Friday already

Didn't get to bed til gone midnight last night so not surprisinhly didn't do as big a run this morning. Just a lil three miler. Long enough to listen to all of the Guardians Tech Podcast. Major topics included the three strikes and you're out policy for file-sharers. How on earth are they going to measure that, I wonder?

Slacking on weigh-in day..

Went to see Rich Hall at Derby Assembly Rooms' Darwin Suite. Two revelations in one night. Firstly Rich Hall is comic genius and whereas on TV I thought him a bit slow (maybe considered and thoughtful would be fairer) on stage he's sharp as a knife and absolutley brilliant. Had me in absolute stitches. Second revelation is Darwin Suite, I always looked at Darwin Suite as being a bit of a second division venue to the great Hall at the Assembly Rooms (not sure how big the Darwin Suite is - will have to check with Liz at work as to how many snooker tables you can fit in it which is the way we measure things in I.T.). Anyway, it's not second division it's bloody great!

So today's tip is this - if you get the chance to go see Rich Hall take it. He's great, am definitely going to go see him next time he comes around. Am even considering treating the good wife to the tattoo he recommends...

Rich Hall Tour Dates are listed here









Week 53 Weighin


Lost a paltry pound this week but am not disappointed with that. Am messing with the plan at the moment which is just a bit on the stupid side and basically, you reap as you sow. Still a pound is a pound and it takes me a little a bit away from the deadly fifteen stone. Am running faster and putting the miles in on the road so I expect I can shift some more with time. If I could just start doing the plan properly again it'd go a damn site quicker - have lost the willpower at the minute.



Got lots to do today, so only did 3 mile run this morning, still exceeding 6mph which is sort of my new unofficial target running speed, so pleased about that. Got a rotten blister on inside of me left foot last night which isn't helping either...

Wednesday - all shook up

Although weight seems to be on an ever-increasing upward march I'm getting better and better at running get the following. Pace of under 9mins a mile for five miles! Chart below that shows recent improvement in running. Am well-pleased with that if not with the weight issues!



I think motionbased is recording it a bit quicker than it was.

These average speeds taken from Training Center which I'm taking as being right!


Was really tired yesterday so went to bed before 9pm! Only to get woken up by a bloomin earthquake at 1am!! Apparently it was of magnitude 5.3 and biggest for 25 years!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7266136.stm

It knocked things off shelves at our house so god knows what it must have been like in Lincolnshire!!! Told the missus it was one of them big lorries going along the by-pass with too heavy a load but hey-ho - it was a more plausible explanation at the time than a bloomin earthquake.

Bike is in repair shop at a Giant dealer in Derby, they think the rear derailleur might be bent which was why it might have been jumping out of gear last time out when I fell off looking at it!

bp 127/79/54 - off for a run shortly then early meeting at 8:30 at office.

Tuesday - bike in for repair

Am taking bike in to the Bike Shop, Derby today for them to have a look at it and sort out the various iffy bits on it and hopefully the rear derailleur jumping out of gear.



BP 133/87/57
FCR1 GX7G5191

Almost March

Did another run tonight, just 3.2 miles worth, nothing special, around about 10mins a mile I think. Will look at stats tomorrow.


What about these for top stats from morning run, a little bit quicker and I'll be running nine minute miles. Not bad eh!!




BP 134/87/61 this morning, had too many shandies last night but didn't have any when England did France in the rugby on Saturday night so I carried them over into tomorrow when we went out for Uncle Peter's birthday. Not brill for weight loss but hey-ho such is life.

Tardy Post!

Been slacking on the blog front. Yesterday I played absolute rubbish golf. Right wrist still isn't ready but left one is much better. I did an hour of walking as well so Saturday wasn't bad exercise wise. Watched the France vs England rugby match and that cheered me up no end. A fantastic performance by England and to weather that much attrition from France and win was super.

Did just under four miles running this morning before taking Lucy off to Rugby at Buxton - very steady 6.4mph, pace of 9:26/mile so not bad at all, deffo getting better I reckon although haven't done a big run for some time - that's something I need to sort out.

