I'm going to go for a little run tomorrow morning, and I just wanted to remind myself to approach it in the right way. Not to worry about speed. And not to worry about distance. Not to worry about ego (even though everyone who overtakes you shouts "you're slow"). And not to worry about aching legs that won't move as fast as they once did. All that matters is heart, belief, and the knowledge that a little peace of mind comes with a little hurt.
See you tomorrow.
Rode my bike to and from work yesterday, and just rode in today. And I had a salad for dinner. This is going to be a cinch. Oh, and I booked a doctor's appointment for next week.
Now I need to get in a cage.
Last night my dinner consisted of a large bag of Dorito's, a box of chocolates, and some rancid sandwich from Sainsbury's. While quite tasty at the time, it's no way to stay fit and well. And if truth be told it's not the first time. What's more, it's starting to show - I reckon I'm now about a stone heavier than when I was in really good shape.
So, I went for a run this morning. Everything was a bit tighter than it used to be (muscles and clothing). And I felt pretty crap most of the way round. But it was good to be out again. I saw a rat on Ealing Common. I saw some litter on the High Street. And I saw some buses. But not much more than that. I ran slow, but I ran steady. I used to run 10km in about 40-43mins, on average. Took me nearly 10mins longer this morning, but it's a start I guess. And I did have to carry that extra stone all the way around.
I got home and had a large glass of orange juice and water, then went about my daily business.
Good morning.
Aching a lot from training yesterday, it's a good, no, it's a great feeling.
(By the way, I found a good Brazilian Jiu Jitsu blog yesterday, here. It gives some great insights into the psychological side of training.)
One of the good things about having a blog is that it becomes easier to keep a track of what you did, and when you did it. Being quite a self-indulgent sort, I quite like reading back through my blog occasionally. Re-living all those amusing memories. Like the time I got wireless internet, had my hair cut, or put on a fez. Really, the list is endless (well it's long), and the laughs are out loud.
Reading back through some of the posts it's quite apparent that, as well as leading an exciting and dare-devil life, I used to be a lot fitter than I am now. Last summer I was running most mornings, cycling to work, and doing MMA a couple of nights a week. And now? Well I went cycling today for a couple of hours of gentle pedalling, and I was knackered. Properly, tongue hanging out, knackered. It was the first real exercise I've done since the avalanche, and it was depressing. Of course I had to wait for injuries to heal, and starting a new, and very busy, job hasn't helped. But I think the main problem is that essentially I'm lazy. Actually, no - I'm not lazy - I'm a creature of habit, and need to get used to doing something so much that I don't even think about it. I used to run every morning last summer because...I used to run every morning last summer. That's all. No big secret, just trained myself to do it. I convinced my mind that the thing I do when I get up is run, or cycle. And that's what I need to do again. Habit, habit, habit.
Starting tomorrow I'm going to try and create some new habits. I need to start slowly as I'm coming off a low base, but reading back through the blog I know what is possible, if I get off my backside. That if I get into a groove it's quite possible I might get around the block, maybe around the park, and possibly even a little further than that.
So I look forward to tomorrow, to going forwards, and to new habits.
Ever since Christmas I've kept meaning to get back into MMA training, but you know what it's like with these things - the longer you leave it, the harder it becomes. Then I got an email this morning from someone I've known through training for many years asking me "have you stopped training now?" The question made me feel very odd. Stop training? That would be like if I stopped wearing red socks - easy enough in practice, but incoherent with my sense of self, of who I am. So, rather than get into some deep period of personal reflection, I think it might just be better if I went training. So that's what I'm going to do.
Just thought you'd like to know.
Hello the new boys. I'll see you tomorrow, in the A.M.
A short run, but a good one.
Flexing for the masses to celebrate.
One of the best things about running a bit, and doing other stuff that is good for your heart, is that you end up quite liking that pained feeling you get in your legs when you walk up stairs. I can remember being no where near as fit as I am now and struggling up some stairs once, panting when I got to the top, it's not a good feeling.
Now I look for the stairs. All 193 of them at Covent Garden tube station. It's a good test. Walk up them, briskly and with purpose. Breathe only through your nose.
Keep going. Safe in the knowledge that the feeling in your legs is not your body giving up, but simply its way of saying "all's well down here, we're in the game". It's a good feeling.
It can be lonely, though occasionally you'll see a stray tourist confused at where they went wrong, but bit of loneliness in London is sometimes a good thing.
So walk the escalator. But also walk the stairs, especially when there are 193 of them.
This is my new bike. Nice huh? Just bought it, it cost way more money than I actually wanted to spend...way way more. Feel a little queasy thinking about it actually. But it's a handsome red. That makes me feel a bit better.
It's still in the bike shop having some final adjustments made. Then I'm going to ride it home. No lights. No helmet. In the dark. First time using clip-in pedals. Not ideal.
If I don't make it, a couple of things.
1. Thanks for reading the blog, it was a blast.
2. No Westlife at the funeral please.
3. If the bike survives the crash please don't blame her, I knew what I was doing.
4. Hopefully everyone I like knows I like them. I can't really think of anyone I really don't like, so if you think I don't like you then you're wrong - I probably just found you boring or something, but it doesn't mean I didn't like you.
5. No God. Don't buy that idea.
Shalom.
Ps. If everyone wants to say what they want from my estate in the comments section here, then my lawyer can action accordingly.
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