Wednesday 24 June 2009

Walk on the wild side

It was a lovely day today, so when I finished work I decided to walk home, instead of getting the bus. This is actually a really nice walk, most of the way, even if I did have to tresspass on someone's drive. They had big signs saying not a public highway etc etc. However I reckon that if you have a drive that is at least three quarters of a mile long, and links up so perfectly between where I am and where I want to be, you can't really complain, especially as it links up with a footpath.

It was nice walking through the fields, with all the butterflys about, and random nervy dogs with brown eyebrows coming over to say hello. Then I got to Playing Place, and got an icecream from the spar shop. Then is was the loooong hill down past a primary school. This is the biggest pain when I cycle into work, as it is fairly steep, and is a mile and a half long (I have measured it), but it isn't so bad walking down, and great fun going down on a bike.

The last hill I had to get up before I got to town was really nasty, and was the only bit where there wasn't a nice cooling breeze. Got overtaken by a guy in a pickup, who took a suspiciously short stop in a layby halfway up. I suspect a sneaky line before getting home, but I may just have a suspicious mind.

Took my life in my hands crossing the dual carriageway, then down the street to home, and realised I didn't have my camera handy to take a pic of the fibreglass cow at the top of the road. I'll have to remember to take a picture before it, inevitably, gets some drunk bods deciding to go cow tipping on friday night.

Will do some pressups and situps later, if I get round to it.

Juneathon stats - day 24
walking: 4.5 miles (in 70 minutes)

Monday 22 June 2009

We can work it out

Argh, nearly there though, 7 days to go. I'm finding the blogging more difficult than the actual exercise though.

Except on Thursdays, for some reason Thursday seems to be the hardest day of the week. Again I have been slack on the running, I'm going to have to drag myself out this week and bounce my sorry carcass round to block. Obviously you'll guess from this that I failed again on Thursday, I'll have to do better, and maybe manage to do something extra to make up for it.

Doing the situps and pressups every other day isn't a problem, although week 3 of the programs seems to be being a bit of a toughie. I cracked out the weights at the weekend, because I was buzzing around like a blue arsed fly trying to sort some things out, and it was a lovely day on Sunday so I spent the afternoon sitting in a beer garden, talking bollocks.

I saw something a couple of you may be interested in on Saturday. The Grauniad has a creative writing competition for a reader to get an unpublished short story in their fiction issue in August. Max 2000 words. If I can get the words out of my head onto the paper I'll be giving it a go.

Juneathon stats - days 19-22
situps: 331
pressups:142
curls:156 (6x12 reps @10kg on Sat, 7x12 reps @10kg on Sun)
a few other bits and pieces like walking and a stuff that barely count

Wednesday 17 June 2009

I Can't Stand Up (For Falling Down)

Feeling a bit run down and rubbish really, I blame the lurgy. did the situps exhaustion test though, should have managed more than I did really. Only just managed to get them in on the right day though, sat down after work to listen to the radio, and woke up a couple of hours later, still feeling crap and knackered.

I've been a bit slack on the running though, I need to drag my lazy ass out and round the block a few more times soon.

Still getting through the Carr book steadily, should be finished soon.

Juneathon stats - day 16
situps: 52

Monday 15 June 2009

All fall down

I've been a bit rubbish lately, but obviously I haven't been the only one. On Thursday I was feeling really rubbish, especially as I hadn't managed to keep anything down for most of the day, and the day before. I did manage to force myself to do some squats, with weights, before I came over all funny.

Friday, unfortunately, I had to go in to work whatever, still feeling a bit rough, but better than I had. It was a lovely day, so I went for a walk after I finished. I meant to walk over to my Aunt's, so I could blag a cup of tea before catching the bus. I got slightly lost though, and ended up doubling the distance I had to walk before I got my nice cup of tea. Bah, it's not like I grew up round here and spent most of my time in the summer arsing around in these fields and footpaths.

Friday night, ran into a couple of mates, and decided to kill what was left of the lurgy with alcohol, Saturday, broken, completely and utterly broken, couldn't even manage 2 pressups, let alone anything more energetic. The lurgy was dead though, which was nice. I think I ought to count it as a juneathon fail though.

Managed to do the slightly postponed bit of the pressups and situps on sunday, and discovered that the lurgy has left me with pulled abs, which made it less fun.

And finally, did the pressup exhaustion test thing today, 19, significantly more than the paltry number I managed in the first test, yay!

Juneathon stats - days 11-15
pressups: 51
situps: 81
walking: 4 miles
squats (10kg dumbell in each hand): 20

Wednesday 10 June 2009

No, not now

At home ill today, as I was up half the night with mystery stomach lurgy. I'm not sure who gave me this particular bug, but I know it has been doing the rounds, and when I figure out who the typhoid mary is I shall shun them heartlessly. Needless to say, unless a treadmill miraculously appears, the run I had planned on doing today, to make up for yesterday's lameness, isn't going to happen. I don't really want to be wandering too far from the bathroom.

sit ups and press ups were done though, despite feeling miserable and achy (from the bug, not from all this exercise type stuff). I'm also working my way through the Allen Carr book, not too quickly, I suspect the impact of the book might be blunted if I read it cover to cover in a couple of hours, rather than reading it more slowly and letting bits sink in.

It was a bit of a struggle finding an appropriate title from my music collection. I'm sure someone has guessed that I have been culling post titles from song titles for the last few days. Because I am lazy, and it is easier than think up something original myself, basically.

Juneathon stats - day 10
situps: 75
pressups: 30

Tuesday 9 June 2009

The Tears of my Tracks

I was a bit crap today, I meant to go out for a run this morning before going into work but I overslept, which was a bit of a pain. Then when I got back from work I meant to get out a bit later. Somehow I got caught up in doing things, then I had something to eat, and thought "Oo, I better wait for a bit before going out", so I picked up the random copy of The Cruel Sea I had discovered in one fo my bookshelves. I'll read that for a bit, thinks I, and go out later. A few hours later, and having finished the book, I look out the window and its dark and windy and 'orrible. Damn.

On the other hand I did do a very brisk walk from work to the bus stop, which is a bit over a mile away, so I suppose that'll have to do for today. Making up for it tomorrow will be the plan, I'll remember to set the alarm this time.

The other petty annoyance of the day, I discover that, without notifying me in any way, iTunes has changed its podcast settings and has sent all of the back episodes of Phill and Phil's Perfect 10 (funny, but filthy at times) and the News Quiz into oblivion. Very annoying, at least it hadn't got round to blitzing the umpteen episode of Answer Me This (also very funny) as well.

Juneathon stats - day 9
walk: 1 and a bit miles, rubbish really

Monday 8 June 2009

Hangin' Round

A bit of a lazy day today, hung my, functional and not at all dorky, cycling kit up to dry, faffed about on the internet, and finished China MiƩville's new book, which is really good.

I also had a quick look at the website of the local running club, which is horrible, like something out of the mid 90's. There is a 10k in August at a local national trust place, which I might enter if I am feeling especially brave and/or stupid, and if I think I can run that far. There is also a half-marathon held in town in September, and a marathon (and a half) being held at Eden in October. I might be daft but I'm not completely mental though, so I'll give them a miss.

I got off my arse and did situps and pressups, gave the squats a miss though,as I'm planning on doing some running tomorrow before, or after, I go into work.

Juneathon stats - day 8
Situps: 55
pressups: 25