Monday 2 February 2009

Resolution Progess: February Report

A month ago I set out my New Year's Resolutions since I understand that putting them out in front of everyone encourages you to meet them. Of course we are still buried under snow to some extent here in Ottawa but I thought I should do a Progress Report and Reality Check on a monthly basis.

Resolution No. 5: Weigh 75 kg by June 1

I am surpassing expectations here. In mid-December, when I began to keep records seriously, I weighed in at a porky 82.6 kg. Yesterday I was at 77.2, a drop of 5.4 kg or just under 12 pounds in six weeks. I should have no problem getting rid of 2.2 kg (4.8 pounds) by June 1. But I really would like to drink more than one beer a week again.

Resolution No. 6: Learn to ski fearlessly around corners and down hills

On Friday, Saturday and Sunday I enjoyed my cross-country ski lessons at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility. The best part was Sunday where I discovered I could do snowplow turns even on the Frightening Big Hill. Amazingly, I did not fall down once. The right turns went superbly so now I just need to practice left-hand ones. Oh, and stopping. Next Saturday my 3 hour lesson will be "Help on Hills."

Resolution No. 7: Be able to do 101 pushups in a row, beating Groover

I am up to 25 pushups, done achingly slowly and with good form. This is pretty hard but I am seeing progress. The other parts of the strength training program are going well: from a miserable performance doing reverse chin-ups (a single one, actually), I had no difficulty doing 10 this morning. I am up at 5:00 am every Monday, Wednesday and Friday to get to the gym for my strength training and have discovered I am now enjoying lifting weights and drawing up and redrafting workout programs. It might be Abs Year yet! On the other hand, the highly feminine Betty Betty may be picking up her newspaper in inappropriate night attire but she is racking up 270 pounds in her leg press workouts so I should just shut up about the abs for now.

Once the weather clears I can work on my other resolutions. I now have a new time trial frame (black and sinister) and a Louis Garneau skinsuit is on its way in preparation for the time trial season. 40 km/h: here I come!

5 comments:

Lily on the Road said...

Good for you on the weight loss, good for you!

That is a big hill at the Terry Fox facility, WOOT!

My application was mailed this afternoon for the Rideau Lakes tour! Now I just need to focus on cycling.

Maybe see you there!

Donald said...

I am so far behind... but your post inspires me... so thank you! I took time off and then a little surgery took me off even longer. All is well now... and I'm getting cranked up again after riding this past Saturday and Sunday!

Groover said...

Hahaha, what do you wanna learn, how to brake, for? Braking is no fun when skiing downhill. Don't bother with the turns either. Just ski like me: Straight down and out of control. :-)

And

Oh, no! Not another Push Up Challenge! Don't mention this to my Personal Trainer, please. :-)

All the best with the 40km/h ITT. The way you are going you've got this one in the bag.

Anonymous said...

i find push ups, a right nightmare, so cheers on those ones

Will said...

great work dropping the kilos .... and skiing, great!