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no more mr fat guy

the og nmmfg

This is the copied blog archive from the no more mr fat guy years: the posts that came before, overlapped with, and eventually fed into Hearts Across Australia.

Posts748
First date21 Jan 2012
Latest date19 Dec 2017
Gallery media61
Videos57

Blog archive

748 posts

2017

19 Dec 2017 / journal, running, triathlon

that was the year that was

yes I know there’s still just under two weeks left in 2017, but I’m feeling in a bit of a reflective mood. 2017 was an interesting year, I started out with 75km (out of 100km) for the Australia Day Ultra, I got...

13 Sept 2017 / Gary Wilmot

sometimes, it seems, life has a way of gently pointing…

sometimes, it seems, life has a way of gently pointing us in the right direction and teaching us a lesson… that’s how I am choosing to interpret my recent flu/cold, and subsequent lack of training… why do I say...

19 Apr 2017 / journal, running

gcam training day 3

With the triathlon Novice Course now completed, the focus has shifted to the next goal; Gold Coast marathon. I decided a while back that I wanted to give myself the best possible chance of a good run there, and...

18 Apr 2017 / running, triathlon

the long good tri-day

I’d like to say it was planned all along however, just like so many adventures and experiences, it just sort of came together its own way. What am I talking about? My active easter long weekend of course… it st...

12 Apr 2017 / musings, running, triathlon

beyond the ninth wave

“Wave after wave, each mightier than the last, Till last, a ninth one, gathering half the deep And full of voices, slowly rose and plunged Roaring, and all the wave was in a flame” Tennyson “Idylls of the King:...

31 Mar 2017 / musings, running, triathlon

race of destiny

The title of this post comes from a song I have recently stumbled on, along with the lyrics of that song, it seems apt, if not a teeny bit melodramatic… In just 2 days from now, I will be taking part in my firs...

21 Mar 2017 / journal

off to a flying start

a decent start to things was made yesterday. amongst everything else, I started to sketch out a rough plan of how I might fit things in. one of the key decisions was to aim to get back in the habit of going to...

20 Mar 2017 / musings, running, triathlon

week zero, day one

“What is Week Zero?”, I hear you ask… Well, basically it’s me making a start on the next chapter/phase/era before making a start on the next chapter/phase/era 🙂 Not quite a preparation week, and yeat also not...

20 Mar 2017 / musings, running, triathlon

thirty three months

it’s been mentioned before on this blog; after the achievements of 2015, there has definitely been a period of adjustment, recovery, and really just re establishing routines and getting back into the swing of t...

13 Feb 2017 / journal, running, triathlon

not feeling flat anymore

the title for this post has a double meaning. firstly it’s a reflection of how I am feeling, how re energised and excited I am to be mixing up the training. I’ve obviously recovered from the ultra, and am now e...

7 Feb 2017 / journal, running, triathlon

i am not a fish

yesterday and today are two very contrasting days; last night saw me in my comfort zone, a club running session at Perry Lakes involving a warm up, stretching, drills and then a 2km time trial (which will act a...

6 Feb 2017 / journal, running, triathlon

snakes, ladders and bricks

so just over a week ago I started the 10 week novice course with the Perth Triathlon Club – this marked the start of a new phase in training, new goals and a new chapter in my personal story. I have to say that...

28 Jan 2017 / musings, running

new beginnings

it’s funny how things come together and work out; just the other day I was talking about how this amazing adventure started five years ago, and prior to that, talking about how triathlon training, and ultimatel...

24 Jan 2017 / musings

five years

when I headed down to Australind on Friday, when we set up the “Hearts Across Australia” base camp, when I went to the registration desk and got my race bib… I was completely oblivious to an amazing fact. on th...

24 Jan 2017 / musings, running

and now for my next trick…

so the dust is beginning to settle, and the legs are beginning to function again… and as is usually the case after an event or milestone, the brain is working overtime… where to next? what’s the next challenge?...

22 Jan 2017 / musings, running

why do we do it?

Yesterday, I took part in the Australia Day Ultra down at Australind. It’s the third year for this event, and my third year being part of it. Today I am sore, tired, struggling to walk normally and feeling sun...

2016

28 Dec 2016 / journal

the final countdown

Looks like the final weeks of training are determined to contribute to ultra maranoia… this week (week 29) started with a missed training session yesterday. Fortunately it was “only” a 4km run, so not a huge lo...

28 Dec 2016 / journal

week 28 ends

so Christmas week was a bit of a mixed bag – after taking a tumble on Wednesday, I skipped training on Thursday due to the after effects of the stack (that familiar battered feeling). Then on Christmas Eve, the...

21 Dec 2016 / journal

traditional pre-event stack

I wasn’t really looking forward to today’s training, but once I started running i actually felt surprisingly good; the legs were still a little tired from the weekend, but overall I didn’t feel too bad at all!...

20 Dec 2016 / journal

week 28 commences

as the rest of the world gears up for Christmas, I commence the first of two 75km weeks. Thanks to the timing of Australia Day Ultra, my peak training weekends are Christmas and New Year… my taper starts on Jan...

31 Oct 2016 / musings

just be happy

it was just over a year ago that I returned to Perth, and with 12 months to process everything that has happened, I finally feel as though a fog of some kind has lifted; there is a renewed clarity and understan...

25 Oct 2016 / journal

25 oct 2016 – we are australian

there’s not much else I can talk about today, because I am simultaneously excited, overawed, overwhelmed and pinching myself. later today I will be part of the athlete’s parade, at the welcoming ceremony of Per...

21 Oct 2016 / journal

21 oct 2016 – roar

in case you wonder about the music videos… it’s something I did with my daily journal posts originally, and will either be a favourite song that comes to mind, something long forgotten that pops into my head, a...

20 Oct 2016 / journal

20 oct 2016 – firestarter

the observant among you will have noticed a few things about food and training lately: they are back on track my runs have been kept in the aerobic zone I am skipping less and being more consistent I think a lo...

19 Oct 2016 / journal

19 oct 2016 – the end

sadly not had too much time for journal updates lately, though I have now made some code changes to embed strava links and maps in these posts… now if only My Fitness Pal would provide similar embed capability…...

16 Oct 2016 / journal

16 oct 2016 – moon shadow

well that was a busy week, generally stayed on track with training and eating, and now finishing the week with a 12km night trail run (last night) and a scheduled 26k run to squeeze in at some point today. a fe...

13 Oct 2016 / journal

13 oct 2016 – this is what you came for

busy day again today, still not being consistent with the walk breaks and hydration, however there is definitely progress being made, with habits and routines being tightened up and brought back into line, trai...

11 Oct 2016 / journal

11 oct 2016 – listen

another day that started pretty well – woke feeling reasonably refreshed and definitely feeling a positive impact from doing my runs at an easier pace. will keep that up for a few weeks, then start pushing the...

10 Oct 2016 / journal

10 oct 2016 – don’t speak

so I guess this is week 2 of tightening up the routines and habits – and it got off to a great start with a light / recovery session at the gym. a total of about 2.5km on the rowing machine, interspersed with s...

3 Oct 2016 / journal

03 oct 2016 – rip it up and start again

so today was my first day back on lite n easy – if you’re wondering why, the answer is simple; it makes it very easy for me to get portion control right, ensure a good balanced food intake, and start making pro...

18 Aug 2016 / running

perth trail series: half truth 25km

where do I start? 4 days after completing this event, I finally have the energy to write about it… it was tough! I had signed up because I need to get some trail running in ahead of Six Inch in December, and mo...

21 June 2016 / journal

a week of good news

there’s been a bit of a delay getting this update online, however I am very pleased to report that week 1 of training went without a hitch! it’s actually not really week 1, I just got itchy running feet, and co...

13 June 2016 / journal

monday monday

so today is monday, and today is the first day of this new era/chapter/phase/cycle/etc… the start of a 30 week training program (extended to 32 weeks, by doing weeks 1 and 2 twice each, because I am impatient l...

12 June 2016 / journal

running with mona

today i ran with australian distance running legend, Steve Moneghetti. as many others have quipped, i won’t mention the fact that this is only true in as much as we ran on the same course! the course in questio...

9 June 2016 / journal

a new dawn?

“It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, it’s a new life for me. And I’m feeling good” Nina Simone, Feeling Good we have been here before, other false dawns, but this week feels different. time to start a new chapter....

7 June 2016 / musings

let the fires burn inside

a scary thing happens when you start listening to your heart, many scary things in fact. you start finding yourself in places you never imagined, starting finding yourself outside of the comfort zone. you start...

27 May 2016 / musings

fading away

been while between posts, and in reality this one has spent quite a while developing and taking shape in my mind… the reason for the theme of “fading” is simple; it’s a very good way to describe how I’ve felt s...

14 Apr 2016 / journal

early morning silence

you know you’re back on track when you’re awake, out the door and finished your training session before the sun rises. a nice 5 x 1km intervals session this morning. 6:00 per km target pace with 60 second rest...

6 Apr 2016 / journal

dreaming wildly

in my usual 60 seconds “pitch” at leads2business this morning, i touched on the topic of losing mojo and refreshing motivation. for me, or so it seems, the cure is to be physically active, outdoors, and in touc...

4 Apr 2016 / journal

comfortably numb

it’s taken a while, but this morning i finally realised the full degree of my stagnation. having ripped a pair of jeans and struggled with a 6km easy pace run at the weekend, the tightness of my once loose work...

24 Mar 2016 / journal

24 mar 2016 – return of the journal

well it’s been a while, but now seems to be a good time to get the daily journal activity happening again. after several stuttering starts to training, sloggin my way through a 50k ultra with little training, a...

2015

6 Dec 2015 / musings

the pursuit of manliness

“Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!” Rudyard Kipling – If do you wonder when the answer will come? the answer to the question “why don’t I fit in?”, or th...

26 Nov 2015 / musings

look deep into your own heart

“if we could look into each other’s hearts, and understand the unique challenge each of use faces, I think we would treat each other much more gently, with more love, patience, tolerance and care” Marvin J Asht...

8 Nov 2015 / musings

soulful expression

“Dance your Soulful path / and you shall know the magic / of your mind & heart / and all the beauty laughing / to fill your rising self.” ― Jay Woodman it is interesting how slowly and surely, I find myself dra...

30 Oct 2015 / archives

what do you think you can do for me?

“give a man a fish, and you feed him for one day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime” anne isabella ritchie the title of this post is the theme of a message I received from a prospective mentor...

5 Oct 2015 / archives

time for a reboot

I knew it would happen, that the finish line in Brisbane would actually be yet another start line. it’s how it works, how it has always worked ever since that first marathon; each milestone marking the end of a...

2 Oct 2015 / archives

under starters orders

so here’s a phrase that I would never have imagined myself saying; I can’t wait to get back to a proper running training routine! there’s two components to that statement, firstly after 4 months of having a hig...

2 Oct 2015 / archives

the ex fat guy is back!

well it has been a while, my focus was (understandably) on “hearts across australia”, but now that little adventure is over it is time to get some structure and routine back in place, launch some new initiative...

13 Feb 2015 / archives

gotta be innit to winnit :)

gotta be innit to winnit 🙂 Timeline Photos WIN a FREE Coaching Session + A FREE Pair of HOKA’s! This Month – Win a Slow Motion Bio mechanical Running Analysis and feedback + 1 hour consultation on how to get t...

13 Feb 2015 / archives

92… #haa2015 #nmmfg

HAA2015 NMMFG 92… HAA2015 NMMFG Mobile Uploads 92 days to go and here I am, almost a third of the way into my 20km walk to work. And you know what? It may be a slow pace, but the distance has simply become “nor...

12 Feb 2015 / archives

93 days to go…

93 days to go… Mobile Uploads With 93 days to go, before the planned start date of May 16th, and after sharing a bit of my “why” with the @[550624638318041:274:Out of the Box Biz] members last night, I thought...

12 Feb 2015 / archives

great words from bl winner bob

great words from BL winner Bob https://fbcdn profile a.akamaihd.net/hprofile ak xaf1/v/t1.0 1/c24.58.172.172/s100x100/312205 301316589887931 327936573 n.jpg?oh=9d9167a888aa1efbef076298a226c9c5&oe=558E5817& gda...

9 Feb 2015 / archives

do it now :) #nmmfg #makelifeamazing

NMMFG makelifeamazing do it now 🙂 NMMFG makelifeamazing Timeline Photos Un día despertarás y ya no habrá más tiempo para hacer las cosas que siempre has querido hacer. Hazlas ahora.

9 Feb 2015 / archives

free coaching, free shoes, what’s not to like and share? :)

free coaching, free shoes, what’s not to Like and Share? 🙂 Timeline Photos WIN a FREE Coaching Session + A FREE Pair of HOKA’s! This Month – Win a Slow Motion Bio mechanical Running Analysis and feedback + 1 h...

7 Feb 2015 / archives

focus on what you control – you! #nmmfg #makelifeamazing

NMMFG makelifeamazing focus on what you control – you! NMMFG makelifeamazing https://fbcdn profile a.akamaihd.net/hprofile ak xap1/v/t1.0 1/c12.12.155.155/s100x100/65879 10151330308919654 1459786019 n.jpg?oh=ec...

3 Feb 2015 / archives

#haa2015 in the local press :)

HAA2015 in the local press 🙂 Comment News front pages 2015 Latest issue out now and online at http://epaper.inmycommunity.com.au – featuring @[250333335128841:274:Women’s Health and Wellbeing Services – South...

9 Jan 2015 / archives

9th january 2015

early start today, with a 20km walk to work on the schedule. made the mistake of not wearing the new Hokas; the previous pair are still fine for general purpose wear, but really not at their best for 20km of wa...

8 Jan 2015 / archives

8th january 2015

back down the gym this morning and had a much better session – have also (finally) got around to setting things up so I can publish videos from phone to youtube: summary Time got up (today): 04:00 Mood (1 to 5)...

6 Jan 2015 / archives

6th january 2015

down to the gym this morning for a bit of cross training based around on the rowing machine. the really good news is that my left big toe is so well healed and recovered that I could strap my feet into the rowi...

5 Jan 2015 / archives

5th january 2015

day one of the USANA RESETNation challenge, which in my case is resulting in supplementing my Lite n Easy food with USANA shakes & snacks, as well as continuing to take the USANA Essentials multivitamins. it is...

3 Jan 2015 / archives

hearts across australia: how you can be involved

this is it people, 2015 has arrived, it is very much “game on” the planned start date for my trek across (and up a bit) Australia is May 16th 2015, at the time of writing that is 133 days away… there are just t...

2014

31 Dec 2014 / archives

31st december 2014

on the schedule today was a 20 minute run, then a walk later – however… today a friend of mine was running his first ever marathon. not at an official event, no raceday atmosphere or crowd to help him get throu...

31 Dec 2014 / archives

30th december 2014

Getting back on track – managed to get up relatively early and get a decent gym session in summary Time got up (today): 07:00 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5 journal 07:00 – muesli bar, glass water 07:...

12 Dec 2014 / archives

have courage

crossing an ocean requires the courage to lose sight of the shore. embarking on anything worthwhile in life can require the courage to let go of comfort, to loosen our grip on safety rails, and trust in the pro...

11 Dec 2014 / archives

believe in yourself

believe in yourself, believe in your mission, your vision and your purpose… it’s easy to take a knock and let it have an impact beyond what it ought to have. to allow a small deflection to become a u turn. to l...

27 Nov 2014 / archives

slow and sluggish

the week so far can be sumarised as slow and sluggish 🙂 basically the effect of doing 120ks in 4 days has been felt, and amplified by the eventual need to compress a lot of distance into fewer sessions than in...

24 Nov 2014 / archives

4 days, 120ks…

this weekend has been a bit hectic to say the least, and it’s been hard work to fit in time for training, let alone journaling! two big reasons for that; firstly I am now on day four of a “120 kms in four days”...

22 Nov 2014 / archives

back to training journal basics…

daily journaling has fallen by the wayside over the past months, and it particularly went pear shaped once I stopped following a formal training plan, with a specific target race in mind… but now, I’m on about...

20 Nov 2014 / archives

training catch-up

due to various reasons, the training journal has received far less of my attention than I would have liked. so, rather than try and catch up on all the details, I’ll whizz through a quick summary here, and reso...

7 Nov 2014 / archives

100kms in four days: day one

my training focus currently is simply to build up to being capable of running/walking 60km per day, 6 days a week, for 4 months. I have an overall plan, which basically sets a weekly target for total kms, incre...

29 Oct 2014 / archives

big think, big speak, big moment

public speaking… it’s a phrase that strikes terror into the hearts of most people I have met, and it certainly scares me! so why on earth did I add it to the list of things I wanted to do through “no more mr fa...

20 Oct 2014 / archives

hitting the trails

by and large, this week has seen things continue to get back on track. over 50kms have been logged, through a mixture of running and walking, and this is set to steadily climb over the next 6 months. the highli...

14 Oct 2014 / archives

ok, let’s try that again…

it’s been a frustrating few weeks, just as I was getting back into the swing of things, I fell during an event and lost a couple of days as I recovered from that. then just as I was getting into the swing of th...

17 Sept 2014 / archives

breaking through

I struggled this morning, had one of those mental battles that I haven’t had for a while. a small army of potential excuses were lining up in my head, vying to be “the one” selected and used by me. wanting to b...

15 Sept 2014 / archives

week commencing 8th september 2014

week 2 of post op training (6 weeks after op itself), and things continue to head in roughly the right direction, training is getting back on track (with no major issues), eating is good, hydration is good, and...

26 Aug 2014 / archives

“pre-season” week 3 day 1

so yesterday was an epic fail, from the perspective of journaling at least… just so much going on with work, by the time I had eaten dinner last night, I was ready for bed! the day itself was fine; I kept up my...

24 Aug 2014 / archives

“pre-season” week 2 review

so we are now 2 weeks in and things are really starting to fall into place, and issues making themselves abundantly clear. weekend journaling and water intake – these are the issues that need addressing. the pr...

22 Aug 2014 / archives

m is for minion question time

the one where nmmfg talks about 30 day ab challenges and how routines and schedules can help create good, healthy habits…

22 Aug 2014 / archives

2014-08-21: “pre-season” week 2 day 4

so there’s a bit of a theme this week with the weather. wet and horrible! I quite seriously would love to be out running in the rain, but for some reason the idea of walking in it just isn’t appealing to me. es...

22 Aug 2014 / archives

2014-08-20: “pre-season” week 2 day 3

the wet mornings continue, ruling out all walking until it brightened up a bit at lunch time. still, the routines and habits are falling into place – can’t grumble! would be nice to run in the rain though! lol...

20 Aug 2014 / archives

2014-08-19: “pre-season” week 2 day 2

week 2 of “pre season” continued with a lack of early morning walking action… again due to the weather, and while I love running in the rain, walking in it just doesn’t appeal anything like as much! that said,...

19 Aug 2014 / archives

2014-08-18: “pre-season” week 2 day 1

week 2 of “pre season” started with a bit of a damp fizzle… thanks to a combination of an overnight thunderstorm, heavy rain when I woke up, and a preference for staying warm and dry while I try and keep a cold...

18 Aug 2014 / archives

“pre-season” week 1 review

well that was fun! back into it after the op, and it was a really good feeling to be back in training mode, and to have a bit of a structure in place. my journaling and water intake fell apart a little at the w...

15 Aug 2014 / archives

2014-08-14: “pre-season” day 4

day 4 of “pre season” and I’m starting to get in the groove again. alongside these daily journals, I’ll be providing a weekly video, with a a bit of a recap, mised up with tips, advice, answers to any questions...

14 Aug 2014 / archives

2014-08-13: “pre-season” day 3

day 3 of “pre season” – I hope you are all enjoying this at home 🙂 my main thoughts from yesterday were really about structure; mostly how much better I am with a structure in place, and how easy it has been t...

13 Aug 2014 / archives

2014-08-12: “pre-season” day 2

so, here we are. day 2 of “pre season”… my original plan was to incorporate a short video clip each day, just to add a bit of a “vlog” component to this. but a couple of technical issues gave me the opportunity...

12 Aug 2014 / archives

2014-08-11: “pre-season” day 1

this is it. day 1 of the “pre season” lead in to this next adventure… I decided to treat it like a fresh start, because in doing so I feel it recaptures and injects some of the excitement and spirit that was pr...

