Luigi - back on track
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[quote name='Nick the Aussie']<br />
[quote name='Luigi']<br />
The weather here is absolutely perfect at the minute. Warm sunny evenings with gentle breezes. It's great to be out there making the most of it but I wish I had done the hard yards last winter in preparation. In some ways I envy you guys in your SH winter as all the work you are doing now will be worth it come December. [/quote]<br />
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Except of course, its too fucking cold. <img src='http://www.daimenhutchison.com/invision/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':rolleyes:' /> Have had three frosts in the last 5 days here in Sydney and its bloody uncomfortable at night. Still, I haven't had a migraine for three days now so I reckon I'll be back out on the aluminium horse this evening for a bit of punishment.<br />
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i'ts been fucking cold here too.. go out for an hour and a half every morning and the last couple of weeks have been wearing every item of clothing under the sun and still get home with no feeling in hands etc.. and covered in snot. not much fun! -
You ride every morning Willie? Good on you.<br />
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We went out last night for 26 miles (42k) up and down dale and it was ace. A good workout for me too with a couple of nice hills and some good long drags. We stopped off at the local cycling club's start point for their weekly 10 mile time trial. Fark, there were some lean, mean guys hanging around there! I might give it a go just to give myself a benchmark.<br />
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A personal trainer friend of ours came up with a weird comment. Basically he reckoned cycling wasn't a good way to burn fat. I hope he's wrong! I guess it's about tempo and getting into the right heart rate zone, otherwise you just end up being more efficient at carting your bulk around. I have thought of wearing a heart rate monitor but I'm not sure what that would achieve riding onroad around here as it's basically all ups and downs and on some of those ups my heart is going like the clappers. There is a flat area further out so maybe I should put that into the mix and have a couple of tempo runs a week. Any thoughts?<br />
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At the minute, I'm not doing anything particularly scientifically - I'm just going out on my bike. But I want to get some material gain from it - IE weight loss or an improvement in tone (or both!). I did a specialist bike fitting with a woman trainer who writes for one of the triathlon mags here and runs a cycle training business. I could go back to her and see what she can offer, but it may be a bit top-end for a weekend warrior like me.<br />
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The only real plus is that on the descents I just breeze past the rest of the group as gravity becomes my big pal. It's not so friendly on the upslope however. <img src='http://www.daimenhutchison.com/invision/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':rolleyes:' /> <br />
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Maybe I should get into MTB freeride. -
If you start toning your muscles and increasing your metabolic rate, while watching what you eat, then the fat will eventually start to drop off.<br />
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If you look at cycling PURELY as a fat burning exercise in terms of the heart rate blah blah blah, then you'll just depress yourself. I've known a lot of personal trainers (worked for a bloke who owned a gym) and quite a few of them are full of shit. Some have advice that will help others but not you, and vice-versa.<br />
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Basically Luigi, if you're noticing results it can't be a bad thing. Through a combination of cycling and watching what I eat, I've lost a total of 12 kilos in the last year, and that includes the last few months where I've really done bugger all exercise. -
[quote name='Nick the Aussie']<br />
If you start toning your muscles and increasing your metabolic rate, while watching what you eat, then the fat will eventually start to drop off.<br />
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If you look at cycling PURELY as a fat burning exercise in terms of the heart rate blah blah blah, then you'll just depress yourself. I've known a lot of personal trainers (worked for a bloke who owned a gym) and quite a few of them are full of shit. Some have advice that will help others but not you, and vice-versa.<br />
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Basically Luigi, if you're noticing results it can't be a bad thing. Through a combination of cycling and watching what I eat, I've lost a total of 12 kilos in the last year, and that includes the last few months where I've really done bugger all exercise.<br />
[/quote]<br />
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I hear ya!<br />
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I am dropping weight and I'm not just relying on the cycling to do it. The trail running is bloody hard and I'm also adding in gym sessions. The diet has been a big change too. Today marks the fifth week of no-alcohol and I have to say I'm not missing it. Biscuits, chocolate, fast food and takeaways have also gone out of the window. Basically, I'm trying to fuel right and that means eating more at breakfast time and earlier in the day rather than having a big meal in the evening when there's no opportunity to burn it off.<br />
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What shits me is that this is my life. I will always have to work this hard just to keep the lard at bay.<br />
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One thing I've noticed is that I'm crapping for England too. Just thought I'd share that with you. -
yeh i'd agree cycling isn't that great for losing weight.. i get in quite a few hours a week and it doesn't do shit for me in terms of losing weight.<br />
