Mortimer's battle logs.

[Mortimer]

I got stressed at work (number of things to do atm) so I have to unhappily report I binge ate the festive goodies. Oops ><

 

I can try go to other branches of cheapo gym but I doubt they have a squat rack either. Bench press I've generally been doing it on a bench with barbells should the bench press be used. Unless I go for free weights goblet squats instead, but it means I'll be down to half my load at least. Probably more since I can't handle that much weight in front. 

[Mortimer]

Ran for 43 min on hilly terrain at a 6'30 pace

Burnt about 300 calories or so? But at least I managed to be one of the faster runners for the slowest group. Haven't totally gotten out of shape yet. 

 

Back to the rebellion saying, you cannot outrun your fork. Or I could possibly make an attempt of it, but I'd rather not since my half marathon is this Sunday. It'd drain precious stamina. 

[Mortimer]

Breakfast:
1.6 cups of almond milk
300g okra fried with an onion 

Cashew nut chicken zucchini boat 

 

Did 48 push ups (16/set) and 30 hanging leg raises (10/set) and took a break on the last set for hanging leg raises. Also did 30 burpees. 

 

Usual decoction:
1 tablespoon fennel and cumin, 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

 

Lunch:
150g cauliflower
150g lotus root
10g sesame seeds
90g sesame chicken
20g hulled pumpkin seeds

 

Joined local Hiits group. 

 

Afternoon snack:

Apple

Peach

Some salty festival goodies. Murkul (guess its the dahl version of potato chips) 

 

Dinner part 1:

Some cauliflower rice fried with shrimp and egg

[Mortimer]

Dinner part 2:

200g fish

150g xiao bai cai fried with 60g duck

A sweet potato in soup with 90g of pork ribs 

30g roasted duck

[Mortimer]

Busy day yesterday celebrating Fiancé birthday. 

 

Breakfast:
1.6 cups of almond milk
300g okra fried with an onion 

One cashew nut chicken zucchini boat

Usual decoction:
1 tablespoon fennel and cumin, 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

3 sections of pomelo 

 

3x 15 box jumps 
Han solo shuttle run, 6 sets of 20 s run, 10 s rest
 Jabba the Hutt chokes:
3x10 body weight rows, took a break on the last set
 Chewbacca carries:
Hauled 10 kg tool box no issies
 Force push ups:
 4x8 plyometric push ups, had to rest between sets.
Force choke: no breaks 

Skipped Luke Handstands. Didn't have time. 

 

Lunch:

220g ribeeye steak

Tomato and cucumber salad

Sautéed mushrooms 
One scoop of chocolate ice cream

 

Afternoon snack:

Half. Bag of popcorn and half a chocolate banana pie from mc donalds

 

Dinner:

50g steamed fish

200g steamed chicken with ginger sauce (skin included) 

Quarter a head of iceberg lettuce

30g brocolli, 2 shiitake mushrooms

Half a bowl of fish maw soup 

[Mortimer]

For some non fitness related activities... 

 

Me playing part of everytime by Britney spears:

 

 

 

Still haven't figured out the notes for the refrain:

 

"I may have made it rain

Please forgive me
My weakness caused you pain
And this song's my sorry" 

 

Oh doh they don't let me record. Gah. 

 

Never mind there Google drive. 

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fiKjEto8HbTg5SohsCPcThgQbgK0OVzB/view?usp=drivesdk

 

 

[Mortimer]

Breakfast:

300g okra

1.6 cups of almond milk

 

Lunch:

300g cauliflower 

2 eggs

70 g chicken breast

50g canned tuna

50g French beans

1 banana 

Remainder of 4 hulled zucchini 

 

Did about a 16 min jog, I have a half marathon in about 14h time and am working on principles of energy conservation. 

[Mortimer]

Dinner:

Half a chicken (Samsung health indicated I lacked proteins...) 