11 Aug 2014 / archives

the nmmfg lifestyle reboot project

i’m going back to January 2012, armed with the knowledge and experiences of the past 31 months and re launching, treating tomorrow (Monday 11th August 2014) as day 1. last time around I did a “pre season” perio...

20 June 2014 / archives

i is for information

the one where nmmfg talks about why you should be armed with some information, but how you also need to avoid the pitfalls and dangers of information overload…

YouTube thumbnail for H is for happiness.Video
13 June 2014 / archives

h is for happiness

the one where nmmfg talks about lots of happy things and how to live a happy life

11 June 2014 / archives

running a marathon saved my life

Almost 12 months ago I had one of those life changing experiences you hear about every now and then. It wasn’t an “afterlife” experience, though at times I’m sure I felt like I was dying (melodramatic much lol)...

6 June 2014 / archives

“mr fat guy” was a creation of my own self-delusion…

it dawned on me the other day that I hadn’t taken any progress photos for a while, so I took a few selfies to upload to the photo archives page on the website (note to self: still haven’t done that yet) i’m not...

6 June 2014 / archives

g is for gratitude

the one where nmmfg talks about being grateful but not letting that stop you from wanting more…

YouTube thumbnail for F is for feelings.Video
30 May 2014 / archives

f is for feelings

the one where nmmfg talks about why feelings are an important indicator that can tell you whether you are on track or not

20 May 2014 / archives

remember this simple message. never ever give up.

Don’t give up on dreams. Don’t give up on goals. Don’t give up on people, places, experiences, feelings or anything whatsoever that holds a lot of meaning for you. Life will throw things at you, circumstances w...

16 May 2014 / archives

e is for excuses

the one where nmmfg talks about why excuses are just symptoms of more fundamental issues, and how understanding those will cause the excuses to simply melt away

14 May 2014 / archives

following your heart

isn’t it great when you get one of those lightbulb moments, where a connection is made and you discover something that was sitting there all along, hidden in full view? this may seem a little silly, but I just...

5 May 2014 / archives

put passion at the heart of your world

I know to many, this blog and my Facebook page can appear to be about running – and in one respect it is, and I’m very proud and happy to find myself as part of an amazing online running community. But there’s...

1 May 2014 / archives

some much needed rest

Well active rest day 4 became passive rest day – went to bed last night with a headache and feeling like I had a bit of a cold coming. Popped a couple of ibuprofen pills, had a good sleep and woke up later than...

27 Apr 2014 / archives

open for business

I am NOT an internet marketer, so I don’t create sales pages that try to make you feel really bad, and press your emotional buttons until you feel that you simply MUST sign up / purchase from me – otherwise you...

YouTube thumbnail for D is for dream.Video
26 Apr 2014 / archives

d is for dream

the one where nmmfg talks about having dreams and being determined to make them happen

23 Apr 2014 / archives

this is the beginning of the end of the beginning…

it would appear that marathons have a sense of beginning and end to them. that they are such significant achievements, that they act as natural transition points, where you move from one chapter of your life in...

19 Apr 2014 / archives

london calling

a few pics leading up to the London Marathon 2014. Flights, lodgings, parkrun, pre race pasta with my parents, and race day build up itself… some fantastic memories crammed into a few minutes!

19 Apr 2014 / archives

running girl goes to boston

Some pictures and quotes, taken directly from Nic’s “Running GIRL” page, providing a very quick version of her “road to Boston” story. All the very best for Monday April 21st 2014 – from No More Mr Fat Guy, all...

19 Apr 2014 / archives

april thirteenth two thousand and fourteen

It had arrived, this much anticipated day. A day that had been a “secret” dream for so many years. A day that would have defied belief just 6 months earlier. The London Marathon… The day I was to be part of thi...

10 Apr 2014 / archives

it’s beginning to sink in

I wasn’t sure what to write about today – would I simply post about how it was a rest day? would i perhaps write about having one final sports massage to make sure I’m as ready as possible for Sunday? or maybe...

8 Apr 2014 / archives

last “fast” run day

so today I did my final relatively fast run. a couple of kms warming up, 6.5km at a 5:50 6:10 pace, then a short walk and stretch to cool down. it’s starting to sink in. I have one more run on Australian soil b...

7 Apr 2014 / archives

omfg…

it’s happening. it’s really happening. this week. I fly in 3 days. I run in 6. The London Marathon. The London Marathon!!!!!!! Yes, I’m excited. I completed a long slow 16km taper run yesterday, I have 2 more r...

3 Apr 2014 / archives

c is for clarity

the one where nmmfg talks about why it is important to get crystal clear on how you want life to feel, smell, taste, touch and sound…

21 Mar 2014 / archives

running for a reason

1977, I was 8 years old, they were on holiday, staying with their son and his family. staying with my uncle, auntie and cousins. we’d probably seen them a few days before – we saw them regularly. we were all ve...

18 Mar 2014 / archives

the new era starts next week

in a recent Facebook post, I signalled that some changes were coming; essentally picking a theme each week, and using that theme to create content for the “weekly dollop of awesome”, blog posts and the NMMFG TV...

17 Mar 2014 / archives

there are no magical silver bullets

there’s an awful lot written and said, on the internet, in books, via audio programs, about personal development, self improvement. living a happy life. there’s a million and one opinions, some new age, some sc...

11 Mar 2014 / archives

flaws

oh what a difference a few days can make… first things first – my doctor suspects my ab/groin discomfort is due to a possible hernia. that has yet to be verified, and an ultrasound scan on march 24th will hopef...

7 Mar 2014 / archives

learn? but i want to have patience right now!

It’s been an interesting couple of weeks; long run meltdowns and terrible tempo runs, mixed in with highly rewarding relaxed pace runs of varying lengths. All creating opportunities to reflect and, ultimately,...

7 Mar 2014 / archives

be bold, be brave, be strong, live life

today’s daily journal post, and song of the day (from which these posts get their title), was entitled “brave”. and it made me wonder how many of us wish we were braver? brave enough to pursue our passion brave...

6 Mar 2014 / archives

brave

As you will have spotted by now, I often use running as an analogy for other aspects of life – and talk about the lessons that running can teach us… Well today’s lesson has something to do with staying calm, do...

5 Mar 2014 / archives

human

well it’s all been fun and games at NMMFG HQ! the technical issues with recording last week’s video led to me re installing Windows 8 on the laptop. which led to lots of downloads occuring in the background for...

5 Mar 2014 / archives

just relax into the run

“why this? why now? why me?” we’ve all been, said those words, wondered at the way life just seems to insist on testing, breaking and generally giving us a “hard time” yet it seems other people have it easier....

4 Mar 2014 / archives

in search of the mysterious “p” thing

it’s been a while since i wrote something deep, meaningful and personal… that’s mostly because i’ve been focused on training, but also because i’ve been letting a few ideas and thoughts bubble away. with marath...

3 Mar 2014 / archives

a thousand years

after a few weeks of disappointing long runs, I think I poured a lot of energy into getting yesterday’s right, and subsequently spent the remainder of the day recovering lol – so here’s details of both yesterda...

1 Mar 2014 / archives

rude

So today’s schedule said “parkrun” – however, today I was a parkrun volunteer (more on that in a moment) so I ran a relaxed 5km locally before setting off. I didn’t worry about the pace, just relaxed into the r...

28 Feb 2014 / archives

hands on me

Rest day for me today – seems that’s what I’ve been doing all week to be honest – but hopefully it’ll pay dividends further down the track, with the ab muscle slowly healing and a chance this weekend to actuall...

YouTube thumbnail for NMMFG TV episode 20.Video
27 Feb 2014 / archives

nmmfg tv episode 20

the one where nmmfg talks about the positive side of having an injury and why you shouldn’t let experts kill your dreams

27 Feb 2014 / archives

not giving in

soooo, what’s been happening since Monday? well, Tuesday was a second rest day, giving the abs a chance to recover a bit more. but I also met a newspaper photographer in a local park! he took some shots of me r...

24 Feb 2014 / archives

air balloon

so, after sunday’s meltdown, some great support from the facebook minions, fellow runners and coach Jackie… it was time for Monday to roll into town, bringing with it a rest day (to give the ab muscle a chance...

24 Feb 2014 / archives

impossible

OK, so I have left it all day before posting about this morning’s run – because I was annoyed, disappointed, and generally not in a particularly positive place mentally afterwards… The picture below was taken i...

23 Feb 2014 / archives

rather be

so nothing basically happened yesterday – it was a rest day 🙂 in non running terms though, some more donations came in on the london marathon fundraising page (thank you!!), Pension Transfers Direct became the...

21 Feb 2014 / archives

trumpets

I was worried this morning – for some reason I really struggled to sleep overnight, and in the end only managed a total of about 3 broken hours. Worse still was the fact I had speed work on the schedule; not ev...

YouTube thumbnail for NMMFG TV episode 19.Video
20 Feb 2014 / archives

nmmfg tv episode 19

the one where nmmfg talks about the london marathon, generous people and the power of positive thinking

19 Feb 2014 / archives

take me home

A relatively leisurely start to the day, with a trip to the gym at about 4am. Cross training day! With “easy row or bike for 45 to 60 minutes” in the schedule, I opted for a 10k cycle AND 5k row – both activiti...

19 Feb 2014 / archives

if i lose myself

So this morning’s session was 3 x 1.6km intervals. More precisely… 1.6km warm up 1.6km at 5:15 to 5:25 per km pace 400m recovery 1.6km at 5:15 to 5:25 per km pace 400m recovery 1.6km at 5:15 to 5:25 per km pace...

17 Feb 2014 / archives

let it go

today’s “training” was a post race rest day, or “go for a walk”. so I resolved to get off the bus at the far end of town, and have a pleasant riverside walk of a few kms. having woken a bit earlier than planned...

16 Feb 2014 / archives

top of the world

Was really excited about this morning, haven’t raced a proper actual event since November last year! Heading into it I looked at my half marathon time, the 12k city to surf time and the fact I’m now just about...

14 Feb 2014 / archives

you’re mine

I got a Valentine’s Day present from Training Peaks – an email telling me it’s rest day! Unfortunately my brain took a rest as well, so I recorded 20 minutes of video for “no more mr fat guy TV” and then delete...

14 Feb 2014 / archives

dark horse

I wasn’t looking forward to today’s session – I had a networking event on last night and didn’t get to bed until after midnight. The scheduled training was speedwork; a 7.5km tempo run: 0 – 1.7 K warm up at a c...

12 Feb 2014 / archives

red lights

Wednesday = cross training day = spot of rowing and a chance to weigh myself at the gym… Jackie’s exact instructions were “Cross Train of choice – easy row or bike for 45 to 60 minutes” I woke up early – just a...

12 Feb 2014 / archives

conceive, believe, achieve

Do you believe in “the law of attraction”? Do you believe in the power of setting goals? Do you believe that “what the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve”? No matter how you define it, however...

11 Feb 2014 / archives

best day of my life

so today’s scheduled training was… Warm up for 1.6K at a comfortable pace 800 Meters at 5:00 – 5:15 400 Meter Rest Interval (walk or jog) 800 Meters at 5:00 – 5:15 400 Meter Rest Interval (walk or jog) 800 Mete...

YouTube thumbnail for NMMFG TV episode 18.Video
6 Feb 2014 / archives

nmmfg tv episode 18

the one where nmmfg talks about the lack of silver bullets, the power of telling your story, and wanting everyone to be good to one other

5 Jan 2014 / archives

arms

The results on “My Fitness Pal” yesterday were fairly reassuring. It was a big day in terms of visiting friends, eating, drinking and being merry – but with the 5km run in the morning, I managed to end the day...

3 Jan 2014 / archives

hey jealousy

so the journal continues to be a little neglected, thanks to Christmas, New Year and general holiday activities – and in many ways that “neglect” is being reflected in everyday life too. I’m very happy that I’v...

Floodwater across the old school cross-country course on Christmas Eve 2013.
1 Jan 2014 / archives

out with the old and in with the new

now i’m not one for making new year’s resolutions, but there’s something about a year ending, and a new one beginning, that makes you reflect and look forward. the rise of the personal demons this year was very...

2013

31 Dec 2013 / archives

happy

i’ve had a bit of a thing for long runs this week, and last night I decided to tackle what would be my biggest run in the UK to date, and most likely the longest distance I’m going to run here until the London...

30 Dec 2013 / archives

christmas week catch-up

well it seems like forever since I last sat down and wrote one of these daily journal thingies… I’ve sort of allowed myself time off from it all as part of my Christmas and New Year holiday trip to the UK. not...

16 Dec 2013 / archives

meet me halfway

as promised to myself yesterday, today is a running rest day. so i made a leisurely start to the day, sleeping until about 4am, and feeling thankful that the soreness had seemingly disappeared from my legs. I w...

15 Dec 2013 / archives

girl on fire

last night, I knew today was going to be a long run day. regardless of the parkrun yesterday, and no rest day since last sunday, i needed a long run again. and this time i had set myself a fairly massive goal a...

15 Dec 2013 / archives

running

nice slow start to the day, waking shortly after 4am. with my second time at canning river parkrun on the agenda for the day, that gave plenty of time to have an early breakfast ahead of a (hopefully) fast 5km...

14 Dec 2013 / archives

london calling

well, what a day! I woke up just after 4am, which meant I didn’t have time to run before heading into Perth and recording this week’s video prior to starting work. So I grabbed my running gear, headed in on the...

13 Dec 2013 / archives

firework

was up bright and early this morning, with a run up to King’s Park with Jamie (workmate) on the agenda. in the end it was a solo run; Jamie had texted to say he would be 15 minutes late. unfortunately I didn’t...

YouTube thumbnail for NMMFG TV episode 16.Video
12 Dec 2013 / archives

nmmfg tv episode 16

the one where nmmfg talks about some great running stories and awesomely amazing 2013 has been…

11 Dec 2013 / archives

4ever

my routine appears to have gone out the window over the last couple of days. it may be due to doing parkrun on saturday (then a rest day on sunday), whatever it is, it’s time to get back on track! as noted abov...

8 Dec 2013 / archives

you

saturday is usually a rest day, but that honour goes to sunday this week – today i headed down to my local parkrun! parkrun is something I’ve been meaning to do for a while now, but with saturday being rest day...

6 Dec 2013 / archives

beneath your beautiful

bit of a late start again today. Didn’t wake up until almost 4 o’clock and decided to head in on the early bus as per normal, record the weekly video and THEN do my 8 x 1km repeats. it worked well, was a great...

5 Dec 2013 / archives

05 dec 2013 – little drummer boy

i was very excited when i woke up this morning – as you know, I’ve started doing a bit of early morning running with a work colleague, and this morning’s run was on a route I have covered many times as a luncht...

4 Dec 2013 / archives

04 dec 2013 – firestarter

fairly slow start to the day, with a bit of a lie in and a short, relaxed row at the gym… which of course means, weigh in… I was hoping to finally drop below 112kg, but wasn’t confident to be honest. I’ve been...

3 Dec 2013 / archives

03 dec 2013 – good time

after last thursday’s successful pre work run around the river, Jamie and I decided to make it a regular occurrence each thursday AND tuesday… tuesdays for me currently are 1km repeats, session 2 (i.e. at a fas...

3 Dec 2013 / archives

02 dec 2013 – chasing cars

a bit of a later start for me – an extra hour or so in bed was much needed after yesterday’s efforts. talking of which, i am pleased to report that the only side effect appears to be tiredness, but no soreness....

2 Dec 2013 / archives

01 dec 2013 – addicted to you

addicted to running more like, why else would I get up early on a Sunday morning, with the specific aim of trying to break through the one hour barrier for a 10km run? in all honesty, I completely forgot about...

30 Nov 2013 / archives

30 nov 2013 – reach

saturday is running rest day on the NMMFG schedule, and included a nice leisurely start to the day. while I don’t do too badly in the sleep stakes during the week, it’s always nice to bank a couple of extra hou...

30 Nov 2013 / archives

29 nov 2013 – friday i’m in love

yes, i know, i’ve been a bit of a slacker on the old journal front the past couple of days… a few computer hassles at work and a few other bits and pieces sucked time out of the day like it was going out of fas...

27 Nov 2013 / archives

have some fun with a virtual run down under!

So here’s the deal, how you can have FUN, take your existing running and/or walking to a new level of enjoyment, fun, and rewards… How you can be part of a virtual club, earn rewards, get some “swag” and have s...

26 Nov 2013 / archives

26 nov 2013 – soldier

wasn’t sure how i was going to feel this morning; went to bed last night feeling very tired and drained, knowing that the scheduled training for today was 1km repeats at 5:00 per km pace! luckily i woke reasona...

25 Nov 2013 / archives

25 nov 2013 – warrior

after a weekend full of running, I still managed to wake early, but opted to make today a running rest day. need to give the legs (and the rest of my body) a little break before hitting the 1km repeats tomorrow...

25 Nov 2013 / archives

recent running recap

i’ve been a bit of a slacker on the recap front recently, not entirely sure why. it could quite possibly be because i’ve been giving a fair amount of attention to the “running changes lives” ebook project, and...

22 Nov 2013 / archives

22 nov 2013 – haven’t met you yet

seems to be a week for waking at 3am or just after – which is fine from a “getting plenty of sleep” perspective, but it makes for a compressed/rushed early morning! got an “ok” intervals session in, before head...

21 Nov 2013 / archives

21 nov 2013 – all of me

well it certainly seems like I’m needing the beauty sleep at the moment. another slightly later start meant choosing between a later bus, or a shorter run. I figured i’d see how it went once I hit the streets,...

21 Nov 2013 / archives

20 nov 2013 – young and beautiful

a late night meant a late start for me today, which meant no time for the gym and everything else completely out of whack lol. still, the extra beauty sleep was appreciated, and it’s been a good day for thinkin...

19 Nov 2013 / archives

19 nov 2013 – to the end of the earth

a good night’s sleep, and sleeping in slightly “late” meant I was raring to go for some 1km repeats action this morning. by the time i’d finished them, i was worn out and ready to go back to sleep – and there w...

18 Nov 2013 / archives

18 nov 2013 – change your life

well this weekend provided me with yet more evidence of how much i have changed my life. not only did i take part in my first ever 5k event, i finished it in a time that knocked over a minute off my target time...

15 Nov 2013 / archives

15 nov 2013 – the reason

such a good song, i don’t even need a reason to use it… so today saw an early start, awake just after 2 and raring to go for a run at no specific pace, just what came naturally. legs feeling good, blisters heal...

14 Nov 2013 / archives

14 nov 2013 – bring me to life

slightly earlier start to the day, felt good when i woke up and was raring to go with the intervals. not even the blisters incurred from the weekend were going to stop me! the 1km intervals went well, filling m...

13 Nov 2013 / archives

13 nov 2013 – dream out loud

ah yes dreams – don’t give up on them. even at times when things seem to be working against you. that is the message for today 🙂 i had another relatively late start today (too busy dreaming perhaps?) and put i...

12 Nov 2013 / archives

12 nov 2013 – diamonds

getting to bed slightly later than usual meant a slightly later start, the effects of the weekend’s adventures are still limited to a blister and a little tiredness. in fact, my “base pace” run this morning sta...

11 Nov 2013 / archives

11 nov 2013 – my shadow

woke up feeling surprisingly good after yesterday’s trail adventures! the worst damage is a blister on the back of my left foot. even that didn’t cause any problem while doing a run this morning. it’s making me...

10 Nov 2013 / archives

10 nov 2013 – bonfire heart

and so the day has arrived. my first ever trail run. 15km (approximately) up in the John Forrest National Park. i’m writing this at 3:40am and am simultaneously excited and bricking it. it’s a bush trail, it’s...

9 Nov 2013 / archives

your permission was already granted

“The only permission, the only validation, and the only opinion that matters in our quest for greatness is our own.” Steve Maraboli the idea of giving yourself permission and, more importantly, not seeking perm...

9 Nov 2013 / archives

09 nov 2013 – umbrella

no umbrellas needed here today, in fact i think summer weather is here after the shortest spring in history! but that’s good, it means I can start adding in some laps of the pool to the regular exercise regime,...

8 Nov 2013 / archives

08 nov 2013 – stay the night

wow, I must have needed a good night’s sleep. didn’t wake until almost 5am today. so even if i hadn’t planned to have a rest day, i would have had one! sleep is good, and it all helps with the recovery from the...

