Category: cross training

Janathon Day 30. The Day of the Hi-viz Michelin Man

Cycling capri length trousers. Old running tights that have gone baggy* over the top. A long sleeved running top. A merino wool thin jumper. A fleece jacket. A waterproof running jacket. A bright yellow hi-viz running gilet. Oldest running socks. Muddiest old trainers. Husband’s best cycling gloves.

This was me, dressed to go out on my bike today. Think ‘hi viz Michelin Man’ and that’s the look I was going for. Getting all those clothes on took so much effort it should count as a Janathon exercise in itself, however I didn’t think I’d manage to persuade the Janathon community of this so I waddled out to my built. I realised it was a while since I’d done any outdoor exercise when I picked up my Garmin and it looked like this:-

image
No Battery

Setting off to B&Q without thinking, I automatically cycled the route I would normally drive, the fastest along the main road. This was somewhat hairy on a bike. At one roundabout where I had to get into the right hand lane whilst being overtaken by lorries I recorded a big heart rate spike, purely through adrenaline. Needless to say I chose a more cycle-friendly route home.

I think I definitely scored hardcore points today!

* Think 1980’s PE teacher’s tights

Janathon Day 28. The End is Nigh

Thanks to

The End Is Nigh by PrinceRaMMYz on deviantART

Day 28 of Janathon – the end is nigh! It’s also Day 8 of the 30 day Shred DVD. I expect you’re as fed up reading about this DVD as I am of doing it. At least it’s a good, quick workout so this morning I gritted my teeth and stuck with it for another day. I’m planning my run for Friday, the last day of Janathon, and I also decided I should try level 3 of the DVD before then as well. Not much else happening this morning, there’s not a lot you can say when the highlight of your morning (so far!) is finding that the old cat *didn’t* wee on the new mat last night. Yay!

Janathon Day 27. Not hardcore.

I’ve realised the big problem with the 30 Day Shred DVD is that it just doesn’t feel ‘hardcore’ enough. Yes I’ve been struggling through my ‘plank jacks’ and ‘walk out push ups’, and grimacing my way through ‘high knees’ and ‘skater jumps’, but it’s all done in my warm living room, in front of the telly (despite what my Garmin thinks).

I was painting the utility room this morning, as the rain and then hail came down. I looked out of the window and thought about running in that weather. Now that’s hardcore, and that’s what I’m missing.

So as a treat for completing Janathon, on 31st January I’m going out for a run. Come rain or shine (but let’s be honest, it’s likely to be rain) I plan to be out there, smiling, earning hardcore points. Now that’s more like it!

Janathon Day 26. My son knows the score.

So it’s Sunday morning and my son walks into the living room. He finds a DVD playing featuring a bossy American woman, and his mother lying on the floor dressed in shorts and an extremely bright sports bra trying to do ‘double crunches’.

“Janathon” he says, nodding wisely, before leaving again. He knows the score!

Janathon Day 24. Decorating and Gallivanting

Today I have been decorating.  All day.  Much painting, much climbing up and down ladders, much diningof tea. I have also been gallivanting, at Mr B&T’s Cycling Club’s Annual dinner. Despite being very short on time even I realised I’d be pushing my luck if I tried to claim either of those as my Janathon activity for the day. So in a fit of keenness I managed a plank for 1 minute 30 seconds just before I put my party frock on.

That’ll have to do!

Janathon Day 23. Balls and the art of Zen Running

Balls.

image
Balls

Tennis balls, of course. After being advised by the very lovely Lucy Lemon to try sitting on a tennis ball (in place of a foam roller) to find the sore bits in my backside and massage them out, I finally found a tennis ball in the garage and proceeded to try it. I can report that I managed to find the sore bit, and amused the young tabby cat greatly by rolling around on said ball whilst wincing.

I then tackled my 6th day of the ’30 day Shred’ DVD, my 3rd day on level 2. This is still proving challenging, so I thought I’d wear my Heart Rate monitor to see if my heart rate was going up any where near my maximum. It didn’t (which sadly means I guess I should be working harder at the DVD – gulp), and my Garmin calculated I’d burnt off 154 calories (which doesn’t sound very much).

What was amusing was that my Garmin had automatically locked onto GPS satelites and had been ‘tracking’ me as I did my exercise. Considering I never moved from in front of the telly, it calculated I managed to run 1.73 miles.

Zen Running
Zen Running

This was obviously a very Zen workout – ‘In order to run, you must stand still’.

 

Janathon Day 22. A blank spot

It has been said by bloggers before that the blogging is the hardest bit of any ‘athon.  Today I  categorically have to agree with these wise souls. I feel I have nothing to share with you today,  no pearls of wisdom,  no witty gems, no funny stories.

I did complete level 2 of my Shred DVD again,  complete with ‘Plank Jacks’ and other,  nameless, horrors. I also thought on to do some extra stretches after finishing the ‘cool down’ on the DVD today. Hopefully my calf muscles will thank me for it tomorrow.

Janathon Day 21. Sponsored by Heinz Tomato Soup

image

Today’s workout should have been sponsored by Heinz cream of tomato soup, as two tins of it became my dumbells. Yes, it was another day of my 30 Day Shred DVD. Day 4 of 30. Over the previous 3 days, apart from making strange noises when walking and when washing my hands, I thought I’d coped pretty well with the exercises. Time to up the ante, I thought so I moved up to Level 2.

Level 2 still has 20 minutes of non-stop exercises split up into 3 circuits of Strength, Cardio and Abs, it’s just that the exercises are harder on this level. So if level 1 included a plank, level 2 has a ‘jumping jack plank’. Yes, honestly, combining 2 of the most evil exercises known to mankind. I can hardly bear to think about what horrors level 3 holds …