30g brocolli

20g carrots

 

Did snack on a couple of chocolates because I opened the fridge and failed a will save. And also kinda because I promised I'd help clear the fridge. 

[aramis]

10 hours ago, Mortimer said:

, I have a half marathon in about 14h time

I don't want to jinx it, so I wont say anything... but you know... 

[Mortimer]

Thanks. 

 

I did runners yoga last night to help relax but last night's rest wasn't that restful. I put it down to pre race jitters. 

 

Anyway not the best of races(100 burpees every alternate day does not substitute very well for run training-my left knee started giving problems at 12km then I was cussing this is going to be a long run), but I finished the Great Eastern Half Marathon in 2h 21 min, not sure how many seconds. 

[Mortimer]

And of course since it's my strength training day, no I don't give myself a break. 

 

Jedi high jumps:

3x 15 squat jumps (deliberate drop in difficulty due to half marathon) 
Han solo shuttle run, 6 sets of 20 s run, 10 s rest - seriously expecting me to run after a half marathon? Sorry I gotta pass on that. 
 Jabba the Hutt chokes:
3x10 body weight rows(waist height) , took a break on the last set
 Chewbacca carries:
Will do later
 Force push ups:
 4x8 plyometric push ups, had to rest between sets.
Force choke: 3 breaks, should have hung on monkey bars instead. 
Luke Handstands: 4 breaks for 5 min. I'm pretty crap once I've done my long distance run. 

 

On the bright side, I found another bunch of monkey bars and swung myself across them. I was pleasantly surprised I could do it after running a half marathon. But I think these bars are easier since they're very grippable and not too far apart. 

On hindsight I should have tried showing off in front of another lady and her kid(but I was afraid I'd fall off inglamorously since that was what happened the last time I tried to do monkey bars after 20 km) =P

 

 

Breakfast: 

Curry tuna zucchini boat

Some wedding candies (one salted bean pastry and a piece of a sweet bean pastry) 

 

Morning snack after half marathon:

One sugar roll(free gift from marathon organizers) 

One sausage and cheese bun(free gift from marathon organizers) 

One apple

One boiled egg

One slice of Cheddar cheese

One banana

 

No, you do not put food in front of someone who's just run a half marathon. Everything goes I'll tell you. 

 

Seriously why can't those organizers give healthier stuff like dates/almonds/Figs? They were even giving out ice cream sandwiches which I passed on. 

[Mortimer]

Half marathon post mortem:

-Lack of training 

-Training routes for long distance runs were too flat(did not sufficiently prepare me for elevation increases). I can do short but sudden increases in elevation(since I run up the hill near my workplace for fun during lunch), but all those long, but gradual inclines and declines I think messed up with my knee. 

-I started too fast. Should have known better to think I could keep ahead of the 2:15 group (I did manage till about 13 km mark) when my usual pace is around 6'45/km by using caffeine and during race adrenalin (you usually run faster during the race then your practice runs). 

[aramis]

Congrats 

Don't stress over time, you always can train more and do better next time. But in my book, running over 20km in one go is quite an achievement on it's own  

 

2 hours ago, Mortimer said:

why can't those organizers give healthier stuff

Because cookies are cheaper?

 

2 hours ago, Mortimer said:

post mortem

There, there Morty, the run wasn't THAT bad, was it  

 

Seriously, in my opinion it is really big thing running this distance. You are awesome  

[Mortimer]

Finished my Chewbacca carries. Yeah dad's tool box is still liftable if more tiring then usual. 

 

I've been spoilt by my previous runs, Aramis. For my first 5k, I also performed better on race day as opposed to practice and same for Shape 10k.(In practice you'll never see me volunteering to run 10k under an hour. I'll tell you gimme 65 min so). 