7 Nov 2013 / archives

pete “shinno” shinnick

for this month’s sh t sorter file we turn again to Western Australia, for a look at the personal journey of one of the founders of the “Rogue Runners Club Australia”… as I am a “rogue” myself, many of you will...

7 Nov 2013 / archives

07 nov 2013 – hey soul sister

another nice happy tune that popped up on my playlist this morning… and I’m very happy because I actually went out for a little run and felt fine afterwards… that all bodes well for the trail run on sunday, but...

6 Nov 2013 / archives

06 nov 2013 – count on me

a nice happy tune to start the day, particularly as my cold is now starting to go away… yes, that cold finally won the battle, broke through late on Sunday, and took hold during Monday’s seminar (which I subseq...

1 Nov 2013 / archives

01 nov 2013 – sweet dreams

what a difference an early night, full night’s sleep and a relatively late start make! feeling re energised and raring to go. with another rest day tomorrow, that bodes well for the run on sunday! have also jus...

31 Oct 2013 / archives

31 oct 2013 – i can only imagine

“tired” is probably the best way to describe me today. tired when i woke up. tired as i headed out to do my 1km intervals. my legs were tired doing that. then i slept the whole way to perth and was tired when i...

30 Oct 2013 / archives

30 oct 2013 – people like us

so this morning the body rebelled and insisted on a rest day 🙂 it’s actually a good thing. instead of a cross training day i ended up sleeping until just before 4am. having gone to bed at 8:30 last night, that...

29 Oct 2013 / archives

29 oct 2013 – a thousand miles

wow this morning was tough. i woke up about 3am and my body hurt all over. battered, bruised, the blister under my left foot screaming “no, please don’t make me run 1km intervals today”. so i got up anyway, put...

28 Oct 2013 / archives

28 oct 2013 – don’t worry be happy

ok, so good news is that the cough seems to be gone. not so good news – i didn’t write any journal entries over the weekend, again. however… saturday i was doing tough mudder, and sunday i was recovering! i man...

27 Oct 2013 / archives

mud, mud, glorious mud

it seems so long ago that i agreed to join a tough mudder team. the last 6 months have marked so many milestones, heralded in so many changes from the “old me”, that it really seems as though a lifetime has pas...

25 Oct 2013 / archives

25 oct 2013 – wild

so the irritating cough struck again last night, and this time I didn’t wake until 4:15am! today is a running rest day, so I just got on with heading to the office. abs and push ups can be done later… overall i...

24 Oct 2013 / archives

24 oct 2013 – unconditionally

thanks to the irritating cough keeping me awake last night, I didn’t surface until 3:15am today. fortunately it’s a rest day for abs AND push ups. so just the 1km intervals needed doing. but the chesty cough wa...

24 Oct 2013 / archives

big think

today i did something a little different from usual, instead of heading into cubicle land on the early bus, i took a later bus/train journey to an event called “big think”. this event was touted as a half day e...

23 Oct 2013 / archives

23 oct 2013 – fill me up

nice early start today, awake a couple of minutes before 2am in fact, and down the gym about 2:30am which was a bit wasted given that i’m not headed to the office today, but have a workshop / networking event t...

22 Oct 2013 / archives

22 oct 2013 – stronger

bit of a lazy start to the day again, staying tucked up in the warm until about 3:15am – abs and push ups will be done after work again. that was always the plan anyway for today, because i knew i would need al...

21 Oct 2013 / archives

21 oct 2013 – imagine

fully intended to continue the daily journal through the weekend (something I never used to do) and i guess old habits kicked in, and it got forgotten. so to summarise the weekend: saturday i got a reasonable a...

YouTube thumbnail for NMMFG TV episode 8: why i want to run across australia.Video
18 Oct 2013 / archives

nmmfg tv episode 8: why i want to run across australia

this week’s episode is all about my crazy idea to run from perth to brisbane. in the video i explain how the idea came about, how i see the run unfolding, and my personal mission and motivation behind it all. y...

YouTube thumbnail for 18 Oct 2013: every chance we get we run.Video
18 Oct 2013 / archives

18 oct 2013 – every chance we get we run

another action packed start to the day. abs, push ups and a run. and a sense of excitement about heading into the office, knowing that today’s episode of NMMFG TV was going to be about THE RUN… the run this mor...

17 Oct 2013 / archives

17 oct 2013 – acapella

today is day 1 of week 1 of an 8 week plan, designed to hit a PB over 10km. the plan has been provided by Ian at Run Around The World – the basic format of each week is an intervals session, a long run, then a...

16 Oct 2013 / archives

a magical adventure

the idea has been out in the wild for less than a week, and already it is generating excitement, attracting attention. occupying my mind all day long. there’s going to need to be adjustments, i’m going to have...

16 Oct 2013 / archives

16 oct 2013 – counting stars

i headed down the gym for a simple session this morning. it’s abs challenge rest day, so i simply did my push ups and a 5km row. i also weighed myself before training, half expecting a small gain (i’ve been con...

15 Oct 2013 / archives

15 oct 2013 – something i need

bright early start again this morning, perfect for a bit of abs work, followed by a gentle, easy paced run in the cool dark of the morning. upper thighs a little sore after the run – they will get another low i...

14 Oct 2013 / archives

14 oct 2013 – clarity

so here we go, day one of the new era of daily journaling… in terms of running, today is a rest day. with a double run yesterday, i was in bed early, and so was awake by 2:15. feeling mostly refreshed, though t...

14 Oct 2013 / archives

the road goes ever on: a grand adventure

“The Road goes ever on and on, down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the Road has gone, and I must follow, if I can. Pursuing it with eager feet,until it joins some larger way, where many paths and e...

13 Oct 2013 / archives

daily journal rebooted

a while back i stopped bothering with a daily journal entry, and got into more of a habit of posting brief summaries of workouts to the facebook page instead. then i got the crazy idea to run across australia!...

YouTube thumbnail for NMMFG TV episode 7: running changes lives.Video
11 Oct 2013 / archives

nmmfg tv episode 7: running changes lives

in this week’s episode we have a quick look forward to who is running this weekend and a very brief recap of last weekend’s events. Plus we take a look at how and why running changes lives, and how you can have...

9 Oct 2013 / archives

steve mayne

this week on the sh t sorter files, we head across to NMMFG’s land of birth – England. in fact, this week’s subject is a former colleague and long time friend who has been doing some really good stuff on the fi...

7 Oct 2013 / archives

fremantle half marathon – a very different experience

to say that things have changed this year would be a bit of an understatement; obvious evidence of this can be seen in the way i prepared for this race, and how nervous i was! it seemed like a lifetime ago that...

5 Oct 2013 / archives

‘big tom luke’

by Jim Allair When I was very young, my dad had a very special employee who was known to me as ‘Big Tom Luke’. Tom was a mountain of a man, I’m not sure where he was from, but I do know he did not fit well in s...

3 Oct 2013 / archives

rebecca hamilton

for this week’s sh t sorter, we return to western australia to chat to a friend of a friend, and fellow participant in this year’s city to surf. it never ceases to amaze me how runners often have an inspiring “...

30 Sept 2013 / archives

a funny thing happened on the way to the finish line

it was supposed to be about health. fitness. a crazy goal. proving a point. nothing more than that really. but the universe had other ideas. the marathon was supposedly the end point. it actually turned out to...

29 Sept 2013 / archives

seeking health and finding clarity

this week there has been a bit of a vibe around the ideas of finding your motivation, making a start and tackling things one step at a time. i deliberately leave this opening line “vague” as it really does appl...

YouTube thumbnail for NMMFG TV episode 5: actually making a start.Video
28 Sept 2013 / archives

nmmfg tv episode 5: actually making a start

in this episode of nmmfg tv, we start getting into the details of how you get started, once the decision is made. focusing initially on the three main components you will need to have in place, to help ensure a...

24 Sept 2013 / archives

kate heyward – running in the rain

this week’s sh t sorter is (sort of) repsonsible for me posting a video to facebook of myself singing… true story (ask me about it later) – she’s also a very friendly and supportive lady who loves running & blo...

24 Sept 2013 / archives

100 days to change your world

it’s september 23rd. there’s exactly 100 days to the end of 2013. ONE HUNDRED DAYS! imagine what you could achieve with so much time! in 100 days you can build a whole new set of habits. in 100 days you could e...

18 Sept 2013 / archives

graham whittaker

for this week’s installment of the sh t sorter files we finally break the pattern of having a female runner from queensland… yup, it’s a queensland based bloke this week! he’s actually an ex pat pom like myself...

17 Sept 2013 / archives

lessons learned on the way to a 10km pb

the training schedule said “18km long slow run”, unfortunately i’d seen the advert for a 10km fun run. decisions, decisions. i knew i had to stick with the training plan, but i so badly wanted to try my hand at...

YouTube thumbnail for NMMFG TV episode 3: personal trainers.Video
13 Sept 2013 / archives

nmmfg tv episode 3 – personal trainers

in this installment i talk about why you might want to use a trainer, how to choose a trainer, what a trainer can do to help you achieve your goals, and how I started working with Britt from Walkabout Wellness.

12 Sept 2013 / archives

be careful what you wish for

i don’t know if it’s a common thing. whether it’s something that personal development “gurus” simply brush under the carpet. perhaps it’s not something that happens a lot. but i imagine it would be. it makes ab...

11 Sept 2013 / archives

monique – mara-mon

for this week’s installment of the sh t sorter files, we return again to queensland, australia. i seriously don’t know what’s going on over there, but sometimes I feel as though I’m on the wrong side of the cou...

10 Sept 2013 / archives

what to do when you don’t know what to do

i recently asked my facebook “minions” where they were at in their fitness and/or running journey. one of the responses i got was from a guy whose situation sounded a lot like mine was, and he was very keen to...

9 Sept 2013 / archives

what the world needs: more bright, less dull

to my mind, the world is divided into three main groups of people, let’s call them the bright, the dull and the frustrated. the bright ones those in the bright camp are out there in the world, ignited by passio...

YouTube thumbnail for NMMFG TV episode 2.Video
6 Sept 2013 / archives

nmmfg tv episode 2

due to popular demand, in this episode i talk about why I get up so early in the morning, and why the general idea of making drastic changes can sometimes be a good thing 🙂

4 Sept 2013 / archives

misty diaz – athlete

for this week’s installment of the sh t sorter files, we’ve got a truly inspiring young lady from the west coast of the usa. i stumbled on her page and blog while poking around the running community one day, an...

1 Sept 2013 / archives

springing into action

today is the first official day of spring, here in australia. when i went for my early morning, i actually saw and heard a number of reminders of this fact; birdsong, a frog chorus, kookaburras waking as i drif...

28 Aug 2013 / archives

liz ross-collier – anything is possible

in this week’s edition of the sh t sorter files, we head across the tasman sea, to the land of the long white cloud and the short distorted vowels… not surprisingly, i met this lady online, via the facebook run...

27 Aug 2013 / archives

back to the gym

having skipped last week’s cross training day, so the schedule lined up with the city to surf event, it seems an absolute age since i last went to the gym. in reality it was 2 weeks. i was hoping to see a simil...

26 Aug 2013 / archives

it’s all about the hills

yesterday i took part in my first ever “city to surf”. i had a “10km race” lined up on the training schedule, so i figured that a 12km event would be close enough. it was, by far, the largest event i have taken...

24 Aug 2013 / archives

bit of a catch-up

for various reasons, i’ve not been maintaining the daily diary entry – mostly due to being busy… this week has been all about the perth city to surf, which is happening on sunday (aug 25th). well, obviously the...

22 Aug 2013 / archives

letting go

it may come as a bit of a surprise to those who know me in the real world, but recently i started working with a life coach. you know, those people i have often spoken about with a high degree of scepticism, an...

21 Aug 2013 / archives

kelly suzane – bright pink

this week’s sh t sorter is another Queenslander! I guess they really must be sorting their sh t out in that part of Australia… another positive, supportive member of the facebook running community, I was deligh...

17 Aug 2013 / archives

what gift has running given you?

rest day today. for some reason i’m really feeling it. wanted to head out for a run first thing this morning and had to remind myself that rest days are good things… so instead of thinking while running, i’ve j...

15 Aug 2013 / archives

a nice relaxing run

it was 2:30ish when i woke this morning. this pattern i’m settling into means i am in bed not long after my 4 year old son. so i don’t do much/any work at night now, nor do i watch much tv anymore. i miss neith...

14 Aug 2013 / archives

kristina – live laugh love run

this week’s shit sorter is yet another massively popular facebook “identity”. actually, i reckon pretty much everyone in the facebook is popular, seeing as they are all so damned great, supportive and friendly…...

13 Aug 2013 / archives

less is more

i went to the gym this morning. i didn’t want to go to the gym. i woke up and what i REALLY wanted to do was go for a run in the dark. i like doing that these days, you may have noticed? but running alone isn’t...

12 Aug 2013 / archives

what’s it really all about

modern life is crazy, we put massive value on “stuff”, on meaningless guff, on dreary detail that really does nothing to improve anything. it may just be me and the way i view life, but so much of it seems desi...

9 Aug 2013 / archives

not sure where this week has gone

it’s late afternoon on a friday as i write this – that’s another week over. already. seriously, where does the time go? and what do i actually achieve with that time? this week there was a half day wasted on ho...

8 Aug 2013 / archives

breaking the rules with an unscheduled run

i was knackered yesterday, got home after spending the day surrounded by sheer bloody dreariness. a “planning” meeting of epicly dull proportions. the biggest thing i got from it was the fact i raided the fruit...

7 Aug 2013 / archives

hot sweaty hard work

bit of a late start today – woke just before 3am (I think, can’t remember now) the day started with a 4 minute plank. it was supposed to be a 4.5 minute plank, but there was just no way i could hold that last 3...

7 Aug 2013 / archives

bill deering – running from stroke

for this week’s shit sorter file, we look locally (to NMMFG) and get the nitty gritty from a West Aussie athlete, who runs (amongst other things) ultra marathons… so let’s start – can you let everyone know who...

6 Aug 2013 / archives

the nmmfg guide to running a marathon

it’s here. all half a dozen pages of it. literally everything you need to know about going from couch potato to marathon runner. download for free by clicking the image below please leave comments and feedback...

6 Aug 2013 / archives

never settle

we are handed a template. more or less from birth. we then become apprentices to the template. learning how to bend to its will. learning how to best honour the template. the template is handed to us by our par...

2 Aug 2013 / archives

giving up is so very hard to do

so you reckon you want to head down some path of personal discovery / development or other, eh? well, here’s the thing – if you do this, you’re going to do one heck of a lot of giving up. and ironically, you wi...

1 Aug 2013 / archives

7 things a marathon taught me about life

it’s no exaggeration – training for and completing a marathon has changed me, taught me and inspired me. as i was plodding around a 6.5km route this morning, i started to think about the things it taught me – h...

31 July 2013 / archives

christina brown – crazy mama runner

something a little bit different from the previous shit sorters this week, and something I am more than happy to entertain should anyone else want to do likewise! this lady got in touch via Facebook having seen...

30 July 2013 / archives

my running dream

so kate of “running in the rain” asked an interesting question on her page tonight – “what is your running dream?” well, 18 months ago, my answer would have been “to complete a marathon.” now it includes “takin...

29 July 2013 / archives

freo fun run – the sequel

yesterday I returned to the scene of my first time. as I wrote in the daily diary entry, it was an entirely different experience from last september. I wasn’t nervous about “not fitting in”. I wasn’t anxious ab...

28 July 2013 / archives

marathon mind – 10k heart

well, this is weird. really, really weird. this is the most nervously excited, or perhaps excitedly nervous, I have been for a running event. all 3 previous occasions had their character and purpose. first 10km...

26 July 2013 / archives

sometimes it gets forgotten

recently I posted a comment on Facebook with reference to something like “just a nice easy 4.5km this morning”. someone (and I wish I could remember who) commented to the effect of “I dream of the day I can tal...

26 July 2013 / archives

big day for nmmfg

3am ish again this morning – people wonder if I sleep enough, but I go to bed around 8:30 to 9:00 typically, and a couple of naps when commuting to and from work. it works for me. it was tipping down, absolutel...

25 July 2013 / archives

world domination masterplan version 1.0 beta

after my latest sprawling essay I thought to myself “do you know what, Gary old chap, you do realise you actually need to follow through on this stuff now?” and I was right. I was also already onto it – I could...

24 July 2013 / archives

strange days indeed

i did my first intervals workout this morning and I fucking loved it. in a strange, sado masochistic kind of way. 4 x 400m run 400m at a “fast” pace walk back the same 400m do it all again, another 3 times it t...

24 July 2013 / archives

krissy schintgen – not fast just fabulous

this week’s “shit sorter” really did some serious sorting. a genuinely inspiring lady that I “bumped into” on Facebook and knew IMMEDIATELY that I had to share her story. absolute rock solid, cast iron proof th...

23 July 2013 / archives

and all it actually needed was a switch to be thrown

a switch. that’s the best way I can describe it. deep inside, only accessible after completing a series of challenges, like some kind of real life adventure game. answer some riddles correctly, arrange certain...

23 July 2013 / archives

welcome to the grind

a version of the video above was posted on the nmmfg facebook page recently – that version featured swimmers. I went looking for it this morning and found this, more running appropriate version. I’m not sure ab...

23 July 2013 / archives

a completely fantabulous couple of days

yesterday was truly awesome. I did day 12 of the plank challenge (1 min 30 seconds) and then went for an early long run – 8km. it was supposed to be a long slow run, but I pushed it a little. for a reason. i’ll...

20 July 2013 / archives

dark night of the soul

“so why do you think you let yourself be overweight and unfit for so many years?” it was a simple question, asked without malice, only genuine interest. I honestly didn’t know how to answer it. I was ready to p...

19 July 2013 / archives

a day for lots of thinking it seems

3:15am or thereabouts, that’s when my day started. 1 minute plank hold (day 10 of 30) then a nice 6.6km run, in the cold, in the dark, just me and my thoughts. there’s a few things swirling around my mind curre...

19 July 2013 / archives

and now i feel like a pregnant walrus

one of the occupational hazards of working in an office environment, especially in the public sector, is the morning tea. invariably a collection of party pies, sausage rolls, chips, dip, sugary cakes, chocolat...

18 July 2013 / archives

glad it was gym day

in perth terms, it was real brass monkey weather this morning. 1 degree celsius. when you consider that our summer temperatures hover in the late 30s, it’s cold. there was even a light frost on the ground! so i...

17 July 2013 / archives

in a world of painful happiness

arms, legs, chest, head, eyeballs. they all ached when I woke at 3 this morning. they still ache now come to think of it, and it’s almost 11 hours later… it’s a good ache though, the ache of the morning after t...

17 July 2013 / archives

nicole fels – running girl

Spend any amount of time with the Facebook Running Community and you will see one name crop up, guaranteed! Renowned for an unmistakable smile, positive outlook and brightly coloured socks, needs absolutely no...

16 July 2013 / archives

gettin’ serious – day one

it’s been 4 months since I hit the gym so hard. I know this because I copied this morning’s routine from a page on which I’d written “march 12th 2013”. shortly after that, I switched my training to focus comple...

15 July 2013 / archives

hanging out with fire again

there’s something about a fire, be it a reasonably sized camp fire, or a huge bonfire. it brings out primal instincts and stirs up ancestral memories. it just feels right, to sit in front of the fire, outdoors,...

15 July 2013 / archives

feeling seedy

a mug of strong black coffee is helping me write this journal entry, and I also confess to hitting the charity chocolate box in the staff kitchen this morning. one dollar for charity, one yummy chocolate covere...

15 July 2013 / archives

a weekend down south

just back from a weekend trip away. 200km or thereabouts each way, taking in house viewings (we’re planning to move down that way in the near future), winter festival (beer, food, good company and a huge bonfir...

13 July 2013 / archives

elizabeth – from fat to fit

when I first encountered the Facebook running community, this lady’s story was one of the first I noticed. it resonated deeply with my own experiences, and is a truly inspiring example of what can be achieved....

13 July 2013 / archives

same journey but different

the journal section of this site was rethought yesterday, as part of that I asked the question on the facebook page “should it stay, go or change?” Britt, in the usual style, threw in the question “is the journ...

