Ever tried doing sit ups with a dog?

Another Thursday rolled round, which means another all-over session. I'm feeling tired, but not sore. Bag packed, ready to roll.

Again I start with a short jog, about 800m with the dog, to warm up and get the lungs moving again. Previously when running a distance like that my shins start to get real sore, and anything over 1km expands the pain massively step by step. After this short run my legs are fine. I'm hoping that the hamstring, butt and calf exercises all all helping to work the magic on my long legs. With a small amount of luck, and plenty of work, I may well be able to tick off one of my goals - learn to run! When I can do 2km non-stop and non-pain then I'll be a happy chappie indeed!

So, warmed up, into the session we go. Today, it's arms and shoulders. Pull downs, ups, sideways and with my butt in the air, my arms are given a good working over. Not going to full exhaustion level, thankfully, that'll be next week I bet.

Once the arms are dead, it's onto the floor for some well needed abdominal work. Sit ups, crunchies and some back exercises and a bit of swissball work get them screaming and burning. Added difficulty due to the dog being very keen to assist and lying on me, or under me, or grabbing my arm in his mouth, or trying to burrow under my neck. Such a loverly, helpful assistant. If he wasn't so damn cute I might be tempted to tell him to go away!

Session over in record time (about 30mins maybe?) I'm on my bike and off to work. At least this time I have some power left in my legs and I partake in my usual commuting activity - racing roadies. Being on a 10 year old bike, with only one gear, and 100KG+ rider, I get a small bit of satisfaction in making the featherweight roadies in their lycra and carbon fiber bikes work for their place. Sometimes (ok, so usually) I take them out, or they blow out, and I can continue my journey. It's not always a roadie, but there's almost always a race every day. Good morning fun. 

Tomorrow is a quick ham & ab morning. I might even jump on the scales this weekend and see if there's any improvement there. I don't feel thinner yet. Or stronger. But it's only half way through week 3. Week 4 is when it all changes and the bar is lifted. No slacking, no excuses, no being a pussy. Also on the cards this weekend is another trek through the hills on Sunday, hopefully on a slightly harder slope than last weekend this time :) Bowenvale to Sugarloaf & return should do me nicely.

Productive Tuesdays?

Tuesday is supposed to be the most productive day of the week. Apparently. However my Tuesdays start with a frantic bag-packing and then what seems like hours of torture before heading to work.

Tuesday was a good workout. I know it must have been good because I could hardly maintain a decent speed on my bike afterwards. Not a lot of leg strength left... 

It started nicely enough, just a quick jog around the block (with the dog) then it was prancing in the driveway, then lunges with weights (urgh!) and then it gets fuzzy. I know there were more leg exercises and some upper body ones too, but like waking from a nightmare, it's all fuzzy and hard to pin down. I just remember searing pain (weakness leaving my body) and sweat and weights and uncomfortable positions and the next memory was me on my bike but without and strength in my legs to race the other people to work. 

I knew it had been a hard one when I also had no strength in my legs riding home again. No pain, just no strength. I thought these exercises were supposed to be making me stronger?

This morning was another rapid session, 15 mins of searing abdominal pain and hamstring wrenching. Ably assisted by the dog who loves it when I'm doing floor work, he's so damn helpful.

My diet hasn't changed a lot. I'm eating less junk between/ontop of my meals, but the meals themselves are basically the same. Reducing carbs where I can and no longer having a bottle of wine with dinner. Blood sugars are settling more (I'm pretty damn good at that anyhow) but still have the odd high mornings. Not having cravings tho, which means I'm getting enough food in I hope...

Likes?

Well, I like how each of my sessions is different so I never know what's going to happen. If I have a routine I'm probably not going to give it 100% so I can limp away unscathed. When it's all mixed up tho, you just give it your all constantly. I like that. Chaos Routine!

Hate?

Discovering how weak I am. Maybe it's just me, or a boy thing, but discovering I can't do as many or as much of some simple exercise as I mentally pictured I could is depressing. It drives me to try harder, but it is a little sad when you discover you really are a pathetic weakling. Just as well I'm sorting that out. I don't feel stronger yet, but there's plenty of weeks to go.

Romping, still stomping

Friday morning saw a quick session on the floor, making me hurt and then on my bike to work. I remember when I used to arrive at work tired, hot and sweaty. Now that's how I am before I get ON the bike!

Saturday was a quiet day, I took the dog for a romp at the dog park and in the river for a post-mud-wallow rinse. Otherwise, not a lot happened. It was the kind of day where you seem to have lots of things to do, but at the end of the day, the list is the same size!

Sunday dawned with another organised hill climb. Our group met at the bottom of the hill and planned to go up Valley Track to Summit Road, then up Mt Vernon Track, then down the Mt Vernon Farm Track to the carpark. The morning had started covered in fog, so it was with a small sense of relief that the hills were bathing in sunshine, but it wasn't oppressive heat. The four of us, plus dog, started the trek up the valley, emerging into the sunshine about ¼ of the way up, and pushing for the summit. 

It was at about ¾ of the way up that the valley track started to become a bit easy, and a group decision was made to split up. Two of us would follow the original route, the long way, and two of us (and a dog) were to take a short-cut, straight up the side of the mountain we had been walking beside. It was a tough ascent, but we made to the top in one piece and glad to be there. A fair struggle in parts, but overall more satisfying than taking the long way round.

It was only this morning that I discovered that we climbed 120m vertically in a distance of about 250m. That was a steep hillside.

We regathered at the farm gates and made our way back down the easy farm track, enjoying the day, the sun, the success and just feeling good.

And in closing, with reference to the title. I have always known I was a 'stomper' when riding. Even tho I'm clipped into my pedals, I still only push down, or stomp, which is not the most effective use of my legs or energy. I have been trying to change my style during my commutes and it has resulted in a sore arse. When I stomp, my arse is kept elevated slightly, however when employing push-pull my arse is pulled down into the seat more, and I have the same pains in my nether regions I used to have when I first started riding! So, I'm sticking at it, but old habits die hard. I haven't ridden up a hill in ages, so maybe I'll need to do that soon?