Lucy's rugby got a bit spoiled by the weather, started off nice enough, great turnout from the Ashbourne kids, think in some of the matches we lent the Buxton lot. It hammered it down with rain at the end which spoilt things somewhat but that's what you almost expect up there - highest town in the U.K. if memory serves.


This is over a mile and a half almost of walking around a rugby pitch.

Saturday morning - worried!

Did another 3 miler last night and same again this morning. Didn't take the GPS because like an idiot I'd let the darned thing run out of battery - always switch of it off when not in use, fool.

Couldn't get the PVR to work the other night to 'tape' Ashes to Ashes so used BBC's iPlayer - and it's really good, a 60 minute program took somewhere between 10 to 15 minutes to download and quality is ok. Only worry with it is that I always say I don't watch any tv because the good stuff is when am out running or whatever, now there's no excuse.

Saw Journey's first gig with the new singer Arnel Pineda on Utube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laMXGoCgp1c

Ironically, Journey found the singer through Utube after they parted with temporary singer Jeff Scott Soto last year. Sounds like a ringer for Steve Perry, am hoping they'll be back to the UK for another tour, after years of waiting have seen them in 2006 (with Steve Augeri - great singer) and in 2007 with JSS, which I didn't enjoy as much.

Damn that alarm clock

Forgot to press the set alarm button last night so the alarm clock didn't go off. Consequently I didn't get out of bed until 6:07. Go a bit over 3 miles of running at 5.9mph (10:08/mile pace) which wasn't too bad all things considered.

Steady Run ahead of Weighin 52

Got up at 3:30 to see if I could see the Lunar eclipse but it was rotten cloudy so couldn't. As a result was a bit knackered and didn't get onto road until 6:20 so only got 3.5 miles done this morning. I did another two last night really slowly so not all bad. Blood pressure a bit rubbish I have to admit again, 128/92/60 I wonder if am overdosing on caffeine a bit too much.

Disappointed - 2.5lb gain this week, can't work it out, pound and a half on overnight, hmm. Anyway still a smidge under 15 stone so not end of world but not happy, all that bloomin runnin.


There's two miles missing off this from the other night when ran to Ben's and back.

Steady as she goes

Rang a conservative 4.5 miles this morning. Felt like I had dead heavy legs but averaged 6.0mph, 10minutes/mile pace so maybe wasn't as bad as I thought. It'll be interesting to see if it gets easier when it's warmer in summer. Have made a mental plan that will be back on the bike in early March. Am going to give the wrists a couple more weeks off then it's back on the bike and back in the gym. That said, am enjoying running and the fact that it burns calories like no-one's business is definitely promising!

Solid Five Miler

Did five miles this morning at bang on 6.0mph (10min/miles) this morning which was okay. Had some issues with the GPS logger not stopping at the paper shop so it could have been quicker in reality.

BP 123/83/58 not bad.

All things good for a monday

Am in a two-day training course at work today (and funnily enough tomorrow too). Other than that everything is grand - blood pressure was 122/81 which for me is not too shabby. Had to sort something out for me mum and dad before I set off this morning so didn't get on the road until 6:21 which wasn't ideal but hey-ho. Anyway when did get on the road I ran like hell (as the mighty pink floyd would say) average for yesterday and today standing a 6.4mph and a pace of 9:35/mile) is some going for me. Well pleased thus far plus Arsenal got whooped, Liverpool got knocked out by Barnsley. Everything's pretty much in the plus column!!!



Did another 3.5 miles this evening, similiar sort of speed 6.2mph. Very, very cold again and thought I'd just do the short 2 mile loop but thought I could stand another mile and a bit so carried on into town. Good stuff.

Fast Four Miler

Got up quite late after sleeping 11hours last night! Must be knackered, somewhere along the line. Went to fetch papers on a short four mile run as had to take Lucy upto Rugby practice. A little bit faster than ever with the four miles at a pace of 9:23/mile or 6.2mph! Darned good.

