Fair and Foul

Today I made the decision that I would change the running routine a bit and decided to do my run after work, I duly got back just after 5pm, slurped down a gel pack, got changed and limbered up. As is usual at this time of year it started raining, and didn't stop until a few hundred yards from home.

The run was very different, I felt slightly more relaxed, my muscles felt a bit looser and I did find initially that the bracing wind and rain seemed to help me keep a pretty good pace, however as the run progressed the rain got heavier, the wind got colder and stronger and by the halfway point it was starting to impact on the running a bit.

Changing the routine was important as sometimes over familiarity can breed complacency, but more importantly all the runs I've done seem to have been in great conditions so having a completely different set of environmentals and even a different time of day prevents the muscles from getting 'used' to what you are doing.

I got in very cold, soaking wet, tired but pleased that I had done it and also surprised that my time hadn't been adversely effected.

I of course had a shower but have just had to jump in the bath to thaw out my frozen feet and joints!

I'm going to take the phys easy for the rest of the week as I have a 14 mile team walk in Brecon in Wales on Sunday and that's also going to bad cold and wet!

Where has the week gone?

Well, it's Friday already and only a couple of days left before back to normality. Ive packed a lot in this week with Shelly and the kids. My birthday flew by, topped off my a massive burger from Bristol's top burger place, The Burger Joint and yesterday I went to see Battleship as I haven't seen a dumb alien invasion movie at the cinema for years, it was okay.

This week has been important as it has been a decompress session from everything and has enabled me to get into my six mile route for running, as for other training related stuff, I did a good open session where I did a solid hour of patterns practice. Really useful as it highlighted a few rusty areas and this will help me going forward.

Feeling nice and chilled, looking forward to splashing about in the water this afternoon at the Oasis centre in Swindon and tomorrow Shelly and I have the opportunity to go on a 10 mile walk around the local countryside. This walk is a test of my newish walking boots before my first team walk on the 22nd in Wales with the guys from work for the Welsh 3 Peaks charity 24hr challenge.

Now just enough time to finish the coffee off...

God bless Steve Jobs!

Just a very quick post, did my 6 miler today which ended with a very steep hill and I was starting to flag when what popped on my iPod? Only the training montage music from Rocky IV! Perfect sounds to get me up the hill, I even started increasing the pace to match he music. I ended up doing the run in 54 minutes, which I'm really happy with as I wasnt looking to add a faster pace as i wanted to gauge how I would manage a distance I haven't done in nearly 20 years.

Than you Apple, thank you Steve Jobs, for making these runs at least bearable.

Holiday break

It's all been quiet on he training front the last couple of days as I have been enjoying the long Easter weekend. I firmly believe in having down time and trying to switch off from everything. All I have been doing is enjoying time with the family, I have still been out for runs and I took the girls out for a nice county walk, so a bit of phys can still be fitted in.

This week will see some patterns practice and I will most likely go to the school tomorrow night as I am still off for the rest of the week due to my birthday on Weds. A big milestone is the first 6 mile run for probably 20 odd years tomorrow, it will be interesting to see how I handle it as anyone who reads these blogs knows I am now natural runner! With that in mind though I think I may be getting into the habit of running as I am actually looking forward to it tomorrow ( never thought I'd say that)

All in all I'm feeling positive about things, I know I have tonnes still to do but being aware of the things I still need to accomplish is a good sign and when you put yourself out there it makes it easier to knuckle down and get things done.

Famous at last

Really busy last few days, I am on holiday now for the next 10 days so there was the ussual rush to get everything covered off at work but I was also dtermined to have a poitive week when it cam to some fitness and continuing along with some of the tasks necessary for the 2nd dan testing cycle.

So far I feel pretty good about some of the progress I have made, the thesis I have to produce is well on the way to completion and I may put up some excerpts to give anyone who follows the blog (there arent many...yet) a taster.

i also made some great strides in getting my message about my approach to training for black belt and what it means to be a martial artist when yopu are over 40 by getting in touch with a fellow Martial Artist called Brett Kraiger. Brett is an instructor based in Wellington, New Zealand and he runs a website and newsletter service called Martial Arts over 40. Brett was kind enough to offer me the opportunity to write a short article about what its meant being a martial artist now that I am over 40 and also to promote this blog so that any other interested martial artists, or just those who may have an interest in starting a martial art, could take a look. The article on Brett's site is at the following http://martialartsover40.com/readers-stories/40-martial-artist-fitter-than-he-was-in-his-20s-stewart-davison/

On a final bum note, just as I was feeling good about all thi spositive development stuff, a large chunk of on eof my molars felt out whilst I was eating a peanut butter and jam sandwich so I am writing this with the after effects of a lot of anaesthetic in the jaw, cant win em all!

What a difference

Blimey, looked at the last post, bit gloomy wasn't it? This week seems totally different than last week, I feel energised, confident, chilled and am happy when I get to do stuff I enjoy, like training on Monday night! It was a good session as we concentrated on the basics linked to the pattern Yul Gok and then ran through the pattern itself, after that it was a focus on pattern breakdowns which was an excellent refresher as I need to get cracking on that part of the testing cycle.

Also fitted in a run so far, which is important as I need to up the distance next week, will soon be reaching the furthest distance I've ever done as a straight road run but I am conscious that I need to keep varying the cv work I do so I am also looking to include a bike ride once a week.

Its Wednesday and I'm still feeling good, roll on the weekend!

Crap, crap, crap, crap, the week was crap

Great title for a blog entry, really reflects how I have been feeling this week. Not in a bad stomach kind of way, but I have had a couple of days where its been particularly bad, but more in a just 'can't be arsed with anything' type of mood. I don't feel like this very often but when i do I am just grumpy, constantly bored, difficult to motivate, irritable, lazy etc etc Strange when I look at what i did last week, sorted out the garden, pressure hosed the slabs, cleaned the cars, cooked, went training, did two long bike rides and completed all the stuff I needed to do for week, even finished one task well in advice!

Even with all these 'achievements' my mood has just been one of 'meh, so what' or 'I'll do it when I want to' type attitude, nothing I have done has made me feel that positive, energised, motivated or anything really, its not that its negative its more that its just a blandness to everything.

As i've said I don't feel like this very often, maybe 4-5 times in a year but when I do Im just crap, crap, crap. I would rather I just lay in bed and didn't have to interact with anyone or do anything that didn't just take my fancy at the time. Thinking about it now, whilst still feeling a bit like I have done all week, I may have to put it down to a price I have to pay for the rest of the time when I am pretty much upbeat all of the time, positive, highly motivated, not that grumpy (this wife and kids may disagree here) and always looking on the bright side of life (cue Eric Idle!)

Thats enough for posting today, just wanted to get some thoughts out and hope that I wake up feeling better than I do at the moment as its Sunday night and I am finding it difficult working up any enthusiasm for tomorrow.

Onwards and upwards!