12 July 2013 / archives

welcome to a new era

after more than 18 months serving its purpose, I’ve decided it’s time for this section to move on from its original purpose. recording the details of food, time consumed, time on the bus etc. etc. – that was al...

11 July 2013 / archives

11 jul 2013 – get ready for this

not 100% sure what happened from 11:00am on Tuesday, through the whole of yesterday – just life getting in the way I guess. wasn’t too much to report yesterday anyway. slept in until 4:30, didn’t go for a run....

10 July 2013 / archives

lynn – weight and run

next up in the shit sorter files is a new friend who I connected with on Facebook just after my own marathon success and in the lead up to her own first ever marathon. it’s been brilliant to watch the build up,...

10 July 2013 / archives

it’s the bigger picture, stupid

are you a broad strokes, or a dotting i and crossing t nitty gritty detail type of person? I never really thought about it to be honest, and if you’d asked me before, I probably would have gone for the latter....

9 July 2013 / archives

09 jul 2013 – life on mars

not a particularly early night last night, mostly due to being out, cavorting with naked chickens and sacrificing cute fluffy animals to the new moon… …and so it was that I woke up a little later than planned,...

8 July 2013 / archives

08 jul 2013 – the spirit of man

well, what a busy weekend that was. having stayed up late on friday (more technical issues), it was a relatively late start to saturday (about 8 or 9am I think). it had already been nominated as a “rest” day be...

8 July 2013 / archives

alana kelly – gone bananas for running

first cab off the rank for the new “shit sorter files” section is an inspirational lady from the cold, inhospitable wilds known as “Scotland”… enjoy! so, tell us a little about yourself… My name is Alana Kelly,...

5 July 2013 / archives

05 jul 2013 – unskinny bop

technical issues with a website caused me to have a late night – just as well today is a rest day! heading to bed after midnight is very much the old way of doing things, however I do still manage to throw in a...

5 July 2013 / archives

be bold and sort your sh*t out

the phrase “mission statement” makes me want to puke. it’s corporate, marketing inspired, w nkspeak. but here’s the thing. I’ve semi knowingly been seeking a “mission” for this blog for a while now, trying to f...

4 July 2013 / archives

04 jul 2013 – epos

happy “hurrah! we finally got rid of the problem child!” day to Brits everywhere 🙂 so it was back out on the streets for a run again today. it was bloody cold. the weather app reckoned 4 degrees, but that was...

3 July 2013 / archives

03 jul 2013 – holy wars

no running today, took a break and hit the gym for some cross training action intead. slowly building up the weights again, rowing times are back down to previous levels, and I still HATE the plank hold. probab...

2 July 2013 / archives

can i have a p please bob?

if you laughed at and understood the title and picture, then you probably grew up in the UK in the 80s. it refers to a popular quiz show, “Blockbusters”, if you don’t get the pun then you can find out about it...

2 July 2013 / archives

02 jul 2013 – phantom of the opera

I decided yesterday that I need to put some structure back in my training, after all, it’s been over 2 weeks since the marathon, and I’m feeling fully recovered. based on the dates of everything, I’m not due to...

1 July 2013 / archives

a perfect time for reflection

today represents a number of firsts; first day of the new week, first of the month, first day of the second half of 2013 and, in Australia at least, first day of a new financial year. so it’s got a bit of a “fr...

1 July 2013 / archives

01 jul 2013 – d’you know what i mean?

ok, the journal was a little neglected at the end of last week; quite simply I didn’t have the opportunity to do much with it as I was attending a 2 day training course. so I went for a run on Thursday – 4.78km...

26 June 2013 / archives

do not adjust your screen normal service will be resumed soon

something odd is going on at the moment. I started a sort of expanded about sectionthat is rapidly becoming a mini war & peace esque “epic”. and it’s probably not even massively interesting to many people in th...

26 June 2013 / archives

26 jun 2013 – lose yourself

almost convinced myself to have a rest day today, I guess it was just too warm and cosy in bed and part of me just wanted to stay there a bit longer. but that’s not how I roll these days 🙂 the gym session WAS...

25 June 2013 / archives

25 jun 2013 – catch the rainbow

well, the codryl seems to be doing the trick! woke up just after 3 this morning and felt fine to head out for a bit of an easy recovery run. the rain had just stopped when I slipped out the door and started hob...

24 June 2013 / archives

that was the week that was

on friday, I started to discuss the marathon aftermath; in particular I talked about some of the less tangible, unexpected things to drop out of it all. to be honest, I’m still processing many of those things a...

24 June 2013 / archives

24 jun 2013 – love missile f1-11

got back out on the streets on sunday, which was nice. runkeeper played up, reporting that I’d done 2km and 3km at the 1.5km and 2km mark respectively. despite what the splits say, I didn’t really hit 23 km per...

22 June 2013 / archives

the longest hangover ever

it’s amazing to think that, this time last week, I was starting to get very excited about the forthcoming marathon. I’ve blogged previously about the build up and the day itself, so I’ll skip those details here...

21 June 2013 / archives

21 jun 2013 – winter

“winter” is the perfect theme track for today’s journal entry, seeing as it’s the mid winter solstice here in Australia (and me being a tree hugging pagan hippy, these things don’t escape my notice lol) other t...

21 June 2013 / archives

it’s different for everyone

we’ve just been having a discussion in our little Facebook “accountability” group, and talk moved on to something that I’ve been intending to start getting more into on the blog – mindset. it seems that there’s...

20 June 2013 / archives

20 jun 2013 – unstoppable

the post marathon tiredness caught me by surprise, so this week I’ve been taking things even easier than I imagined I would. been spending a lot of time researching post marathon recovery actually, and turns ou...

19 June 2013 / archives

run fat boy run

Just now joining us is Dennis Doyle, a clothing store security guard, running for the last ten and three quarter hours on basically one leg, He’s refusing to rest until this race is run, unbelievable! TV Commen...

19 June 2013 / archives

19 jun 2013 – the day i let go

yesterday started off well, but by 11am I was feeling it. tired, flat, completely drained of energy. my mood wasn’t so good either. all the advice is that post marathon to do what you can do, and not to push th...

18 June 2013 / archives

18 jun 2013 – alive

I took a break from blogging for a couple of days, hope you don’t mind. I was a little busy on Sunday, and yesterday (Monday) I had no energy to think, let alone type! Today’s track is chosen for the double mea...

16 June 2013 / archives

16 jun 2013 – ready, set, go!

if you read this on Sunday, 16th June 2013, then be assured, this post was written and scheduled last night. intended schedule for today: 05:00 – porridge, bagel with peanut butter. orange juice 07:30 – 42.2km...

15 June 2013 / archives

the loneliness of the long distance angst-ridden adolescent

it’s obvious now, when I look back with the pixel perfect, perfectly clear 20/20 vision of hindsight. the dots are easy to connect. “little g” had issues; too little self confidence, too much self consciousness...

15 June 2013 / archives

15 jun 2013 – one more day

it feels a bit like christmas eve – in fact, earlier this morning, I even referred to today as “marathon eve”… there’s excitement and anticipation building, even though I know that one of the “presents” I will...

14 June 2013 / archives

14 jun 2013 – time

feeling like a complete and utter slackarse now. another rest day. with the exercise sessions being so short this week, I’m not even sure what I am resting from! but in reality I do know what I am doing this fo...

13 June 2013 / archives

13 jun 2013 – three days

yup. three days. up nice and early today, put in a nice easy to moderate 20 minute row. got the blood pumping through the aching leg muscles. overall I’m feeling relatively strong – the knee is aching a little...

12 June 2013 / archives

12 jun 2013 – closer

getting closer and closer. staying relatively calm about it all, but hard to completely stop the anticipation building… did my final run this morning – short row tomorrow, rest Friday, another short row Saturda...

11 June 2013 / archives

11 jun 2013 – the final countdown

ah come on, you just knew that this song would feature at some point this week, right? rest day today – sort of feeling a bit like a slacker. there’s a marathon in just 5 days and I’m doing very little! still,...

10 June 2013 / archives

m-minus 6 days

with a thick blanket of fog descending on Perth this morning, this morning’s recovery run was eerily still and quiet. somehow it seemed like a suitably mysterious and eery start to “the final week”. yes, the “f...

10 June 2013 / archives

10 jun 2013 – patapan

up bright and early today for a pleasant recovery run – the thick fog lingering around the streets, and hovering just inches above my head, added an extra dimension of muted silence and ancient mystery. or some...

7 June 2013 / archives

07 jun 2013 – this light between us

enjoyed the lay in this morning, and I’m sure my battered legs are going to appreciate having a break today. almost cannot believe that I will be on the start line of my first full marathon in just 9 days from...

6 June 2013 / archives

06 jun 2013 – where do the children play?

more justification for the “no expectations” approach this morning, or rather more proof that having “expectations” doesn’t tend to translate into reality. I had a feeling that this morning’s run would be a str...

5 June 2013 / archives

a little bit about food

food has been a consistent theme in my efforts to get healthy, lose weight and run a marathon… not surprising really when you think about it, but it’s been more of an issue than I might have suspected initially...

5 June 2013 / archives

05 jun 2013 – battle for the universe

struggled to get out of the warm bed this morning, but did manage to drag myself down the gym for the scheduled “20 minutes easy moderate cross training”. 20 minutes on the rowing machine, basically. legs were...

5 June 2013 / archives

two steps forward one step back

it really does seem to be the way things occur, naturally. instead of a continuous stream of forward heading progress, we make breakthroughs, slip back a little, consolidate and then move forwards again. our mo...

4 June 2013 / archives

04 jun 2013 – o fortuna

not sure what happened with Friday’s journal entry, and after that it was a long weekend here in WA, so the whole journal thing went out the window! The long run on Saturday was 20.4km and took 3 hours, 14 minu...

1 June 2013 / archives

how clarity and simplicity lead to meaning

for some reason or another, a lot of conversations lately have revolved around the topics of confusion, chaos and a general feeling of being overwhelmed by it all. people struggling to make sense of ther lives,...

31 May 2013 / archives

31 may 2013 – species

Gotta love a Friday that starts with a lie in (in relative terms). Legs and knees not to bad after yesterday’s run, so hopefully with a rest today, the 19/20km long run tomorrow will be without incident. 2 week...

30 May 2013 / archives

30 may 2013 – here comes the war

woke up feeling refreshed after a solid night’s sleep, slipped on the running gear, headed out the door and 30 seconds later got completely soaked! still, it’s only water. the two hardest things about running i...

29 May 2013 / archives

29 may 2013 – 51st state

looks like the mention of tiredness and aching legs yesterday was an indicator of how today was going to pan out… had a great sleep, woke up with just enough time to get to work. so no 10km row, but feeling bet...

28 May 2013 / archives

warning: exercise can lead to increased levels of contentment

By now it is surely no secret that I’m happier with the modified version of me. lighter, fitter, sticks at things and provides a good example for my kids. In many ways, “increased happiness” has been an uninten...

28 May 2013 / archives

28 may 2013 – march of the levellers

oh my legs, my legs… they were a bit on the achy side when I woke up this morning, so I wasn’t expecting to set a personal best for the 6.5km (ish) run. that said, the run followed a familiar pattern; a bit win...

27 May 2013 / archives

27 may 2013 – caravan of love

it’s been a few days since the last journal entry, so here’s a brief roundup of the weekend. it was an important milestone weekend in terms of the marathon training – this is the longest “long run” I will do be...

23 May 2013 / archives

23 may 2013 – no expectations

my right thigh still has a bit of a “dead leg” feel, so I knew this morning’s run was going to be on the slow side. but that didn’t matter – in the end it was all about getting out there, letting the muscles wa...

22 May 2013 / archives

22 may 2013 – alcohol is free

really starting to love the way my body knows what it needs. today it needed a little more sleep, and my legs needed a break from training. so it woke up late, leaving me no time for the gym. it was honestly th...

21 May 2013 / archives

what a delightful way to spend a sunday morning

it was “only” a long run training session, as part of the lead up to the Perth Marathon in June. well, that’s what I kept trying to tell myself, but the butterflies and excitement built up anyway. intending to...

21 May 2013 / archives

21 may 2013 – waiting for the sun

after finding it quite uncomfortable to walk at times yesterday, I didn’t quite know what to expect this morning. The legs weren’t too bad when I got up, but the first few steps of the “run” (more like a shuffl...

20 May 2013 / archives

20 may 2013 – only teardrops

when I went to bed last night, I decided that the time I woke up today would determine whether this was to be a rest day, or an active recovery run day. as it turned out, I had a good night’s sleep (on top of t...

17 May 2013 / archives

the rise of the running man

some of my birthday gifts were quite revealing this year. a few new shirts that didn’t need to be 3, 4 or 5XL helped reinforce the fact that 44 year old me is a fair bit slimmer than the 40 year old version. bu...

17 May 2013 / archives

17 may 2013 – eric’s theme

while, realistically, it’s only part of the latter stages of training for the perth marathon, this morning’s run was significant for a few reasons. it’s the first time I’ve run 10km as one of my shorter runs al...

16 May 2013 / archives

16 may 2013 – space oddity

bit of a slow start to the day after the birthday festivities of the night before – hit the gym feeling a little on the bloated side, but overall not too bad. did a gentle 10km row and felt a whole lot better a...

15 May 2013 / archives

birthday reflections

another year gone, another yearful of memories have flowed into the pool of life, and what a year it was! in the 12 months since the 22nd anniversary of my 21st birthday there have been a number of massive achi...

15 May 2013 / archives

15 may 2013 – tubular bells

ah ’tis me birthday today, so what better way to start the day than with an 8.68km run… incidentally, today’s music choice is based on the fact that Mike Oldfield was born on May 15th 1953, and the original “Tu...

14 May 2013 / archives

14 may 2013 – ohio

really happy this morning – after a disappointing few days, I actually went for a run! Sunday was supposed to be the day for a 29km run into Fremantle, with a rest day Monday and recovery run today. Unfortunate...

10 May 2013 / archives

10 may 2013 – goodbye sir alex ferguson

this morning’s run would definitely be described by the “top gear” crew as “a wet lap”. I could hear heavy rain before I got up, it had stopped by the time I went outside. About 1km in, I found the light shower...

9 May 2013 / archives

09 may 2013 – happy birthday

the first thought that entered my head this morning was “oh shit, not enough time for the gym”. then I realised that I was heading in later than usual today, so I could be at home to see my son open pressies fo...

8 May 2013 / archives

08 may 2013 – metal storm

Some time ago, I wrote about how odd it was that I willingly went outside with the intent of running (well, walking with a bit of running thrown in). Today it went to a whole new level… As I lay in my warm, cos...

7 May 2013 / archives

07 may 2013 – nymphetamine

Busy weekend, then a day off sick on Monday (yesterday) = more blog neglect. So to quickly recap… Saturday was a rest (non training) day, Sunday was long run day (19.48km in 2:45:13), Monday was spent mostly in...

3 May 2013 / archives

03 may 2013 – raining blood

I so so badly wanted to roll over and go back to sleep this morning, but a little voice inside me was nagging, reminding me that I was supposed to do an 8km run. So I got up sluggishly, put on shorts, t shirt a...

2 May 2013 / archives

02 may 2013 – beautiful life

Back to winning ways – up at 2:30am and headed to the gym for a 10km row! Even better, at the gym I jumped on the scales and found that my weight hasn’t got out of control while I’ve been ignoring it. 123.6kg –...

1 May 2013 / archives

01 may 2013 – the internationale

Wow, 1st of May. Labour Day for many (though not here in Western Australia, we had that a couple of months ago…) Now here’s a funny thing – yesterday I was talking about having an “extra” day in the schedule th...

30 Apr 2013 / archives

30 apr 2013 – parisienne walkways

can’t believe it’s the last day of april already – this year is cruising along at an astonishing pace! unlike me this morning when it was time to get up. very snuggly and warm under that duvet, and there was a...

29 Apr 2013 / archives

29 apr 2013 – #tears4piers

had a fairly decent weekend – putting in a 25.7km run on Saturday in 4:11:28. The final 2.7km was walked though – at the 23km mark, my legs, back, shoulders and hips simply went on strike! with the remainder of...

26 Apr 2013 / archives

26 apr 2013 – champ20ns

some good stuff on the knee front – I wore a compression sleeve thingy during yesterday’s run, then post run applied a cooling gel, continued to wear the compression sleeve, and popped a couple of anti inflamma...

24 Apr 2013 / archives

24 apr 2013 – not nineteen forever

while the neglect of this journal continues, please be assured that marathon training is most definitely not being neglected! I hav been feeling the effects of working on the garden last week though – aches, pa...

18 Apr 2013 / archives

18 apr 2013 – little bones

so stomach upsets, working on the garden renovation and other everyday things have meant that this journal has been badly neglected. The marathon training has continued though, and here’s a quick catch up of wh...

12 Apr 2013 / archives

completely frigging bonkers

I never saw this one coming. If I had, I don’t think I would have been so keen to start on this path to getting fit. “I see you’re doing really well with your exercise stuff”, he said. “So how about joining our...

9 Apr 2013 / archives

09 apr 2013 – burn in hell

still have a bit of an upset stomach, but I went for a run anyway – can’t afford to slip back on the schedule… summary Time got up (today): 03:00 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 4 Lunch 3 Night 3 journal 03:00 – few ric...

8 Apr 2013 / archives

08 apr 2013 – shifting gears

so, a quick recap of the weekend… saturday – rest day sunday – 16.03km in 2:19:11 monday – rest day I made today a rest day for two main reasons – firstly I slept until 4:30am, secondly I had decided to shift t...

5 Apr 2013 / archives

05 apr 2013 – shoot the runner

my friday morning run takes just under an hour (including post run stretching), so I don’t need to get up quite so early as when I hit the gym… unfortunately, nobody told my body clock this fact, so just after...

4 Apr 2013 / archives

04 apr 2013 – no rest

rest day today, and whether you judge it by the fact I woke up at 5:20am, or the aching of my legs from yesterday’s half marathon row – either way it is most welcome! summary Time got up (today): 05:20 Mood (1...

3 Apr 2013 / archives

turns out that easter is just as bad as christmas

no I’m not going to rant about the commercialisation, and surprisingly I’m even going to avoid getting into the topic of pagan origins being hijacked by relatively modern religions like christianity… this post...

3 Apr 2013 / archives

03 apr 2013 – bobcaygeon

well that week whizzed past, mostly thanks to the Easter long weekend… so a quick recap of Good Friday (march 29th) through to yesterday (april 2nd) is: mar 29 – 6.47km run – 46:07 mar 30 – rest day mar 31 – 20...

28 Mar 2013 / archives

28 mar 2013 – forever autumn

nice early start again today, so it was back down the gym for a 10km row. not the fastest 10km ever, could definitely still feel the effect of yesterday’s “legs” session. still, 10km rowed is still 10km rowed,...

27 Mar 2013 / archives

27 mar 2013 – ceridwen and taliesin

after the getting up at 1 am cock up yesterday, I enjoyed a full night’s sleep from 9pm through to just gone 3am. sprang out of bed fully refreshed and hit the gym for a bit of leg work. summary Time got up (to...

26 Mar 2013 / archives

26 mar 2013 – catch me if you can

bit of a catch up post this one – to bring details of exercise up to date.. Friday 22nd – 6.5km jog on the local streets rather than on the treadmill. Time 53 minutes. Saturday 23rd – rest day Sunday 24th – The...

21 Mar 2013 / archives

21 mar 2013 – the mabon

on a bit of a roll now – up at 2:30 again this morning, and started the day with a nice relaxing 10km row… a rest day would have been nice, so guess I just have to make sure I don’t sleep through next Monday! s...

19 Mar 2013 / archives

20 mar 2013 – king of the faeries

up nice and early again today – have decided that Monday will now count as the Thursday rest day, so continued with the usual Tuesday session today, with the long row tomorrow and the usual treadmill run on Fri...

18 Mar 2013 / archives

18 mar 2013 – awaken

well, despite not being so badly shattered by the long run yesterday, I still managed to sleep through until 4:30am. Actually I did wake about 1am, but figured that was a tad early for the gym, even for me! a 3...

