Not quite a mission

Over the passed few months I've gotten really unfit. Gym is really boring, but necessary. It was easier when there were people to talk to. So I've decided once more to cycle to work 3 times a week, it helps that I can now shower at the work gym. I had wanted to do the 94.7 but have a clash so I can't.

I'm also going to go to gym twice a week to do weights. I'll see if I'm alive by the end of the week, but I'd also like to swim once a week, so that would have to be on Saturday morning I guess... a few laps of the pool at gym.

I started the cycling yesterday, to work it took me 32 mins, the return trip was torture as I seem to live quite high up. That took me 45 mins, but I felt pretty good afterward. Of course when I got into bed at 9:30, which is earlier than usual for me, it was lights out. On the brighter side, waking up at 5:45 isn't so hard anymore.

I want to say things like "I hope I can keep it up", but I should be saying things like "I will keep this up". I just need to find another tangible goal to work towards, but losing 8kg is good enough for now. When I ran the Two Oceans I weighed about 74kg's. Now I weigh 82!! When I get back to that weight, I'll think of riding the Argus or doing the 94.7 again. So now it's going to back to boring blogging of exercise sessions I'm afraid.

Yes I did go to gym this morning, and I feel good for it. I only did two sets of my "full body" workout, I'll take that up to three next week, when I feel stronger.

On the road again

So the new drugs seem to have taken effect. I can have a half decent workout session without feeling like I'm going to faint. As for the push-ups... perhaps I should leave that goal for a little while and work on my waistline. I think I'm getting a little tubby, the lack of exercise and winter food has gotten to me. Perhaps if I lose a few pounds those push ups won't be as difficult to do.

New Drugs

I thought drugs were supposed to make you feel better. Today I've been pretty drowsy, and considering I slept for...10 hours...last night, I don't think it's lack of sleep! The doctor has put me on Carvetrend, which has the active ingredient carvedilol in it, which I'm pretty sure I've been on before. Probably when I was in worse shape... this is worrying. I think I took the trade name Dilatrend for some time. It is a beta/alpha blocker... don't ask me what that means, although I'll probably look it up soon anyway.

He's also put me on Vectoryl, which is an ACE (Angiotensin Converting Enzyme) inhibitor.

Eish

I decided to go to the Cardiologist on Friday...well at least to phone him. He asked me to come in immediately. Did a quick ECG and echo, apparently I am in sinus rythm but have an ectopic. However I know that I definitely have palpitations regularly, when exerting myself.

He said that my heart looks a little more lazy than it had in Feb. He's trying me on some new drugs, I don't know the names off hand, but will add them in my next post. I also had a ProBNP and Magnesium blood test which just came back favourably, but he wants to put me on Amiodarone (Arycor) for the next 6 months. There after there should be a new chronic drug which doesn't have the side effects associated with arycor.

Hopefully this rythm thing can get kicked in the butt this time.

Sigh

If you're wondering why I haven't continued, it's not because I'm lazy or chicken. I think the world cup took its toll on me. Late nights, more drinking that I should do. Anyway, three weeks ago I noticed that I had a lot less capacity and that I was palpitating. Since then I've had a bout of flu too, so I did my first real exercise since then last night, salsa dancing. And it wasn't encouraging. Anyway, I've dealt with this before and I will again. Gym next week to see how everything goes and if there is no improvement then I'll make a cardiologist app.

Week 4 day 1

Ouch... I wrote down what I needed to do and set off to gym this evening, but lost the piece of paper somewhere along the line. So I only did my push ups afterwards again. They started off ok, but towards the end it got really touch again! But I'll keep trying, slowly! I did a total of 63 this evening, the last 16 were terrible and I'm not sure the last 3 of that set were "good form", but I did my best.

