h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hey Orcus,

How's your swimming going?

25 Minutes on concept II last night, interval training too

My new competition is finding someone to train alongside and stay on longer than they can manage.
Proved counter productive last week, starting interval training, on the x-trainer.
Woman get's on x-trainer next to me and I'm so determined to stay on longer never thought about the level setting differential.
Was on level 12 for 30 minutes (4minutes warm up, 1 minute above 85% MHR, 4 minutes at below 85%MHR (repeat x4) then 4 minutes reverse and 2 minutes cool down.
She was still going,.. cool as cucumber… when I got off sweating like a porker.
Lesson learnt…………ensure competing on equal terms.

Weight has gone from 85 down to 83.5 and back to 84 kg. The battle to reduce belly is not going so great, clothes still feel a bit tight and off on 2 weeks AI in Egypt from end of week.
Had grand designs of reducing spare tyre by then, since read it's virtually impossible to target the area from which fat is lost on the body. Also learnt developing good abs is partly genetic, partly exercise and most importantly, subject to strict diet (which is beyond my lifestyle/capability/ will)
Not giving up entirely though, been doing planks and ankle taps to build up the underlying muscle

Have you been watching the athletics championships?
Never been into any particular event myself but like the feeling of atmosphere that comes over at the big meetings. Usaine Bolt is a marvel to behold and two golds for UK, the first time in 16yrs…. can't be bad.

Going to have a walk to the Highstreet now, every little bit of exercise helps.

Catch you soon
R4

Hi R4, had to at the competition story there. Been there

The swimming is going great, doing a mile a day now and am slowly returning to form and speed of old although there is a while to go yet.
I'm thinking of upping the lengths a bit actually. Since the pool opens at 6.30am this gives me time to get in more than a mile. So I might go up to 80 lengths. Gotta admit that I'll need to be more disciplined at getting out of bed for this mind.

Having said that, the missus has just managed to get herself a new job and he first day on Friday I'll have to drive her in for 6 am. So that sort of thing might help.

I've not managed to watch any of the athletics. I'm actually really into it too I used to win all the medals at school for sprinting. Got too fond of the when I went to uni though and wasted it a bit sadly. Unfortunately it's not worth the effort in trying to get the other half to abandon the nightly fix of EastCoronationders . Yes Usain Bolt is awesome. I've probably said it before but watch out for this lad in the next couple of years. He's my other half's niece's son. http://www.morethanthegames.co.uk/uka-hero-jordan-mcgrath
A tenuous relationship to me but aside from my Dad throwing the hammer for Scotland as a schoolboy, this is the closest I'm going to get to professional sport I think.

I had a 4 pack of abs once. I was about 16 years old and running 5 miles a day at the time. Unless you are on a starvation diet it's nearly impossible to manage a 6 pack.

Hey Orcus,

Oh I know the feeling so we'll…..Emerdale, Eastenders, Corrie they all get watched in our house.
I soon learnt who the real remote control belongs to (points to deep depression on forehead).
Fortunately other half also likes Athletics too and having Sky HD we can catch some soaps later if need be
Will be looking out for the name. Nice to be aware of the family connection, gives an added interest to watching

Can only admire the ability to swim that well, like my Tracey, you must have some natural ability in the water. Was never confident enough as a kid and now all I can do is a few widths
Great news about Phil……. have replied to your other posting too.
Not sure could tolerate those early starts though, not disciplined enough. Like you say, giving Phil a lift you have cause to be up in time

My T has just had a BP check and been told that it's too high and that she should loose weight.
This is frustrating cos she's been putting in more effort to swim and eating sensibly. Hoping that 2 weeks holiday will help reduce her stress levels. Being an AI holiday is not going to help dieting though….. perhaps that will have to wait until we return.Attempting to reduce my weight has been hard enough (and that's only 5kg).

Hope you both have a chance to celebrate this weekend. Catch up with you on my return.
R4

Ha ha. Did 66 lengths this morning and then decided to try a length of butterfly. And I whacked up there with great speed. Very pleased with that.

(just to make you )


Yes I saw your other post. I'll try and stop ranting now, I get so angry about all this.
Irritatingly her new boss was 'tired' today and so we still don't know what her hours are going to be, nor her rate of pay. Although £6 an hour is minimum as that was what they advertised for the ordinary people. With her being supervisor I guess she'll get a bit more...
It would have been nice to get our finances properly reorganised this weekend but it'll have to wait now.

Thankfully I escape Emmerdale, just the big two in our house. We have the HD too, it never occurred to me to make her watch it another time. Trouble is though I make her watch all my team's footie matches so I'm not sure how much more sport I can get away with.

I dunno about natural ability in water. I was always a very average swimmer when I was young although I guess I have some natural ability at individual sports. I got good at swimming just by going every day to avoid a bad back and also by looking up good technique on the internet. I'm not really that good. There are always people in the pool who can stroll past me without any effort seemingly. I have a very poor kick at breastroke, I know that. This is exacerbated by an old knackered ankle - I'm trying to improve this and then I really will be fast at breastroke I think.

Have a great holiday by the way

Hey Orcus,

Back to the grind stone now
Two weeks in Sharm el Sheik , brilliant 35 deg everyday and not a cloud in sight Sounds like we brough a bit of good weather back though
Have been Quad biking in Sinia, snorkling in Ras Mohammed, as well as visiting Cairo for the pyramida, sphinx and Museum.
Not actually weighed in yet, so not sure of the damage but made two sessions in the Gym whilst there, one with some deadlifting too
A big plus for me is breaking my duck with snorkling was worried that I would panic about the mask/ snorkle and flap about.It was fantastic though and such a variety of marine fish and coral
Surprisingly my shoulder was much better whilst there, to the extent that I was able to bench again!

Tonight should be first session back so I'll know the weight damage by tommorrow.
Next week we are both starting a diet so hopefully that will help regain some shape before the next big impact (crimble). Certainly would love to have some abs visible rather than tucked under a comfort blanket

Hope you've got a little more sorted re Phil's remuneration etc. Frustrating when you first start a job and want to make arrangements but the employer is not exactly in the same hurry.
At least it's not a Council, they would want everything in triplicate, signed, lost, recreated, buried, dug up and then incorrectly processed before you get to where you need to be

Catch you soon
R4