I do declare!

I declare that October is SIU month.. yup, SUCK IT UP month! Who’s with me? Ah, why not, Halloween schmalloween, much better to suck it up!! I know October started on Friday and I had a great cycle on Saturday, 40km (my first time). It was an easy pedal with a good friend who has a very old bike. We explored the path along the lake towards Grimsby and made it to Fifty Point before we turned back. I am glad we turned back when we did because by the time we hit the lake trail again the wind had picked up and it was getting much colder and the rain started to come down. I had worn some long pants over my cycling shorts but decided not to wear them for the ride as I don’t have those thingys to keep your pant legs out of your chain thingers (try to stay with me here on the technical issues). It got COLD! My legs were beet red by the time we got back. Cycling 40km is a bit more tiring than I thought, even when it is an easy pedal. I got home, had a HOT HOT coffee, then a HOT HOT bath and then an awesome nap, two naps actually. And could someone please explain what is with all the napping and tired I’ve had this last year? I realize I’m getting old but I’m becoming downright narcoleptic. I mean the headbob may be fine on the couch at home and even in meetings at work but definitely not recommended when driving or cycling or running.


I have my updated training schedule which includes getting a trainer for George for free, from my awesome coach on Saturday. So when it’s crap outside I can still ride inside at my house which means I don’t have to go to a gym which is lovely. Now I just need to get some warmer running gear as the weather cools so I don’t freeze or boil on my runs. I’d rather run outside than on a treadmill if I can, I realize this can’t happen all the time but I’m hoping more often than not. I thought about getting a treadmill but since I just bought the bike and I’m definitely not rich I’ll have to pass on the treadmill for the basement for now. Unless of course someone wants to give me one.. anyone? Hello?? (worth a shot)

OK THEN. MORE news for me for SIU month. I have a solid nutrition plan and not a plan that I made up either. I have been chatting with a nutritionist who’s blog I stalk and she has come up with a plan for me. She follows the principles of Precision Nutrition and while I have taken their Lean Eating course they are more focused on weight training than endurance training and I was getting a little lost in the carb timing. So she put together a nutrition plan that supports the training schedule from my coach and the hope is I will drop all this excess weight over the winter. Unfortunately her plan does not include beer.. WHAT??!! Or wine.. HUH??!! So yes, I’m on the wagon until the end of the month. I have plans for Halloween and will drink that one night but until then, I’m virtuous! I have social plans over the next few weeks so no drinking will not be easy but I am focused and also have booked early morning training sessions on weekends which I find helps me stay off the drinks a lot! Haha For those interested, Georgie’s website has loads of great information, advice and free recipes. I have tried many of them and they are super yummy. If I may, she also has a reasonably priced cookbook called "Dig In" you can purchase and all the recipes I have tried from there have been fantastic.

I am wrestling with the idea of posting stats and / or photos here of my progress but my biggest fear is that I don’t drop the weight. In the past, despite a vigorous training schedule and limited diet I did not drop weight as I had expected and suspect there may be more going on (thyroid or something). I will write down where I am starting and of course keep stats as I go. If the weight does not come off I’ll definitely be seeing a doctor.

So tonight is a bike ride and depending on what time I get home from work I have the option of Monday night spin class which I think would be good, it will certainly burn some calories. I’d rather cycle outside but it’s getting dark out much earlier now. Tomorrow is run club, Wednesday more cycling and Thursday back in the pool after a post-tattoo pool hiatus.

Here we go!

Note to self, if you want to drop weight you should really stop looking at websites like this and this.