the_vulture (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
the_vulture) wrote2006-09-19 05:03 pm
the_vulture) wrote2006-09-19 05:03 pm
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Aaarrrrrrr....ggghhh!!!
I did it again; I completely forgot about International Talk Like a Pirate Day. All that time thinking up great pirate-theme activities during the summer gone up in smoke. (sigh...)
As for the rest of life, I'm now into Week 5 of the running program and going strong. I did a half hour this morning, clocking over 2.2 miles, and will do two more this week. For the last few days, I've been pretty annoyed because I still can't get the scale to budge below 125 kilos, in spite of all the training. It doesn't seem like I've lost much waist size, either. I also wasn't impressed when I did a 12 minute run test and determined that I'm at the bottom end of "average" in terms of physical performance.
Last night, though, I took some time to really take stock of my gains. First, I dug out the old measurements file, took some new measurements, and added them in. In reality, I've actually have shaved off some waist size, but the big change is actually in the size of my thighs, which have been reduced to 28" (used to be 30" back in 2002). Sadly, though, my bicep size has dropped, too; gotta do more upper body work.
In regards for the 12 minute run, as my friend D. used to remind me whenever I felt discouraged about my cardio performance, I'm in much better shape than my size would indicate simply because of what I can do in spite of my weight. He claimed that, though he was in excellent physical shape, he would be hard pressed to keep up with me if he was carrying around an extra 70 or so pounds to make up the difference in our body weights. I should also feel proud that I've finally pulled out of such categories as "poor" and "fair/below average." If I can keep this up, maybe I'll actually crawl into the "good" category in a month or so. THAT would be cool!
Looking at it from the lifetime perspective view, I've actually come a VERY long way. In school, 12 minute runs were the bane of my existence; there was no way I could make any real measure of achievement and I was never able to run for even half the time. In grade 8, I simply stopped trying and would only walk them, much to the annoyance of my P.E. instructors. I think they'd drop dead from shock to see me run a full 12 minutes, let alone the 30 I now regularly run multiple times a week.
Even in the short term, the gains are measurable; since I started really trying to improve my cardio this spring, I've dropped two notches in my belt. And, in the five weeks of the formal running program, I've really improved the pace I can keep over an extended period of time. As for the weight, well, after having ridden at 126 kilos for the last few weeks, it's finally sitting at 125. Maybe by Friday it'll finally dip below and stay there, maybe...
School is going well, so far, though I still have a fair bit of work ahead of me in terms of getting my planner organized and my room sorted. Aside from a few problems here and there, the kids have been great. I'm especially enjoying working with the year 7s; they're really sweet! (I really do think I should've been a primary teacher.)
As for the gaming club, I'm really looking forward to the next session; my (very) newbie players, having finally finished their characters, have managed, in the ten remaining minutes of last session, to get themselves into an altercation with local toughs in a country inn. Yes, in true D&D tradition, their first adventure is starting off with a tavern brawl (chuckle).
Sadly, though, it'll have to wait till next Wednesday, as tomorrow I'll be away to visit an ear-nose-and-throat specialist to diagnose me for obstructive sleep apnea. Otherwise, I won't be able to obtain the prescription I need to replace my CPAP machine (which is acting up a bit) in this country.
And things with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
imapunkin are also going well. This weekend we had a good, reassuring heart-to-heart that really clarified things for us about how we can adapt to each other's idiosyncrasies.
So, all-in-all, life is currently good.
As for the rest of life, I'm now into Week 5 of the running program and going strong. I did a half hour this morning, clocking over 2.2 miles, and will do two more this week. For the last few days, I've been pretty annoyed because I still can't get the scale to budge below 125 kilos, in spite of all the training. It doesn't seem like I've lost much waist size, either. I also wasn't impressed when I did a 12 minute run test and determined that I'm at the bottom end of "average" in terms of physical performance.
Last night, though, I took some time to really take stock of my gains. First, I dug out the old measurements file, took some new measurements, and added them in. In reality, I've actually have shaved off some waist size, but the big change is actually in the size of my thighs, which have been reduced to 28" (used to be 30" back in 2002). Sadly, though, my bicep size has dropped, too; gotta do more upper body work.
In regards for the 12 minute run, as my friend D. used to remind me whenever I felt discouraged about my cardio performance, I'm in much better shape than my size would indicate simply because of what I can do in spite of my weight. He claimed that, though he was in excellent physical shape, he would be hard pressed to keep up with me if he was carrying around an extra 70 or so pounds to make up the difference in our body weights. I should also feel proud that I've finally pulled out of such categories as "poor" and "fair/below average." If I can keep this up, maybe I'll actually crawl into the "good" category in a month or so. THAT would be cool!
Looking at it from the lifetime perspective view, I've actually come a VERY long way. In school, 12 minute runs were the bane of my existence; there was no way I could make any real measure of achievement and I was never able to run for even half the time. In grade 8, I simply stopped trying and would only walk them, much to the annoyance of my P.E. instructors. I think they'd drop dead from shock to see me run a full 12 minutes, let alone the 30 I now regularly run multiple times a week.
Even in the short term, the gains are measurable; since I started really trying to improve my cardio this spring, I've dropped two notches in my belt. And, in the five weeks of the formal running program, I've really improved the pace I can keep over an extended period of time. As for the weight, well, after having ridden at 126 kilos for the last few weeks, it's finally sitting at 125. Maybe by Friday it'll finally dip below and stay there, maybe...
School is going well, so far, though I still have a fair bit of work ahead of me in terms of getting my planner organized and my room sorted. Aside from a few problems here and there, the kids have been great. I'm especially enjoying working with the year 7s; they're really sweet! (I really do think I should've been a primary teacher.)
As for the gaming club, I'm really looking forward to the next session; my (very) newbie players, having finally finished their characters, have managed, in the ten remaining minutes of last session, to get themselves into an altercation with local toughs in a country inn. Yes, in true D&D tradition, their first adventure is starting off with a tavern brawl (chuckle).
Sadly, though, it'll have to wait till next Wednesday, as tomorrow I'll be away to visit an ear-nose-and-throat specialist to diagnose me for obstructive sleep apnea. Otherwise, I won't be able to obtain the prescription I need to replace my CPAP machine (which is acting up a bit) in this country.
And things with
imapunkin are also going well. This weekend we had a good, reassuring heart-to-heart that really clarified things for us about how we can adapt to each other's idiosyncrasies.So, all-in-all, life is currently good.