More Exercise 'n' Stuff

I worked today.

*Thunk*

That was the sound of everyone I know falling over in a dead faint, so I'll wait a while until they all get up and dust themselves off.

Ok? Good.

Yes, I actually did a bit more writing for 'my' websites because I discovered the diary I wrote while holidaying in Norway with Koios. It was most nostalgic, revisiting the trip, but I can't help but feel we rather gypped ourselves by heading to Norway in April. The diary is full of things like:

"Got to the hotel only to discover the restaurant closed owing to it being off season ..." or "the ferries aren't running so we can't get to Balestrand/Mundal/anywhere that isn't fucking Flåm because it's off seaon ..." On the other hand, I was swept away by my effusive outpourings over the Vigesland Park in Oslo, the Viking Ship museum, Bergen, and the 'quaint' (that's just for Candace) Flåmsbana train, which drops 6000 feet through a be-waterfalled valley and some 20 tunnels. (It stays on a track, though. It doesn't just plummet like a frickin' dart). Anyway, all that information was very useful for some travel writing on Cosmotourist, and with the old finances suffering after Christmas I can't say it won't come in useful - as will the cheque from Jake and Sally's owners, who gave a fat tip for a job well done. Hurrah.

Alas, fairness meant I had to pay a chunk to that bloody Arrow and Lu who squatted in our house over Christmas and tried to seduce our dogs away from us ... quite successfully, I might add. When I got back into the car after dropping the cash off to Lu, Baffie went crazy sniffing me all over, wagging and looking for her pals. When no Lu or Arrow got into the car she was seriously miffed. We're clearly second best now. We don't give them morning walks up the hill every day. Christ, it's all I can do to walk downstairs in the morning!

While I was busy tapping away, reliving the evil Wanker Hotel in Oslo (ok, it's actually the Anker Hotel) who stole my new black coat, Fisher came prancing into my study saying she was off for a run. As usual I felt my soul curl into a tight little ball, put its fingers into its ethereal ears and sing 'la la la ... I'm not listening'. Unfortunately, my pride kicked my soul in the goolies, reminding me of the unpleasant wobble my belly gave as I sat down and, more importantly, the ice cream cake I stand to lose come the end of February. I opened my mouth to agree to a run - and then the wind gave a mocking whistle outside the window, and I hurriedly suggested a trip to the gym instead. Fisher agreed, so we jumped in the Drover, packed the pooches in the back, and headed to East Sands.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again:

Fuck ME it's cold out! We could only bear to give the pooches a quick run on the beach, up to the slip and back, and even that was quite enough to make me wish I was home in bed. But we soldiered on into the gym, giving our cards over to Misery-Guts at reception. Tell me - is it a prerequisite of the job that, to work on reception at a leisure centre, you have to be a miserable, rude old bi-atch? If so, she should be given employee of the year.

Once in t'gym, I managed to huff and puff my way to 5k in just under 34 minutes, and do this on the weights (for Phid's benefit, as she is CLEARLY trying to best me and it will make her happy):

3 x 12 reps on pull down (lat) machine, only managing 25kg (why? why?)
3 x 12 reps on bicep curl, 25kg
2 x 12 reps on shoulder press, 20kg
1 x 12 reps on shoulder press, 15kg (I HATE THAT THING. Why am I so weak?)
3 x 12 reps on horizontal leg press, 110kg

I then did 5 minutes on 'hill' on the cycle while waiting for Fisher to finish. Quite a surprising effort, going from level 4 to level 20 then down again in 5 minutes. The hill setting has a steady increase in gradient, with no breaks in the middle, so it's quite a killer. Not as bad as actually riding a bike up a real hill, of course, but still pretty hard work.

I think I must really try and increase the weights I'm doing. I've been stuck on the same ones forever, so it's definitely time to push myself further.

Oh - one last thing before I hit the hay: a big HELLLOOO to Koios, who's decided to join the blogging fun. See her pearls of wisdom here.

G'night, world.