18 Mar 2013 / archives

17 mar 2013 – time warp

due to various reasons, some technical, some not so technical, it’s been a couple of weeks since I last wrote a journal entry. so this one will be a bit of a quick recap and catch up! march 6th and 8th the usua...

5 Mar 2013 / archives

05 mar 2013 – i had too much to dream last night

a return to the gym after the weekend’s re arranged schedule, which included hitting the deck while out jogging, doing Monday’s gym session on Sunday, crawling/running around the laser corps battlefield, consum...

3 Mar 2013 / archives

02 mar 2013 – tubthumping

fun and games with the road run this morning. half way round the 9.6km route I tripped over a raised paver and went flying. fortunately the damage wasn’t so bad, and I continued the run. damage = ripped trainin...

2 Mar 2013 / archives

01 mar 2013 – f.e.a.r.

didn’t go so well today gym wise. woke up full of motivation and confidence, and figured that after successfully doing 6.5km at 10km/h last week, I should give 11km/h a go. I lasted 2km, and was stuffed. after...

27 Feb 2013 / archives

27 feb 2013 – like toy soldiers

interesting day today – woke up reasonably early and with no time pressure for catching buses etc. the long row was open to most options. so I set out at a slow, easy pace, with the intention of going for as lo...

26 Feb 2013 / archives

26 feb 2013 – when a blind man cries

the good thing about “leg day” is it helps take the mind off the upper body aches from the day before 🙂 did a similar thing today as yesterday – increased the weights used on the machines. also threw in a 3km...

25 Feb 2013 / archives

25 feb 2013 – rhythm of the heat

interesting week this one – working from home all week, so the challenge is on to maintain the same sort of routine and structure as per usual. The main failures from the past are mostly to do with not getting...

24 Feb 2013 / archives

24 feb 2013 – little by little

after a much needed rest day, it was time for the “long, slow run” today. with the training schedule being used, today’s distance is actually the same as Friday’s. I stuck to a relatively plodding pace, and als...

22 Feb 2013 / archives

22 feb 2013 – twisted

back down the gym for “medium run day”, which doesn’t vary too much distance wise for the whole 20 weeks… last week I ran the 6.5km at 9km/h, so today I thought I’d give 10km/h a go. I had to fight off the desi...

21 Feb 2013 / archives

21 feb 2013 – there is power in a union

rest day today – and my legs are definitely grateful! had a nice lie in, getting up at a leisurely 4:30am. riverside walk on the way into the office – though not sure how this weather’s going to pan out for oth...

20 Feb 2013 / archives

a nail-biting finish

this post is a bit of a departure from the fitness/weight loss stuff that I usually write about here, however it does fit the overall theme of creating change, moving towards whatever it is you want and so on....

20 Feb 2013 / archives

20 feb 2013 – youth in trouble

another nice, slow start to the day, with a 3:30am wake up and a 10km row at the gym. the peace was shattered later on, when I couldn’t find my mobile phone case (which holds my smartrider bus ticket) – turns o...

19 Feb 2013 / archives

19 feb 2013 – sleepless

bit of a late start to the day, getting up just before 3:30am for the shortest session of the week – seriously, 3:30am feels late these days. there is something seriously wrong with that! decent enough session,...

18 Feb 2013 / archives

18 feb 2013 – set it off

up bright and early this morning, feeling pretty much back to normal. thought I might be seeing some great times on the rowing. reality was I ran out of steam fairly early on, and the row times were “average”....

15 Feb 2013 / archives

15 feb 2013 – engel

still not 100%, but getting there. not that it’s being allowed to impact the training schedule! at first glance I was doing a 5km jog today, good job I double checked, the week 3 medium run distance is actually...

14 Feb 2013 / archives

14 feb 2013 – the positive sense of love

so, thanks to (probably) a lowered immune system, and a 3 year old with a runny nose, I think I may have a small summer cold. probably good timing that today is a “rest” day – I stayed in bed until 4:30am and d...

13 Feb 2013 / archives

this is why a journal is such a cool idea

i was thinking, earlier, that it must be about a year since i started going to the gym. turns out that the 1 year anniversary of that was last week. however, today (13th feb 2013) is the anniversary of the star...

13 Feb 2013 / archives

13 feb 2013 – for bitter or worse

it’s now day four since the weekend’s partying, and I’ve realised that this may not be post party stress disorder after all. or at least not directly. rather, I think it’s a combination of that, the shock to my...

12 Feb 2013 / archives

how to be impressive in one easy step

this weekend just gone saw the occasion of a mate’s buck’s party, it was 110% “away from the goal” and there were no redeeming qualities (in terms of health and fitness) except that we all had a bloody good lau...

12 Feb 2013 / archives

12 feb 2013 – stop crying your heart out

it was no surprise to me that I didn’t wake up until 4:15 this morning. by the end of yesterday, I was very very tired, and the aches and pains from the upper body work had kicked in. the aches and pains were s...

11 Feb 2013 / archives

11 feb 2013 – sorrow evoker

well overall I think my revised weekend schedule worked out OK. all training has been done, I had a full day of recovery yesterday, and was good to go for the gym this morning. mind you, this morning’s session...

8 Feb 2013 / archives

08 feb 2013 – stinkfist

with the slightly modified schedule in place for this week (due to buck’s party shenanigans taking place tomorrow), today was an official “rest” day. I originally woke up about 2:30, but then enjoyed another co...

7 Feb 2013 / archives

changing faces

this post was inspired by a little montage I threw together last night. I did it on a whim, having spotted a couple of “fat pics” in one of my photo albums, and realising two things: 1. Exactly how much of a ch...

7 Feb 2013 / archives

07 feb 2013 – kashmir

so today is supposed to be a rest day, however I have a friend’s buck’s day this Saturday, so I re jigged things a little so the rest day is tomorrow and the long run will happen Saturday morning. This means I...

6 Feb 2013 / archives

06 feb 2013 – munich air disaster 1958

this week I’ve officially started on a 20 week program, leading up to the Perth marathon in June. It’s actually an 18 and a half week program now, due to there only being 18 and a half weeks to go before June 1...

6 Feb 2013 / archives

shit just got a little more real

I just got a new training schedule from Britt. I got it because I was trying to put together a training plan that would lead up to running a marathon, taking in a half marathon along the way. the program is ost...

1 Feb 2013 / archives

01 feb 2013 – dance of the druids

up “late” again today – was just after 3:15 when I woke up. even worse, for a few moments a voice in my head was telling me “it’s too late now, to go back to sleep and just write the day off”. finally won the m...

31 Jan 2013 / archives

what’s it all about, really?

this “project” has been going for just over a year now and while there’s been some obvious benefits in terms of health and fitness, I got to wondering about the real motivation behind it all. why did the idea o...

31 Jan 2013 / archives

31 jan 2013 – children

with an early night under my belt, I was expecting to be awake before 3, so I was surprised when I looked at the clock and saw that it was almost quarter to 4. gave me just enough time to take the dog for a wal...

30 Jan 2013 / archives

30 jan 2013 – all your colours

wow, just realised that I haven’t updated the journal for a week… that does not mean I’ve been slacking off (well, not the whole time anyway!) thursday – woke up late, so didn’t go for a run. went for a walk at...

23 Jan 2013 / archives

the size of your portion does matter after all

ooh err missus… don’t worry, I’m not really about to launch into “carry on” movie mode! the “portion” mentioned above refers to my snacking habits. in particular, the quantity of nuts, seeds and dried fruit con...

23 Jan 2013 / archives

23 jan 2013 – the pot

up at 2:45 again, which meant either a 10km row, or a 1 hour row. opted for the latter, and was very happy with the effort put in. at first I thought it was a personal best, however it’s 200m short of a pb reco...

22 Jan 2013 / archives

22 jan 2013 – riot

a bit of an unsettled night (an incident involving a poorly Marble deciding to sleep on Kian’s bed, and having a bit of a “poo problem” meant that Kian slept in our bed, and I slept on the sofa LOL) was surpris...

21 Jan 2013 / archives

21 jan 2013 – parthia

great session this morning, with the 5km row coming in under 20 minutes for the first time in a while – my 3rd best time on that distance. seem to be getting back in the groove… made a mental note to increase t...

21 Jan 2013 / archives

20 jan 2013 – born on a different cloud

felt confident and cocky this morning – headed to the gym just before 3, stated aim to do at least 21km on the treadmill, then see how much longer I could keep going – even possibly as far as 42… was absolutely...

18 Jan 2013 / archives

18 jan 2013 – butterfly effect

must have needed the rest – woke up about 4:15 this morning. might go for a walk at lunchtime if I get the chance. in other news… I’ve been thinking that my snacking might have got a bit out of hand, contributi...

17 Jan 2013 / archives

17 jan 2013 – concrete angel

after the recent hot humid weather, it was surprisingly cool when I went outside this morning. almost wished I hadn’t put on shorts and a thin shirt. didn’t take long to get warm though! the distance and route...

16 Jan 2013 / archives

16 jan 2013 – secret weapon

opted for a 1 hour row today. I was extremely tired last night, so I woke up closer to 3 than 2. 60 minutes was more than enough to get a good sweat on, and I’m not sure I would have coped that well with a 2 ho...

15 Jan 2013 / archives

15 jan 2013 – people of the sticks

a late night Saturday (birthday party) and feeling a bit under the weather yesterday lead to today being the first trip to the gym this week. reasonably happy with the rowing and treadmill work. 7km/h walking p...

11 Jan 2013 / archives

11 jan 2013 – drums of war

woke up feeling refreshed but not entirely sure how things would pan out at the gym (bit stiff and sore). needn’t have worried, once I warmed up things went well, with 7km/h walking pace on the treadmill, and 1...

10 Jan 2013 / archives

10 jan 2013 – lady of the silver wheel

grrrrr…. not entirely happy today! I woke up somewhere between 1am and 2am, figured it was too early to get up for a run and went back to sleep. nek minnit…. it was almost 5am and I had to rush to get up, get r...

9 Jan 2013 / archives

09 jan 2013 – attila the hun

Another early start, which was fantastic as it gave me the chance to put in a longer row than usual. initially I thought I’d go with a half marathon row, eventually settling on a 2 hour time limit instead. that...

8 Jan 2013 / archives

nearly a year gone by already

in just over 2 weeks from now, I will have been officially on a health and fitness “kick” for a whole year. I believe it will also be the first time ever that I’ve not wound up paying gym fees and not going for...

8 Jan 2013 / archives

08 jan 2013 – the raven

I woke up just in time to see the clock tick over to 2am… so I figured I may as well head down the gym and do the full Tuesday session with 3 x 3km on the treadmill. the session usually stops at the 500m row, w...

7 Jan 2013 / archives

07 jan 2013 – chorea

aching a little and still a bit tired from yesterday’s gym session, so I didn’t mind having a reason to not go to the gym this morning! doing a park session with Britt and a few others this afternoon/evening in...

6 Jan 2013 / archives

06 jan 2013 – it’s oh so quiet

hit the gym at 5am today, was there for over 3 hours, got home about 5 hours ago and still devoid of energy…. row times were great, treadmill times much better than the last time I did this session (dec 23rd) –...

4 Jan 2013 / archives

today must be national severe reality check day

something was bothering me about the run time posted yesterday, it just seemed to be a little too good. I’d be willing to accept that my natural, base jogging speed had improved, but by 50% or more? hmmm… so i...

4 Jan 2013 / archives

04 jan 2013 – mitzi dupree

unbelievably, this is the first time I’ve done a Friday session since november 30th – that’s a whole month and a couple of days! more believably, my times were much slower than they were back in november. getti...

3 Jan 2013 / archives

03 jan 2013 – tokyo (vampires and wolves)

aching a bit from actually exercising 3 days in a row lol. wasn’t sure how the pins were going to take going for a run this morning. it went surprisingly well, with 4.2km completed in just under 20 minutes. Tha...

2 Jan 2013 / archives

02 jan 2013 – sun in your eyes

the christmas break is over, the time for over eating, over drinking, late nights and lay ins has past once more… I managed to get to the gym on Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and not at all in between. I enjoye...

2012

23 Dec 2012 / archives

dec 23 2012 – gabriel’s message

been a very christmassy week – i.e. loads of stuff on, “bad” food, drinks and other temptations… was great to get down the gym and sweat it out this morning! summary Time got up (today): 04:15 Mood (1 to 5): Mo...

19 Dec 2012 / archives

dec 19 2012 – don’t look back in anger

pick a long row day – nice! summary Time got up (today): 02:45 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch Night journal 02:45 – mini french toast snack, glass water 03:00 – gym (see below) 04:45 – bowl cereal, 2 pieces toa...

18 Dec 2012 / archives

dec 18 2012 – step on

sweaty row, jog and walk day – not much else to add except my knees are not happy with me at the moment 🙂 summary Time got up (today): 02:30 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5 journal 02:30 – mini french...

17 Dec 2012 / archives

dec 17 2012 – narayan

soooo, back down the gym this morning and found it tough going if i’m honest! could feel the belly a little more than usual, while on the rowing machine. took things relatively easily with the weights – after a...

16 Dec 2012 / archives

back to work, the holiday is over

“a holiday” is, in a way, how I have come to view the past week and a bit. a rest at least. my body (and probably mind as well) had conspired to complain – aches, pains, twatting my ankle on the shower base – t...

12 Dec 2012 / archives

12 dec 2012 – since you been gone

not too much to report from the past week – on the technological front, I decided to merge this blog into my main personal blog, then decided to replace THAT site with another more focused one (thus earning thi...

5 Dec 2012 / archives

05 dec 2012 – plateau

it was the best of times, it was the worst of times… or at the very least, this morning was one of mixed emotions and experiences. it started off well enough, I woke up, glanced at the clock and mentally punche...

4 Dec 2012 / archives

04 dec 2012 – greyhound

well I wasn’t too sure how things were going to pan out today – aches, pains, headaches and sneezes seemed to be the dominant theme towards the end of yesterday, so I feared the worst. fortunately I woke up fee...

3 Dec 2012 / archives

03 dec 2012 – she wolf

spent most of the weekend feeling tired, achy, sneezing and having headaches, so it was a relief to wake up this morning and feel fine. once I got into the gym session though, it became clear that my energy lev...

30 Nov 2012 / archives

30 nov 2012 – dog days are over

an early start today, so i managed a full friday session for a change (i.e. did the treadmill stuff and still had time for the weights). a bad day food wise though – Movember fund raising morning tea, and some...

29 Nov 2012 / archives

29 nov 2012 – till i collapse

a late night on the computer could mean only one thing – late start to the day and no time for the outdoor session. which is just as well, considering we’ve got raging winds and torrential downpours at the mome...

28 Nov 2012 / archives

28 nov 2012 – my man

first things first, there has been absolutely no net change weight wise since I weighed myself a week ago. not entirely sure what’s going on because i’ve been really good with my eating. not going to worry abou...

27 Nov 2012 / archives

27 nov 2012 – power

building work down the road slashed today’s session in half – not sure exactly what happened, but the net result was a complete power outage at the gym. as i headed home there was a small herd of hard hatted bl...

26 Nov 2012 / archives

26 nov 2012 – try

not too sure what’s going on with the sleep thing at the moment – in bed early last night as I was more than ready to sleep by 8:30. I then woke up pretty much every hour from about midnight onwards 🙁 finally...

24 Nov 2012 / archives

25 nov 2012 – hello

after the excitement of a night out Friday, I got an early night last night, which translated to an early ish start to Sunday. had a decent gym session, plenty of sweat and a good dose of hard work on the tread...

23 Nov 2012 / archives

23 nov 2012: the fighting machine

another night of punctuated sleep, this time waking a couple of times. finally hauled myself out of bed at 3:45 or so – even as i wrote the session details out in the notebook i knew it was going to be cut shor...

22 Nov 2012 / archives

22 nov 2012: morrighan

woke up around 2am and figured it was a bit early to hit the streets – woke again at 3:45ish, leaving just enough time to fit in a short jog and still catch the early bus… ended up doing just over 3.5km in just...

21 Nov 2012 / archives

20 kilos in 20 weeks weight loss challenge

having spent a good few months hovering around the 119kg mark, i’ve decided it’s time to put some focus on diet for a bit. while there have been significant improvement in areas like body fat percentage, i real...

21 Nov 2012 / archives

21 nov 2012: waking the witch

made it down the gym today and did a spot of fairly gentle rowing. didn’t push too hard, just eased back into things really. felt great afterwards – legs and joints are aching a bit now, and tiredness kicked in...

20 Nov 2012 / archives

15-20 nov 2012: woman of the earth

not quite sure what happened, but the blogging stopped early on wednesday and has subsequently been nudged out by more pressing things. not too much has happened between 15th and 20th anyway – here’s a summary:...

14 Nov 2012 / archives

14 nov 2012: eighth day

rowing day today, got a reasonably early start, opted for a 10km row and an early bus into the city… feeling surprisingly free of the worst of the aches and pains now, so the body must be recovering from the “o...

13 Nov 2012 / archives

13 nov 2012: run to the hills

so, quick catchup with the past week… “battered, tired and worn out” was the net result of the marathon row, then the body pump session. it’s made me realise more than ever that my only real obstacles now are t...

6 Nov 2012 / archives

06 nov 2012: rockin’ in the free world

another lie in today – didn’t get up until 4:30am! no gym this morning as i will be meeting britt later for a weigh in, measure and training session. haven’t had a proper weigh and measure for a while, so it wi...

5 Nov 2012 / archives

05 nov 2012: sunday bloody sunday

following yesterday’s marathon row, I gave myself the day off from the gym today. not surprisingly, i was very tired by the time yesterday evening came around, and slept very well. resting up today will give th...

4 Nov 2012 / archives

04 nov 2012: the row must go on

last night was our regular family dinner, and i cooked up an italian feast consisting of antipasto, spaghetti marinara and tiramisu. the beers and wine flowed as well. i had every intention of doing a full sess...

2 Nov 2012 / archives

02 nov 2012: mortal kombat

yay! managed an early start to the day (just after 3am) which meant i got in a decent gym session and still managed to get the early early bus into Perth! held the 10km/h pace reasonably comfortably for the 500...

1 Nov 2012 / archives

01 nov 2012: it’s too late

woke up just after 2am again… the next time i opened my eyes it was too late to do anything, so i opted to get ready for work and catch the early early bus. still tired, despite a nap on the bus, headache, ache...

31 Oct 2012 / archives

31 oct 2012: halloween hardstyle

the day began with a battle of wills; the part of me that wanted to stay in bed versus the part of me that wanted to go to the gym… 2:20am was what the clock said when i first woke up, i certainly didn’t need t...

30 Oct 2012 / archives

30 oct 2012: kashmir

bit of a slow achy start to the day but that all quickly melted away at the gym. happy with the rowing times, i definitely gave the lungs a good workout as i got that little raspy feel like i was freeing up ano...

29 Oct 2012 / archives

29 oct 2012: beethoven’s ninth

this is surely how beethoven intended for it to be played – he was ahead of his time and surely must have known that both the electric guitar and Ritchie Blackmore would be created… it’s a great track for rowin...

29 Oct 2012 / archives

28 oct 2012: les morts dansant

did the full sweaty, 3 hour (ish) Sunday workout today. loved it, and been knackered all day since! really happy with the treadmill work – of the 4 lots of 2km, rounds 1 and 3 were all completed at 10km/h while...

26 Oct 2012 / archives

26 oct 2012: the whores hustle

tired, aching and feeling great as i write this – all three due to this morning’s gym session. walking, jogging, weights and lots of sweating. the best bit of course is having a shower, freshening up and feelin...

25 Oct 2012 / archives

oh how i hated this

my school cross country course This image (click for a bigger version) captures the source of much pain (physical and mental) from September 1980 through to the middle of 1985. i’ve mentioned it on this blog be...

25 Oct 2012 / archives

nmmfg as a success template – wtf?

as mentioned in a recent post on my other blog, i have been left utterly gobsmacked by something completely unexpected; that my health and fitness efforts contain several success strategies and techniques that...

25 Oct 2012 / archives

25 oct 2012: keep on running

since i started doing the occasional bit of running, the thursday “back yard session” has increasingly become “go for a jog day”. this is undoubtedly helped by the state of the back yard currently, but is mostl...

24 Oct 2012 / archives

24 oct 2012: live, consume, drive

pick a long row day… had a relatively late night yesterday, and subsequently got up a little later than usual – so that made the long row choice easy; 10km. previously i’d got down to just above 40 minutes for...