 

What I was not so happy about was getting my left knee complain on me at the 12 km mark, because even on my very first 21k attempt, it happened at the 14km and not 12km. I can't attempt longer distances or improve on my timing unless I get my left knee problem ironed out. And as for the last practice run(2 weeks back) , it only happened at 19 km. I thought with stretching every km or so I could delay or even stop the onset until after the race. As it is I had a very uncomfortable 9k to push through on a complaining left knee. Towards the last 2k, I did widen my stride and it felt more comfortable on my knee, but it came at a price - I was finding it difficult to breathe(under pushing hard mode) - could be due to my mouth getting too dry (WTF? That's never happened before, and I had to slow down further). 

 

FYI - this is my full ramp sequence 

 

Taking it slow and easy- double inhale, single exhale through nose

Faster pace - double inhale through nose, single exhale through mouth 

Reasonably fast but still comfortable pace -double inhale, single exhale through mouth 

Pushing hard - single inhale and exhale through mouth 

 

But ya probably need to do more long run research to figure what exactly triggers this kind of thing. I suspect one of the reasons may be going too fast at the start. Hubris Mortimer, hubris...

 

Even if you can, doesn't mean you should for long distances because it may bite you in the back at the later part of the race. 

[Mortimer]

Shape run gave dates. Which I promptly made into date bread. They were offering date milk at the race village but I decided against it since I thought I'd help my in laws clear up some cheese. Which I did gobble a slice of, drawing some funny looks when I ate it without bread. Again trying to Paleo, so... 

 

Lunch:

400g turnip

230g French beans

One eggplant 

150g salmon. 

 

Yep, I made a dry curry stir fry and enjoyed every minute of it. 

 

But I suppose the timing isn't really that bad for a first time half marathoner...

 

https://thewiredrunner.com/what-is-a-good-half-marathon-time-for-beginners/

[Mortimer]

 

Did 30 min runners yoga. I have a local run group to catch tomorrow! I'd you know, better be able to run... 

 

Dinner:

Half a chicken breast

2 chicken legs

1 chicken wing

200g xiao bai cai stir fried with 70g chicken breast

100g oyster mushroom soup

Some pineapple

 

Da fark, I clocked 44,879 steps today? Other then half marathoning... Eh well I had to walk half an hour to the run venue and another half an hour back, then there was some walking involved to get to the restaurant where we'd be having our wedding to do some table arrangement and planning matters... 

[aramis]

4 hours ago, Mortimer said:

44,879 steps today?

WHAT!?!?!?! My highest was 18K steps, but it was all day long patrolling at airsoft event... 

[Mortimer]

3 hours ago, aramis said:

WHAT!?!?!?! My highest was 18K steps, but it was all day long patrolling at airsoft event... 

Let's assume I have a cadence of 160 steps per minute (not a bad estimate - since you can see my previous long distance run records) and I ran for 2h 21 minutes (or 141 minutes), that would make 22560 steps in total already. Then you add assorted walking (because I'd druther walk then drive to places - parking is a bitch down here), it starts adding up. 

 

Also what fitness device are you using to track your steps? Usually handphone apps get less steps then a wrist worn tracker. 

 

BTW I am not going to be able to run today. Knees still dodgy. Will get my swim gear and go for a swim.  Can't be sitting around doing nothing, will get fat ><

 

Breakfast:

1.6 cups of almond milk with cinnamon powder

300g of okra fried with curry powder and an onion

3 eggs

26g spinach

1 cup of jackfruit 

[Mortimer]

I've bought myself climbing shoes and harness. Next stop will be to get myself to the climbing gym for membership. 

[aramis]

12 hours ago, Mortimer said:

I ran for 2h 21 minutes (or 141 minutes), that would make 22560 steps in total already

Okay, this makes sense. When you said

21 hours ago, Mortimer said:

44,879 steps today? Other then half marathoning...