Golf Gone to Heck

Tried golf for nine painful holes, absolute rubbish. No distance at all, everything slicing out to the right. Rubbish, rubbish, rubbish. Did par a couple of holes but other than that it was dire bogies, double bogies, triple bogies. Not pleased at all about that. Liverpool got beat by Barnsley though which was good - magic of the cup and all that (have I mentioned that the missus is a Liverpool fan?). Anyway you got to support your local team not some side from a hundred miles away.

Back on the run again...

Felt like I had no oomph in me legs this morning but still managed to stagger a creditable five this morning so quite pleased - looking at Motionbased it was better than I originally thought with an average of 6mph and a 10:04 pace overall. Am thinking of making 6mph my minimum standard for the time being.

V Day / Weigh Day

Week 51 – 2.5lb loss – Back to 4st total loss
The return to exercise and the stopping of feeling sorry for myself has reaped some rewards this week with a - 2.5lb loss from last week. Back to a total weight loss of 4 stones in 51 weeks. It’d be really good to lose another half pound or more next week so that I’d have a total loss of over four stone in a year. That’d be good, am dead pleased to be losing again though rather than these rotten little gains of the last few weeks.


Nice to see a bit of daylight under the fifteen stone line (210lbs)

Velo City
Was reading an article by James Daley who does a cycling column for the Independent. The article was mainly about Ken Livingston’s plans for investing in infrastructure to improve cycling in London and get more people onto two wheels, which is sensible stuff in my biased opinion. He’s talking about putting in a dozen cycling corridors to speed up access for cyclists into the heart of London which again sounds great but how will he do it??

The article makes reference to something called Velo City which is an enclosed, raised off the ground tubular cycle-way. Each tube only goes in one direction and the resulting airflow from cyclists all heading in the same direction gives a natural tail-wind making it more efficient. Am not sure if it’s a goer as yet but the architect of the idea a chap called Chris Hardwick has presented the idea for the city of Toronto in his role as local architect.

It’d cost an absolute fortune but what a cool idea…

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/green-living/james-daley-cyclotherapy-781939.html

http://www.velo-city.ca/MainFrameset.html



I like the idea of cycling in clear tubes, shielded from the elements with a tail wind regardless of where you were going! That's the future for sure!!!

7am

All things looking good today. B.P. 116/84 for starters. Ran a couple of unrecorded miles last night to nephew Ben's and back to sort out his Tiscali Broadband - just for reference Tiscali's Tech support from my experience is absolute cak - queued for ages then the bloke says oh the server down, try again tomorrow. In actual fact there was nothing wrong with the problem we had - namely Ben's username and password not being correct but somehow we got the internet connection working by going straight into the router. So all's well I suppose but don't expect great things from out-sourced Tech Support on the indian sub-continent would be my advice.

This morning did a good 3.5 miles as was a bit late setting off at a nice steady 6.1mph (9:53/mile) pace - getting okay at this running mullarkey! Exact specs were 3.57miles in 35:21 which is okay in my book.

Steady New Plan

Some Interesting Info on Exercise...

Came across this in a 100 top tips thing on Times Online – look how much more energy is burnt off running that cycling (although can only run at 60% of that pace wheres with cycling I can do a mile in 4.6mins without too much difficulty). Anyway makes me wonder whether I ought to just stick with the running for a few weeks. Am hoping to be golfing by the weekend.

BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION: Burn off those calories by ...

Figures are for 30 mins exercise for someone weighing 68kg (11st)
61 Running at 16kmh/ 10mph — 525 calories.
62 Playing football — 292 calories.
63 Swimming (at 50 yds a min) — 315 calories.
64 Weight-training (including short recoveries) — 382 calories.
65 Handball — 345 calories.
66 Basketball — 330 calories.
67 Skipping — 428 calories.
68 Squash — 308 calories.
69 Cycling (1.6km/1 mile in 4.6 mins) — 300 cals.
70 Cross-country skiing — 495 calories.
Note: Depending on an individual’s fitness levels, this intensity may not be able to be sustained for the full 30 minutes.

