Lower Weights

Olympic Bar Free Squats: 90kg/12, 100kg/2 x 12
Dynamic Lunges: 22kg x 2 +25kg backpack/3 x 12
Olympic Bar Deadlift: 40kg/12, 50kg/2 x 12
Calf Raise: 200kg/3 x 12
Leg Extension: 75kg/3 x 12
Hip Flexion: 60/60/60

A bit of a frustrating session in some ways. It seemed like going up to 100kg on the squats affected the rest of the session. My Lunge technique was a leetle shabby and I completely failed to lift 240kg for the calf raise, which had been fine the last time. Leg Extensions hurt a lot and my deadlift is still being let down by my grip, though I guess that will come with time. I'm also guessing that a bowl of cereal and some lucozade sport aren't exactly perfect post-training foods.

Credo

I would rather be ashes than dust!
I would rather that my spark should burn out
in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot.
I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom
of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.
The function of man is to live, not to exist.
I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them.
I shall use my time.

Jack London

Cycling

Two hours on the gym bike keeping rpms around 90 and heartrate at around 140bpms. My legs were still feeling it a bit from the two road runs on Friday and I think too many leg presses and squats have ruined the cushioning in my trainers. Covered about 50km by my reckoning, which is not great by any means. Will have to find some way to afford a new bike and get back out on the roads. Until then I'll just be heading over to the Cervelo website for some bicycle porn and dreaming.

Upper Weights

Dumbell Chest Press 22kg x 2/3 x 12
Seated Row 60kg/12, 65kg/2 x 12
Upright Row 20kg +Olympic bar/3 x 12
Dips 12/12/11
Bicep curls 10kg x 2/2 x 12, 10kg x 2/7 + 8kg x 2/5

I blagged new flatmate Robin into the gym and so bagged me a new gym partner. He is incredibly light and thus is freakishly good at pull-ups, while I struggle with my somewhat heavier build, or is that just the excuses talking. I persuaded him to throw a medicine ball at my head during sit-ups, which was great fun, though I almost broke his nose with it when we switched over.

Inspiration

"To be a cyclist is to be a student of pain....at cycling's core lies pain, hard and bitter as the pit inside a juicy peach. It doesn't matter if you're sprinting for an Olympic medal, a town sign, a trailhead, or the rest stop with the homemade brownies. If you never confront pain, you're missing the essence of the sport. Without pain, there's no adversity. Without adversity, no challenge. Without challenge, no improvement. No improvement, no sense of accomplishment and no deep-down joy. Might as well be playing Tiddly-Winks."

Scott Martin

Run from Battersea

Run home with much heavier pack (full of books) but felt a lot better. Legs started to feel a bit empty and shaky but think that was just lack of food. Big dip in the middle caused by me popping into GNC and stocking up on yummy myoplex bars/compacted chemicals.

Run to Battersea

Running with light pack, didn't feel brilliant I think because of eating too recently. Need to get a HRM that doesn't short out when it feels like it. Still, started out with it pissing it down and finished in bright sunshine so life's not all bad.

Lower Weights

Free Squats = 80kg/12, 90kg/2 x 12
Dynamic Lunge = 20kg x 2 + 25kg (backpack)/3 x 12
Deadlift = 40kg/3 x 12
Calf Raise = 160kg/12, 200kg/12, 240kg/12
Leg Extension = 70kg/3 x 12
Hip Flexion = 3 x 50

Lunges were a killer with heart rate really spiking; Deadlifts quite easy from a lift point of view but grip is limiting factor. Quite pleased with calf raises, interesting to see how close to 300kg I can get eventually.

Rollerski

First Rollerski lesson today, only faceplanted the once but not so great on concrete. Amazing fun and it feels incredible when for a short time you get it right. I think it will take a while to get the technique down but this could become my new sport o' choice. I'm treating this pretty much as a rest day as the stopping and starting meant that we didn't really get a sweat going.

Inspiration

"Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn't matter whether you're a lion or gazelle - when the sun comes up, you'd better be running."

Apocryphal

Cycling

Three hours on the gym bike on variable course. Forgot to turn HRM on until 10 mins in and so lost a bit of data. Didn't take enough food and was getting a bit hungry from 90 mins on. Sweated and drank a bucketload of water, think about three litres. Ridiculous gym puts a 30 min cutoff on its cardio programs, so I am not absolutely sure of virtual distance but was averaging close to 12km every half hour so reckon I covered just over 70km. There is nothing quite like spending three hours stuck pedalling inside a gym for conceiving an immense hatred for the chav who stole my bike.