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25 miles around Midlothian tonight, but if finding and stashing beer along the way.
Let's get them Thanet badlands up!
Anyone wanna join for a grease the groove day tomorrow? It's back to pull Thursday.
1 pull every 5 minutes between 830 and 5pm. That's 102 in total!
Pull up/ chin up/ body weight row/ TRX row or whatever.
Might give that a go yeah, but this evening I did my basic bodyweight strength routine and decided to push reps per set a little - 3 x 8 pull ups, struggled - 3 x 10 dips - struggled slightly less, and then tried wide grip on 3 x 10 bodyweight rows and 3 x 10 push ups.
Think you might need to check your maths tho.
Fail today due to yesterdays yomp.Unless we count 50 minutes housework.
I,m starting to suffer due to weather,lockdown and this town!I will make an attempt at MTFU tomorrow.Any motivating ideas and thoughts out there?
Cool!
I've started early as I've got to drop the car off for a MOT later.
A bit of a hang, 3,3,4,5,5. It adds up pretty fast.
I had my planned easy day yesterday.
Loch Morlich for a 5 minute dip (ducky says the water temp was 5c) and then a 26 min yoga session last night focusing on lower back and hips.
Since photos of my locale are generating some resentment, have one of me instead..
To keep my girlfriend company (she's doing 100 pressups per day until Christmas) I decided I would do 100 situps per day. That's fine, apart from last night when I did them on carpet for the first time and managed to strip the skin off my tailbone. It's annoying, especially as I know I have to do another 100 tonight in the gym.
Only missed one day so far still, but there's been a few late night half arsed walks round the village or yoga with Kassandra to keep that going.
Riding has actually dropped off due to work and weather the last couple of months, so I'm glad this challenge has got me doing something else each day instead.
Anybody else starting to develop an irrational hatred of scotroutes and his world?
Nah, we've got bigger mountains here 🙂
Interval run yesterday, felt pretty good although I can see it being the last run I do in shorts for a while... Shorter run today I think, then a bit of bike tomorrow.
60 in the bag
70 bodyweight rows so far. 5 every 15 minutes.
I've realised that I only need to do 65 miles a week until Christmas to reach my target of 4,500 miles for the year. With that and the Strathpuffer being canned I'm easing off on the riding a bit and will be doing a bit more climbing. Not missed a day yet and we've fully broken the back of it. It's definitely helping - I've had a Strava top ten on my last 4 rides.
Not taken as many photos lately (usually because it's fully dark when I'm out!) but here's the latest-
Day 71 - 15 miles of gravel mincing in glorious weather.
Day 72 - 18 miles up in the Pentlands on the mountain bike.
Day 73 - Enjoyed my MTB ride the night before on not totally soaking trails so much I was straight back out at 8am the next day.
Day 77 - 30 miles of Lothian gravel and cycle paths.
Anybody else developing an irrational hatred of munro and his environs?😁
110 - all done
How are you going sirr?
Core tomorrow....
A spin up to Ryvoan in our first proper snowfall of the Winter. Very icy in places too so I can confirm that my butt clenching ability is undiminished.
160 bodyweight rows today. Mixture of wide/regular/narrow hand positions and pronated/supinated grip. Wasn't too bad actually, didn't take me to fatigue at any point, though definitely feeling it.
Gave it a break at lunch time to go for a run which was a bit drizzly, but nothing like that lovely picture above ^^^.
Should sleep well tonight, got all the exercise out the way at a sensible time too.
Anybody else developing an irrational hatred of munro and his environs?😁
It's all done from my doorstep from the middle of the city. I've just got very good at hunting out the bits that don't feel so city-like.
My first day off the bike for nearly 3 weeks as a result of it raining here nonstop all day. Got soaked at work this morning to the extent that we called it a day at lunchtime and couldn’t face getting soaked again! Spent an hour this afternoon stretching and foam rolling out all the little niggles I’ve been feeling. Going to take the dogs out later, hoping that the rain will ease, if not I’ll be getting wet again. Fat biking in the snow looks way more appealing!
I feel it in my hands more than anything. After 75 - the flesh gets a bit squeezed. A few extra rows with a trx just to make sure middle muscles of the back are involved today.
The amazing thing about grease the grove is that it doesn't leave you smashed. Another 50 tomorrow wouldn't be out of the question.