Aldi - Top Fruit Offer for Food Optimising

Aldi have a ‘Super Six’ offer running at present in which they have sixe fruit/veg on special offer every week. This week I’ve had two pineapples, a carton of white grapes and two packs of golden delicious apples all at 59p per pack. You can’t beat it. Aldi’s blurb on it is as follows: “At Aldi, we always aim to offer the best quality products at the very best prices. That’s why, wherever possible we source our fresh fruit and veg locally to ensure better value. With everything in this month’s Aldi Super 6 just 59p, it’s now even easier to afford your recommended 5-a-day. Watch out for more amazing Aldi Super 6 offers at tasty low prices throughout 2008, at your local Aldi store.”.

Current weeks offer is: – white grapes, green apples, mixed peppers, large vine tomatoes, pineapples and baking potatoes all at 59p. Great value in my view and although there’s the chance that I might be wrong, am willing to wager that all the above are Slimming World syn-free foods (although that could depend on what you do with them cooking-wise).

Link http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/product_range/4862.htm

Ran a steady 4.5 miles this morning at 5.8mph (10:18/mile), have got a plan for returning to cycling. am going to start again on slow buy comfy heavy mountain bike until am fully confident and then will tackle the speed bike.

Tuesday run, quicker than ever.

Did another 3.5 miles last night running and a nippy almost four miles this morning at 6.2mph (9:38/mile pace) which is getting quicker and quicker despite increase in weight. Well pleased. Arms feeling better so hoping to be on the golf course this weekend all being well.



Sat picture of route this morning - very cold but maybe that makes you run quicker!!

Links: http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/episode/view.do?episodePk.pkValue=4959578
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/kml/episode.kml?episodePkValues=4959578

Running a bit quicker...

Running

Although I've put over half a stone on since best weight last year (some time around September, I think) I'm running better than ever. This morning's run averaged about 6mph according to Garmin and pace was very nearly ten minutes a mile. Seeing as how I'm not doing very well in the cycling department I'm going to stick with running for a bit I think. Also seems to burn up calories better than cycling so maybe a good time for a change for a little while at least.

Halfords coming to Ashbourne

As part of the redevelopment of the old Nestle's site one of the new retail outlets is to be a Halfords which I guess is good news in some ways and bad news in others. Just as the arrival of Homebase will impact on David Neill's DIY shop, you can be certain that Halford will do no favours for Lumbards Garage who I use quite a bit as regular readers will be aware for repairs to my many bicycles. Still, I've got some Halfords vouchers from my fortieth which will come in handy for something when it opens.

Dave at work has suggested stabilizers!

Monday back to running again

Managed to fall off the bl**dy bike again yesterday, Janette wants me to sell it on Ebay and I almost agree. Nothing broken though, wasn't going very fast and was only half a mile from home (don't they say 90% of accidents happen within five minutes of home?) , it happened because I was distracted by the rear mech jumping out of gear (wasn't happening before pothole accident) and so looked at it then looked forward again as I hit the kerb. Bloomin irritated and managed to hurt the other bloomin arm protecting the arm that was injured a fortnight ago. So went to a+e at Derby, waited for three hours, got xrayed, nothing broken again - so now I'm embarassed about that. Janette and Lucy stopped with me so I feel I've wasted their time as well as hospital.

So is there any good news in all this? Well, considering how much it hurt at the time and how much the other arm hurt when I had the pothole crash I'm of the opinion that my bones are evidently indestructible. Which is good I reckon. Anyway am going to keep off the bike for a few weeks until fully recovered, I ran four miles this morning and while it's a bit achy my arm is definitely a lot better than yesterday so that's going to be my exercise of choice for the next few weeks.


Satellite google map of run this morning - 4 miles, papers picked up and back for 7am - pleased

Saturday - Pride in the Park

Been for a six miler this morning up top of Ashbourne, down the Punch hill where I fell off a fortnight ago. Although have banged on a bit of weight while been feeling sorry for myself, have run pretty well this morning so am quite pleased. Picked papers up on way back, feature on Mitchell and Webb in Times which I'll read on way to match this afternoon.


