Back from the Dead 🧟‍♀️

[SevenDeadlyExes]

Week 25


Ok so with chases turned off and after a good going over with the vibro-gun massage doohickey last night my sciatica is much better today (although my hip and knee are still a bit unstable) so I was able to run my 15 min interval p strong today!

Unfortunately I didn’t realize that it was a 15 min run with an “optional” 5 min section on the end - I was well out of steam by then tho, so I bailed - frustrating!! My long run on Friday has a 20 min run with an optional 10 min extra so I just better pace better for that!! Cos I’m getting that 30 mins!!

I was less invested today without the chases I must admit - but it did feel really good to just be able to run and not hold back for just in case - I def want to bring the chases back after I complete this season I think tho - hopefully by then I will be back jogging the full 5k so additional chases will only bolster my time - best not to push too hard in the beginning tho

 

[SevenDeadlyExes]

Week 25

Ok so Friday I did my long run which was 30min without stopping (with 5min walk either end for warm up and cool down) much better pacing this time and I managed it without too much fuss - I did get a wee clap and a thumbs up from an old fella along the way though (I guess he was a visiting American? )

Then Saturday I learned my MOT is going to cost a fortune this year and that used cars cost an even bigger fortune these days so I wanted to punch something to blow off some steam!! I did all 5 sets of Maxima which is technically classed as a light workout but i used the heavy bag which I feel probably knocked it up a notch or two - my shoulders certainly thought so (it's been a while!)

Maxima Workout

Maxima is a DAREBEE no-equipment home fitness upper body workout you can use to get stronger and fitter at home.

darebee.com

 

[SevenDeadlyExes]

Week 26


My short runs are getting longer now
5 min walk (warm-up)
15 min run (easy pace)
5 min run (optional)
5 min walk (cool down)

Had a protein bar and a meditation and some binaural beats to get my head screwed on (not been a good week for MH unfortunately) but once I got going it was p nice - lovely cool autumnal drizzly weather today so that was nice

I did encounter a guy who asked me the time which a) I'm running and have headphones in? Leave me be?? and b) created a v awkward situation where I looked at my watch and had to admit that "no sorry mate I don't" (because my watch is currently in stopwatch mode and won't tell me what time it is rn) which I tried to communicate with a facial expression, but i don't think that is a face you can make and given that he's walking around without even having a phone apparently in 2024 i don't he understands the limitations of modern smartwatch technology - so I think he was a bit annoyed by the whole interaction (so was I!?)
But then I saw an old couple walking along holding hands but just the pinkies which was just so cute!?

Anyway back to the actual running - yeah I can do the 20 mins without too much fuss now - I wasn't going for time but I think I did ok for pacing especially for a very tired Monday morning

Also - very good episode today

SPOILERS AHEAD BUT IDK HOW TO DO THE THING

I love Jodi (she's adorbs!) and what was with the pile of zombs and guns we found?!! #intrigue

 

[SevenDeadlyExes]

Week 26


Bit of a cheat today because I went on a hike instead of a run and just listened to the episode in the car on the way there - it was quite a long and hilly walk tho so I'm pretty sure it counts about the same as far as training goes

I've been tremendously stressed out lately and it did me a lot of good to look at some small little mushrooms and acorns and stuff and eat a little picnic by the stream - got a big plate o casserole and totties coming my way to catch up with my carbs & protein - and we even picked up sticky buns for after a rare treat on this dangit diet, but we def earned it today!!

 

[SevenDeadlyExes]

Week 26

I forgot to turn the GPS back on after last time so I've included the tracking data from my watch as well

Another long Friday run - 30 mins nonstop running which I did the first 15 mins at a decent pace and then had to slow down to granny stepping for a while - I came out of the gate too strong and I knew I did but I just kept doing it, and then the app was like "ran 1km in 10 mins 1 second" and I thought "what the heck! That's so slow!? Better hurry up!!" It was only when it said "ran 2km in 20 mins 2 seconds" that I realized my mistake

Was properly cold this morning too - although not yet cold enough for my jacket - I really need to get a long sleeve top for these interim months I feel!!

 

[SevenDeadlyExes]

Week 27


I got real burned out last week - I think my diet was grinding a bit because I just felt so tired and weak, and then over the weekend I gave in to the cravings and ate a bunch of cheese and I'm feeling a bit better now - looking at my macros I haven't been getting enough fat for quite a while - which I thought was a good way to lose weight but actually might just be a good way to get real exhausted

Anyway - I did do the runs even though I didn't post about them at the time - and my performance sucked because I was undernourished - but it's the showing up that counts so..
.