And it makes sure my eyes take a break from the screen.
Today was a good example of what's so great about this challenge- I looked out the window this morning, it was cold and grim and I really couldn't be arsed. But I went out, the snow got thicker as I got away from the city and I had one of my favourite rides of the challenge. Slow and a lot of near misses - gravel bikes seem to be more fussy about snow than MTBs - but really excellent fun.
Day 80. Seems like only yesterday I was grumbling that we hadn't even reached half way yet.
I'd decided on a low-level walk to a minor summit near Badaguish. I was driving up but the Badaguish access track looked pretty icy so I just carried on. What I should have done was park at the bottom of the track.
I drove on up to Loch Morlich and then Glenmore where I eventually found a good parking spot. What I should have done was walk the extra distance to my planned hill.
I was at the bottom of the access path for Meall a Bhuachaille so I decided just to walk up to the tree line. Conditions were very benign - lots of lovely soft, untrodden snow. What I should have done was to turn around at the top of the trees and head back down.
Given it was so calm, I decided to head up a bit further. I could see the bottom of the cloud layer just above me. What I should have done was turn around when the path disappeared into the mist.
I carried on up to the col, whereupon the stiff Northerly wind hit me full blast, carrying with it icy rain. What I should have done was turn around right there and head back to the van.
Being that far up, I thought it was a shame not just to carry on to the summit. OK, I wasn't really prepared for it, but hey ho. I was post-holing through thigh-deep drifts in places but I knew I wasn't far from the top.
Anyway - made it back down safely, if feeling a little bit sheepish for having pushed the envelope further than was ideal.
I've just got back from a 45min road bike ride for day 80, it's grim out!
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Couple of cold wet hours on the road bike around Coniston, enjoyable but glad when it was over!
Missed my lunchtime window of opportunity. Will do some yoga / physio later. Hopefully get out tmrow for a romp in the snow somehow.
^ Know how you feel,hiked for my shopping then came home and did some weights,exercises and stretching.Must do a few bigger sessions this weekend.I,m just starting to get a bit bored and finding this a real chore.My enthusiasm seems to ebb and flow.
Ride to the house & back today, total 1hr 3/4, 16 miles, some off road, some lanes. Wasn't feeling very adventurous or energetic after the run and bodyweight rows yesterday, but the chill in the air soon made me get the heart pumping.
Here's those spell binding pictures of Thanet I promised.
Oh look a road sign
Same location other direction Looking toward Pfizer:
Down in the lane:
At last some decent photos 😂😉
Overnight rain has made all the remaining snow very soft and mushy. Massive puddles everywhere and you can never be sure what you're riding on.
Undaunted, Ross and I made a beeline for the Duke of Gordon monument. The climb up was interspersed with much swearing and I had to stop to let some air out of the tyres I think I ended up with about 6 psi in the front and 3 in the rear. A bit of footwork got us there and then it was a very sketchy, but also hilarious, descent and return home. A whole 22km in something over 2 hours 🙂
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Could be game over for me, slimy sniper rock got me on my run this afternoon, ankle the size of an orange now. Poo!
Had a lovely walk in the sunshine this afternoon before though so not all bad
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Will try the bike in the morning but not mega hopeful right now. Medicinal whisky about to be deployed.
Could be game over for me, slimy sniper rock got me on my run this afternoon, ankle the size of an orange now. Poo!
Bummer! But... yoga? Abs? TRX? Could be a chance to try something new?
Rather than doing anything new I did a 45min interval session on the turbo. Quite possibly wouldn't have bothered if it weren't for this challenge!
Try drunk Yoga, I just have. It’s a different kind of challenge 😂
🤣 downward hair of the dog!
Felt positive after the grease the groove thing the other day, so decided to go for max total reps of pull ups and dips while doing the laundry. Limiting to 5 reps per set, managed 8 sets of each (alternating pull ups & dips with 2-3 minutes laundry folding between sets). Didn't reach fatigue - a big improvement on a couple of months ago. Then to finish 3 sets of 15 each of bodyweight rows and push ups. Went like this: 13bwr 20pu 12bwr 17pu 13bwr 14pu.
🤣 downward hair of the dog!
Touché
Did some physio then went for a stroll this morning. But I've done enough strolling recently so just did 30mins garage circuits to get sweaty. Done.
Yesterday was grim.
