I offer photographic proof that I have indeed entered the Urbathon:
Today was a quick gym session because I had to do a work thing at 8. So I had my first go on the Upper Body Ergometer (hand cycle) to take the place of a swim, some treadmill, recumbent bike, and cross-trainer time.
Is it bad I think this is funny? Summer of Our White Male Discontent.
Last week I was being super-good and training well, and then I started feeling a little off-colour. Heartburn, tiredness, general feelings of bleah, so training came to a screeching halt while I tried to work out what was wrong.
Doctor Internet told me it could be acid reflux, boring old heartburn, or pregnancy. Neil said (via text), “I hope it’s not the last one!”, to which I responded, “I hope it’s none of them, thanks for your concern!!!!!”
(As Neil’s mother likes to say, it turned out to be ‘women’s troubles’. PMS is different for me every time, even after two decades of being ‘a woman’ in the reproductive sense.)
So this week it all starts again. We’re signing up to the gym proper and training will begin in earnest with more goes on the treadmill, cross-trainer (and maybe bike). I’ll probably start swimming again next week. I received my Urbathon pack in the mail yesterday and I’m now the proud owner of a chip timer (well, that’s only until the race is over), a water bottle, race number tag, t-shirt (I hear it’s uncool to wear the official race t-shirt), and official Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland sponsorship form.
Offline I’ll be cajoling friends and family to donate to CHSS. Online I’d like people to please send a card (and if you can, a donation) to Brian Hosier, whose details are listed at the top of each and every page of the site from now till October. I hope everyone will consider sending something Brian’s way (best wishes, get well cards, MONEY for treatment) while he fights colorectal cancer and I am keeping his family in mind while I train.
(One of the Hosiers is my sister’s best friend and she’s such a lovely person I couldn’t help but offer to help raise funds for her wee brother while killing myself for the Urbathon.)
Must. Stay. Hydrated.
You know YouTube has jumped the shark when you hear an old dude telling another old dude that he was searching for a particular video on the service the other day (and the other old dude knew what he was talking about).
An extract from Modern Love, a book I’ve never heard of — but it sounds pretty good.
We’re meant to keep our personal and work lives separate — it’s for our own sanity, right? If we mix personal stuff with work stuff we’re likely to get in trouble with the boss. So why is it expected of you to use your personal reputation and relationships in order to get your job done?