23 Oct 2012 / archives

21-23 oct 2012: overload

“overload” is quite an apt word at the moment, it’s the reason why the journal entries have been intermittent and why I’ve even skipped the gym a few times in recent weeks. it is something that is being activel...

19 Oct 2012 / archives

19 oct 2012: smart dogs

and so it falls apart again… ok maybe not quite that bad, however I had a few technical issues with a website database yesterday, which resulted in my being up until just after midnight – and subsequently sleep...

18 Oct 2012 / archives

18 oct 2012: spring

i didn’t get to bed as early as i was planning to last night, which translated to waking up a little later than hoped this morning. still had plenty of time for a shorter jog though. managed a slightly faster p...

18 Oct 2012 / archives

07-17 oct 2012: catching up

finally a catch up post! been very busy for the past week or so, and something has had to give. while the thing that has suffered the most has been early morning gym sessions, there’s been a decent amount of da...

5 Oct 2012 / archives

05 oct 2012: brave new world

had a brief moment this morning where i hesitated about heading to the gym; th elegs were alittle stiff and sore after yesterday’s jog, and i thought about swapping today’s gym session with tomorrow’s rest day....

4 Oct 2012 / archives

04 oct 2012: lateralus

felt much better after a decent sleep (after having a shitty day at the office). “backyard session” day today, so i took the dog for a walk, and then had a gentle jog around a new route (past the jetts gym i us...

3 Oct 2012 / archives

03 oct 2012: e equals em cee squared

“pick a long row” day today, so started the day with a nice sweaty gym session and then a nap on the bus! Summary Time got up (today): 03:30 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 4 Night 3 (had to stay late at work fo...

3 Oct 2012 / archives

02 oct 2012: i want it all

been a very busy long weekend, so i’ve failed to find time to blog. in addition to today’s journal, the following includes details of the gym sessions from sunday and monday too! quite pleased to see the weight...

28 Sept 2012 / archives

28 sep 2012: the world i know

Notes decided to go with the 1 hour ish cardio session today – it’s been a while since i hit the cross trainer and it was time for a bit of cardio anyway. held a decent rate on the bike – over 100 rpm the whole...

27 Sept 2012 / archives

27 sep 2012: hey man nice shot

Summary Time got up (today): 04:30 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 4 Lunch 4 Night 4 Journal 04:45 – 2 dates, glass water 05:00 – indoor/outdoor session (see below) 05:45 – 2 eggs on toast sprinkled with grated low fat...

26 Sept 2012 / archives

26 sep 2012: some girls are bigger than others

another “weights day” session today, with the idea being to slowly build the weights up to their previous levels. so to that end, there were some slight increases across the board this morning. summary Time got...

25 Sept 2012 / archives

25 sep 2012: comfortably numb

aching a little today, not sure if it’s due to the 11km walk yesterday, or the work in the garden at the weekend. had a great night’s sleep, and didn’t wake until just before 4:30 (body recovering no doubt). as...

24 Sept 2012 / archives

doing it yourself

in any process of development, improvement or learning, you must at some point feel able to cope without your teacher, guide or instructor. obviously you don’t turn your back on that source of expertise and kno...

24 Sept 2012 / archives

24 sep 2012: big exit

not much to report from the weekend – i spent most of the time weeding and digging in the back yard, so there’s a few muscles giving out indications of having been used. sunday night was a family dinner (cooked...

21 Sept 2012 / archives

the personal development tool everyone should have

people spend an awful lot of time looking for the “magic bullet” that will solve all their issues, set them in the right direction and stop them from going off track. believe it or not, there is a tool that can...

21 Sept 2012 / archives

21 sep 2012: hallowed be thy name

ok, i give up! had to put in a late night fixing up some web stuff, resulting in my not waking up until about 6 this morning. got a bit annoyed at the failure rate of the week (in terms of not going down the gy...

20 Sept 2012 / archives

20 sep 2012: right in two

despite heading to bed early last night (20:30), i still managed to sleep until 5 this morning, giving just enough time to get ready and catch the early bus. hey ho, i guess the sleep was needed, so no point in...

19 Sept 2012 / archives

who or what is mr fat guy?

as I have noted in today’s journal entry, I didn’t head to the gym today, but that’s not to say that it has been a non productive day. far from it in fact… going for a morning and/or lunchtime walk is a familia...

19 Sept 2012 / archives

19 sep 2012: in the shadows

Notes Woke up quite late this morning, felt pretty crappy (aching and tired). Probably not helped by the house being full of sick and sniffly people at the moment! Anyway, net result was a decision to not hit t...

18 Sept 2012 / archives

where does one begin?

Something I never really considered when I started this “No More Mr Fat Guy” thing, is the fact that I now receive messages and emails asking for advice (mostly on how to get over the initial hump). I feel high...

18 Sept 2012 / archives

18 sep 2012: 46 and 2

Notes Was a mixed bag at the gym this morning; one one hand I was very happy with the time achieved for the 5km row, and the fact that my legs seemed to be cooperating. On the other hand, I didn’t finish the en...

17 Sept 2012 / archives

my first time

If you’ve been keeping up with No More Mr Fat Guy news, you will know that yesterday I took part in my first ever 10km fun run. This is the story of how the day unfolded… early to bed, early to rise I was deter...

17 Sept 2012 / archives

17 sep 2012 – transformation

Notes Woke up this morning feeling pretty good, a few aches and stiffness from yesterday’s 10km fun run, but overall in pretty good shape; the post run stretching, maintaining hydration and a good night’s sleep...

11 Sept 2012 / archives

11 sep 2012: the quickening

Notes Back down the gym this morning, some residual soreness and stiffness from the triathlon challenge – soon forgotten after a warm up though. 5km row was a pleasing 10 seconds faster than last time – probabl...

10 Sept 2012 / archives

10 sep 2012: the air that i breathe

Notes Triathlon challenge plus a late night meant no gym today. Business as usual again tomorrow 🙂 Have to say though – I’m surprisingly non achey today. Summary Time got up (today): 04:30 Mood (1 to 5): Morni...

10 Sept 2012 / archives

09 sep 2012: fire

Notes Cracked Britt’s “Triathlon Challenge” today, which was fairly pleasing. Very sweaty at the end of it but felt pretty good, recovered within a very short time. It was muscle fatigue and aches that was the...

8 Sept 2012 / archives

08 sep 2012: the water song

Notes Non gym day today, so enjoy the music and watch out for the updates as we start counting down to a major milestone; I’m doing a 10km fun run next weekend! Summary Time got up (today): 04:30 Mood (1 to 5):...

7 Sept 2012 / archives

07 sep 2012: earth song

Notes Today’s mission was to do the 10km jog and 10km spin bike – a different two thirds of Britt’s “triathlon challenge”. This took on even more purpose having read yesterday, that the Fremantle Fun Run is on...

6 Sept 2012 / archives

06 sep 2012: soldier boys & jesus freaks

Notes A day later than planned due to yesterday’s car battery issues – the plan for today was simple; do two parts of Britt’s “Triathlon Challenge” in the build up to doing the full 30km (10 jog/walk, 10 cycle,...

5 Sept 2012 / archives

05 sep 2012: rain one

Notes AAAAAH! Got up about 3:15 this morning, raring to go for a “pick a long row” day with a twist (planning on doing a 10km bike ride, then a 10km row in readiness for doing Britt’s “triathlon challenge”). Th...

4 Sept 2012 / archives

04 sep 2012: born on a different cloud

Notes Another damp session at the gym – maybe that’s how weight loss works – maybe fat melts and becomes sweat lol. The rowing was fantastic, putting in a couple of personal best times for 2km and 1km. I lost i...

3 Sept 2012 / archives

03 sep 2012: beautiful sunday

Notes I know it’s a Monday, but I had a great day yesterday (Fathers’ Day) and today feels like it’s going to be a good one too! Good session at the gym this morning – broke the 20 minute barrier for the 5km ro...

31 Aug 2012 / archives

31 aug 2012: new orleans is sinking

Notes Funny thing happened this morning – when I woke up I was sure that I’d woken earlier, checked the clock, fallen back to sleep and now would have to choose between early bus or gym… I looked across at the...

29 Aug 2012 / archives

29 aug 2012: devil woman (part 2)

Notes The “Devil Woman” in question is of course Britt, who laid down the challenge – 2 x half marathon rows before the end of August – or 100 burpees per day added to the next training schedule… Challenge comp...

24 Aug 2012 / archives

24 aug 2012: i’m outta time

Notes No gym today – I’m listening to my body, and my body is saying “you made me run 10km yesterday, if you think we’re going to the gym then you can get f &%!d!” Was really pleased with yesterday morning’s ef...

24 Aug 2012 / archives

23 aug 2012: just say yes

Notes As I have mentioned before, it’s quite interesting to see what I feel like doing on a Thursday morning. I pretty much knew what I was going to do, when I went to bed Wednesday evening. Sure enough, I woke...

22 Aug 2012 / archives

22 aug 2012: woman is a devil

Notes This one’s for you Britt 🙂 So anyway, “pick a long row” day again and Britt has laid down the challenge – 2 x half marathon rows before the end of August – or 100 burpees per day added to the next traini...

21 Aug 2012 / archives

the challenge of winter

Seeing as I’ve not written anything in the journal for a few days (not been down the gym either, but we’ll come to that in a moment) I thought I’d write a short blog post on a relevant topic instead… “Proper” W...

17 Aug 2012 / archives

17 aug 2012: the hands that built america

Notes Up and down the gym without too much hesitation this morning, but I must admit to being happy that there’s no training tomorrow. Feeling the need to rest ahead of a monster session on Sunday! Summary Time...

16 Aug 2012 / archives

16 aug 2012: the walk

Notes It’s always interesting to see what I actually feel like doing for a backyard session. After the high point of 2 weeks ago, when I jogged and walked for 8.5km, I really didn’t fancy that today at all. So...

15 Aug 2012 / archives

15 aug 2012: barbarism begins at home

Notes Can’t believe how quickly “pick a long row” day has comise around again. Had a fairly lazy start to the day, getting up at 4:30am. This in turn meant that I chose one of the shorter “long rows” – 10km. As...

14 Aug 2012 / archives

14 aug 2012: steam

Notes Another great session at the gym today, though it has left me with very tired legs lol. Pushed the rowing and jog/walk times downwards, and the cherry on top was a 500m row in 1m 30s. That’s possibly a Wa...

13 Aug 2012 / archives

11-13 aug 2012: behind blue eyes

Notes Quick catchup on the past few days – no daily journal details, just a quick recap of the gym session for Sunday and Monday. Saturday was a “rest” day… Sunday saw another 3 hour mega sweat session. Very pl...

10 Aug 2012 / archives

10 aug 2012: bargain

Notes Finally woke up NOT feeling tired – I think the cold that’s been lingering is finally easing off and I’m not using all my energy to fight it! Nice little session at the gym this morning, the 4km jog/walk...

8 Aug 2012 / archives

08 aug 2012: go let it out

Notes I sometimes think that “Pick a long row” day is my favourite in the current program. I usually just try to switch off for the bulk of the time, listen to whatever comes up next on the phone (shuffle mode)...

7 Aug 2012 / archives

07 aug 2012: rise up

Notes An annoying cough meant I got up far earlier than intended, and it showed at the gym with some slightly slower times on the treadmill. On the other hand, the rowing times were fine. Regardless, had a grea...

6 Aug 2012 / archives

06 aug 2012: gone

Notes OK, so back to Monday being “day 1”, and nicely recovered from the stupidity of Friday (the 3 hour killer gym session at 3am followed by a full day of work). Schedule change tried and found to be wanting...

3 Aug 2012 / archives

03 aug 2012: fire

Notes When I made the change recently to make Sunday “day 1” of each weekly program, I hadn’t realised the implication for Friday of each week… The final session of the week involves about 3 hours at the gym, w...

2 Aug 2012 / archives

exorcising some demons

This morning, I reached a fairly significant milestone – I voluntarily (and more or less happily) decided to go for a run. “Why is this a milestone?” I hear you ask, and as you asked so nicely, I will gladly ex...

2 Aug 2012 / archives

02 aug 2012: flagpole sitta

Summary Time to bed (previous night): 23:30 Time got up (today): 04:30 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 3.5 Lunch 4 Night 5 Journal 04:30 – Few dried banana chips, glass of water 04:45 – Backyard session (see below) 06:3...

1 Aug 2012 / archives

01 aug 2012: the quickening

Summary Time to bed (previous night): 21:30 Time got up (today): 04:15 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 4 Lunch 4 Night 4 Journal 04:15 – Few dried banana chips, glass of water 04:45 – Gym (see below) 06:30 – Porridge, 2...

1 Aug 2012 / archives

interesting content stats

I just updated and re ran the content index (used in the site search facility) and it’s told me that the 25 most common words in the journal and blog content are as below. Frankly, I’m amazed that “row” is so f...

31 July 2012 / archives

31 jul 2012: phoenix

Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:15 Time got up (today): 04:30 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 4 Lunch 3.5 (tired) Night 4 Journal 04:30 – Few dried banana chips, glass of water 05:00 – Gym (see details below) 0...

30 July 2012 / archives

30 jul 2012: l’amore è femmina

Summary Time to bed (previous night): 23:00 Time got up (today): 03:30 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 4 (bit tired) Night 3.5 (very tired) Journal 03:30 – 1 wholegrain cracker, glass of water 04:00 – Gym (see d...

29 July 2012 / archives

29 jul 2012: only human

Summary Time to bed (previous night): 11:30pm Time got up (today): 05:30 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch Night Weight: 119.2kg (shoes on) Journal 05:30 – 1 multigrain cracker, glass of water 06:00 – Gym (see det...

27 July 2012 / archives

27 jul 2012: anniversary song

9th wedding anniversary today, so figured this song might be worth posting. Summary Time to bed (previous night): 23:15 Time got up (today): 05:30 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 3 Lunch 4 Night 5 Journal 05:30 – Weetbi...

26 July 2012 / archives

26 jul 2012: getting better

Thursdays seem to be turning into Beatles Days… Anyway, I’m getting better is the main point here lol. Summary Time to bed (previous night): 23:30 Time got up (today): 06:00 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 3 Lunch 3 Nig...

25 July 2012 / archives

25 jul 2012: enter sandman

Hope you’re enjoying the music vids, because there’s a distinct lack of gym action. Sleep seems to be the only thing I’m doing at the moment… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 8:30pm Time got up (today): 06...

24 July 2012 / archives

24 jul 2012: fragile

Yup, definitely feeling fragile this morning… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 8:00pm Time got up (today): 06:30 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 2 Lunch 2 Night 2.5 Journal 06:30 – 1 slice toast & vegemite, glass o...

23 July 2012 / archives

23 jul 2012: sick as a dog

Seems like an appropriate song title given how the day panned out… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 11:00pm Time got up (today): 04:15 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 4 (felt a little bloated) Lunch 1 Night 1 Journ...

22 July 2012 / archives

22 jul 2012: water

Water… I consumed a lot, and sweated out a lot during this morning’s session! Summary Time to bed (previous night): 23:00 Time got up (today): 04:30 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journal 04:30 – 1 mu...

20 July 2012 / archives

20 jul 2012: redefine possible

Some footage of this came on the TV screen while I was at the gym. Amazing stuff, I just had to search out a video of it, and fortunately there was one with music… If you think you can’t lose a few excess pound...

19 July 2012 / archives

19 jul 2012: penny lane

Had this one playing during the jog this morning – 2 Thursdays in a row for Beatles tracks… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 23:00 Time got up (today): 05:15 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journa...

18 July 2012 / archives

18 jul 2012: don’t go away

This track is the one that was playing as I completed the final 500m of this morning’s row… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:30 (roughly) Time got up (today): 02:30 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Nigh...

17 July 2012 / archives

17 jul 2012: child in time

RIP Jon Lord… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:30 Time got up (today): 03:45 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night Journal 03:45 – 1 wholegrain cracker, glass of water 04:00 – Gym (see details below) 0...

16 July 2012 / archives

16 jul 2012: breakthru

This popped up on the random playlist as I was rowing – I have a funny feeling Britt will appreciate the song title… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 11:30pm Time got up (today): 03:45 Mood (1 to 5): Morni...

13 July 2012 / archives

program number 3

Just for those who are playing along at home… this is the revised training program that Britt’s given me. This is now the 3rd program, and evolves things very nicely towards the end goal of doing some serious l...

13 July 2012 / archives

13 jul 2012: civil war

Pity the lyrics are still 100% relevant… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 23:00 Time got up (today): 04:30 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journal 04:30 – 1 multigrain cracker, glass of water 05:0...

12 July 2012 / archives

12 jul 2012: strawberry fields forever

It pops up on my playlist every now and then – great tune, now almost 50 years old… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:30 Time got up (today): 05:30 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 4 Journal 05:30...

11 July 2012 / archives

11 jul 2012: awaken

If this music does not move you in any way, then you are either dead, or you have no soul… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:30 (roughly) Time got up (today): 03:30 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night...

10 July 2012 / archives

10 jul 2012: purple rain

More like cold and grey rain… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:30 Time got up (today): 05:45 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 4 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journal 05:45 – 2 Jatz Crackers, glass of water 06:00 – Gym (see det...

9 July 2012 / archives

09 jul 2012: back to black

Back to… the gym actually… Summary Time to bed (previous night): Midnight (ish) Time got up (today): 05:30 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 4 Lunch 5 Night 3.5 (very tired) Weight: 122.7kg (shoes on) Journal 05:30 – 2 Ja...

5 July 2012 / archives

so did ya miss me?

Regular readers of the blog and journal will have noticed a lack of posting activity in the past week. It all started with a decision to NOT train, due to aches, pains and general unwellness. At the time, I tho...

28 June 2012 / archives

28 jun 2012: let down

This morning saw either a great decision for my body/health, or a let down from a mindset perspective – see notes… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:00 Time got up (today): 04:45 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 2...

27 June 2012 / archives

27 jun 2012: russians

Great track from a great artist – lyrically it’s very much a song of its era, but musically it’s timeless… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 21:00 Time got up (today): 03:15 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5...

26 June 2012 / archives

26 jun 2012 – weiss heim

Another random selection from my music collection – great band, superb guitarist… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 20:45 Time got up (today): 02:45 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 4 Journal 02:45 –...

25 June 2012 / archives

25 jun 2012 – intensity

Intensity wasn’t bad at the gym this morning… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 21:00 Time got up (today): 03:45 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 4 Lunch 5 Night 4 Journal 03:45 – 2 jatz crackers, glass water 04:00 –...

24 June 2012 / archives

24 jun 2012: i am the resurrection

Try listening to this track without developing a bit of a swagger… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 04:00 (guess timated) Time got up (today): 09:05 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5 (but very very...

23 June 2012 / archives

23 jun 2012: unashamed desire

Came on the radio as we drove back from Saturday morning football… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 0:00 Time got up (today): 07:00 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journal 07:30 – Egg & bacon sand...

22 June 2012 / archives

22 jun 2012: happy house

Everyone deserves a happy house… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:00 Time got up (today): 05:30 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journal 05:30 – 2 light jatz crackers, glass of water 05:45 – Gym...

21 June 2012 / archives

21 jun 2012: cold

Cold – because it was – very Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:00 Time got up (today): 04:15 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journal 04:15 – 2 lite jatz crackers, glass water 04:30 – Backyard se...

20 June 2012 / archives

20 jun 2012 – lazy

Lazy, because I didn’t go to the gym today (see notes)… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:00 Time got up (today): 04:45 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 4 Lunch 5 Night 4 Journal 04:45 – 2 fried eggs, bacon, 2 sli...

19 June 2012 / archives

19 jun 2012 – magic pie

A bit of Oasis? Don’t mind if I do… Summary Time to bed (previous night): Couple of overnight naps Time got up (today): 02:45 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 4 (tired) Night 3 (very tired) Journal 02:45 – 2 jatz...

18 June 2012 / archives

18 jun 2012: the boy with the thorn in his side

Hope you’re enjoying the journey through my music collection – I recently got around to uploading a lot of it onto my phone, hence the recent spike in 80s alternative music… Summary Time to bed (previous night)...

