Citizen 18ck: Power to the People!

[18ck]

The revolution starts here, and our founding principles, comrades, are these:

 

1 Gun Running

Well, just running, actually. Keep up one long run, two short runs per week and at least one exercise of some type every day, and complete the C25K with Flyer by the end of the challenge. She's about half way through now, so this should be doable, but I won't rush her gammy leg. I also need to find a new goal to aim for - another race, in other words, so I have a bit of direction.

 

2 Arms Dealing

Well, just working on arms, really, and my aim will be to raise my capacity in pull-ups from one-on-a-good-day to three-on-a-good-day

 

3 Deciding who will be first against the wall

Well, not against the wall, actually, but freestanding handstand practice where possible, looking to hit 5 seconds' PB in this 6 week period

 

4 Absorb Propaganda

And generally, be a good citizen. There's an election coming up in my country in about 3 months' time, so the main plank of this will be to try and stay in touch more with politics. I already listen to a couple of global news podcasts, and one US politics weekly, but I for the home front (arguably the most important news) I only listen to the Guardian Politics Weekly. I don't read a paper or watch TV news, so I'm not really as informed as I should be as someone due to wield a voting paper, so I will aim to get a good, solid chunk of news content into my eyes or ears daily, and not all from one source or one political perspective - so The Guardian, the Daily Fail, the FT, the BBC, whatevs, just not via twitter or the Radio 4 comedy shows, which are usually how I find out what's going on.

I'll also be doing some other stuff like volunteering for things, maybe signing up for sponsorship for the race, and marshalling at another a half marathon about 3 weeks in.

 

5 Singing "The Internationale"

Or failing that, facilitating communications with our comrades overseas, say, by learning Portuguese.

 

[Anathema]

Viva la Revolucion!

[18ck]

Day Zero

Hampton Court Half Marathon

Ivo Mozart album. It's a bit Brazilian though.

Observer

[shortstuff]

What kind of things are you looking to volunteer at?

[Everstorm]

I love the theme. Here's to another smashing challenge!

[18ck]

I love the theme. Here's to another smashing challenge!

I have no idea why I chose it. It's based on an old, dodgy sitcom from the 70s that had very little to do with fitness, but.... Well, I dunno.

Anyway, hello again!

[18ck]

What kind of things are you looking to volunteer at?

I'm thinking maybe help out at the club on boat race day, and go to the Good Gym ( https://www.goodgym.org ) and/or Thames 21 ( http://www.thames21.org.uk ) and maybe one or two others. Thanks for asking, actually because writing it down like rhos makes it more concrete and reminds me I'd better make a move....

I'd really like to be a parent helper on a school trip at Flyer's school but taking the day off work would be a big expense (I'm a contractor so no paid leave) so I'll have room leave that to Mrs 18ck, who does it almost every time.

[18ck]

Yesterday was a long cycle, some Push-ups but not enough, flashcards, one newspaper article and some news podcasts. Not great but OK. Today I'm off to the theatre after work so I can't really fit in any exercise. I'll do double Portuguese instead so as not to lose the momentum: book during lunch and flashcards on the train.

[bgvanbur]

Nice set of goals and a good start!

[Terinatum]

Love the 'I'm in the world' goal. Politics is interesting and volunteering is a lot of fun.. usually.

How has the writing of Portuguese been coming along anywho?

Tell the fam we all say hi and want to know how the C25k is coming along.

Glad to have you here as always, my friend.

Cheers

[18ck]

Nice set of goals and a good start!

Thanks!

[18ck]

Love the 'I'm in the world' goal. Politics is interesting and volunteering is a lot of fun.. usually.

How has the writing of Portuguese been coming along anywho?

Tell the fam we all say hi and want to know how the C25k is coming along.

Glad to have you here as always, my friend.

Cheers

Thanks Teri!

Being well informed is depressing though. I mean, look at this asshat:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/nhs/11432344/Astrology-could-solve-crisis-in-the-NHS-says-Tory-MP.html

If I was ignorant I wouldn't have to fill my mind doing with anger that people like him are masquerading as public servants.

Anyway, today I didn't do much that was active. I did my double dose of Portuguese, read the FT cover to cover and ate terrible, terrible food. I can't even tell you what it was because if you read it the calories would get in through your eyes, but the restaurants in the area around the theatre were so expensive that I ended up eating snacks from the bar for dinner and it was pretty bad. Hi ho, well, the running starts again tomorrow. My legs have had long enough to recover.

[18ck]

Oh, and I actually went through Tooting on the train yesterday.

[shortstuff]

Anyway, today I didn't do much that was active. I did my double dose of Portuguese, read the FT cover to cover and ate terrible, terrible food. I can't even tell you what it was because if you read it the calories would get in through your eyes, but the restaurants in the area around the theatre were so expensive that I ended up eating snacks from the bar for dinner and it was pretty bad. Hi ho, well, the running starts again tomorrow. My legs have had long enough to recover.

Tomorrow is a new day!

[Everstorm]

Oh, and I actually went through Tooting on the train yesterday.

[18ck]

Tomorrow is a new day!

True dat

[18ck]

Race pics:

Both feet off the ground (yee-haa!)

Pain Cave

Near the finish line

The reason I'm laughing at that last one is that about 5 metres from the end, one of the spectators had thrown a ten pound note on the floor and they were shouting "Look! A tenner! Pick it up!" at all the finishers. It's a pretty good test of commitment.

[18ck]

So um... No proper run (boo!) but I went to the club and spent an hour lifting heavy things and putting them down with authority. While I was at it, I did a super-set by listening to the economist podcast about the UK two-party system becoming a 6-party system, followed by another podcast about "Finanças Pessoais". Back at home, I listened to the BBC news on Radio4, so I'm doing it OK. It feels a bit lacklustre though. I need to kick my shit up a gear.

[Everstorm]

Nice race photos! I was pretty angry to discover I was not in ANY of the 1000 photos from my last race. You got some good ones, though.

[Hornbeam]

Go, Wolfie.

[bgvanbur]

2/3 good race photos is good odds!

[18ck]

Go, Wolfie.

Blimey - You look too young to remember it!

[18ck]

Nice race photos! I was pretty angry to discover I was not in ANY of the 1000 photos from my last race. You got some good ones, though.

2/3 good race photos is good odds!

It was a good crop this time - I was in 21 shots! The camera loves, me, darlings!

[18ck]

New favourite snack: Sliced apple dipped in cashew nut butter. Om nom nom!

[18ck]

Today: circuits (ouch! I usually have 2 days between weights and circuits but it was only one this week and god did I feel the difference!) Political podcasts (boo! lazy! Use your eyes!) from the Spectator and Radio 4, Portuguese Flashcards. What were my other goals again?

 

By the way, C25K should have resumed yesterday because Flyer's leg was better. But tragedy struck when she had a collision with another girl in the PE lesson and now she has a big graze and a huge bruise on her knee so I don't know when we'll be starting again. She didn't even go to dance class today, which is pretty serious!