Oct 16 to Oct 24

Had some good workouts on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Monday.

Sunday was lots of walking as was Thursday. The other days were unreal and just best forgotten.

At least the Apple TV in the garage can play The Walking Dead.

Some good habits were formed, but then just being a busy dad and working full time gets in the way. Sucks.

I can't do anything but move forward.

Oct 8-16

Last week was crazy. A real disaster for training but at least I got through it.

The long weekend was extra long, thanks to feeling like a zombie in Jell-o and moving like it. I did get some rugby playing done on the weekend, but as I was hacking up a long at the same time, I was asked to just sit and enjoy.

In any case, I took Friday and Sunday for complete bed rest and then felt way better. Monday I was able to train before getting my fat pants on and eating the traditional Thanksgiving lasagna. My parents were away over the last week, came back on Sunday and hosted a dinner on Monday for the family. So ... lasagna. It was pretty solid.

Monday training and Tuesday training, too.  Tuesday was a walk around the downtown area of Burlington. It was basically just to get my steps up for the day. Not enough to get me to 100% in my step count, but better than when I was lying in bed dying.

I'm getting rid of a bunch of stuff in the garage that is just sitting there, doing nothing. I'm getting rid of it, as I'm not using it and someone else could. Recently on the Burlington Dad's Fb group I saw another dad do the same thing - got rid of a rack for cheap cheap as he was back to a regular gym as his kids were grown up. I responded with the idea that I still enjoy my garage gym as it's so quiet and no one bugs me. My kids are mostly grown up and I'm starting jsut to store things in my garage, to my shame.

I'm trying to get into a groove, but things are never the same week to week.  As a result, I'm finding that part of it difficult to keep training going. Ah well, I'll just have to keep trying to fit workouts in.

How I was moving most of this week

Sept 30 to Oct 7

I was lazy during this period.

No exercise ... or only two training sessions during this period, but otherwise I was a bit on the lazy side of life. It's a drag, but a reality that I am currently living with, my good readers.

I did the same workout twice - kettlebells and elliptical trainer for about 35 minutes each time. Rounds of two minutes on each. Not a mind expanding workout, but at least it was a workout.

Otherwise, everything else is a work in progress and steady goes the ship ... on a Sargasso Sea.

Flat and not moving at all very much.

Sept 23 to 29

I'm still struggling to establish better habits this September. I got a workout done on Monday and Saturday the 28th. No rugby either - I just need some time away from them. The ones that I mean are just too much for me to do while struggling through this month.

I had a great workout Saturday- did sprints and a light jog for 45 minutes. That was awfully helpful. The rest of the week was meetings and sick as dog moments. I'm still feeling it and might have to bite the bullet and get on some antibiotics. That would be super early in this flu season to do that ... but yeesh, the fact of the matter is my body is just so stressed at the moment.

The highlight of the weekend was taking my kid to a University Information fair down by the SkyDome on Sunday. Lots of walking and finding out stuff. The IELTS people were there, too.

hashtag retirement job.

Sept 16 to 22

I missed rugby this week because of the fact that I'm a dad and am needed to be that ballast in the house. When I'm not there, it seems, the world crashes down.

I do what I do best. I float in a boat and help others travel their journey with safety.

It's a nice sentiment, but it makes for crappy training plans. Meh, I got a few workouts done - I even did some hill "sprints" last night at a park near my house. I'll do those from now on while out on a walk or run. Spiked my HR up, so that was good.

A lot of standing around, driving people to various events and cleaning things was my life, too. I can see why others sense that they have lost their identity when they get to this stage of their lives - living a lot for others isn't a lot of fun. At all.

But I want you to know that I know what I was getting in to - I signed up for this. Am I the epitome of happiness at the moment? Ah, no. But, am I looking for a way out? Ah, no that idea as well. I chose this, I made it happen. And now... I move forward.

Training when I can, having a bag and a gym and a gym membership ready to go when a moment presents itself. These are things I already have. Plans and workouts in my head and in my phone that I can make happen ready to go. I need the time, but I have everything else.

I did check weight this week and I was disappointed. I'll make progress for next time. I need to be under the next round number by the end of the month. It's doable, I just need to focus and train.

Sept 10 to 15

Yeah, not much went on during this time.

Some walking in the pool, some walking in the neighbourhood, but no rugby. Both nights I had family crap going on. This weekend, too. Didn't make the last game of the season, either.

Like I said, not much going on.

Sept 1-9

Let's start off with the bad - the H7 Heart Rate monitor battery died. I tried everything to get the battery case off to no avail. Nothing worked. Nothing.

So ... I ordered another one from Amazon and it arrived and hooked up without any problem. I promise this time not to crank on the battery case to remove the battery.

On to the good ...  rugby and walking continued. The nutrition situation improved, but that is because of the way I've structured by day. Still need to make corrections as I go, but there have been improvements since last month.  Nutrition is the key these days. Vegetables and fruit to balance the Advil I'm taking to smooth out the pains and strains.

Feeling good - some nagging injuries, but thankfully my knees are awesome. Hips and lower back and the usual muscles all ache Sunday and Monday.

We had our last home game of the season Sept 7th. I did get a nice assist to a try, but no tries for myself. A sweet win against a very bitter rival club in the region. Some very nice payback on the day. As I was watching the first tram game, had a number of the old boys team come and speak to me about not quitting and staying on the seconds XV. It's one of those things that has been discussed in my house of late. Their ideas have hit home with me.

All I need now is for the summer to come back. I know it will come back to me slowly, I just need the time to pass and for the time to work.