Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Tis the Season... for seasoning>?

I am not a blogger - I am not a blogger - I am not a blogger. And yet..... here we go again

After such a long time - you'd think there's be loads to say, well there is but much of it will remain unsaid.

First the heavy stuff......I think I am getting older but not necessarily wiser. Still falling into the same old holes.

I still desire long rides, weekends away, numerous bikes, time alone tinkering, and with a family and house renovations that demand and deserve my time and that pay their own rewards in other significant ways this perceived need, or rather the conflict it causes within me makes me feel like I am not living, makes me grey and flattens me and my outlook. I guess you could say it depresses me.

It seems I see every social invitation as a conflict with what I would rather be doing, so I go as I am invited, I do enjoy myself, but still feel unconnected to many of the people around me. I am not sharing the experience at the same level.

My lack of time out recently has been greater than usual driven by the lead up to a Christmas lunch for the family, extended work duties, rushing around for Christmas presents and preparing the house for the " season".

This preparation has highlighted to me just how many jobs remain undone around the house, how much time needs to be put into this, and how little time out I can see in the future. Most of all , it has shone the light on how all my going on about planning has come to nought where ii matters and where it would help me most.

I realise also this much:
 I am accountable for this I am the one who wants this time out, I am the one who must get these jobs done, the house renovations completed and properly. I am the father and husband of our house who loves his girls and wife, (and dog), that deserve my time and devotion that reward me and give me so much love and a sense of place that my personal obsessions are a little bit unbalanced and misplaced.


I must plan, and not just plan within my own capabilities, in my own mind.
I must plan collaboratively with friends and family. Increase my accountability, increase my resources, and more importantly increase my expectations.

Find time, make time and prioritise:
I am lucky! I have a secure job that demands little more than standard hours. I have a manageable mortgage and for most part a family in solid health. Many people have far less and greater challenges than I yet seem to be able to keep it all going on. Work, Home, Family, commitments and personal projects as well.

Think your busy....well, get busy:
Consider what others might do, or have to do to achieve their goals. Successful people that run their own businesses, help others and still look after their families, and own needs. Single mothers, entrepreneurs like Dick Smith and John Symonds and Mark Bouris, sports people, even members of your own family, I look to my sister here. She is a dynamo. She runs her own clothes shop, cares for many around her, caters up a storm, and still finds time to live a little.

I think I'll need more coffee!

PS: Add some chilli to your coffee, it warms everything up and tastes great.

In an effort to make some headway into the riding drought I have agreed to do the Convict 100 this year. Formerly known as the Dirtworks100 it is a race I will not race, but complete in a mature and responsible manner, until I fall over with exhaustion and vomit on my shoes. 100kms! - I've never done more than 80km on road in one hit.

I'll get some 5hr plus  rides in before the end of February and then start training properly. I might ride part of the way to work to maintain fitness and build up the kilometers. I have some experienced campaigners to add to my resources and plan to book some rides in with them and pick their brains in terms of heart rate, nutrition, and preparedness. I will of course look to Dr Google.

As ever I look at my quiver of bikes and wonder, do I have the tool for the job>? As ever the answer is a resounding " sort of". Too much choice - again creates stress, oh if I only had one bike! Nah! just kidding.

The quiver at the moment is again in growth. A newish Singular Swift. comes back to me.

Santa Cruz Heckler - general trail machine acquired to keep up with my brother in law.

Kotzur Brevivelo - 29er tourer- XC machine - trail bike built for versatility and comfort
Rivendell Atlantis - Road tourer - long haul and comfort bike - under used!
Singular Swift - trail 29er - light weight rocket - to be go to machine I think.












I am sure there will be some purchases associated with this endeavor.  Longer stems? multi grip bars? new shorts? new jersey? new jacket? and the big question - compression garments? - to these a I say  nooooo!.

My choice of steed will probably be the Kotzur 29er with light wheels, fast cross-mark tyres, and semi riser bars and a multigrip style bar- no purchases required! Or the singular swift in the same guise, could be a tad lighter and faster. Rigid ? .....Maybe, with a racing ralph 2.4 up front.

Whatever, the bike will be secondary to the planning for training and the actual ride, and in an effort to make time - lights will have to be used for home renovations and riding.

I am glad I've managed to keep my weight down, currently at about 83.5 kg about 11kg down on my heaviest. This alone will make my training easier. Watching carbs and of course total intake has been one big factor in this success. The other has been the circuit training 2-3 times per week.

I said I am lucky - and I am, I do have a good metabolism it seems, but also lucky an ex army guy at work has taken on training a group up to 4 times per week for 40 minutes or so. It's all the stuff I like compound body weight exercises and some kettlebell stuff. Missed the last few weeks but picking up again this week. I want to loose a bit more flab - less focus on weight now because I don't really want to lose muscle mass. It burns fat, and moves the bike.

So my goal is to up the riding - of all types. Maintain the circuit work but focus on longer workouts and lactic acid tolerance, and complete at least one 4 hr ride per week, unless I get a longer one in, t hen, I'll add another 2 hr ride. Once again I will have to defer to some experienced campaigners on this preparation.