 

[SevenDeadlyExes]

Week 28


And done!! Def feeling a bit better for getting a bit more balance in my diet this week - still my long run to go on Friday (so I guess I'm doing the races next? Chronology gets very confusing at this point idk )
And I'm planning to go hiking tomorrow too - so we'll see how I get on ig

Will need to focus on my pace for the long run (which I hate to do!) but I've got comfy at just over 8:00km which is fine for 20 mins but I don't think it's sustainable for 30-40 mins yet and I really don't want to bail on another long run this week!!

Slow and steady wins the race as they say

Side Note: did I not post my Monday Run?! I'm sure I did but I don't see it in the feed?
Here it's anyway:

 

[SevenDeadlyExes]

Week 29


Good run this morning - damn frosty (it's really October now!) very grateful for my new long sleeve running top but still shoulda taped my tatas

Feeling a lot more energized now and did a good pace for the 20 min run section today - about 7:15 which if i could sustain that pace for the 5k would take me down to 35min-ish which is p damn respectable seeing as my best time so far is just under 45 mins!!

Down 0.8kg this week which doesn't quite take me back to my where I was 2 weeks ago - but is the biggest weight cut ive had in months - and I still didn't get the diet back on the rails - GF bought me all the different pumpkin spiced treats fae Greggs on Saturday and all that sugar just made me queasy - so I don't think I can eat like that anymore anyway and it seems when I was on the diet I wasn't getting enough fat and that was just making me feel weak and tired all the time - so fuck It!?

Also - how good is this photo my GF took this morning?! Got that mucky old river looking like a beautiful lagoon in the morning mist!!?

 

[TopNotch]

Yes, lovely picture.

 

[SevenDeadlyExes]

Week 31


I've been off sick for a little bit - I know you can train when you're sick, so long as you keep it light - but one of the key symptoms of this particular maladie have been having no energy whatsoever - so I've just been resting as best I can

Back at it today tho and doing some fun Halloween themed side missions this week (as if zombie runs weren't Halloweeny enough already? )

Hopefully the exercise will help stave off some of the candy weight this week anyway

 

[SevenDeadlyExes]

Week 31


I am sore after that one ngl - but I damn well did it!?

6km?! I Cannae hardly believe it!!

Ofc the first and last 5 mins were warm-up and warm-down walks - but I kept on jogging all the rest of the time! Was pretty nice too cos I drove up to the old railway line by the river since I didn’t feel like running into town and back and my app was nagging me to mix it up

My ankles and hips are really sore after it tho - glad for my 2 days off for recovery!!
They’ve got me on more long runs all next week too - hope I survive?!

Also I did do my Wednesday run - which was a very fun episode with my favourite runner, Jodi - but I forgot to post because it’s been a busy and stressy week (tho less stressy for the running tbf!)

 

[SevenDeadlyExes]

Well - I've busted my tendons with the running again, so time for a break on that ig

They're doing an unofficial season 2 of the zombies run and I'm keen to follow along with the story so I think I'm just going to walk it (which is a lot better than no cardio ig) and switch my workouts to upper body focus for a while.

I'm thinking of doing Ronin (although I have a wooden broadsword, not a bokken - close enough!) and maybe Zen also as an add on because very thematic and I've been practicing meditation more lately anyway - I might have to drop one thing or another or not do consecutive days maybe just depending on time - but I'll see how I get on

 

[Mamatigerj]

So sorry for your injury

 

[Fremen]

Healing vibes

 

[MadamMeow]

Hope your tendons heal up fast.

 

[SevenDeadlyExes]

Week 33 (I think)
Day 1 Ronin/Zen

I bit the bullet and got a cheap bokken off of Amazon because my broadsword is only a hand a half and I wanted to have the appropriate size and weight (there's a lot of cool sword workouts that I've been wanting to try - really I'd like a longsword but those are inexplicably twice as much?!)

I actually found the Zen one pretty challenging because of tendonitis in my wrist that I ignored for a long time until it got p bad - I'm hoping these stretches will help tho as it's had ample time to heal now

Ronin was also harder than it looks because I was really focusing on getting the moves nice and smooth (part of the reason I wanted a proper "sword" to practice with) didn't much feel like fighting off shadow monsters but I figure it's better to practice slow so I don't learn bad habits (or smash up my flat lol) might have to mine YouTube later for some tips on proper form tho

I also did a beginner pull-up bar work out today - just the dead hangs and squat holds one (can't remember the name) because I can't do pull-ups (yet!)