17 June 2012 / archives

17 jun 2012 – time is ticking out

I can’t even begin to think when I last heard this – popped up while playing my music in “shuffle” mode while at the gym. Great track, brilliant band. Summary Time to bed (previous night): 23:00 Time got up (to...

16 June 2012 / archives

16 jun 2012: parisienne walkways

Superb track from one of the guitar greats… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 23:00 Time got up (today): 06:30 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journal 06:30 – Working at computer (admin stuff) 07:3...

15 June 2012 / archives

15 jun 2012: every soldier is a mother’s son

So bring them home to their Mothers, Fathers, Wives, Partners and Children… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 23:00 Time got up (today): 03:15 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 4 (very tired) Journal 0...

14 June 2012 / archives

14 jun 2012: mistreated

Just because I can… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 23:30 Time got up (today): 05:15 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journal 05:15 – 2 lite jatz crackers, glass water 05:30 – Backyard session (se...

13 June 2012 / archives

13 jun 2012 – brewing up a storm

The city dwellers of Perth got all excited about a storm that, if you listened to all the hype and hysteria, was going to wipe out everything in its path. Reality was we had some gusty winds and some heavy rain...

12 June 2012 / archives

12 jun 2012: holding back the years

This song is in reference to the fact that I got my initial bio age test results/report back. I’ll be blogging about that in the main blog section. Chronological Age = 43, Biological Age = 39 = Great result! Su...

11 June 2012 / archives

11 jun 2012: on the turning away

You’ve got to be happy when this song comes on the radio, as you head to the gym at 3:30 in the morning.. Summary Time to bed (previous night): 21:30 Time got up (today): 03:15 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 4...

10 June 2012 / archives

10 jun 2012 – sunday girl

Another day themed video – unlike yesterday’s, this is a decent track 🙂 Summary Time to bed (previous night): 23:00 Time got up (today): 06:30 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journal 06:30 – Rice cake...

9 June 2012 / archives

09 jun 2012: saturday

I did a search on YouTube for “Saturday” – I honestly thought this was a very funny piss take/spoof at first. Apparently it’s not (which is even more hilarious)… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 00:45 Time...

8 June 2012 / archives

08 jun 2012: wasteland

One of my favourite bands from my late teens (still is)… Ah, nostalgia ain’t what it used to be… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:00 Time got up (today): 04:15 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5 J...

7 June 2012 / archives

07 jun 2012: rain

Rain didn’t stop play this morning… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 23:00 Time got up (today): 05:15 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journal 05:15 – 2 lite jatz crackers, glass water 05:30 – Indo...

7 June 2012 / archives

back to the future

I’m still getting used to having people talk to me about my little project relating to weight loss and fitness gain, but I’ve noticed a trend lately; I’m getting quite a few comments along the lines of “that’s...

6 June 2012 / archives

06 jun 2012 – god save the queen

With all the Diamond Jubilee stuff going on, I guess I ought to do something to mark the occasion 🙂 Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:30 Time got up (today): 03:15 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night...

6 June 2012 / archives

05 jun 2012: lip up fatty

Oh no Mr Buster Bloodvessel, there’s no “Fatty” here… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:00 Time got up (today): 04:15 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journal 04:15 – Glass of water 05:30 – Walka...

5 June 2012 / archives

04 jun 2012: the whole of the moon

Partial lunar eclipse tonight… This post will be another quick catch up – we’ve just had a long weekend and I’ve been so busy with website work that I completely forgot about the blog…. Key points from the week...

1 June 2012 / archives

01 jun 2012: spirit of albion

Let’s start the month with something a little different. One of my favourite pagan/folk musos… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:00 Time got up (today): 03:15 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 4 (little tir...

31 May 2012 / archives

31 may 2012: isle of avalon

Avalonian myth and legend, classic Maiden rock, that’ll do me… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 00:15 Time got up (today): 04:45 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journal 04:45 – 2 lite jatz cracker...

30 May 2012 / archives

30 may 2012 – the voice

No, not the TV show… a lovely song that’s been in my head for a couple of days. No idea why, it’s not like I’ve heard it for a while. Anyway, enjoy… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:00 Time got up (toda...

29 May 2012 / archives

29 may 2012: dub be good to me

There was a remix of this playing at the gym this morning – prefer the original myself…. Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:00 Time got up (today): 04:15 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journal 0...

28 May 2012 / archives

28 may 2012: euphoria

And the winner of Eurovision 2012 is… Sweden (I still think the Russian Grannies and Moldova should have been joint winners) Summary Time to bed (previous night): 23:30 Time got up (today): 04:15 Mood (1 to 5):...

27 May 2012 / archives

27 may 2016 – weil der mensch zählt

Continuing the Eurovision theme, this is a Eurovision classic from 2003… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 0:00 Time got up (today): 06:00 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 4 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journal 06:00 – 2 jatz cra...

26 May 2012 / archives

26 may 2012 – party for everybody

Eurovision – you either get it, or you don’t… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:30 Time got up (today): 07:00 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 4 (bit tired) Night 5 Journal 07:00 – French toast, Orange jui...

25 May 2012 / archives

25 may 2012: la serenissima

Listening to a bit of classical music this morning and this video from the early 80s came to mind… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:00 Time got up (today): 05:15 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5...

24 May 2012 / archives

24 may 2012: eat the rich

This one goes out to you, Gina Rinehart, in the time it takes to watch this vid, you’ll have made another $150k… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 23:30 Time got up (today): 04:50 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 L...

23 May 2012 / archives

23 may 2012: bridgwater

Bridgwater is the town where I grew up, living there 21 years from the age of 8. I’m using this track on the blog today thanks to some conversations on Facebook stirring up some memories of what now seems a lif...

22 May 2012 / archives

22 may 2012: pinball wizard

From one long curly haired rock god to another… Mr Plant yesterday, Mr Daltrey today… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:15 Time got up (today): 03:45 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journal 03:4...

21 May 2012 / archives

21 may 2012: 21 days, 21 kilometres

This was on the radio as I drove to the gym – my favourite version of one of my all time favourite songs. Compared to 3 or 4 minute pop numbers, the song itself is a mini marathon. Quite fitting really… Summary...

21 May 2012 / archives

19 & 20 may: weekend

So it seems that a pattern is establishing itself… when I look for songs/vids to go with a “catchup” journal entry, it winds up being a piece of 1970s pop cheese… (this one isn’t half as bad as Barry Manilow th...

18 May 2012 / archives

18 may 2012: sorrow

This was playing on the radio as I headed back from the gym – vintage gold… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:00 Time got up (today): 04:15 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journal 04:15 – Piece...

17 May 2012 / archives

17 may 2012: backyard babies

It was cold in the back yard this morning – Minus Celsius by the Backyard Babies seemed fitting… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:00 Time got up (today): 04:45 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night Jou...

16 May 2012 / archives

16 may 2012: cold as ice

It was cold first thing this morning – I got in the car and this song came on, reinforcing in my mind that I was cold – brrrr… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 21:45 Time got up (today): 03:15 Mood (1 to 5...

16 May 2012 / archives

15 may 2012: happy birthday

NMMFG’s birthday today – I remember this song well, I was 12… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:30 Time got up (today): 04:15 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journal 04:15 – Couple of light jatz...

15 May 2012 / archives

12-14 may: bermuda triangle

I truly apologise for using this video… A Few Blog Posts Missing After the 60 minute row, things got a bit out of hand… Basically it was a mad weekend with my son’s birthday party, an engagement party, Mothers’...

11 May 2012 / archives

11 may 2012: row, row, row the boat…

This was blasting out as I headed to the gym with just one (stupid) goal in mind… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 21:30 Time got up (today): 03:30 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch Night Journal 03:30 – 2 li...

10 May 2012 / archives

10 may 2012: zombie nation

Great track, weird video… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:00 Time got up (today): 04:30 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journal 04:30 – Couple of light jatz crackers, glass water 04:45 – Back...

9 May 2012 / archives

09 may 2012: it’s been a while

It’s been a while since I last heard this song… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:30 Time got up (today): 04:30 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch Night Journal 04:30 – Couple of “light” crackers, glass of w...

8 May 2012 / archives

08 may 2012: alive

Had this one blasting out on the way to the gym, great way to wake up… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 21:30 Time got up (today): 02:45 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journal 02:50 – Couple of “...

7 May 2012 / archives

ch..ch..changes

What is it about change that makes it something that is loved by few, embraced by some, and viewed with distrust by the majority? While out of the scope of this article, I think it boils down to fear of (leapin...

7 May 2012 / archives

07 may 2012: skipping classes

Because it feels a bit like I’ve played truant today… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:00 Time got up (today): 04:30 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 4 Lunch 5 Night Journal 04:30 – Made an effort to get up, a pa...

6 May 2012 / archives

06 may 2012: peaches

Movin’ to the country for sure… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 23:30 Time got up (today): 05:30 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 3 (had to fight a number of excuses just to get up and go to the gym) Lunch 4 Night...

5 May 2012 / archives

05 may 2012: behind the wheel

Because I will be spending a lot of time behind the wheel today… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 23:00 Time got up (today): 05:30 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journal 05:30 – Egg sandwich 07:0...

4 May 2012 / archives

04 may 2012: may the fourth be with you

If you can’t make the connection, I pity you… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 23:00 Time got up (today): 04:30 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 4 Night 5 Journal 04:30 – Multigrain cracker with vegemite, gl...

3 May 2012 / archives

03 may 2012: signal to noise

Yesterday’s track put me in a Gabriel kind of mood… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 23:00 Time got up (today): 05:15 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 4 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journal 05:15 – Multigrain cracker with vegemi...

2 May 2012 / archives

02 may 2012: rhythm of the heat

Had this superb track in my head all morning – after this morning's session it should perhaps be Rhythm of the Sweat… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 23:00 Time got up (today): 04:15 Mood (1 to 5): Mornin...

1 May 2012 / archives

01 may 2012: the end

Love this song… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 23:00 Time got up (today): 03:00 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 4 Night Journal 03:00 – Multigrain cracker with vegemite, glass water. Watched football (Uni...

30 Apr 2012 / archives

30 apr 2012: blue monday

Not really feeling blue, but this is an immense track from the late 80’s… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 23:00 Time got up (today): 04:15 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journal 04:15 – Multigra...

29 Apr 2012 / archives

29 apr 2012: an easy sunday morning

Summary Time to bed (previous night): 01:30 Time got up (today): 07:00 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 4 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journal 07:00 – Toast with vegemite, glass water 07:30 – Gym (see below) 08:45 – Bacon, egg, baked...

28 Apr 2012 / archives

28 apr 2012: saturday night’s alright

Today is Saturday… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 23:00 Time got up (today): 06:30 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journal 06:30 – Piece of toast and vegemite, glass of water 07:00 – Short walk...

27 Apr 2012 / archives

27 apr 2012: n-n-n-n-n-nineteen

To celebrate getting below 20 stone…. n n n n nineteen stone th th th thirteen pounds… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:30 Time got up (today): 03:15 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journal 03:...

26 Apr 2012 / archives

26 apr 2012: shadow boxer

Boxing themed tune today, in honour of the gruelling session at Walkabout Wellness last night, and the aches that has left me with this morning… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:00 Time got up (today):...

25 Apr 2012 / archives

25 april 2012: anzac day

On a day when everyone is saying “Lest we forget”, let’s hope that one day politicians, rulers and other egomaniacs stop sending people into pointless wars. Let’s hope that one day there will be nothing to forg...

24 Apr 2012 / archives

24 apr 2012: tuesday afternoon

Continuing the theme of songs to match the day of the week… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:00 Time got up (today): 03:30 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 4 Lunch 5 Night 4 Journal 03:30 – Toast with vegemite, g...

23 Apr 2012 / archives

23 apr 2012: monday monday

Despite being around before I was even born, I do like a bit of Mamas and Papas. As for the song selection… It's Monday, 'nuff said… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:30 Time got up (today): 03:35 Mood (...

22 Apr 2012 / archives

22 apr 2012: a glory-ous sunday

Perth Glory in the A League Grand Final today, this is the song that gets played at home games when Glory score, hopefully the fans who travelled to Brisbane will get to chant this a couple of times at least… S...

21 Apr 2012 / archives

21 apr 2012: these boots, they were made for walking

I went for a walk this morning, so this seems to fit… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 23:00 Time got up (today): 06:30 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journal 06:30 – Piece of toast and vegemite,...

20 Apr 2012 / archives

20 apr 2012: baker street

This was playing on the radio as I headed back from the gym at 20 past stupid o'clock… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:00 Time got up (today): 02:55 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 4 Lunch 5 Night 4 Journal 03:...

19 Apr 2012 / archives

19 apr 2012: come on in my kitchen

I used this song as part of a slideshow/presentation project a few years ago, for some reason it was in my head this morning… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 21:30 Time got up (today): 04:45 Mood (1 to 5)...

18 Apr 2012 / archives

18 apr 2012: all sweated out

No idea why but this song popped into my head – haven't heard it in a while… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:30 Time got up (today): 03:30 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch Night 4 Journal 03:30 – Multigr...

17 Apr 2012 / archives

17 apr 2012: tuesday’s gone

Tuesday's just come, but it will be gone at some point… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:00 Time got up (today): 04:00 Daily water intake: 3500ml Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journal 04:00 –...

16 Apr 2012 / archives

16 apr 2012: i do like mondays really

This was on the radio as I drove to the gym – another classic… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 21:30 Time got up (today): 03:15 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 4 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journal 03:15 – Piece of toast with...

15 Apr 2012 / archives

15 apr 2012: burning times

Had a great day yesterday, and a brilliant time at the Spiral Dance gig – this was their closing number (you'll either love it or hate it, my musical tastes are wide and varied lol)… Summary Time to bed (previo...

14 Apr 2012 / archives

14 apr 2012: spiral dancing

Exciting day – weigh in and going to the Spiral Dance gig tonight… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 23:00 Time got up (today): 06:30 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 4 Night 5 Journal 06:30 – Vanilla and Alm...

13 Apr 2012 / archives

13 apr 2012: friday the thirteenth

Well it is Friday 13th after all… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 23:15 Time got up (today): 05:15 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 3 Lunch 3 Night 5 Journal 05:15 – Piece of toast with vegemite, glass water 05:30...

12 Apr 2012 / archives

12 apr 2012: for the greater good

Backyard sessions are so much better with a dash of Maiden… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 23:15 Time got up (today): 05:00 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 3 Lunch 4 Night 5 Journal 05:00 – Piece of toast with ve...

11 Apr 2012 / archives

11 apr 2012: rock the casbah

Rocking the gym, rocking the casbah! Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:00 Time got up (today): 03:15 Mood (1 to 5): Morning 4 Lunch 5 Night 4 Journal 03:15 – Piece of toast & vegemite, glass of water 03:...

10 Apr 2012 / archives

10 apr 2012: back on the chain gang

Long weekend over, back on the chain gang it is… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:00 Time got up (today): 04:15 Daily water intake: 3000ml Mood (1 to 5): Morning 4 Lunch 5 Night 4 Journal 04:15 – Piece...

9 Apr 2012 / archives

09 apr 2012: misty mountain hop

It was misty this morning… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 01:00 Time got up (today): 06:30 Daily water intake: 1600ml Mood (1 to 5): Morning 3 Lunch 5 Night 4 Journal 06:30 – Piece of toast, glass of wat...

8 Apr 2012 / archives

08 apr 2012: happy easter!

An Easter Sunday message from NMMFG… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:00 Time got up (today): 06:00 Daily water intake: 3500ml Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journal 06:00 – Slice toast, glass...

8 Apr 2012 / archives

07 apr 2012: fire

Because English Premiership Football is on TV as I write this… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 23:00 Time got up (today): 06:30 Daily water intake: 2500ml Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 4 Night 3 Journal...

6 Apr 2012 / archives

06 apr 2012: rolling in the deep

Superb singing voice – the tune is in my head for some reason… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:15 Time got up (today): 06:15 Daily water intake: 1800ml Mood (1 to 5): Morning 4 Lunch 4 Night 4 Journal...

6 Apr 2012 / archives

05 apr 2012: the lifted lorax

Family trip to see the Lorax movie today, so how could I not? Summary Time to bed (previous night): 01:15 Time got up (today): 06:30 Daily water intake: 2000ml Mood (1 to 5): Morning 3 Lunch 4 Night 4 Journal 0...

4 Apr 2012 / archives

04 apr 2012: solsbury hill

Great track, heard on the radio this morning… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:00 Time got up (today): 04:00 Daily water intake: 2000ml Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 4 Night 4 Journal 04:00 – Piece of...

3 Apr 2012 / archives

03 apr 2012: all the young dudes

Classic track from Mott the Hoople, for no reason except I was talking about it the other day… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:00 Time got up (today): 03:15 Daily water intake: 900ml Mood (1 to 5): Mor...

2 Apr 2012 / archives

02 apr 2012: back in the saddle again

Saturday and Sunday were a bit of a washout thanks to a stomach upset. Not much to write home about except I wound up with an extra day of rest from the gym… Back in the saddle now… Summary Time to bed (previou...

30 Mar 2012 / archives

30 mar 2012: my own worst enemy

I have no idea how they call this “punk” – anyway, read the notes to find out about the mental battles that took place this morning… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:00 Time got up (today): 04:00 Daily...

29 Mar 2012 / archives

29 mar 2012: your own back yard

Back yard workout day… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 21:30 Time got up (today): 04:30 Daily water intake: 2100ml Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night Journal 04:30 – Multigrain cracker with vegemite,...

28 Mar 2012 / archives

28 mar 2012: lavondyss

Random song day – via a complex series of lookups and searches on a completely unrelated matter… How could I go past the “psychedelic trance” bit? Enjoy! Summary Time to bed (previous night): 21:30 Time got up...

27 Mar 2012 / archives

27 mar 2012: 2am

Woke up at 2am – though I did force myself to stay in bed until 2:45… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 21:30 Time got up (today): 02:45 (woke at 2am and dozed for a while) Daily water intake: 900ml Mood (1...

26 Mar 2012 / archives

26 mar 2012: back to reality!

After a weekend of partying, time to get back to everyday life, back to reality… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 21:30 Time got up (today): 03:10 Daily water intake: 3000ml Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch...

25 Mar 2012 / archives

25 mar 2012: severe punishment

Severe Punishment seems an apt description of the gym session I eventually did – should have burnt off some of the calories from the previous night’s partying anyway… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:30...

24 Mar 2012 / archives

24 mar 2012: disco duck

We’re heading to a 40th Birthday Party tonight, fancy dress with 70s Disco theme – hence me having this idea for a daily song (sorry)… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:30 Time got up (today): 04:00 (tha...

23 Mar 2012 / archives

23 mar 2012: rowers on the storm

This morning’s song as I drove to the gym… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 21:45 Time got up (today): 03:00 Daily water intake: 2600ml Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journal 03:05 – Slice of toa...

22 Mar 2012 / archives

22 mar 2012: madness at our house

The madness that is of getting up at stupid o’clock and voluntarily heading out into the backyard for pushups, crunches and more… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:00 Time got up (today): 04:30 Daily wat...

21 Mar 2012 / archives

21 mar 2012: “weights day”

There was a Dire Straits song on the radio first thing this morning, I can’t recall what it was now, so here’s one of my all time favourites instead… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:30 Time got up (tod...

20 Mar 2012 / archives

20 mar 2012: the rowing song

Never heard of this before, I Googled “rowing song” and turned up this little gem. Lash the oars to our hands and let us pull, indeed! Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:00 Time got up (today): 03:00 Dail...

19 Mar 2012 / archives

19 mar 2012: gym just got tougher

Some 80s cheese… As for this week’s take on, give away and goal… Take on: 1 lunchtime walk per week that includes a stroll up Jacob’s Ladder Give away: Saturday gym (i.e. bringing back the rest day) Goal: Estab...

19 Mar 2012 / archives

18 mar 2012: the gym is back in town

Found the gym card – it was in clear sight! Many thanks to the universe for pointing out that Saturdays need to be rest days lol. Summary Time to bed (previous night): 23:00 Time got up (today): 06:45 Daily wat...

18 Mar 2012 / archives

17 mar 2012: lá fhéile pádraig sona duit!

Happy Saint Paddy’s Day! Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:00 Time got up (today): 06:15 Daily water intake: 2400ml Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 3 Night 4 Journal 06:15 – Piece of toast with microwaved...