Week 3 day 3

Did my push ups at gym yesterday, I think it worked better. I did the first column and managed 13 as my final set. I did 59 in total

Week 3 day 2

I decided to rather stick with the easier column for now and l'm glad, because I still struggled! It really doesn't feel like I'm getting any stronger. In my last set I managed 12 giving me a total of 50 push ups. Man this is difficult. I really thought in 3 weeks I would have made significant progress! Whats more, I didn't make it to gym this morning, it was super cold and I slept really badly after a long day at the Argentina - South Korea match. I think the 100 may take me significantly longer than 6 weeks!!

Week 3 day 1 again

I decided to redo day 1 of this week on the easier column, it was still pretty tough. I still think doing this and going to gym at the same time probably makes it more difficult. Anyway in total I did 46, and my final set was 10, which was still difficult. I seem to be getting weaker not stronger!!

Week 3 day 1

Well I thought it would be tough and it was. I started on the centre column but couldn't manage the second set of 17. I skipped to the first column, and then could barely finish that!! I think going to gym before doing this may be slightly insane, I'll do these at gym from now on, before I do anything else. Managed 46 push ups in total.

Exhaustion test 2

End of week two asks for another exhaustion test, this morning I could do 22 push ups non stop. This puts me in the middle column for week 3 again. I'll give it a try tomorrow. What's a little disappointing is that two weeks ago I could do 15 in the first exhaustion test and now I can only do 22, and in 4 weeks time I'm supposed to be able to do 100?! Ja right! But I'll still persevere, perhaps it takes me another 11 weeks!

Week 2 day 3

That was torture!! I'm not really sure it's valid and I'll think about whether to continue with week 3 next week or to redo week 2. It certainly seems like it's necessary, I could barely manage the final 15 set, but I did the required 60... JUST.

Week 2 day 2

It doesn't get any easier! Last night was really tough again, I still wonder if going to the gym beforehand is affecting how many I can do. I did 53 last night and once again could only do the prescribed 13 pushups for the final set. Tomorrow requires that I do 60 in total!! OMG what have I started!!

Week 2 day 1

Wow! Today was MUCH more difficult, I don't really know why because I didn't even do that many more than Friday! I could only do the required 11 at the end... this is tough! In total today I did 47 push ups.

Week 1 day 3

I almost skipped this one. Dancing last night included a dip which I just couldn't get right! So I through the lady dipped and lifted the lady many times much to the dismay of the muscles in my back, which started complaining a few hours later. Now they are screaming at me..

I did 47, I would have settled for 42 which is all the program calls for but a good friend of mine would have made fun of me, so my last set was 15 as opposed to 10 :P

An imaginative name for a post

After gym, I did 39 today... still the middle column, day 2 of week 1 on the program. Managed to do 13 as my last set. I think Friday is gonna be a killer!

hundred pushups

I forgot to add the link to the program if you want to join me :P http://hundredpushups.com/

Come to think of it

I was at the cardiologist in Feb and the news was fantastic, I just forgot completely to post about it. My EF is something crazy like 45% and the size of my heart is within normal limits. I still have the odd bought of arrythmia, but on the whole it seems the ticker ticks pretty regularly. Still need to watch myself, but I think I'm well out of the woods, as long as I'm sensible, keep exercising and eat relatively healthy.

Here we go again

Wow, it's been 10 months give or take since I last blogged!! Unfortunately the last mission was a bit of a flop, I haven't yet finished my MSc, but I really really think it's close now!

Thanks to Jon, I stole his idea for this mission...if he ever reads it, he'll know which Jon he is. I'm going to the gym regularly, but sometimes find it a bit monotonous. So when I saw this challenge I had to do it! Started last night with the initial test and did 15 pushups. I could probably have done more, but because I wanted to gym today AND do the program I left it there, I'll get into the proper category after week 2 of the program.

Today I did the middle column even though 15 gets me into the right hand column, but whatever this felt ok. I'll get to 100 in 7 or 8 weeks I guess... or maybe 6! Whats cool about this site is that it doesn't stop at pushups. Theres a program for sit ups, squats and theres a program for pull ups coming! I'll see how far I get, but perhaps I'll do them all.

For now 100 push ups here I come.