2 hours on a heavy road bike today. Road is ok but it's not mtb....
Grease the grove tomorrow. Hinge and balance day.
One leg Romanian dead lifts.
10 each leg = 20 per set.
5 sets per hour = 40 sets.
Come join!
Half hour beginner yoga video, ok. Then a 20minute flexibility video which wasn't helpful when a long when off the flexibility of the instructor.
One leg Romanian dead lifts.
10 each leg = 20 per set.
5 sets per hour = 40 sets.
I saw someone doing these in a video recently and tried it and thought it a really good exercise for balance and ankle/calf strength. But I'm quite slow as balance and ankle/calf strength isn't great, so I'd barely get any work done tomorrow if I did that many reps + sets. I might try 1 set every half hour and a bike ride.
I was really looking forward to a ride down at Findhorn and Roseisle with metalheart but woke up this morning with a stomach upset/runny gut. It has carried on all day so I reverted to a 30 minute yoga session with Kassandra. I'm only doing beginner level stuff but I already feel it's doing some good to my mobility. That might be the one big takeaway from this 100 day sequence.
We are also now into that time of year that the paths and tracks are alternately icy and dangerous or slushy and sodden. This next couple of weeks will be a real challenge for me.
Well after my cankle mishap there was no MTB yesterday 😭. But we took the boys to the park so did some chins, pulls, dips and rows on the climbing frame (no other people there so didn't look like a total weirdo - or at least no one saw me). Upside is I've informed work I'll be WFH today at least, so can 'grease my groove' to my heart's content. Will be more upper body stuff today and try the elephant leg on a gentle turbo spin tomorrow.
thought it a really good exercise for balance and ankle/calf strength.
And hip stability.
Balance is why I do these on gtg days instead of the power moves of squats or two legged deadlifts. By after lunch, my left side is all over the place unless I concentrate for each rep. But when you are only doing body weight its easier to get the form you want.
Had an amazing couple hours in the fod Sunday morning, real wet and greasy on a lot of the offpiste but so much fun!
Just discovered running local trails with the head torch on, makes my evening runs a little more interesting! Don’t know why I’ve never done it before!
Working over near Abergavenny so might get some hiking in or maybe some welsh riding while I’m over here
Anyone else thought about carrying this on for a year?
What I have learnt so far...
1)My exercise choices are somewhat limited.
2)Proper diet and sleep are essential for anything more demanding than walking.
3)Getting a low level illness in the middle of this challenge is very unpleasant.
4)I found last years Monsoon less difficult to deal with than never ending lockdown.
5)If you can manage to exercise everyday,it makes you a nicer person.
6)I must try to be more like munroe and less like a grumpy chimp!
P.S outdoor gym work seems to be my winter exercise of choice.What have you all learned?
Ironically exercise often makes me grumpier just for being tired. But I've had a low level / background illness that hasn't helped. Just got to find the balance that doesn't tip me into being too much a grump.
Did 22 miles on the road today to drop off some beers with a pal. Threatened to be too wet and cold at one point, got to get used to wearing more.
Anyone else thought about carrying this on for a year?
It's crossed my mind recently.
What have you all learned?
That getting up off my butt is a lot easier than I thought, especially when I mix up the exercise types.
Edit - and Yoga gets you out a hole when you really need a rest!
Edit Edit - Beginner Yoga that is!
Anyone else thought about carrying this on for a year?
I was thinking about carrying on for 100 days from the 1st Jan. I've quite enjoyed the motivation I have from just wanting to be part of this. So if anyone else wants to keep going...
What have you all learned?
I've been enjoying Zwift a lot. I found out that doing hundreds of KB swings a day wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. And that I really enjoy dancing with my son to various baggy classics on days when I need a bit more chilled exercise. I've missed a few work outs (6 I think, maybe 7) but I have been feeling a little fitter. Started to see some weight loss today, but I'd already around 9kg over the summer coming into this, so I wasn't expecting a huge change. I'm going to start getting Mrs.10 to do some yoga with me, I think we'll try the beginners yoga with Kassandra based on this thread. Also there's a very limited chance of me doing the GtG stuff properly, but I may have a crack at seeing how many push-ups I can manage in a day.
At this point regarding carrying on, I'm uncertain. A few days ago I was thinking no, I'd like to have maybe 1 day off a week (or 1 off every 10 days) to just relax and not stress about squeezing in some exercise.