16 Mar 2012 / archives

16 mar 2012: body pump up the jam

Weigh in, measure and Body Pump session at the WW gym tonight. Body Pump, Pump Up The Jam… Geddit? lol Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:00 Time got up (today): 04:15 Daily water intake: 1000ml Mood (1 t...

15 Mar 2012 / archives

15 mar 2012: the ides of march

Beware the Ides of March… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:00 Time got up (today): 04:00 Daily water intake: 2400ml Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5 (very tired) Journal 04:00 – Sandwich thin wi...

14 Mar 2012 / archives

14 mar 2012: tiger tiger burning bright

Eye of the Tiger, because it had to be included at some point… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:15 Time got up (today): 04:00 Daily water intake: 1700ml Mood (1 to 5): Morning 5 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journal...

13 Mar 2012 / archives

13 mar 2012: ghost town

Got to the office at 6:30am today, felt just like a Ghost Town… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 21:30 Time got up (today): 03:20 Daily water intake: 2400ml Mood (1 to 5): Morning 4 Lunch 5 Night 5 Journal...

12 Mar 2012 / archives

12 mar 2012: everybody hurts, sometimes

First thing on the radio, on the way to the gym. Not quite what they meant, but I did hurt after the gym… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 21:30 Time got up (today): 03:30 Daily step count: 13588 Daily wat...

11 Mar 2012 / archives

11 mar 2012: sunday morning call

After yesterday’s video I am in a bit of an Oasis groove – plus the Sunday Morning reference… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 23:00 Time got up (today): 06:30 Daily step count: Daily water intake: 3000ml...

10 Mar 2012 / archives

10 mar 2012: the master plan

Just because I love this song and love the video even more (apart from the ciddy references) Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:30 Time got up (today): 03:30 (woke up at midnight, 1am, 3:20) Daily step co...

9 Mar 2012 / archives

09 mar 2012: crazy diamonds shining on

If ever you get the chance, take an early morning stroll, in the sunshine, alongside a river and with THIS at high volume. Perfect start to the day… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:15 Time got up (toda...

8 Mar 2012 / archives

08 mar 2012: mother

Part of this morning’s riverside walk listening… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 21:30 Time got up (today): 05:00 Daily step count: 12176 Daily water intake: 2500ml Mood (1 to 5): Morning 2 (see notes) Lu...

7 Mar 2012 / archives

just f&*^ing do it!

It’s very interesting how things work out; here I was contemplating writing something on the topic of “getting started” when a very timely guest post pops up on the Zen Habits news feed. When I think about how...

7 Mar 2012 / archives

07 mar 2012: sweet child o’ mine

Headed to the gym with this blaring out this morning. Good way to wake up at 3am… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 21:30 Time got up (today): Woke up midnight, 1am, 2am, 2:30, 2:45, finally got up at 03:00...

6 Mar 2012 / archives

06 mar 2012: breakfast at tiffany’s

This was the first song I heard on the radio this morning – haven’t heard it for ages… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:30 Time got up (today): 04:05 Daily step count: 10745 Daily water intake: 3000ml M...

5 Mar 2012 / archives

05 mar 2012: labour day

It wouldn’t be Labour Day without a bit of Billy Bragg… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 22:30 Time got up (today): 04:45 Daily step count: 4768 (am) pedometer left on desk for most of the day 🙁 Daily wat...

4 Mar 2012 / archives

04 mar 2012: be what you wanna be

This track was on the radio in the car when I left the gym – nice easy Sunday morning listening and the lyric “be what you wanna be” seemed apt… Summary Time to bed (previous night): 11pm Time got up (today): 5...

3 Mar 2012 / archives

mar 03 2012: saturday come slow

New policy – introduce each day’s journal with a song of the day (just because I love music lol)… This week (in case you hadn’t noticed) the journal titles have included song titles relevant to the day of the w...

2 Mar 2012 / archives

mar 2 2012: friday on my mind

Woke at 11:30pm, 1:30am and 4am – so took a couple of seconds to force myself to get started this morning. Was keen to hit the gym after a day off though. Also today’s a big day with a DJ Clubfit session this e...

1 Mar 2012 / archives

mar 1 2012: thursday’s child

No gym today – still woke up at 3:30am though! Body is quite grateful for the break from gym work, it’s feeling a bit battered and worn… Food: Breakfast: 1 slice dry toast with vegemite (pre walk) 1 slice dry t...

29 Feb 2012 / archives

feb 29 2012: wednesday like a river

4:15am start to the day again, bit of a sluggish start which was probably due to the bike ride last night. The bike ride also seems to have affected overall energy and performance in the gym. Reasonable I guess...

28 Feb 2012 / archives

feb 28 2012: goodbye ruby tuesday

4:15am start to the day, up and out to the gym happily and willingly, a decent session and a nice stroll by the river once I got to Perth. This is rapidly becoming my definition of a GREAT day. Food: Breakfast:...

27 Feb 2012 / archives

feb 27 2012: week 5

Wow, 4 weeks have flown by and so much has changed already. It’s going to be really exciting seeing the results of another 10 weeks of the Walkabout Wellness Weightloss Challenge, let alone what happens beyond...

26 Feb 2012 / archives

feb 26 2012: weigh-in day

Had a nice slow start to the day as it was a non gym day. Up about 7:30am or so, a sluggish start was remedied with a gentle walk with the dog. Have a weigh in and progress check at the Walkabout Wellness gym t...

25 Feb 2012 / archives

feb 25 2012: rest day, what rest day?

Due to tomorrow being a 12 Week Weightloss Challenge weigh in and assessment day, I’ve swapped my rest day over, making tomorrow (Sunday) the “rest” day and today a normal gym day. With things like a 1km row an...

24 Feb 2012 / archives

feb 24 2012: later still!

Funny how perceptions can change; I used to consider getting up at 8am (on a weekday) or 10pm (at the weekend) as getting up late. After another late night (11:15pm ish) I woke up at 4:45am and considered THAT...

23 Feb 2012 / archives

feb 23 2012: running late

Despite being up at 4am, I somehow managed to miss my usual bus by a minute or so. I therefore took an alternative route into the office (so I could still be here around 7) which meant missing out on the rivers...

22 Feb 2012 / archives

feb 22 2012: day 30!

Today is a special day – it’s the 30th day of writing daily journal entries, and therefore MORE than 30 days of doing daily exercise and watching the diet. What’s so special about this? Well, “they” usually say...

22 Feb 2012 / archives

add, remove, set a goal

One of the things that Britt has got me doing, in addition to the actual exercise, activity and diet stuff, is to “add something, remove something and set a goal” on a weekly basis. This has proven to be quite...

21 Feb 2012 / archives

feb 21 2012: back in the groove

Raring to go again this morning, determined to have a more positive gym session than yesteday. Mission accomplished with the minor exception of push ups. I manged exactly zero full(toe) push ups today. Gotta cr...

20 Feb 2012 / archives

feb 20 2012: bad gym day

Day 1, week 2 of the Walkabout Wellness Weightloss Challenge and I was up at 3:40am, hitting the gym around 4. Was raring to go knowing I would comfortably do the 500m rows in well under 2m 30s, and itching to...

19 Feb 2012 / archives

feb 19 2012: end of week 1 or 4

This is the end of week 1 of the 12 week challenge – end of week 4 overall… It’s 6:00 on a Sunday morning and I’m writing a journal entry having ALREADY been to the gym. WTF? Anyway, 4:30am start today, was a l...

18 Feb 2012 / archives

feb 18 2012: walk on by

Much better start to the day, in bed around 10pm, woke up about 4:00, stayed in bed until 6 before heading out for a walk… getting enough rest is clearly crucial. Food: Breakfast: 1 slice dry toast with vegemit...

17 Feb 2012 / archives

feb 17 2012: wheel wobbles

Had some hassles upgrading my main computer’s operating system last night, which resulted in an evening wasted on fixing things up plus another 11pm bed time. Not surprisingly this resulted in my waking up at 4...

16 Feb 2012 / archives

feb 16 2012: smoke on the water

Another 4am start – I think we’ll take that as read from now on? The smoke haze has spread to the SE suburbs now, so the day started with scenes that would look at home in a sci fi movie… Was an even thicker ha...

15 Feb 2012 / archives

feb 15 2012: down by the riverside

Up at 4am today (4:04 to be precise), great session in the gym and then a minor brain fart that caused me to get off the bus at the other end of Perth and walk a few kms to the office. Very pleasant walk along...

14 Feb 2012 / archives

a few words about diet

The beady eyed will have noticed that I’m starting to fall into a pattern with regards to what I am eating. I’m not 100% sure it’s an ideal diet, however for now it works for me and I am not feeling overly hung...

14 Feb 2012 / archives

feb 14 2012: valentine’s day massacre

“Violets are blue, Roses are red I was down at the gym When normal people were still in bed…” Happy Valentines Day everyone – or as I call it, “Weightloss Challenge Day 2”. I think that’s a more romantic name o...

13 Feb 2012 / archives

first day at big school

That’s it, 3 weeks of preparation are over, the results are in and it’s now time to move up to a proper training routine… feels just like leaving junior school and heading to the local comprehensive (that’s hig...

13 Feb 2012 / archives

feb 13 2012: lucky for some

So here we are, Day 1 of the Walkabout Wellness Weightloss Challenge and at the start of a life changing process that will build on the preparation of the last few weeks. After all the excitement and efforts of...

12 Feb 2012 / archives

at weightloss ground zero

I’ve been looking forward to today for a while now; it’s the day before the official start of the “Walkabout Wellness Weightloss Challenge”, which will be the first 12 weeks of my longer term journey towards ru...

12 Feb 2012 / archives

feb 12 2012: lazy starts continue

We got back from family dinner a little later than usual, so it was almost midnight again when I got to bed. Fortunately I woke up at a more “sensible” 6am and went for a walk about 6:15. Today’s a big day, wit...

11 Feb 2012 / archives

feb 11 2012: lazy start to weekend

I was out last night at a “do” at a friend’s house – it went on later than I thought, then I got a flat tyre coming home. So it was well past midnight before I got to bed. Woke up this morning at a very lazy 5:...

10 Feb 2012 / archives

feb 10 2012: tfi friday!

Another 4am start – waking up automatically at a time that would have sometimes been my bedtime. Still not 100% used to it! Marble still looking to join me even though she had her op yesterday and has a big pla...

10 Feb 2012 / archives

weight loss challenge

As mentioned before, I’m getting on board with the Walkabout Wellness 12 week weight loss challenge. This post is a blatant plug for this event and the superb value being offered by Britt for anyone who wants t...

9 Feb 2012 / archives

some nerdy exercise science

I was looking around the ‘net this morning, trying to find something out about the particular make/model of the rowing machine I use at the gym. I didn’t find what I wanted, however I did stumble on a fantastic...

9 Feb 2012 / archives

feb 09 2012: gym day 2

Woke up at 4am having slept solidly from 10pm last night. Throat itchy, muscles achy, sneezing… I’m ignoring the “cold” symptoms, it’s another one of those reactions; it would appear that I am currently allergi...

8 Feb 2012 / archives

getting fit really is simple

I’m a long term fan of the Zen Habits blog, while I don’t always agree 100% with some of the ideas, overall I find it inspiring and refreshingly uncomplicated. This morning I received notification of a new blog...

8 Feb 2012 / archives

feb 08 2012: hump day gym day

Woke up just before 4am – was surprised as I’d gone to bed about 11 last night. Worst thing about today was the sad look on Marble’s face as I headed off to the gym without her. She did get a shorter walk when...

7 Feb 2012 / archives

feb 07 2012: jetts day

4:15am start to the day and raring to go once more after a restful night. Being active physically as well as mentally are producing a feeling of complete tiredness at the end of each day, resulting in some good...

6 Feb 2012 / archives

12 week weight loss challenge

As part of the overall No More Mr Fat Guy “project”, I am taking part in the Walkabout Wellness “12 Week Weight Loss Challenge”. That’s pretty much where the Feb 13th “official start date” idea came from. So, “...

6 Feb 2012 / archives

feb 06 2012: week 3

4:15am start to what is week 3 (already) of the “pre season” period. It all kicks off officially with the 12 Week Challenge, and will then continue until I complete a marathon (and should pretty much have becom...

5 Feb 2012 / archives

feb 05 2012: sunday, bloody sunday

Stayed up and did some work last night. When I say “stayed up”, I mean 11:30 rather than the 3 or 4am that would have once meant. Slept right through until 4:15 this morning with no obvious sign of having a res...

5 Feb 2012 / archives

the excuse of ill-health

Something interesting happened today; following the DJ Clubfit session I went to yesterday, my body started reacting in a familiar way some time after lunch. I started sneezing, feeling warm and sweaty and noti...

4 Feb 2012 / archives

my achy breaky heart, body, legs, etc.

Yesterday saw a significant step on the overall path towards uber fitness (well, being a bit fitter than I am now anyway)… I drove the 40km or so to Malaga for my very first DJ Clubfit session, where I subseque...

4 Feb 2012 / archives

feb 04 2012: dj-day + 1

Slow ish start today, woke at 1am, 3am then 3:45. Lay in a half asleep mode for a while, not sure if my legs would want to move. Finally managed to roll out of bed at 4:15. The dog on the other hand… she was ra...

3 Feb 2012 / archives

a goal is not the whole story

A lot of emphasis is given to goals, and not just with health and fitness, so it has become accepted “best practice” to aim for specific goals. Taken a stage further, goals become the “be all and end all”; the...

3 Feb 2012 / archives

feb 03 2012: dj clubfit day

Should be an interesting day today – I will be heading to Walkabout Wellness this evening for a DJ Clubfit session (gulp)… Anyway, another 4:00 start thing morning, though the dog beat me to it and was in our r...

2 Feb 2012 / archives

feb 02 2012: wet, wet, wet

4:15am start today, though I was woken up an hour or two earlier, probably due to the sound of rain falling on the metal roof. Fortunately it had stopped by the time I got up, though it made for a very humid, s...

2 Feb 2012 / archives

things have certainly changed

I didn’t keep a daily journal before starting all this – if I had it would have been interesting reading, especially when compared to the journal I’m keeping now. In all honesty it’s been a relatively easy tran...

1 Feb 2012 / archives

feb 01 2012: pinch punch, first of the month!

Was in bed just after 10 last night, tired in a good way. Woke up about 4:30am and got straight into it; breakfast, then walk, then off to the CBD for a 7am start. Food: Breakfast: 1 cup of cereal (Just Right),...

31 Jan 2012 / archives

lessons learned so far

It’s been just over a week since I started doing the daily walk, and will soon be two weeks since I first emailed Britt with my marathon suggestion (or, as I call it, major brain meltdown). In all honesty I’ve...

31 Jan 2012 / archives

jan 31 2012: where did january go?

4am wake up today. Was in bed not long after 10pm last night, so no surprise I was awake early! Cooler (18 degrees) and windy out this morning. Food: Breakfast: 1 cup of cereal (Just Right), skim milk (before w...

30 Jan 2012 / archives

eating is so hard sometimes

An issue that’s slapped me firmly on the chops this week is the issue of eating healthily; not just “cutting down” and eating low fat food, I’m talking about the bigger issue of consuming enough food to keep th...

30 Jan 2012 / archives

the one thing you must have

If you’ve decided to make life changes, whether that’s lifestyle, starting a business, changing career path, giving up smoking etc., there’s one VITAL ingredient that you will need; support. involve your neares...

30 Jan 2012 / archives

jan 30 2012: monday, monday

Woke up about 3:15 this morning and deliberately went back to sleep. Getting up at 3:15 would have been silly! Woke again at 4:30 – perfect! At the first sound of me stirring, the dog came into the room just to...

29 Jan 2012 / archives

this is a guilt-free zone

Not having been raised as a Catholic, I don’t tend to do much of a guilt thing – however it’s clearly an issue that can rear its head from time to time for anyone changing habits, lifestyle and so on. There’s a...

29 Jan 2012 / archives

jan 29 2012: easy like sunday morning

Woke up about 4:45am feeling a little thirsty – the alcohol consumed at the family dinner last night would have contributed to that. Having said that, it wasn’t a raging thirst and I didn’t have any real sense...

29 Jan 2012 / archives

water, water, everywhere

I have a long standing non relationship with water. I mostly drink tea, coffee, fizzy cool drink, cordial, beer, wine, spirits, milk, hot chocolate etc. etc. A while back I did start getting into the habit of b...

28 Jan 2012 / archives

feedback from the trainer

I’ve had some great feedback from Britt in relation to what I am eating, so I thought it would be useful to paste it into a blog entry for everyone’s benefit. Incidentally, the journal reflects actual food inta...

28 Jan 2012 / archives

jan 28 2012: outside the wall

So I was wondering what would happen today, given that by the time we got home from the show etc. it was close to half past midnight before I got to bed. Amazingly I woke up at 4:30am! So I figured I’d go out f...

27 Jan 2012 / archives

some interesting observations

While walking the dog this morning, it dawned on me that not only did I get up rather early (4am today), I did so with enthusiasm and WITHOUT any real aches or pains. Now I admit that the “training” schedule so...

27 Jan 2012 / archives

jan 27 2012: day of the wall

For those who aren’t aware, Roger Waters is performing the famous “The Wall” show in Perth tonight, and I’ve got tickets… That had nothing to do with getting up at 4am today though – a combination of humid heat...

26 Jan 2012 / archives

jan 26 2012: australia day

5am wake up again – still no need for alarm clocks… Heading to City of Gosnells’ Aussie Day Brekkie this morning, so will try to avoid eating until then. Exercise: Walked the dog on the established route, estim...

26 Jan 2012 / archives

create your own opportunity

Have you been watching the latest series of Biggest Loser? I have, and looking forward once more to seeing individuals and lives transformed. Yeah it’s packed full of TV ratings cheese, careful editing etc. how...

25 Jan 2012 / archives

get thee behind me, cup cakes!

OK, so what’s the deal here? I’m making some good progress this week, making some really good choices and putting things into action (instead of just thinking about doing that). What is my reward? An unpreceden...

25 Jan 2012 / archives

jan 25 2012 progress report

Had a bit of a late start today, getting up around 5:05am hehe Exercise: Started the day walking the dog, estimated distance covered = 1.77km, time taken 18 mins 50 seconds Got off bus 1 stop early and walked t...

25 Jan 2012 / archives

a new toy to play with

so I am now the proud owner of a pedometer… I’ll admit that I wasn’t entirely convinced as to how a step counter was going to fit into things… but read on! not just a step counter One of the things I’ve been as...

25 Jan 2012 / archives

jan 24 2012: dear diary…

This is the first of many daily journal entries – recording each day any exercise done, food consumed and anything else that seems relevant… It’ll help keep the main blog focused on the bigger picture. Exercise...

25 Jan 2012 / archives

vital stats and a new todo list

Britt dropped by tonight to discuss various things, including the moment you’ve been waiting for – the “weigh in”. She also left me with a few items that I need to think about, plus a rough overall plan. An act...

24 Jan 2012 / archives

useful ways to create change

This build up period is proving to be quite useful, not least as a low risk way to prove and test a few of the basic ideas. While I am sure that things are going to get harder from here on in, so far it’s turni...

23 Jan 2012 / archives

lunch – the least of my worries

At the end of the previous blog post I suggested that my next challenge would be “coping” with lunch. I had forgotten something… In honour of the fact that one of the people in our division is getting hitched,...

23 Jan 2012 / archives

almost fell at the first hurdle

While the official start date is Feb 13th, I am using the next couple of weeks to change a few habits and get off to a good start. After all, there are no actual rules about when you can and can’t start anythin...

22 Jan 2012 / archives

suddenly it all feels so real

While the thoughts remained in my head, and even after they were committed to email, everything was still very easy and vague. There were some good plans being discussed, yet plans are all they were and it’s ea...

21 Jan 2012 / archives

d minus 23

Feb 13th : lucky for some and the day before Valentine’s Day… Also Day 1 of whatever regime Britt has lined up for me, the first day towards the ultimate goal of running a marathon, and a day that will surely m...

21 Jan 2012 / archives

in the beginning…

In the beginning was a thought, and that thought proved to be both good and dangerous. It is because of that thought that I’m now stood at a crossroads, surveying the road I have just arrived on, and contemplat...