Much Better Week

After the shock of last week and after finally getting rid of the remnants of my man-flu it was good to get back to some sort of normality this week. It's still very weird at work though. I had to go through the 'stuff' on his desk and in his lab and sort out the full time group that he manged. I am now officially the new Ivan. Big boots to fill. I'm looking forward to the challenge though. 

Not ideal circumstances by any means but I am now the principal electronics teacher leading a team of ... erm one! Just me until we recruit. Interviews next week. I feel bad but I've already made changes to 'my' lab. I've suggested we officially call it 'Ivan's Lab' (because that's what we've always called it) and get a sign or plaque in his memory. I also think it would be good to have the 'Ivan Wanhill' prize at the end of the year for best electronics student. 

My role at work is going to change drastically. At the moment I work with Level 5 (pre-degree level) students doing mainly 'correspondence' work. I have never met some of my students. Our only contact is via the web and email. From next week I will be working with a full time Level 3 Electronics Class, Monday to Thursday 9-4 for the rest of the year. I've never had so much student contact since my early days of teaching in the UK. 

The best thing about it is that I have the freedom to run the course how I want. The second best thing is that once we recruit NO MORE EVENING CLASSES FOR ME!!! Yah!!!! This will definitely help my training ... there, only took me four paragraphs to actually get onto the subject of the blog! 

The best part of the week was the fact that I got back out there and ran. I did a very sensible (18 minute total) walk/jog combo on Monday and then did a very stupid 5k run on Thursday. The run went unexpectedly well. I tried to keep the pace low but I also tried to keep the cadence high and it resulted in a sub8:30 mile pace. I know this is not that fast but it was supposed to be a gentle get back into the swing of things run and it wasn't. There was no reaction from the calf though and so no harm done. Maybe this is my natural pace for my lanky stride at a 170(ish) cadence for short distances. I'll have to see how it works out over the longer distances. 

I now suspect that my previously gangly low cadence running style (now it's high cadence gangly) was a big contributor to my calf problem. When it went last time I know that I was running unconsciously (or should that be subconsciously). I wasn't thinking about pushing off with my big toe and keeping my cadence high. I was just running. Fatal. My calf was actually niggly walking to the start of my run the other night BUT when I started running 'consciously' the niggle went and the calf was OK. It's just a theory. Much like the compression socks one :( Hope this one  is actually a bit more long term!!! 

My other big news of the week is that I finally gave in and bought a wind trainer. A special offer came through on email for half price and it was hard to resist ... especially with the temperatures we've been having recently. I think I ordered it Monday and it was here Wednesday. Great service as always Torpedo7

I used it Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Nothing like the motivation of getting a new toy. I love it. I started off with just 30mins and built up to a full hour yesterday. My legs were trashed after the hour. I've got it set up in the basement in front of the TV/DVD and fan. Been watching U2 concerts and alternating hard/recovery intervals with each change in song. I love hearing what Bono says mid song in concert but during the hard intervals I just want him to shut the f*ck up and get on with the singing!!! I 'm working on the rule that Edge's guitar starts an interval and Larry's final drumming ends it. Usually works to my advantage. The songs on the new album are longer than normal so that should make for some long intervals when that DVD comes out. 

Today I headed out on the bike at 6:50am into the freezing cold. I had two pairs of cycle shorts on and multiple layers on top as well as gloves. I realised on the first downhill that I should have also worn a woolly hat underneath my helmet. Instant brain freeze. Luckily the sun came up after about 20mins and it warmed up a bit. Still bl@@dy cold. Glad I've got the wind trainer.

I rode Welcome Bay Rd and turned right up some of the side roads that work their way up into the hills. I don't think any of them were as steep as Reid Rd but it made a bit of a change. There were some great views.

There is a hill that we can see from our house with trees on the ridge that I for some reason christened the U2 hill. I've often wondered where it is and how to get to it. 

Well today I found it by mistake at the end of one of the hilly climbs. If you look carefully (and have maybe smoked something weird recently) you can sort of see U2 in the middle of the hill in the shadows. 

My bike is propped up against the electrical supply box that is all ready for the house that's going to be built at the foot of the U2 hill with great views the other way of the estuary. You can't quite see the Mount but I'd settle for the view. It's on a new development and the roads to it are extremely steep. Jo is not keen but I think it's fate. Maybe ... :)

Tomorrow is family/rest day but I might just put in an hour on the trainer at an easy pace. We're off to see friends in the afternoon and she loves to bake and feed us up when we go there. I'm going to try to be good and only eat one roll/muffin/shortbread/cream cake etc but I think an hour at an easyish pace will offset some of the damage.

I am really looking forward to getting some runs in next week although I hereby do promise not to go mad and re-injure myself. Blogging it here will make it so! 

 

Weigh In Challenge Wk2

Week 2 of the local weight loss challenge. I had dinner before I went so carrying a pound or two that I can cut out in the final week. Maybe starve myself that day and get in early for the weigh in ... and obviously do a last chance workout :)haha. Early days though.

Wk2 Stats

Weight 92.8kg

Weekly Loss 4.7kg (just over 10lbs)

Total Loss 4.7kg

% loss 4.8%

Well pleased with that. They collect all the results from this week and show a 'nameless' results sheet next week so you can see how you are doing. Hoping 4.8% is up there in the running. Would like to lose 10% overall. 

