Janathon Day 26 - Nearly at the end

Hello again.

I'm back, how long for this time we'll have to wait and see, hit the gym early doors for the first time in a while. At the start of Janathon I was so intent on doing this all the way to the end, however much I love my job I hate the fact that it has stopped me from doing this every day! The only thing I have managed to keep up is the amount of walking I do every day while at work and using the Slendertone System-Abs, so far its working well although I cannot see my abs I can feel what the systm is doing they feel firmer and I get the same burn that I get from doing a full whack ab work out in the gym. Oh well I just have to stick with fitting it in as and when.

So back to today, stepped into the gym and was pleasantly surprised to see a friend there at the same time as me (it wasn't Farley) I didn't even know that Carl knew what 6am looked like, started off on the treadmill for my nice run/walk 5minute brisk walk, 3 minute run, 1.5 minute walk, 5 minute run, 2.5 minute walk got to the half way point and pressed the lap button on the Gramin 110 and bang it freezes! Second time this has happened, so yet again I'm on the treadmill trying to reset it! Second half 3 minute run, 1.5 minute walk, 5 minute run, 5 minute brisk walk warm down..
As I didn't have a space booked for Spinning (I was 4th on the waiting list) I jumped on the lovely gym bike and set up to do 10k got started at a decent pace getting the heart rate up to around 150 and tried to keep it there, with 1k left to go Milly comes out and says there's a space on the Spinning class so I leave the gym bike at 9k and 19 minutes.
Spinning - Enhancements, basically you start on flat road with jumps the aim of enhancements is to ramp up the resistance as high as you can and go as fast as you can, the first set were 45 seconds with 1 minute recovery, second and 3rd set were 1 minute with 1 minute recovery, on the 3rd set I even topped out the resistance, first time I've done that so I was very please. All in all a great work out.

• Run

4k, 32 minutes
Av HR = 142 (77%)
Max HR = 169 (91%)

• Bike

9k 19 minutes
Av HR = 152 (82%)
Max HR = 162 (88%)

• Spinning 

Enhancements
Av HR = 161 (87%)
Max HR = 181 (98%)

Choon of the day - Nneka - Heartbeat - Chase and Status remix

Janathon Day 15 - This has gone wrong :(

Now don't get me wrong I never even in my wildest dreams thought I would win Janathon, I did however expect to go through every day of it.

Thanks to my employers (weirdly I do actually love my job) insisting on offering lots of overtime and extra hours training is now 3rd behind work and family, this week has been particularly bad overtime every day except Wednesday (rare day off for my Birthday), so my total training effort for this week has comprised of 2 trips to the gym, fair enough on those trips I feel I worked pretty damn hard.

I find myself wondering if I could be bothered to wear my Garmin or use RunKeeper on my phone to track just how much walking I do each day, I must have walked around the O2 and surrounding area a good couple of thousand times this week, does this count?

Does doing a bit of The Michael Jackson Experience on the Wii count?

On a positive note I was sent a lovely bit of kit to test this week and write about on this blog Slendertone System-Abs started using it today did 40 mins started on level 50 then half way through turned it up to level 60, was a bit of an odd sensation and even through the fatness of my belly I could see the muscles contracting, I could certainly feel them, will update again on how I'm getting on in a couple of weeks. BTW, does this count for Janathon?

On to today's gym sesh, I decided due to my lack of attendance this week I would do a mini duathlon Run/Bike/Run, started off on the treadmill for run 1 a nice brisk 5 min warm-up walk and then onto the run/walk part, 1.5min run, 1.5 min walk then 3min run, 3min walk followed by 5min cool down brisk walk, total time 25:16 3.18k.
I headed downstairs to the bikes (I actually didn't know there were no bikes upstairs, I do now) I really don't like using gym bikes, they don't feel like real bikes, so much prefer the Spinning bikes, got the bike set up and set out for 10k was hoping to do it in under 20mins went just over with a time of 20:28, second half was quickest though, I hear that's meant to be a good thing?
Run 2 I took a different approach and set a 2k target for this one, no warm-up required as I was nice and warm from the previous 2 activities so straight into the run, kept a steady run 1.5min walk 1,5min. Total time 15:02, all in all I was quite pleased with my efforts.

I already know I wont be running tomorrow other than chasing my 2 kids around the house, I may take a walk somewhere though, I'll keep you posted.

Details for today's activities:
Run 1 

• Av HR = 139 (75%)
• Max HR = 179 (97%)
• Cal = 327

Bike

• Av HR = 148 (80%)
• Max HR = 161(87%)
• Cal = 307

Run 2

• Av HR = 160 (86%)
• Max HR = 177 (96%)
• Cal = 241

Choons of the day -

Linkin Park ft Jay-Z - Izzo/In The End

Chase and Status - Let You Go

Please help me raise as much money as possible for Children With Leukemia I'll run the half marathon all you have to do is donate here many thanks.

