spurred me on."  if I put that down I afraid to say this morning I would have been lying.  It shames me a bit to say it, but I wasn't going to let one of the girls in the group beat me! 

Chill down was a picnic with friends and Mrs Lawrence.  Now off to find the after sun. 


Circuit training tomorrow evening.

Motivation is on holiday!

Admission time.  Since the 19th March my motivation has kind of disappeared.  This is due to several reasons including illness and work commitments to name just 2.  However these are just excuses and not valid reasons, so in an effort to remotivate myself I have decided to document the progress I have made since the beginning of the year:

I have lost over 20 lbs (just under 1 1/2 stones)
My body fat % has reduced from 25.6% to 22.4% (aiming for about 19%)
I have completed over 3 hours of weight training
I have had 3 swimming sessions and am making progress (Okay so its not as fast as i wanted, but apparently to be able to swim 700meters within the first few lessons isn't realistic!)
My CV is improved, with running sessions starting to be introduced.

The injuries that I was plagued with last year seam to be manageable and not impacting on my training.

When you write it like that, it puts it all into perspective.

I have also been for a run this week with henry (my dog)  Depending on what your definition of successful is as to whether this was a success.  If your definition of success involves not falling over when the dog runs from one side to the other trying to trip you up, then it was a huge success.  We wont be running together again for a while.

Bootcamp is also starting again on a Sunday, which is always good for motivation.

Aprils training plan is at the moment with my training guru (Tim) and once this is finalised I will put it on the blog