Saturday morning six miler.





9 miles done since yesterday's all clear.

Tottenham this afternoon at Pride Park. Hopefully, Derby will have a bit more confidence after two draws in a row and can get something from the match - not too hopeful though, despite their current league position Spurs have some serious players. Still there's always a chance!

Went out for a run last night did a steady three miles in a loop up town and back. Am off to do the same shortly and pick up the newspapers on the way, could make it five miles if run up the park I suppose but am testing out the leg which seems to be not too bad...

Friday - Hospital again

Walking record for the week


Been to hospital and there's no broken bones, just a bit of a sprain. Which is great news. I walked 2 miles this morning but tried out the leg running for last half a mile or so and it was fine. Dead pleased, think I'm out for a run tonight.

BP 122/89/52 - under 90 again but not as good as it used to be.

Back to bedlam

Week 50 - Half a pound on
Not getting any exercise other than short walks and not sticking to the plan. If I don't turn things round next week I'm going to be in the 15st numbers and that's not acceptable. Don't know where my head is at the moment but things gotta change and pronto!

Back in the office again today. Found Windows Movie maker on my machine last night so can string all the video clips together, see below, ace fun!!

BP. 128/88/55 - not bad again... Just 2 miles walk this morning - messin with video like a fool child, gym tonight though.

Go Team Kart Day

Pothole Update
Does this blog get more exciting by the day or what - an update on potholes -thrilling eh!!!

Anyway, went past the place where I came off the bike and the good news is that at least they've filled the hole up with a bit of tarmac. It also looks like they've marked off the area for a proper fix which is more promising still. What irks me somewhat is that neither the police nor local authority have been in touch. Customer service evidentally isn't one of their strong suits.


temporary fix - nice bit of tarmac that, squire!!

Marked off for a proper fix at some point - road is falling away towards the edge...

Go Karting
Had a bit of a session with new camera while Phil was whizzing round on go-kart. Have a load of video that I want to put together somehow, there's a really short clip of Phil doing a powerslide at the bottom of this post. Also could see Minninglow from cousin Col's field. Very mystic...

P J and Grandad Phil get kart going after some shananigans

Minninglow as seen from Col's field.


Walked 3 miles again (done this for last few days, better than nowt).

b.p. 132/88/57 - lil bit better




Short video clip of P.J. doing a powerslide on his go kart.

Off for Shrovetide

Don't Do Dovedale in Feb!!!
Lucy has been wanting to go to Dovedale for bloomin ages so we went. Here's my tip for you - don't go until hmmmm, May - it floods. Second tip don't go in your bestest trainers like a donut. It's fine in summer but in winter it's wet and muddy. Doh! Third and proper tip is, go in summer after 3pm and car park is free!

Ever so slightly flooded is the river Dove


Me and Lucy near the underwater stepping stones!


Still very pretty countryside even in Winter.


Tinkering with Bikes!
Have made some minor adjustments to the folder for me dad. Have put the brakelevers more like where they should be and tinkered with reflector so that it'll fold properly. It's quite a heavy little beast but as pic shows it can be used for basic weight training!

Paul with Ammaco Comfort Folder - weight training for beginners - good for biceps curl!
Note: left hand still only in metal splint not plaster, high hopes that it's sprained and not broken!

Done some tinkering with the Giant FCR1, still the finest thing on two wheels in my view even if a little scratched. Have put some clipless pedals on to replace the knackered ones (see earlier post) and Phil remembered seeing a spare bar end plug when he put the bike together so have put that in and adjusted the bar end after digging all the bits of road out of the allen screw head!!!

New clipless pedal.

Bar end and plug - looking a bit better eh!!!

Kids in Ashbourne are off school for Shrovetide which essentially is messing about in the river then going and getting pi**ed in the pubs for Ashbourne folks under the pretence of being a traditional football game. Interesting and quaint if you're not from Ashbourne. Anyway am looking after Lucy while P.J. and Janette go Shrovetiding, bless em.

