Sunday 15 June 2008

...... and there's more.



A bit more on me and my buddy. Unusually I reread the post and it was all head stuff, so here is some other stuff.
Tiredness plays a big part in how my strength is. It seems when I get tired, due to lack of sleep, the strength does not return that is lost, so if I feel a bit weaker, then that is the way it is from then on, but I reckon if I exercise correctly I will get some or all of it back.
Being on the road, I have become lazy. I think all the walking will keep up my strength, but that is not the case. Walking only keeps some muscles going, but others need exercising to get the balance right, the stomach muscles seem to be the ones to concentrate on, it may be psychological, but either way I feel better when I give them only slight exercise. It is hard to get into an exercise regime when moving around so much. It takes me a day or 2 to realise I should be exercising, once I have pulled into a place and if I stay for longer than 3 days I usually get down to doing the small exercises I do. It is only 20 minutes palates, sometimes twice, but it makes a big difference. Why the hell I don't do it more is beyond me, it is something in my character. Getting out on the bike makes me feel good too, as does swimming, but I don't enjoy the swimming so much and it is not always possible. I do miss going on the bike.

My legs have gotten weaker since leaving, I can even see the physical difference. I am heading back to Vietnam today, so I plan to get some sort of regime going and see if I can build up some muscle tone. Even my arms, the muscles I was proudest of, are shrinking, but I think I can get them back, once I settle for a while. I'll get myself a bike and I'll be like Lance Armstrong before I know it.
The walking is decidedly slower and the stairs more difficult. I don't think much of what has been lost there will come back, but you never know.
Every movement is becoming more restricted, so some stretching is called for. I MUST, I MUST IMPROVE MY BUST, well, something like that. Discipline is required, but I have always prefered to be doing something, like a sport, than just exercising. Again it is in my character. I guess I have to work on this bloody character thing. It is annoying, after being so active to be slowly restricted and it becomes more difficult to turn that annoyance into positive energy, but this may just be the tiredness from too much travelling and not enough exercise. This is not just for fshers too, I think it is a general condition of travelling. You become tired and less inclined to exercise and the downward spiral starts. It is not so easily noticed when you are off travelling and having a ball, until you sit and think. Not my strong point. The sitting is OK, it's the thinking that is the problem.

Anyway, in summary. I am losing strength and flexibility and need to get my act together to get at least some of it back. This is where my nagging sister could come in handy. I wont say which one it is, but it's not Mick.
I'm off to Vietnam, life can't be that bad then.
See you all in the gym.

Saturday 14 June 2008

More thoughts about me and my buddy.


At last and FSHD update. I don't think too deeply about it too often, it's more surface thinking.
I have never felt that my constant mate, FSHD, had the upper hand, although of late I have felt him creeping up on the inside rail, but I know how to block that way passed. If he wants to get passed me he's going to have to take the long way around. One thing about FSHD being a good unrelenting friend, he doesn't give you chance to rest on your laurels, so sitting back and switching off. That can be a bit wearing and it would be nice to have a week of so off every now and then. It can throw some negativity your way, but little of that gets passed, only on tired, bad, armageddon days does that have any effect and even then it is not for long. I just draw on the strength I get from my faith in my family, friends and myself. Being alone on this trip has helped strengthen the resolve. I sometimes think it would be good to be with someone, especially since meeting a nice young lady in Vietnam, but I also feel having someone along might lower the resolve to block that way through on the inside rail. I know all the ways through cannot be blocked forever, but it is satisfying being in the lead and I'm bolloxed if I'm going to make it easy for my buddy to get passed. I feel my golfing and diving days are close to an end, although that too may just be FSHD showing his nose on the inside rail. Those days may be over as was, but I don't have to be fleeing around the golf course trying to keep up, I enjoy just being out there, so the competetive days may be over, but the days of basking in the fresh air, amongst the trees and birds, sweating or freezing my nuts off are here for a while yet. I can stand on a golf course, take a look around and feel how good it is to be alive. That feeling isn't only restricted to the golf course either.
SO, sorry FSHD, you are a good mate, but there's now way passed for a while yet, so come along and enjoy the ride old buddy.