Well Christmas is upon us- God bless all who may stumble across the rambling -NOW  Get Busy

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Time out and Out of time

Been a while between posts - I have had a challenging time of late, and no time to reflect on what is going on. Well time for reflecting, but no time to get it all down, in my head let alone on paper or pixels as the case may be.
Okay anyone can see I haven't posted the promised workouts, I will amend that soon. I haven't seen a lot of riding and so haven't posted that. My bike situation as ever continues to evolve. My weight has remained almost static - minor miracle. I am feeling every  bit of my age. So what gives?

I have been slack on the workouts and the recent cold weather hasn't helped. But my health was recently challenged from within. The value of the weight loss and healthy living was called into question on Good Friday evening. After a nice day at the beach I returned home, and on taking pee, produced cola outta my willie. Not one to panic, I took note and waited till the next day surmising it was something to do with being dehydrated. Ummm no. Brown urine is not good. Brown urine with red/black clots firing against the rim is worse.  After the kids got their eggs, on Easter Sunday arvo I was off to get my eggs and all checked.

The off shoot ( no pun intended), of this visit was a battery of tests and mental excursions to some very dark places while all the tests were going on and the results were coming back. The negativity aided by my sponsor Dr Google, whose counsel while convenient can be wildly inaccurate and appeal strongly to your personal insecurities. My insecurity lies in families cancerous history.

The sort of dark place I'm talking about are ones that I believe only these type of  worries can take you. Here are two of the thoughts that came to my mind:
 I took my eldest daughter to her first real movie, after which I was walking back to the car fighting back tears as I rather dramatically asked myself, Is the last time I get to do this, will this be on one of the last memories Leela has of me?

Later we were mucking about with my phones camera, Leela has just sort of got the hang of it. She was taking photos of me, and her and the family etc, the whole time while smiling I was thinking; Will these be the photos that they keep of before Dad got sick, etc

I Told you they were DARK. I REALLY THOUGHT I MAY BE OUT OF TIME
I certainly drew close to God at this time, praying like I hadn't for years.Every time it got 'dark' visualising the doctor sitting  behind the desk and giving me the good news.

Well, the news was good. Nothing found. Which is good that is was nothing, but bad that there was no answer as to why for 10 days I was peeing blood. This is apparently the outcome of more than 60% of such episodes and investigations.
These included, 2 blood tests, sampling of 3 pees over 2 days, 2 other urine tests, ultrasound of an ultraful bladder ( My wife warned me bout the need to go), and culminating in a cystoscope (camera thru the eye, rather than the usual thru  the eye of the camera), and some dye imaging.

All this in about 2 weeks. My private health insurance has helped the money a bit, financially it's a rip off,  but I console myself that this would have taken months in the public system.

It was all a bit of diversion from my plans, but taught me that my family is more precious to me than I realised.

Your health is what holds not just you but your family and hopes and dreams together, and as such your health really is your wealth.

My work plans have been challenged in a good way too. As a result of a job application in November last year, I was interviewed for and offered a job in Lismore.  They flew me up there, after a phone interview and I had a look around and it looked so good. The idea was to live in Lennox Head or similar. But after much deep discussion, and bean counting it just didn't add up.

It was a dream.
 Move to the country .Live near the beach. Be in a warmer place. Reduce the mortgage.
The reality
The job paid 10k less than I get now, for a while. Rents were equal to Sydney. Meaning we would face the same challenges, and be away from our families, friends and the support and camaraderie they offer. Even though we live some distance from most of them. We still get together regularly, the kids would miss their grandparents and vice verse.

In my heart I knew it was a diversion.
In the absence of a plan something always comes up. Not always a good thing.

The biggest negative was that the biking is better in and around Sydney.(ha ha) (but seriously it is I did my research)

 So we have resolved to change our lives in Sydney.  Plan more outings and holidays. Save and work toward moving back to the Northern Beaches ( and our families), and give more time out to each other.

Guess what! This takes more planning and sacrifice - in the budget and for each other

Thanks for visiting

Here's a quick workout - if the moves don't make sense google them you slack bastards


bodyweight circuit
skip - 3 mins
burpies 20(incorporate explosive push ups)
skip 2 mins
jump squats 20
skip 2 mins
mountain climbers 30 each leg or 2 minutes if you like
push ups -close grip
Bridge 2 x 1 min
crunches
skip 2 mins
push ups reverse hands - eg fingers pointing to your feet.
finish - stretch - maybe another bridge session

Bikes and stuff next time

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Plan to fail?

Well - all my bravado has been for naught the last month or so - though the weight has stayed off.  Small yay for me!

Been eating far too much crap, but less overall and this has saved me. My workouts have been minimal but enough to keep me moving  - MOMENTUM........ and stop my joints gumming up again and my gut expanding over my trousers again.

Riding too has been scant, but I have acquired a new 29er a singular swift. Rides great - even rigid and looking forward to suspending it. My old bones ( mainly my weak neck) just don't handle the beating riding rigid gives you over a few hours. Especially on Sydney North Shore rock garden strewn fire trails and single track.