Janathon day 12 - I'm back

Hello again.

Here I am at last, thankfully I have a rare day off work today, so interestingly I was up and about at 5am, and out the door at 05:50 heading to the gym.

I've been looking forward to this day as I've not done any extra exercise since Sunday.

Thanks to the actions of 1 person I have been had to cut down gym and running in favor of going to work for longer each day, great, but hey I'm getting over time for my troubles so I suppose its not all bad.

I haven't blogged for a few day either despite my best efforts writing this stuff on my iPhone gets very irritating, I am now considering buying a netbook just so I can get these blogs up each day.

Monday was a big day as my idol Mr. Richard Callender was back on my TV with "The Biggest Loser" I used to see that show and think wow the title has a double meaning, now I'm a recovering seriously over weight dude I can see it does amazing things for the people on the show. If anyone is seriously into fitness and wants to challenge themselves I can fully recommend Richard Callenders Armageddon fitness events click this link for details I'll be attending the Harrow event 20th Feb.

So I hit the gym nice and early, on the treadmill at 06:07 25 mins later I had stumbled my way to 1.94 miles, I still had time to kill so headed over to the weights area (I've not been here for about 4 weeks now) and started my short shoulder workout:

External Cable Rotation 2x12 @ 6.25kg
Seated B/Bell Press 3x12 @ 14kg (per d/bell)
Lateral Raise 3x8 @ 10kg (per d/bell)

Then at 06:55 I popped into the Spinning studio, oh how I have missed Spinning, today we cycled up a pretty steep hill at times very fast, and then we eventually cycled on the lovely flat road at the top of the hill.

40 Mins
Av Hr = 154 (83%)
Max HR = 179 (97%)
617 Cals


Todays Choon Of The Day - The Pretty Reckless - Miss Nothing

Janathon Day 7 - Long day - Short walk

I'll start with details of my planned run on Thursday 6th January.

Had a bit of a lay-in as I didn't have to start work until 2 pm so I thought "I'll go in a bit earlier and have a run along the river" what I didn't plan for was just how much rain there would be, yes when I left Essex it was raining, not too bad, luckily I did pack my Adidas Windstopper running jacket, but even so I wasn't expecting that amount of rain!

I arrived at work and got changed into my running gear, happily I remembered my fleece hat, sadly I forgot my gloves, so off I set for my 5 minute warm-up walk, by the time this was done my hands were frozen and I didn't want to run anywhere except back to work to get warm and dry. Alas I carried on, it turned out to be a quite enjoyable run and if time had permitted I may have carried on a lot longer. All along the river Thames starting just before the wonderful Woolwich Ferry and finishing up just inside West Thamesmead.

Details
2.31 miles
30.39 minutes
Av HR - 141
Max HR - 180


Choon of the day - The Prodigy - Out Of Space

Janathon Day 7 was slightly messed up by a stupidly busy and longer than planned day at work meaning all I could do was an un-planned walk, I mirrored the Woolwich, Plumstead, Belmarsh and Thamesmead walk from earlier in the week.

Choon of the day heard while driving home tonight - Bruno Mars - Grenade

Janathon day 6 - Short and sweet

Hi,

Not much time to write today, just checking in really. Just got home from work and up again at 4am to head back to work!

Today's run was along a section if the river Thames 2.31miles in 29 mins.

More details and today's choon of the day in tomorrows extended blog.

Janathon Day 5 - So very very tired

Here we go again, the real world catching up with my big fat arse.

Lack of actual sleep and the start of a hell of a lot of over time mixed in with trying to fit in some kind of exercise each day in January, someone said to me yesterday that he didn't know how I did this and found the time for everything that goes on in my life, to be fair sometimes I cant work it out either.

For instance I went to bed at a reasonable time last night around 22:00, was woken by my baby at around 00:00 and again at around 01:30, each time required settling both him and me back down to sleep, I was then up at 04:30 and ready to leave the house for work at 06:15, I arrived at work at 07:15 for an 08:00 start, went out on patrol until 13:00 when I stopped for lunch (really exciting baked potato with beans followed by 3 apples) at 14:00 (ish) I went back out on patrol until 16:40 when I had a meeting and then back out again at 17:20, my shift ended at 20:00 and I arrived home at around 20:45, to which I got changed and headed straight to the gym, I am now home after picking my wife up form work, the time is 22:22!

Worryingly more days are like this than not, only most of the time I hit the gym at 06:00 rather than 21:00.

Have a great day tomorrow whatever you're doing and keep going with the Janathon fun.

Todays Choon of the day - Dirty Disco - Dizzee Rascal

Please help me support Shelter by sponsoring me

Janathon day 4 - Woolwich, Plumstead, Belmarsh and Thamesmead

Back to work today so gym etc takes a backseat again, luckily my job allows meca lot of freedom to pretty much go where I choose too, today I decided my presence was required walking the streets and alleyways of my "ground".

