Come back song

Well, if there's going be a revival then this is the soundtrack. Shame it's about an erection...

We got the numbers, yeah, we got the might
We got the strength and we got the right
We got the reason, yeah, we got the night
So wake up the sleeping giant

Name change?

I propose a name change for this blog to:

"Dudes with Moobs (and more or less resigned to it for now)".

Thoughts?

Riding the resolution wave

New Year comes after 3 weeks of overindulgence and zero exercise. We need to catch the wave.

I say 8 weeks, 8kg and/or 8cm. Attainment of either goal wins veto on a full body wax from a Moldovian female shotputter.

The weight loss paradox

Here's an odd thing. I've gone down roughly 2 trouser sizes since starting - a good indicator that weight loss has been fat, rather than muscle loss. Yet I can now grab bigger handfuls of flab than I ever could previously.

My ever-so-scientific hypothesis is as follows: Visceral fat has accounted for a significant proportion of overall weight loss. This has reduced both girth and outward pressure. Conversely, my body's been holding on to subcutaneous fat for all it's worth. With a significantly reduced visceral outward force, this is now lose and hanging under its own weight like a custard-filled wet suit. Muscle-toning from exercise has only exacerbated the phenomenon.

Hopefully a continued regime will start to whittle down the remainder. Plugging in stats still gives me a bf well over 20%. I estimate 1 stone should get me the right side of 17% - the outer level of fitness. Losing fat from around my neck has had disastrous consequences, pushing up my bf levels (because of the measurements taken). I either need to loose more, or perhaps take up this every other evening.

1st Duathlon – trial by mud.

Don’t worry, this won’t be a blow by blow account. Just to say I did it, lived through it, loved it and am ready for a re-run in Feb.

Blasting GnR on the radio as I left the house was obviously a good omen. Confidence was knocked for six on arrival, surrounded by 7 foot beanpoles with spray-on cycling suits and bikes that clicked together like a black ops sniper rifle. Skimming my eye along the rack of 250-odd bikes in the transition zone, I reckon mine was the only one without any form of suspension. I quickly also regretted not trying harder to adjust the rust-fused saddle.

But the bike did me proud. After a quick(ish) 2 mile run it was a bone-shaker of a ride once away from the gravel paths, and fear took over on a few of the downward slopes. Here’s where I lost much of my time to the mountain bikers. Came off several times in the churned up mud – chain, cogs, gears and breaks caked in the stuff, but it all somehow kept going. Running again after 10m of this was tough, but averaged 8 min miles overall, and passed quite a few of the mtb bastards at the end.

now where did I leave it?

Looking at previous times I was optimistically aiming for 90 mins and completed in 87. A few years ago this would have got me in the top third, but this time had to be happy with 112 out of 260. Not bad. I’m confident I could take a couple of minutes off with a better bike, and a couple more again with a bit more confidence / experience of mountain biking. With the course being re-run in Feb I’m looking to sign up with a goal of 80 mins. It can’t be any muddier, and I should have more than 3 practice runs under my belt by then.

triathlon shorts - can I join the club now?

Meanwhile, back home I’ve tried to keep the momentum going, and paid a visit this evening to the the Hotblack garden gym. Sadly, the wind ripped away the pagoda last week. It’s bloody miserable trying to lift weights that are covered in ice, in the dark, outdoors. I've one pathetic little paraffin lap that's in constant threat of going out. Morale has quickly sunk back to reality. Time for a new plan.

It's a sinch

Trial run over: 1hr17min - comfortably within the first half of previous Cirencester times. Of course I was on road compared to wood trails and hills, so we'll see. Not too happy about the downpour today, and Sunday's weather is looking equally wet.

Objectives, in order, are:

1. get round without bike falling apart
2. not come last
3. get round without falling off / getting off to push uphill

May even award myself a cheat meal (or two)

Been a bit silly

Inspired by recent conversations with Venables Esq. I’ve had a quick nosey at some running events to aim for. I came across this fun off-road duathlon and before thinking any better, signed up.

It’s on Sunday.

I also ignored the warnings directed towards non-mountain bikers, and plumped for the long one (2m-10m-2m). My own bike was nicked some 5 years ago, and I haven’t ridden since, so I’ve dug out my other half’s lump of rust. This hasn’t seen the light of day for about the same period. I scraped off the green residue from the chain, doused everything within an inch of its life with WD40 and took it out for a spin – getting immediately sprayed with said lubricant in the process. Wheels go round, brakes are good, but gears give way under load – doesn’t bode too well for muddy off-road hills. Don’t dare adjust the saddle as bolt has corroded away. And I need somehow to cut off the huge padlock and chain wrapped around – don’t think I need a handicap.

Will go for a trial run to practice those transitions.

Now feeling a little nervous. What shoes am I going to wear?

The Runs

Well, since my last post of any substance (if a balloon-man passes for "substance"), I've been cutting down on excuses, and have been building up the runs - 5.5 miles, through 6 miles, 6.8 and last weekend, a cheeky 7.5 miler.

Seaside 7.5-er. Nice

The "compensation factors" are something of a problem, however - "I've run 7.5 miles - surely I don't need to do any more exercise this week?"... "Another piece of rocky road? Go on then. I ran 7.5 miles last weekend, I can take it".

Compensation Factor #1

I'll hope to keep up the running - this far feels about far enough (not 90 miles over 3 days, to pluck a ridiculous target out of the air), and I am still steadily losing weight (just!) at 1lb/week roughly. So I need to keep cutting out excuses, and I should supplement with one or two shorter mid-week runs as well,... but the clocks have gone back and it's so dark out, the November weather's taken a turn for the worse, there's some telly I want to watch, I don't see the kids enough and my foot hurts if I run too much (I have it on good authority you shouldn't run until you're under 80kg)...

Book now if you're Lard enough

Errr....

How about this instead for an Oxford challenge?

book now if you're hard enough

Anyone up for this? 90 miles over 3 days along Thames canal path from Oxford.

9 months to train. Marathon des Sables / Himalayan Run and Trek to follow?