“Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.” Lou Holtz

"I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." Confucius

Sunday 18 December 2011

Weekend adventures

Friday
Working during the afternoon was interesting as the heat took toll on many of the patients and their reluctance factor was at an all time high..and I know that feeling well!  Humid weather and I don't go well together.

So I got home ready to have my second boxing class, this one with my hands also taped up so hopefully more secure and less ouchy, when I heard an unwelcome squeaking coming from the kitchen. Oh shit bugger bum and worse..Flea's caught another @#$%ing rat and brought it indoors....... during the day, no less..will we ever be  safe from the hunter's presents?

There followed a rat chase around the kitchen with the rat yet again finding the only door with a less than perfect fit and yet again ending up behind our ceiling high book shelves here in the computer room.  Long story short..the rat was eventually caught with the inept and very funny help of Pippi (now I'm 100% sure  she has very poor eyesight) and I managed to get to the gym in time.

The sequelae of this event are: the book cases are now in another room, the pantry floor is now clear of all recycle-able bags which have been recycled, the main door is going to have security doors added so we can get fresh air in but keep rat-carrying cats out and Flea has been told he's for the chop if he continues bringing me that sort of Xmas present.

My boxing session was brilliant and I was wasted by the end with my arms feeling as though they were  about to drop off , but it was a really good work out. I also got to actually get into the boxing ring, discovering that the floor was indeed made of canvas.  We only went into it in order to get some space, not to do anything really pugilistic...I'm not sure I could ever contemplate actually hitting anyone. 

My trainer does have a bit of a problem though since I'm a natural  south paw..! (or cackhanded or a mollydooker  although both of these monikers denigrate those  of us lucky to be left handed).  I've learned the jab, cross, hook and uppercut and forget  100% of the time to keep my elbows in and my hands up by my face.

I'm going to have to put my contacts in for the next session as my glasses kept sliding down my nose... giving me an interesting juxtaposition of  the old fashioned looking-over-the-glasses appearance while punching the living daylights out of a heavy bag.   It's quite difficult pushing them back up with taped up  hands inside  boxing gloves.


The taped hands bizzo worked well (mine are red) although my hands a just a bit sore today.



Saturday's ride was to be hilly so I set off to do the 1 in 20 loop. Its a while since I've been  there and rather than just grinding my way up to the top  I decided to assess my hill fitness by doing a 20 minute test..ie from the start line by the cafe in The Basin at the bottom of the climb as far as I could, riding tempo, in 20 minutes.  I rode tempo spinning a low gear and  was short of my all time record by about 200m.

I was about 10 minutes in to my ride when hurtling down towards me at warp speed  and in a really low tuck was what initially I took to be  pro cyclists in  that position they take up on really steep descents. A poompteenth of a second later, as they passed me, I realised they were leathered and helmeted up and  were on skateboards.  WOW!...were they moving!





Later on as I in my turn sped downhill (at less than warp speed but still satisfyingly fast), carefully checking behind me before pulling out to take the correct line on left hand turns, I had the dubious pleasure of  coming nearly face to face with  a motorcyclist  on my side of the road and over double white lines, passing a car on a blind corner...yet another impatient idiot with a death wish.

Sunday
Not sure yet, but the forecast isn't good so I suspect an ergo session is on the cards along with decorating the Xmas tree.

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