Off I went through Woolwich town centre and onto Plumstead road heading towards Plumstead, stopped off at the bus garage to catch up with some of the bus drivers I work alongside then headed to the Plumstead underpass where I saw and spoke to one of my regular homeless guys. From there I went up onto the ridgeway which runs alongside Nathan Way and behind the delightful sights of HMP Belmarsh.

I ended my walk at Thamesmead town center and clocked up 3.45 miles in just over 1 hour.

No "choon of the day" today though, not allowed to listen while at work.

I hope you don't mind but I'm going to ask for some help. In March I am taking part in 2 events, the first is Vertical Rush in aid of Shelter and then The Silverstone Half Marathon in aid of Children With Leukemia So I'll be adding know and asking for sponsors each day, if you would like to please click on the link. Many thanks.

Janathon day 4

Untitled by jasonpite at Garmin Connect - Details

Janathon day 3 - Back to the treadmill I go

After yesterdays nice river run I retired back inside to the warmth of the gym today and the exciting world of the treadmill!

At least they had some football for me to watch today.

For some reason my left shin is feeling pretty damn sore today, any advice about this would be gratefully received, the pain is towards the top of the shim and feels muscular, hurts to touch.

Anyways I decided to ignore the pain and head off, remembered my water and a bottle of Lucozade today.

Copied yesterdays run walk so brisk 5 min walk to warm up followed by 1.5 min run and 2 min walk x6 on a 1.0% incline, each run was on 11.00 kmph.

Back to work after the long weekend tomorrow, planning on doing a lot of walking so will wear the Garmin to detail how far and where I go, should be different, will also try to run at least 1 mile after work.

Run/Walk by jasonpite at Garmin Connect - Details

Choon of the day - Steve Aoki - I'm In The House

Janathon day 2 - A lovely morning by the river

Day 2 is here.

Up at a reasonable time today and decided to head outside to my favored trail (used it a lot for VLM training in 2010) instead of to the gym. Parked the car up and got out, HR monitor, GPS watch, iPhone, running playlist and Getrunning App all ready, water? Water? Ah crap that'll be in the bottle sitting in my hallway then!

As this was my first outside run of the winter I thought I may take it easy and ease up a bit on trying to run rather than jog, yeah that lasted about 30 secs so I set off for my 5 min warm up briskly walking along the river bank, ooh look there's loads of ice plates floating on top of the river, into the first 1.5 min run and I'm moving quicker than I anticipated, second run and I'm blowing a bit, it went on like that for the 6 runs and recovery periods.

All in all a nice run along the river, will defo do the same next Sunday and hopefully go further than 2.19 miles.

Todays run/wlk

Warm up 5min brisk walk
6 X 1.5 min running with 2 min recovery walks in between.

Details below.

Garmin Data

Todays Choon of the day - Far East Movement - Like a G6

Some pictures from the run

Hello 2011

Firstly Happy New Year.

For most of this week I think I've had no more than 4 hours restful sleep each night thanks to the lovely disease that is Chicken Pox (not me, my 1 year old son) so going to work and hitting the gym has really taken it out of me.

Today is the start of the first ever Janathon, around 160 people competing to win it by running (exercising) every day and writing their blogs every day, my creative writing skills are very limited so mine will probably get a little dull at times (if they're not already).

So I hit the gym today nice and early and jumped on my trusty treadmill, I'm trying to get a little faster this year, so instead of the usual plod along at 7.5 kmph I went straight in with 10.0 kmph, quite surprisingly I kept up that pace and even managed to finish the last 1 minute run on 11.5, today was day 3 of my generic iphone training plan, so it starts off with a brisk 5 minutes of walking then run for 1 minute walk for 1.5 minutes, you do this 8 times and then walk briskly for a bit at the end as your warm down. I'd love to share heart rates etc but my Garmin is currently frozen and I'm trying frantically to work out how to sort it without resetting!

Run done I strolled into the Spinning studio sat on my fave bike (number 13) nicely to the 2 ladies either side of me had already had a chat and made a pact that they would be picking on me today! Yeah thanks, it's not enough that the instructor is a long time friend who annihilates me every class anyway, now I have 2 complete strangers joining in! Anyway, today's class was speed and hills, surely they're 2 terms that don't go together, suffice to say after track 2 I was flagging, the sleep deprivation clearly catching up on me, feeling very sick is not fun, but I am determined and will not stop, I get through the class and am still alive now, incidentally I think that is probably the hardest I have ever worked in a Spinning class.

Have a great day everyone.

JP

Forgot to add in my Training Choon of the day, today it's Katy B and Ms Dynamite - Lights On