Time to get wrapped up warm now and go out for zombies run/walk - although it's already nearly lunch time (eek!) so it's looking like I'm def going to need to trim some of these things going forward

 

[SevenDeadlyExes]

Week 33
Day 2 Ronin/Zen

Just a 10 min meditation for Zen today - I did try to sit properly for the full 10 minutes but it hurts my back too much after a while

Then 400 cross cuts for Ronin - which is loads but not as many as it sounds - mostly focused on form again and trying to make sure to turn my hips at the right point

Then my 10-count (or until fail - who knew dangling would be hard?!) deadhangs/squat holds x5 to finish

 

[SevenDeadlyExes]

Week 33
Day 3 + 4 Ronin/Zen
No post yesterday because i had to do my zombies walk/run after and by the time I'd showered and had lunch i was exhausted and fell asleep!

Yesterday's Ronin was super easy (I went with the dodging one) but then Zen was pretty challenging just from keeping my arms up in the air for 6 mins #ouch
The run was fun - or rather the story was fun - the run was mostly just walking but it was freezing and i didn't even really warm up! I did turn chases on and I jogged those just lightly which didn't seem too hard on my ankle - so hopefully that's a reasonable balance while it heals (these things take months tho!!)

Today's Ronin was just 5 mins of freestyle swords - which I allowed myself to just play with rather than being too focused on form - it's really starting to work my forearms I noticed - then Zen was another 10 min meditation, sat in chair with back support this time which made it much easier to focus - and then my deadhangs - which were getting better yesterday but seemed worse today - i guess fatigue in the forearms from doing swords - gonna be wiry as heck at the end of this I reckon!!

 

[SevenDeadlyExes]

Week 33
Day 5+6 Ronin/Zen

Didn't get out for my walk/run because the weather is horrible and my MH is not much better - probably I would feel better if I'd go for my walk - but sometimes the gremlins win that argument, what can ye do

The hardest part of day 5 was getting up and doing it tbh - boring repetitive routine Vs big time idontwannas - argued myself down from the walk to just doing these March steps and such tho, so we got there in the end

Similar story again today except this time difficult and painful (old wrist injury that doesn't like supporting my weight) instead of boring - I did it tho, including the optional bonus press-uos to rescue the panda - had to switch to knee press-ups for the last two rounds but it still counts

Also worked out I can do all 5 sets of deadhangs if I touch the ground with my tippy toes - which is definitely cheating, but I figure it's better to do the full set supported than only managing half of it

 

[SevenDeadlyExes]

Week 33

Not workout today because I have shocking DOMS and I figured Id be best off having a rest day - normally I feel a good amount of pressure to stick to it on these 30 day programs no matter what - but since I started mid-month and I'm recovering from injury I'm happy to bump a day - even if I do this every week (I do love a lazy Sunday with nothing to do but cook and play Minecraft) I should still be done before Christmas - so I'm not worried

 

[SevenDeadlyExes]

Week 34
Day 7 Ronin/Zen

Back at it today - still a lil bit sore but not half as bad as yesterday. I wasn't sure of the form for the horizontal cut/thrust but I did my best (went with the underdogs obvi) might have to do some more research - the little bit of yoga from Zen was pretty good for my DOMS tho, and my Deadhang are getting better too

Also went for my walk today - I miss the running but my ankle is still p unstable - might be off it until New Year at this rate

 

[SevenDeadlyExes]

Life has been happening rather a lot lately and my workouts have gotten off the rails - between my bad ankle scaring me off the HIIT days and general disruptions to my routine and the fatigue... I have not been sticking to my program. :/

With that said, I haven't stopped entirely - I've still been doing my dead hangs, I've been doing all my sword workouts (if a day or two late) and I've kept on with the meditations! The thing implied I should meditate "under a tree" which idk if it was flavor text or an actual challenge - but I did do an outside meditation down by the river, kinda near some trees (it's cold and wet atm and I live in a p urban area) and it was lush! So I've kept on with that! Watching the birds at sunset?! Forget about it!!

My back has been a mess since I've stopped running too - but I just got into a new stretch routine this morning that has worked wonders - so I guess that's probably where I need to be for right just now - take my time stretching out and building strength around my myriad old injuries - it's not as fun - but the winter weather is reminding me that no flower blooms every season