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running does it better for me, just that running sucks. <br />
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all about diet diet diet to lose weight.<br />
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seems to be a bit of a thing in here about just exercising to lose weight. got to be a big diet change as well. Using lance armstrong as an example. Used to weigh all his food so he didn't consume an ounce more than he needed - and look how much he does!<br />
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and a little treat for you too... when mountain biking goes wrong Wtw style..<br />
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[url= -
"Not sure if it was filming... oh yeah" Nice one <img src='http://www.daimenhutchison.com/invision/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':rolleyes:' />
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[quote name='Nick the Aussie']<br />
"Not sure if it was filming... oh yeah" Nice one <img src='http://www.daimenhutchison.com/invision/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':rolleyes:' /><br />
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yes a high level of concern there from my mate. nice.<br />
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mind you not something he doesn't see me do about a million times a weekend. -
Had a similar spill on concrete... though without the jump. You know that thing where you ride off the edge of the concrete into the wood chip garden and then decide (rather foolishly) to try and put yourself back on the concrete? WITHOUT lifting the front wheel a sufficient distance off the ground?<br />
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Yep, that was me. No video footage tho.... -
lifes all good except for when there's concrete...<br />
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had a bad one the week before, came down off a jump and my front wheel washed out. slamming me on my side. fucking hurt, and smashed my glasses when my head hit the ground.<br />
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only after i stood up wondering how the hell that hurt so bad did i notice that some pricked had laid concrete between the jumps - in the middle of the forest! -
Must have been protecting the forest from erosion caused by body impact of mountain bikers <img src='http://www.daimenhutchison.com/invision/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':rolleyes:' /><br />
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As it turns out, the wood chip was looking more deadly than the concrete - some razor-edged shit in that lot though the initial impact would have been more forgiving. Still, you realise the value of the skid lid when it cracks in five places and you walk away with only some missing skin from one arm and one leg. And the rib cartilage, which sucked. -
I really do have to get me a replacement MTB - the trails locally are riding fast at the minute. I've also tried nightime riding through the woods with a 10w halogen Light & Motion searchlight which is fucking awesome.<br />
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I'm thinking of going back to a hardtail though. The full suss I had before was a beautiful ride but struggled in English mud. Plus the full XTR gear was lovely but the chain rings seemed like they were made out of cheese. I need something a bit less complicated and more durable. -
Update:<br />
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Saturday morning - 4 mile trail run<br />
Wednsday evening - 3 mile trail run.<br />
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Well, at least it's something. But it's not enough. I haven't been out on the bike for a week but will be going this evening. The running is getting easier however but I really need to drop some significant kilos to get to the next level. I'm still eating OK and tomorrow marks the sixth week of no-alcohol. -
Saturday - 5 mile trail run. Had to walk some of the steeper sections but overall, not bad. Felt quite good.<br />
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Sunday 30+mile bike ride up and down th local hills. Weather started off shite but cleared up nicely. Made us glad we had gone out. Mrs Luigi is doing well on her new bike too. -
Monday - 4 mile trail run. The best yet. Didn't feel like John Hurt in Alien until right towards the end when we started cranking it up for the run in.<br />
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I'm running with one of Mrs Luigi's mates who started running last year, back when I was knocking out sub 2 hour half marathons. Unlike yours truly though she kept training through the winter and is now running rings round me. <img src='http://www.daimenhutchison.com/invision/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='B)' /><br />
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Still, it's getting better and I'm still losing weight hopefully, which means it can only improve further. I want to get to 100 kilos soon. Weigh in tomorrow to see where I'm at. -
Short gym session today.<br />
5 mins row<br />
Supersets of free weights for chest, lats and arms.<br />
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Weigh in confirmed a slight loss of 1kg to 105kg, which is in the right direction and a hell of a lot better than an increase. Good motivation to keep it going too.<br />
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Recovery bike ride round the lanes tonight. -
4 mile trail run last night. Fark it was warm!<br />
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I am tired though and think I need to rest more. My legs are really getting a hammering what with the running and the cycling. I might have to take WtW's advice and try an ice bath.<br />
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I'd also like to find some touch rugby action nearby before the summer ends. I fancy something a little more competitive.