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Eddy Merckx and The Man With the Hammer by Jan Cleijne

I just started throwing pebbles in the ocean of life to see how far the ripples reach. I have an idea of where I'd like to be, but don't really have a clue or care how I get there. I am a blank slate. Deconstructed and abstract. My stats: 5'2" Female Medium build 155lbs No major known detrimental health problems/limitations No prescriptions Time wasting at work. Summer is so quiet. Quite nice. Let's me think and focus on me. The days are as slow as molasses but I don't care. Let's me practice living in the present and be alone with my thoughts except for the occasional beggar. DAY ONE of logging my pebble ripple journey thing at least here. I've been doing lots of logging elsewhere, but this will be way more personal. Way more public. Way more uncomfortable. I have been calorie counting for a couple of months now. Only finding it is more difficult and way less healthy and less effective than the low carb way of eating I've experimented with. I am never satiated and always grumpy and obsessing over the scale. I found if I eat more than 900 calories, I gain weight. Definitely going back to low carb ---- meats and veggie---- this coming week. Oooh Assasin's Creed theme music is playing on my Pandora. Will I play the game tonight? Maybe, maybe not. I have too much to do to get sucked into 18th century France again forever eating away at my life and the summer's waning days. Sorry, squirrel moment. Today, I had a sausage biscuit with cheese at McDonald's. Damn little things are too addicting to be real. It may not be my last but will certainly be for the next month at least if not more unless by some magical pill the very thought of them makes me sick. I had half a serving of Noosa mango yogurt for lunch. Yumm Just finished half a serving of Atkins Dark Chocolate Royale Shake. I have not eaten enough today obviously, and yes I'm feeling the effects. Emotionally down and weak and mushy brain. It is my work out day. I'll eat a nice piece of chicken breast and drink some hot green jasmine tea after my workout. That will help. My workout will consist of the following: Chuck Norris' Total Gym Machine Thingy 3 sets 12 repetitions seated bicep curls seated chest presses Body and Free Weights 3 sets and 12 repetitions squats with two 25lb dumbbells good mornings with one 25lb weight Boxing 4 -45 second rounds punching the punching bag and walk/run on the treadmill to the highest intensity possible Outside Walk around the neighborhood with the dog (1/2 a mile maybe??? not sure, never measured). My fiancé and I do this together and alternate our sets in our little makeshift gym at home listening to the loudest angriest music to keep motivated and going strong throughout the entire workout. Definitely going to have to add a little something to the routine next week, as I am no longer sore after the workout. Still feels good though. I'll let my fiancé do the planning. He is the coach after all with the exercise science degree. I don't have a clue what to do next. Suggestions welcome! Well, that be all for now. I'll see to it that I track my day again tomorrow. A practice - in self-discipline.

For this challenge I'm going back to basics, back to the most effective program I've tried. To be honest, I believe it's effective for me only because I've followed it consistently, whereas anything else I've tried has been hampered by exercise ADHD and a lack of follow through. Here's the program: On Monday, I'll do this On Tuesday I'll do this On Wednesday I'll do this On Thursday I'll do this On Friday I'll do this On the weekends I'll do this In other words I'll also do some of this And this Or this

July 30, 2016. Wausau 24 Mountain Bike Race - 6 hour category. Goal: Top Ten. This is not me. This has never been me. I've done a lot of bike races in the last 27 years. Literally hundreds. I've never podiumed. Never won a prize. Last year at Wausau 24 I went out hard, but I never really pushed it. I was riding for fun, for the challenge. Had I pushed it a little harder, I could have ridden another lap and that would have put me in the top ten and the race podiumed and gave a nice prize bag to the top 10. This year I am going out hard. This year I'll be prepared. GPP: This time of year I have little time to actually ride a bike. This challenge will be the General Physical Preperation phase. I'll use sledgehammers, kettlebells, and maybe sandbags to get a little stronger and build a little endurance. The goal is to train five times a week doing a circuit of KB swings, Shovelglove, and racked lunges. I'd also like to add in sandbag clean/squat/press a couple of times a week. Aerobic Base: I'll maintain my aerobic base with tire pulling, rucking, and, when the stars align, a little biking. Mobility: My hips are the key to a better life. They're too tight, that leads to my back going out (keeping me from training), prevents me from pedaling efficiently, and impairs my bike handling. If I'm serious about this race, I need to be serious about my hips. I'll gladly take suggestions here - my hip flexors and psoas need to relax. Hara hachi bu: If my weight goes above 175# I get sluggish and slow. If it drops below 165# I get weak. I have a few dietary restrictions due to my bad belly and formerly high blood pressure. Trying to eat cleaner or to restrict calories feels like too much deprivation and I can't sustain it. The first part of last challenge I had good results with hara hachi bu, which means eat until you are 80% full. I usually went to 90%, but being mindful kept me from over eating. This Old House: Our house has a honey-do list that is several pages long. It's time to start ticking some of these off.