I guessed you did 44k steps BESIDES the run. 20K a day is perfectly doable if you walk much. When I was on my vacation, my wife did two or three days over 20K steps. I did on those days around 15K, but I'm 193cm and she is 164cm, so length of stride does the difference  

[Mortimer]

While we were on vacation both of us clocked like 20-30k steps per day and my BF said I was torturing him with all that walking. Pah. I found that walking even when coupled with my morning workout relaxing, he needs to toughen up

 

And yes, by your standards I'm a midget since I'm even shorter then your wife lol. But again, Asian. 

 

Usual decoction:
1 tablespoon fennel and cumin, 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

Lunch:
150g cauliflower
150g lotus root
10g sesame seeds
90g sesame chicken
20g hulled pumpkin seeds

 

Did a 20 min swim. Was practicing a new way of doing frog style with the glide, and also doing dolphin style (frog style for arms, butterfly style for legs), so I didnt try to cover the usual 1 km. Just did 500m.

[aramis]

7 hours ago, Mortimer said:

by your standards I'm a midget

Heh... to be honest - by my standards most people are midgets even here. 

By this map average height in Poland and Singapore isn't that different. For women it's 164cm vs 160cm, and for men 177cm vs 173cm. But again, I'm way above average  

[Mortimer]

Dinner:

200g steamed fish

40g groundpork

40g fish paste 

Half a fish cake 

3 quail eggs

100g mushrooms

200g bok choi

 

Yes its overeat but my mom apparently thinks I need refeeding after a half marathon. Technically well, the issue is that after a half marathon, my physical activity decreases due to necessity as I wait for myself to recover, so it gets a calorific surplus esp after I did not manage to go running yesterday. 

 

There's really quite limited range of exercise you can get not involving knees =(

 

Breakfast:

1.6 cups of almond milk

300g okra fried with an onion 

One curry tuna zucchini boat 

 

Usual decoction:

1 tablespoon fennel and cumin, 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

 

Lunch:

150g cauliflower

150g lotus root

10g sesame seeds

90g sesame chicken

20g hulled pumpkin seeds

 

Dinner

150 g cauliflower

150g lotus root

 

Did nerd fitness star wars work out broken into 2:

 

Jedi high jumps:

3x 15 box jumps 
Han solo shuttle run jog, 6 sets of 20 s run, 10 s rest
Jabba the Hutt chokes:
3x10 body weight rows, took a break on the last set
 Chewbacca carries:
Hauled 10 kg tool box no issues
 Force push ups:
 4x8 plyometric push ups, had to rest between sets.
Force choke: one break
Luke Handstands: 2 breaks for 5 min. 
 

 

[Mortimer]

Dinner part 2:

50g duck with skin

40g pork belly

50g char siew(Chinese roasted pork) 

 

Breakfast:
1.6 cups of almond milk
300g okra fried with an onion 

16 grapes

4 eggs, 39 g chopped spinach 

 

Then it was back up the hill, 30 burpees and back down. 

 

Paused timer on burpees. 

 

Usual decoction:
1 tablespoon fennel and cumin, 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

Lunch:
150g cauliflower
150g lotus root
10g sesame seeds
90g sesame chicken
20g hulled pumpkin seeds
 

[Mortimer]

Dinner(hotpot buffet with friends) :

 

I tried to avoid the ice cream bar, grabbed as many green leafy vegetables and mushrooms as I could. 

 

Estimated:

100g pork

100g beef

A chicken leg

50g enoki mushrooms

One chicken leg

100g of bok choi

50g cabbage

 

Technically still overeating. The problem is my physical activity has decreased (because my mom doesn't allow me to wake up at 5-5.30am to exercise, citing I need more sleep, then my nights are filled with dinners(which means I skip a workout), so the only time I get to work out is during lunch. 

 

Doing nerd fitness star wars work out, left with force push and Luke Handstands and Han solo runs left, will post results when done. I have to do the inverted rows, dead hangs and farmers carry at home, since my office area doesn't have equipments for it. If I do box jumps at home, I get to use the bed which is thigh height because I'm too chicken to jump up an actual thigh height wall, god knows why.