Week 21 done

The numbers are nudging up. My predilection for rounding up has seen me rattle along the tracks, past 11,000 for the year to date. That's more than 900 more than double regulation in the 100-day challenge which I completed in January. 

There are days when I am stiffer and achier than others. On those days the burpees start wooden and clunky, you know, like watching Kristen Stewart "act". However, so far at least, even at its worst the first 50 seem to knock the rust off.

My in-laws stayed with us for a week during the period since the last blog post and I can't decide whether it is a sign of everything else they have going on at the moment, or more that over the last 17 years of knowing me they have developed a high threshold for concern. Even after wandering into the utility room midway through my double-bill day (280, thanks to an accidental night off the day before), or even enduring the edifying sight of watching me sit still for 30 minutes afterwards with the sweat still hosing off me, their eyebrows barely twitched.

Starting a whole 30, which is not low carb by design but by contrast to my nutritional off-pisteing is very much lower carb, is both a good and bad place to be. Good because I am eating better and exploring tastes, and I will feel fantastic. Bad because, well, 280 burpees on your fourth day in really is not a lot of fun.

The other thing that comes out of that "two-for" day is the lingering concern that 280 will be a daily occurrence come January. Which is nice. Having said that, I've been doing in excess of 100 per day for nigh on two months now and the world hasn't come to an end yet. Maybe it won't be so bad! Actually, that's 2014's problem. There is no point worrying about it now because it won't change anything in the interim and I need that energy for other things.

Last weekend was my first trip to the gym/Nissen Hut for over a month. Hardly a regular, since the beginning of June I have only managed six trips including yesterday. This would be fine, and consistent with my approach to training of late but for the fact that one of my mates gave me details of a novice strongman contest...on the 1st September (+/- 3 weeks from getting the info to the date of competition). Why wouldn't I give it a shot? Well,

1. I was over weight class, and overweight by my own standards;
2. I hadn't done anywhere near enough heavy training of late, and
3. I have a burpee year to complete.

Clearly I have entered anyway. I have managed to drop a weight category. Now I just need to remind my body how to lift heavy things again! I have no illusions of winning, or indeed competing (with anybody else), but I don't want to disrespect the competition or anybody involved with it...oh, or humiliate myself. So, let's see if we can wake the old carcass up a bit.

Not satisfied with just deadlifting, I took the chance to renew my acquaintance with the Prowler - and introduce her to Tristan. She's a a cold, ugly, unforgiving, relentless, demanding, ne'er satisfied, heartless thing. But I love her! Heart-pumping; leg-burning; lungs-thrashing beauty! And we got her up a little heavy too. Happy.

Another humid day for burpees, compounded by the tumble dryer doing its thing. At least that way I could pretend that the sweating was due to that, or the session in the morning, and not an inherent sweatiness!

While we were in Kore Performance, Tristan asked me about the rounding up thing. 

"Does it work both ways?"

"What?", said I, quickwittedly.

"On the days below 5 do you round down and then up once you are over 5, so the total numbers balance out"

"No" quoth I, perplexedly. In truth, while I could understand the mathematics of the suggestion, the idea just would not stick as a concept. Mind you, I am a little slow on the uptake.

With eight days to go until the competition, I returned to Kore Performance to, in my words "have a play with" the farmer's walk rig. Apparently they are on the agenda, and save for using the odd 36kg kettlebell, I have never done any heavy farmer's walks. I was pleased to discover that I can shift 185kg, although a 20m course will, grip-willing, be a staccato affair! I could also do the 160kg for reps though. 

Phew! Fingers crossed I'll be ok.

Speaking of fingers, squeezing mine between the bar and the rack when returning the weights after a set of squats was decidedly sub-optimal. But not so much that we didn't still court our lady prowler. Or enough to stop me doing my 150 burpees later.

So her we are on Sunday. My body feels like I have been beaten with sticks. But it felt like that before the day's burpees. The 150 are in the bank in spite of the voices screaming protest. That's 11,330 done to date. I'm still only averaging 77 a day, so I don't know why I'm making a meal of this! 

Thank you to everybody who has asked questions, made comments, offered support, kept me company along the way, and in any other way shown an interest. It is strange to take this perversely solitary venture and find that it is reaching other people. I have no idea what interests you in it, but it is good to have you with me anyway. Don't be a stranger...or at least, don't be any stranger than me.

Until next time.

Yay Burpees!