The Adventures of Podge & Tubbs

My breathing hasn’t been so good lately hence the lack of training updates. 🙂

Will report back on the training side later.

Hi there, here is my training update for week ending 13th February 2011:

Date        Distance        Speed       Weight       Peak Flow
13/02          58           13.95         209           410

Not as good a week as I’d hoped but hey ho, at least I’m doing something. Weight loss is slow but at least it is a loss. Breathing seems to be dropping but I’m putting this down the affect of the cold air which can impact on the old (some might say very old) lungs. I’ll just have to keep the Vitamin C going: There must be some other supplement, legal, I can take that will help.

Anyway, I have just one more week of free time before I, hopefully, start work again so I guess I’d better make the most of it. Naturally, this week will be full of rain and be generally cold so I the iMagic shall continue to rule.

That all for now.

Go Podge, Go

I’m afraid my update for last week has been a long time coming and I apologise for this. I do however feel that I have extenuating circumstances (excuses) for my tardiness.

Basically from Thursday the 3rd I have been driving all over the country for various reasons, none of which could be avoided. Add to this the plaintive call on the Sunday to inform Debbie and I that Matt had had his passport nicked on the day he was due to fly back from Mallorca. What followed was a flurry of activity on Matt’s part to ensure that he could get home and then by Debbie and I to ensure that he had a replacement passport in time for his flight to Australia on the Tuesday. All went well, and he’s now enjoying himself in Singapore as a break to the long journey. At this point, I would like to express my thanks to the Identity and Passport Service in London. They were brilliant and contrary to all the horror stories you hear over sourcing a passport, this experience was a great one. So Thank You once more to the IPS.

Anyway the upshot is, I only managed 58 miles last week which was actually short of my target. So this week, I have no stats, just guilt and a feeling of ‘I must try harder’

Go Podge, Go 🙂

By way of a PS, I have to mention the experience of actually getting into the Passport Office. Entry is similar to an airport where you have to go through a metal detector and your bags and coats have to go through an x-ray machine.

Before leaving for London, we weren’t sure wether or not to cut the photos into individuals or let them do it. To be on the safe side, I suggested that we left intact and let them cut them: but, just in case they did’t have any scissors I suggested that Debbie place some in her handbag. Anyway, the handbag went through the x-ray machine and the  alarm went up and the machine operated shouted ‘scissors’. Oops, debbie is searched and her scissors are confiscated. For some reason, this was all my fault.

She got them back afterwards though. Fortunately, she didn’t use the on me.

Don’t ask me why, but I’ve just agreed to enter, and complete, the Great South Run on the 30th October: assuming of course that I get a place. I have done it once before but that was many years ago and it was the last time I ran.

I got out on the road on Monday, and while it was only 13.6 miles, it was a start and it felt so good. I even managed the Col D’Marsh Benham :-). And for me, that’s good going.

Yesterday, I discovered that I can take the data from my Garmin for any chosen ride I’ve done, and import it into the iMagic Software so that I can ‘do the ride again’ but indoors on the turbo trainer. God, I just LOVE technology.

A couple of weeks ago, I saw an entry in the TV Listings about Fearne and Denise ‘doing’ Machu Pichu and I thought, ‘That looks interesting’ so I set Sky+ to ‘tape’ it for me. Well, on Saturday I had me some me time so I settled down to watch Denise and Fearne ‘doing’ Machu Pichu, to raise money for Breast Cancer.

Now I’ve seen many things that have left me feeling humble: I’ve seen many things that have inspired me but to watch what I watched on Saturday really bowled me over. To watch celebrities trekking up to Machu Pichu was just out of this world; as was the scenery. And when you remember that this place is so high, the air is thin and breathing can be a challenge (I guess for that reason, it’s a sight I will never see) and the risk of altitude sickness is ever present, to see these girls achieve the trek was: – The only word I can think of is emotional. Of course, it wasn’t just Denise Denise Van Outen and Fearne Cotton taking part: They were joined by Alexandra Burke, Amanda Byram and Gabriella Cilmi. The really mind blowing bit though was the fact they were also joined by 6 VIPs: Paula Dixon, Lisa Rees, Jenny Steele, Gaynor Sinton, Annabel Reynaud and Lou Rall, each of whom have been diagnosed with breast cancer.

To hear of their own personal experiences, some of which are by no means over and then to sit there in the comfort of my own living room watching them take on the trek and to reach Machu Pichu was too much for words.

I’ve watched it again and still, I’m moved by the whole thing. I salute them all.

But, I find myself wondering, why on earth hadn’t I heard of this before the event. Why did I record and watch it? (If I hadn’t been interested in Machu Pichu, I would have missed it) Why didn’t I get the chance to donate? Well I found the fund raising site and have rectified the last bit.

If you haven’t seen it, make sure you do. You wont regret it. And if you feel moved to support them after watching it then do so here.

PS: Having watched them achieve what they did, maybe, just maybe, I’ll think twice before I moan about having to cycle up another blooming hill.