TGC Fitness Thread

[Danster]

This always used to be a thing, and might create some accountability that will inspire me to get back into the decent pre-holiday regime I had over the summer. Even if it's just me and ole Ceelio keeping each other in check!

Before I went on holiday I was doing a twice-daily 10 minute ab-workout and trying to do at least one bit of cardio every day, even if it was just something small. On Tuesday and Thursday that cardio would often just be my cycle to and from the office, and on Monday, Wednesday and Friday I would try and make the kids scoot to school whilst I ran behind them. I would then try and do a long run on one of the days of the weekend, followed by a shorter distance but with something like sprint training the other day. I'd actually got myself in what was probably the best shape I've been in for 15 years, but then two and a half weeks in Disney World and Universal, eating out every night, with the only exercise being walking around the parks (which in fairness, does cover a lot of miles), followed by nearly two weeks feeling uninspired and miserable at home, has led to a lack of motivation to exercise and an increase in alcohol and junk food!

It'll be harder now the weather is worsening, I can't make the kids scoot in before school if it's raining as they'll spend all day in their wet school uniforms. But then I could just do some YouTube fitness videos, there is an extensive number of decent HIIT sessions available.

[General Ceel]

Great idea. I enjoyed our old friend. After TGC went down the drain I later tracked my activities publicly on the Strava APP for a few years, but as with all social media, I eventually said enough was enough.

This morning I covered 5 miles in a combination of hiking, running, and a half dozen short-fast hill sprints. We had heavy rain last night so the trails were a mess. Reluctantly I mostly kept to the asphalt.

[Danster]

I'll be cycling to the office tomorrow. Google Maps tells me it's a 3.3 mile trip, so 6.6 for the day.

In the UK, the government launched a scheme called Cycle2Work. Basically, they would allow you to purchase a bike on the understanding that you would use it to "regularly" commute to your place of work, and that they would deduct the cost from your salary on a monthly basis over 12 months tax-free.

I worked for a little start-up community for a few years and in March last year we were bought out by a big US company, and the UK branch of it had the cycle to work scheme. I was able to purchase a roughly $1,200 road bike in the first year after the acquisition and a $1,200 mountain bike this year for less than $70 a month out of my salary. I'd have to pay for some of them if I leave in the next 3-4 years but I don't plan to, so all in all a good deal.

[Danster]

   

Here are my babies, after my kids, and maybe my wife (I'm undecided), they are the loves of my life.

[General Ceel]

Awesome.

Out here in small town America everything is so spread out. There are some great places to ride / run / walk ect.. but as a way of life or a form of commuting to work its not really doable for many people or situations. Its cool that you can do that.

[Danster]

I live on the edge of my home city. It's a 30 minute walk to get smack bang into the centre. It's not a big city at all (population 143,000) and is actually the only city for 70 miles, so I always try and walk or bike wherever possible.

Obviously with kids needing ferrying to evening sports clubs, cars are still essential, but I think if me and my missus lived alone, we could easily go without a car for a week or two without any major sacrifice.

[General Ceel]

143,000 is massive from my perspective. The town where I live has a population of around 5,000. I grew up outside a town of fewer than 400 people. The entire county where I live has under 60,000 people spread out over 1,161 sq mi (3,010 km2)
....


7 miles this morning.

Next three mornings are expected to be colder. Not looking forward to throwing on a layer of extra clothing. That said, this is the time of year when the daytime temps are great. But I like to get my workouts in early.

[Danster]

Do you have villages in the US? There's no way in the UK we'd call anything a town if it's population was anything less than several thousand people.

[General Ceel]

The term village gets used. I'm not sure if or what the government's definition of a village is, but colloquially its how we refer to many small towns and unincorporated clusters of homes.

[Danster]

Makes sense. There is a more formal system here. You have to apply to central government for town or city status.