Will post more soon - inc workouts but here's the new steed

Friday, February 11, 2011

Fail to Plan -Plan to Fail - Maintaining Momentum

The weight I lost is staying off  but eating sensibly, and in line with losing weight is being challenged daily. It seems I crave milky things and fatty buscuits and chocolate. Who knew? Well this is where some planning has helped. I bought some protein powder and keep it at work. It's chocolate, I mix it with half skim milk and water and it fills me up and helps some cravings. I have taken some home too.It has fat burning ingredients also. How effective they are ....... who knows? I believe I can argue the benefits of Acetyl L Carnitine though, when taken before exercise, and perhaps between meals on a calorie reduced diet. Not sure on that last bit.

I guess I haves succeeded, (thus far...) in  this endeavor ie losing weight, due to changes I have made. I planned meals and took the time to stop, think, prioritise. Something I have done rarely in my life. I have to some extent drifted in many areas of my life and really been okay with that, to a point, begrudgingly so in my career. Just never really chosen a direction and have seen work as a means to an end. Planning seems to have worked in creating change and giving me more control of my life and body if only in this small area.
It's time to try broadening this approach me thinks.

I recently had lunch with an old acquaintance/ friend, who is newly into mountain biking but in a big way. He is training for a big 100km event - and is a study in planning, motivation, and prioritisation. Travels further than  me, has more kids than me, has been riding for less time than me, but is out there riding 2-3 times per week and still looking after his job and family. The universe is speaking to me as they say.

After three and half years on contract I just successfully interviewed for a permanent position with my current employer, the sweet part is it came with a promotion to 2nd level support in IT. On the proviso I complete my MCSE or equivalent. Another time challenge, but one I am going to meet, head on, but after some planning and prioritising. I can see I am going to have to really plan to make my available time efficient and meet my riding and bikepacking goals while improving the house and looking after my family.

I see an analogy with riding undulating terrain. You ride along and enjoy the downhills and easy bits but use them and pedal harder to charge you up for the next climb, and climb in the knowledge that it will bring another downhill and a sense of satisfaction and perhaps some flowing singletrack as a bonus.

In the end so much in life is about maintaining the momentum.  Look forward and keep pedaling.
Planning my workouts, booking in rides and events, and prioritising as I go. I have been coasting way too long, and the momentum needs to be kicked along a bit. woo hoo!


Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Forty+ fitness for the future

I'd been floating around all winter. Well for a couple of years really. Eating numerous treats to calm my nerves irritated by the demands of family, work and lack of riding and the  demands of a new born too I suppose. I even developed Shingles during this period.

I was/am forty unfit, fat, and 'fraid of the future ( actually worried a little about my girls and me heart)

About 4 weeks before Christmas I picked up a copy of Mens Fitness mag.

My weight had reached 95kg and I felt bloated. My gut was in the way when I sat down, and I just looked pudgey. The magazine had some timely advice and most importantly it flagged an achievable short term goal. 7kg in 3 weeks via a fairly restrictive diet.

Well I didn't follow it exactly, but closely. It demanded 5 litres of water a day, I got to about 3. I made some mistakes not reading it carefully enough, cheated just a bit, and swapped approximately equal foods to fit in with family life. Though my wife was awesomely supportive.

I managed to shed 5 kg in 3 weeks and have held it off. 7kg in 5 weeks. 5kg to go and out of the diet zone. The diet taught me a bit on managing carbs carefully, portion control, using protein and keeping the metabolism going, and helped me develop some will power.

Lost 6cm of my gut and feel much stronger on my rides - people pay thousands to lose a few grams off their bikes- I've lost7kg!! ( more than half a bike for some!)

This is a link from the us mag 2002 that was regurgitated in the 2010 Australian Mag.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1608/is_10_18/ai_91752425

I am now adding more exercise, mostly skipping, body-weight exercises and a small amount of barbell and dumbbell work in the vein of kettle-bell workouts. These workouts are designed to increase the metabolism for hours and burn fat.

Time as ever is the enemy- as is motivation on occasion, will post some workouts and thoughts another time soon.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

First Blog - hey don't expect too much

This is going to be a bit of a diary, a rant, some deep thinking and some shallow thinking. I will add to my profile eventually.

I am married and the father of two girls who keep me occupied, and a home owner that keeps me broke. ( aside from my own frivolity).

The things I like are bikes, fitness, outdoors, gadgets, philosophy, religion - if not religiousness, and photography, all of  which I am okay at but don't know a lot about.

So why am I blogging - well to track my own thoughts on fitness, bikes, and philosophy. Record successes and developments and analyze failures.

My goals are to get fitter, ride more, bike less, develop my career or business and be a better husband and father. All of which play off against each other for my time and attention.
So to anyone who reads this welcome.

Bikes - I have too many ,but yet crave more not to ride necessarily but to admire. Though always would like the " right" bike for the ride. Instead of having one bike, where the right bike is the one you have. This has led me to the conclusion that choice creates stress, a theme across many lives in this day and age.

I use the example where I come to you and say " Congratulations you've won an all expenses paid trip to Italy" versus Congratulations, you've won a trip to the value of $5000 dollars, where would you like to go?" 

here ends blog one!