My secret weapon got delivered today. A turbo trainer. Makes me feel like I'm taking training a bit more seriously now. I did 30 mins tonight after weigh in and it was good but I've never sweated so much in my life! Will have to sort out a fan and some towels. Plan is to get up early tomorrow before work. Motivation is high at the moment but we'll see at 5:30am in the morning.

Births, Death and Things Inbetween ...

Its been a funny week. Training has been almost non existant. There's just not been any time.

The week started weird on Monday with hail storms leaving winter wonderland scenes at the beach. I just couldn't believe the pictures on the internet showing what looked like snow. We were 'assured' before we settled here that it NEVER snows in Tauranga and that 'we' get a few frosts a year. Last year was colder than normal ... I think this year is going to be worse.

My friend (and the only other member of our 'electronics team' at the Poly) lives minutes away from the area that got dumped on with hail. I wondered what stories he'd tell in the morning. I was keen to see if he had ever witnessed anything like it in his 52 years.

I never did get to ask him or hear any of his stories. We were all called into the office Tuesday morning and told that he had collapsed and died the previous night. Fifty two years old. WTF is that all about. It was a massive, massive shock for everyone. He was a great bloke. He was very religious and lived for the church but never preached to anyone. How could God be so cruel. I am not religious but if I were I would be asking myself lots of questions. How could this be right?

I had a tough time that morning holding it together, especially as I was taking the fulltime group and had to tell them the sad news. There were also lots of tears from staff and we are talking about the trades here - engineers, mechanics, hairy arsed electricians and welders. Ivan was just a great bloke loved by everyone. Its beyond me how he could be taken so early.

But life goes on ...

On the other side of the coin we had news that Jo's sister is pregnant AGAIN! I'm sure she should find out what's causing it and stop it. This will be her fourth kid. We are obvioulsy very happy for her but we both think she's MAD!!! She currently has 3 kids, 2 dogs, a cat, 2 guinea pigs and a husband to look after, as well as working part time in a supermarket. When we broke the news to Adam he said 'was it planned or an accident?' ... me thinks he knows toooooo much!

I also felt pregnant on Wednesday.

It was the evening of my first weigh in for the Weight Loss Challenge. Not sure if its cheating but I eat and drank like a pig from the moment I signed up on the Sunday till the minute before I walked in the door to get weighed. I felt like I was in the Supersize Me movie except I eat food from anywhere! I didn't need to be asked to 'supersize' my meals. I just eat till I couldn't take anymore. I needed a decent weight to start from.

I may have overdone it.

I walked in the door and got the usual 'you don't need to lose weight' reaction when I explained that 'yes, I was here for the challenge and not just lost'. When I got off the scales she changed her tune and said 'Oh, you are deceptive aren't you!' ... gee thanks. I think she just called me fat!

Starting weight was 97.5kg = 214.5lbs = 15 stone 4.5 lbs = very overweight!!!

I have to take into account that this was in the evening after the days food and fully clothed with shoes on but its still very heavy. My highest morning weight has been just over 200lbs. It gives me lots of scope to lose weight though. I want that $700. The challenge is a thinly veiled attempt to sell Herbalife products but I can live with that. I won't be buying any products but I'll sit there and listen to their speil but I'll do my own thing. It's all going well so far with will power and motivation high. Should also help if I ever get to do a bit of exercise.

Thursday was a long day at work. I was teaching from 8:30am till 8:30pm. Obvioulsy its going to be all hands on deck at work until we can get someone new. I also have to do Tuesday evening classes for the foreseable future so I can't see much training happening on either of these days.

Friday was Ivan's funeral. It was amazing and unbelievable witnessing the 'faith' of his wife and 4 young adult boys. Each of them spoke about Ivan and their sad loss but they all came back to the same theme. That is that God has chosen to take their husband/father and that although they didn't understand God's plan they had faith in Him and trusted Him that it was right dcision.

Wow!!! I just could not think/feel/talk like that if my father had died at such a young age. I feel confusion, frustration and anger and he was just a work colleague, albeit someone I had worked closely with for the past 3 years. I'll miss him. Life is definitely not fair!

The weekend couldn't come quick enough.

I went for a short walk/run Saturday morning. It was my first 'run' for two weeks and it felt like it. I walked for 5 then jogged for 5. Calf didn't feel good at all. Another walk and then a 5 minute run home. Calf felt a little better but not 'normal'. I'll take it easy over the next few weeks. Maybe even up the walk portion. I've got plenty of time till the Rotorua Half ... although if I win the challenge and enter IronmanNZ I might forsake Rotorua and tick that one off the list next year. Who knows?

Sunday was my birthday. I'd been under strict instructions not to get back from my morning bike ride until 9:30am so as to give them time to sort all my 'stuff' out. I was hoping to get up in time for a 3 hour ride but a few hits of the snooze button and there was only time for half that.

Not to worry. I took my camera and just stayed local. The Mount looked very moody this morning and I took the shot in the title above.

I've tried to upload other pictures from today to this blog but it's not playing ball. So much easier on Facebook. This is the link if you want to check out my birthday pics.

Went to see Angels and Demons for my birthday treat. Liked the film but enjoyed the book more. Best thing was I managed to NOT eat any popcorn.

Back to work tomorrow. Hopefully I'll get some training in. I hope next week's blog will be a bit more lighthearted.

Adam wrote in his card about me being another year older but 'better to be over the hill than buried under it'. Amen to that!