Think the biggest thing I've learnt which has surprised me is that aches and pains sometimes are better off with more exercise (of the right type) than less. This has mainly been the case with upper bodyweight strength training - which I've been doing very inconsistently over the years - but I've found that those aches in my shoulders I sometimes get from hopping about too much on the trials bike are (sometimes) pretty much waved goodbye to after strength training which strongly activate the shoulders and surrounding areas.
The next biggest thing would be doing less exercise but more frequently is better for me, especially if there's any sort of skill involved. Doing the grease the groove thing the other day cemented this idea and opened up new ideas for me to exercise. For my trials riding, the less but more frequently approach is definitely the way forward for the foreseeable. "If we train to failure we train to fail!" so they say.
Half hour hop about this afternoon lunch break. This evening a warm up with various planks then got the gymnastic rings out for more planks, and various other straight-arm holds, along with a few rows, very basic stuff, but felt good after. Was nice to not get the heart pumping hard nor any difficult pulling or pushing efforts.
I’ve learnt that leaving the house is the hardest part. Once I’m out and running/riding I always come home feeling better for it. I walk the dogs for an hour a day generally as a minimum so I guess I sort of do it already. That’s sort of why I brought in my has to be recordable on Strava to count rule (hike/run/ride). Just makes it feel more effort than my baseline.
I have also toyed with running everyday for a year, maybe not full on but a mile minimum or something
Had a running night last night. 2km warmup them pb on 5k at 20.20, very happy with that but 20 seconds less would make me super happy! Then ran a 3km warm down. But achy today from going hard though!
I’ve learnt having not been able to do anything for 2 weeks, I really miss it. Only doing 15-20 min walks at the moment as COVID has left the tank empty, so my ability to complete this wasn’t as good as I initially hoped.
7)Weight training turns you into a glutton.
GtG for anyone today? large movement mobility for me.
Burpee variations - planked, press up, splayed, arched.
Plank with rotational twist / thread the needle
Forward / backward rolls, cartwheels
etc...
40-60s per set. 4 sets per hour.
Go!
Anyone else thought about carrying this on for a year?
Yes, whilst I continue to WFH it's become an important part of the routine. I am looking for another target to focus on though.
I couldn't leave the house yesterday again - bowel issues - so it was another session with Kaddandra.
As regards carrying on, I checked my Veloviewer stats for 2019 and it turns out I recorded activities on 217 days. That's 4 days a week and feels like a good balance given that I was doing many much longer rides and there has to be recovery time in there too. I guess the yoga might feature in 2021 though so that has added something to the mix.
Seeing as @scotroutes has failed to provide the usual photos, here are some from my run today. We went up Mt. Abantos, which overlooks The Escorial - better known for the immense palace built by Philip II of Spain (he of the Spanish Armada):
There was an icy wind at the top, but back below the treeline it was fine, and the descent was one of the most fun ones I've done this year. Great stuff, and a welcome return to normality after being in lockdown for the past 4 weeks.
Similar to mogrim, two hours solid housework and a brisk fetch and carry to Aldi's and back.I am going to get out on my bike tomorrow if it's the last thing I do.
Sorry @mogrim. Having been confined to quarters this past couple of days there wasn't much worth photographing. 🙂
Made it out tonight despite not being 100%. It might have been a bit wet but it was nice to be out for a wee run. Did a relaxed 6km.
Now that's what I call a Xmas tree!
Urban Aviemore
Sorry @mogrim. Having been confined to quarters this past couple of days there wasn’t much worth photographing.
Apology accepted 😀 And the edging on the Aviemore platform roofs is so quintessentially British I feel it demands a round of applause.
Hey Mogrim, I've run some of those trails, was there for a conference about 4 years ago, the palace and cathedral are amazing, especially where all the Bourbons are dunked in the mausoleum/mortuary thing. Never got to the top of the hill though. Will definitely go back and take the family someday, loved it. (Can you ride those trails?)
30 MIN ankle rehab twiddle on the turbo tonight and hit 10 chins on the bar for the first time in a while!
Not too bad really, looks like an obese aubergine but not really painful, bit tender at the extremes of movement, totally fine on the turbo. Been lucky I guess. Just going to take it easy this week and try some different stuff.
