Aug 24 to 30

I'm sad that this summer is almost over. I'm glad that rugby season has a few more weeks to it, but I'd like it to be June again. Well, maybe July 30th again.

I went into work today to get things set up and have a few things to do at home over the long weekend.

In the last week, it's been rugby and walking - both in pool walking and walking around my neighbourhood to get steps done. I've started back sprinting after rugby training and did some jogging during a few of the walks. Need more kilometres for the running and need to get back into the CrossFit type workouts.

The battery on the H7 HRM needs to be changed, too.

Nutrition has taken a step forward and I look forward to getting back into a routine with time for training and eating, too.

Aug 12 to Aug 23

Is there a way of blanking out the vast majority of my brain?

Yeah, that's where I am these days.

I've been making the rugby training sessions in the last few weeks. I've been on and off with my own training but making some needed improvements with diet and sleeping.

Oh, my God the sleeping.

Ran away on a Saturday to be a rugby sult and played for two teams at prop. Ran further away and had a great time chatting with my daughters for Saturday. I'm sure they didn't see how many people I knew there - and I know they don't know how I knew that many people ...  it's just rugby and they aren't there, man.

I keep thinking about turning fifty in 2020. Such a short life. Such a short time on this planet. I'm sad about that. I think I need to be happy about turning fifty. It's a mission that I need to take on, man.

Aug 4 to Aug 11

I’d be lying if I told you everything was wonderful. I’d be lying if I told you things were tolerable in the long term. Right now ... things are merely ok.

Lots of ongoing projects that are stalled for a variety of reasons. I’m not waiting though - need to pay bills and kick ass. And so ... I keep training. I keep working and planning and making ready for the right moment. Lying low, rather than lying about. These days, I’m hitting every rugby session as well as rest days and training days.

Thursday I did the Fire Drill workout - basically, I clean out the garage - I take everything out and wash the floor and then put everything back in. I’ve been doing that for a number of years and it’s awesome. A good workout and now I am ready for the school year and other plans. I have a gym that is functional and not another dirty room into which I collect crap.

The same day I hit 303% on the Polar Loop+ activity monitor. I’m quite proud of that. But we have to move on, man. I had to run around like and idiot on Friday and then played on Saturday. Sunday was a rest day, but I did go for a morning pool walk. Today, the 12th I took my wife to Cedar Springs and got her membership reactivated. So now, at least we can get there together and have a bit of a real. At the very least, at least she has a place she can go to when away from our kids.

Very active days, but still not seeing much progress in the nutrition or the weight loss. It’s like those two things are somehow connected. In any case, I’ll get it done. Meh, I’m looking forward to the challenge this winter of all those workouts and training sessions.

As a part of my belated spring cleaning, I’m tossing a lot of stuff out, including the big wheel I’ve had in my garage for a number of years. I’m finding this sort of tossing out cathartic to say the least. I keep finding things that “do not bring me joy” and enjoy releasing them to the universe, hoping that someone else can gain by these possessions.

I did get a decently priced iMac on Facebook Marketplace, too. I’m happy that my son can play video games non-stop without using my bleeping iPhone. Eeeeeeeesh.

July 30 to Aug 3

I really do hate the voices in my head.

The leftovers from arguments and heated discussions and emotionally charged talks with people in my life. Echoes in the grey matter. Things I didn't say or did say.

They roar back at me when I'm not in some sort of surreal situation at work or home.

Like now.

Tuesday was rugby and I went, regardless of the pain. I'm finding that the inserts in my cleats are helping, as is Advil. I'm still avoiding the daylights out of a number of people after training, so at least that is helping me cut out the empty calories after training. I miss chatting with some of the guys, though.

Wednesday was a rest day, as my legs were sore from training. It was also date night. Thursday was a hike day - it was something I've been planning for a while. I had everything I needed, and it was a bit overkill. It was a 5k hike on some not really rugged terrain, but mostly a path in the woods. Hiking boots were a bit much - but it would have been nice to have a pair of gloves. I'll be doing this hike again, with some improvements, man. I liked it but was also glad of the Advil this day, too. Thursday was also a training night and I did a fair amount of sprinting and then running away after training to avoid people.

Friday was a day and a half - two walks and two sessions in the pool. One session for me, the second for my family. Both were helpful for the knees and hips, though.

On Sunday, after a short walk, I saw this article. It was kind of depressing for me - players younger than I am calling themselves dead. I mean, I know that I gave up my only advantage a few years ago ... I have plans to work exhaustively on my fitness until that sole advantage is regained this next season.

I mean, cardio is my only friend, really.

Which leads me back to my first point - a lot of time training without headphones means I'm giving myself a lot of time to think and have my brain bring back things for my conscious mind to fret and consider. I'm already almost hard of hearing, so headphones blasting AC/DC to keep thinking things out of my brain is a no-go. The hike was interesting, as I could not stop swearing at the people in my head. It must have looked like I was swearing at the trees - which is probably a better thing to do than swearing at people. Probably better for my karma. But I hate that my brain works this way.