In Defence of Food
Heard a fascinating program on the author Michael Pollan's latest book "In defence of food". It was on radio 4's "Food Programme" yesterday (4th Feb 08). What was interesting was that he talked about the western disease which is basically the western diet. He said that there are scores of native diets - eskimos, inuits, native americans that don't eat the kind of junk we do and don't suffer the disease and health issues we do. There was then a segment from a doctor who said "I did twenty years in Afriva before coming back to America and the U.K. In the West the most common fatal illnesses is coronary heart disease, most common form of cancer; bowel cancer, the most common operation; gall stones, the most common emergency procedure appendectomy. He then said you don't ever see that in Africa - I removed one appendix in an African in all the time I was there." Something along those lines.

Michael Pollan went on to say - you should only buy in a supermarket something your great-grandmother would recognise as food. i.e. if there's more than five ingredients in it, don't buy it i.e. no ready meals, no biscuits etc.etc. Made a lot of sense.

Very interesting in my view, might even get the book if I can.

WikiPedia entry on Michael Pollan: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Pollan

Listen Again on BBC (probably good for about a week!!):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/mainframe.shtml?http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/radio4.shtml?fm

Review of In Defence:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/01/03/arts/03masl.php

B.P. 127/92/52 rubbish

Monday - all folded up

Fetched the Folder
Fetched the folding bike I mentioned the other day that my dad wanted. Got it for a song and it's really good. Only folds the once so it doesn't go tiny but I think it could be fun for going on the train or on a bus. Certainly making me think about biking to Derby, catching train to Alfreton and then cycling over to work.

It's got shimano revo shift for gear changing and shimano rear mech and cassette, zoom 410 suspension, weinmann rims, gel seat - quite well spec'd really.








Short walk - 50 mins, just under three miles this morning. Might go for another one tonight, will see.

Sunday Improvement?

Birmingham City 1 1 Derby County
Too little, too late; a few months ago I'd have been chuffed to bits at an away draw for Derby at Birminghm but it's just too late now, good for Villa to get his first goal too, hopefully give him a bit of confidence as he builds his fitness up. Still, at least it means less stick at work especially as Wigan beat the cocky West Ham and Forest got beat by Bournemouth, ha ha ha!

Had a quick look at TimesHealth chart this morning. The green line is weight, the blue line is exercise. Where the big dip in exercise starts is the start of the weight coming back on. I managed an hour and a half of walking yesterday and that was it (don't think you can count snowballs with Lucy as exercise can you?). There would be a yellow dot for diet as well but as Slimming World doesn't make you count calories like other plans I don't put anything into it. Hey-ho.

Got out of bed this morning and could almost walk on leg from the off so some progress there, definitely not hurting as much as before I think.

Back to the fold!

Won my Dad one of these folding Ammaco Comfort mountain bikes on Ebay last night for princely sum of £46.10!! They retail for about £200 with RRP quoted at £299, they look dead good for a folding bike.

Specification is not too bad either (especially for under £50!) :-
Extra Oversize Alloy Dual Suspension Folding "Y" Frame With Zoom 410 Suspension Forks Shimano 21sp With revo Shift Alloy "V" Type Brakes And Levers Alloy Micro Adjust Seat Post With Q/R Alloy Rims And Hubs...

Picking it up on Monday night - might be just sort of thing for myself, get on bus to Derby, cycle to work every day, save a fortune, get super fit - now it's got me thinking, would need next frame size up though and I'd swap tyres for slicks - could be the answer to everything!!

Hospital Day

Find out for sure whether wrist is broken today.

Update: Good news! although not completely clear the doctor's view is that triquetrum is not broken, have to go back next week to see about scaphoid but am much happier, a glimmer of hope what!!!

Did 35 minutes in gym on fastish walk on treadmill on one of those varying incline programs. Would have done more but weather looking threatening and me leg is as sore as anything.

Blood pressure worse reading for weeks: 138/96/58