^Should you not get that ankle xrayed?
Another Loch day. Air temp 2.5C, water temp 3C (according to ducky). That means it's actually warmer in the water, right?
Calm on arrival
All happy before going in
The walk of pain
Ran today. Why does it not get any easier??!
Jesus wept @scotroutes that looks 'somewhat invigorating'. Have they dropped back into sight yet?
Did 30 mins of circuits designed not to aggravate the ankle. The spare room was warmer than a Highland loch slush puppy, I'm happy to say.
@thestabiliser they say that your body gradually acclimatises. That certainly seems to be the case. I didn't imagine 12 months ago that I'd be walking through slush to get into a loch. Water temperatures continue to drop over the next few months so it's likely I'll be needing an ice axe or sledgehammer to get in soon.
Ran today. Why does it not get any easier??!
It never gets easier, you just go faster.
Trust me.
Hey Mogrim, I’ve run some of those trails, was there for a conference about 4 years ago, the palace and cathedral are amazing, especially where all the Bourbons are dunked in the mausoleum/mortuary thing. Never got to the top of the hill though. Will definitely go back and take the family someday, loved it. (Can you ride those trails?)
@thestabiliser you can ride this mountain - further along the range it turns into a national park and you're only allowed to ride on the fireroads. We saw quite a few bikes while we out.
Last night I was able to train again with my tri club after 4 weeks enforced absence. Suffered a bit on the swim, but fortunately the pool was a lot warmer than that loch 😀
It never gets easier, you just go faster.
Trust me.
I'm getting slower! No really... I need to go run up some hills for proper pain and hopefully gain.
Not tonight tho, a night ride is on the cards.
A all day zoom workshop meant that I'd disappear from my screen for 30s at a time to do my pull-ups. Rang the 100 bell by 330.
After work I jumped on the bike and did 10 hill sprints. 20s ish each.
The one thing with GtG is you never get warm enough to sweat so it's probably rubbish for any kind of weight loss. Each set does get the heart rate up momentary - I wonder what effect on 2 hour ride fitness that has?
I've been for a hop about on the street trials bike every lunch time this week, and then this evening for the 5th ride hopping about. In terms of normal cycling it's nothing, 13 miles total from 5 rides this week, and only 35-45 minutes each time but my elbows & shoulders are feeling in need of recuperation, so will give that a break tomorrow and over the weekend. Not easy on feet either as flexible soles (currently 510 Freeriders) needed for feedback otherwise it feels a bit like riding hopping blind.
It's been a week of Zwift. Varying between an hour and two each evening. Mini 10 has been riding next to me watching disney. Which has been nice. No exciting photos of my basement unfortunately.
A mix of 10k runs, turbo and jumping about the kitchen this week. Not lost any weight for a while but still feeling fitter.
Has ahsat rejoined us yet?How is she keeping?
Myself a 5 mile hike along the tees followed by some weights.Cycling yesterday didn't take to much out of me,so I must be getting stronger.Some sunshine, would be nice however.
My, err, digestive problems continue. I headed out for a ride yesterday afternoon, managed 17km at a lacklustre pace, then dozed for 90 minutes when I got home. I never nap during the day so I'm putting it down to my illness.
Tonight was another yoga session with Kaddandra. I'm getting the hang of it now, able to follow most of the instructions without needing to see the screen and getting a bit more fluid between poses.
Keep it up folks. Just two weeks to go!
My favourite Yoga pose is shavasana!
Just tried this and thought it was quite good. No shavasana so I added my own (fell asleep!)
20km for me running/walking up a local mountain. Gale force winds made it interesting, and while I'm sure the amount of water about wouldn't shock a UK resident, it was very impressive for central Spain. Also made the mistake of going with 4 guys who are a lot faster than me, so suffered a fair bit 🙂
Road bike tomorrow.
Out on the bike again for a wet, muddy (and very atmospheric) ride round Rothiemurchus. Not fast, but I was only slow because I wanted to be, so feeling much better than Thursday.
I noticed that the outflow of Loch an Eilean had been partially blocked by a big log which meant that the water was damaging the path and managed to track down one of the local Rangers to report it.
Choo Choo!
Been bouldering today indoors. Wasn't a proper sesh because I was with the girl, but did enough circuits that I'll feel it tmrow. Going to do that cyclist yoga just to round off.