Lesley does the victory dance!

We made it! I really wasn't sure if I could, but my I got through the Round the Bays walk, and what's more it took less time than I expected. Many thanks to my awesome sister for doing it with me! Also to Habit, the best gym in the city according to me, where I'm gradually walking myself back to a more sensible size, and my trainer Hannah.

In a comment on my last post, Justy303 wrote "Polarpersonaltrainer along with Polar STAR-program has really changed my life", and that is exactly how I feel too. I don't think I would have seriously considered doing the walk today if it hadn't been for the encouragement and inspiration I get from all those great people who participate in the challenges, and the confidence I get from knowing how I'm doing.

I'm looking forward to finding out our official times from the newspaper tomorrow, but my estimate based on the training data from my Polar is that we did it in about 1 hour 45 minutes.  I had been hoping to do it within 2 hours, and I have exceeded my expectations. That's got to be a good thing!

My latest obsession

My less geeky friends and family don't really get it, but for me, polarpersonaltrainer.com is the best thing since whatever was best before sliced bread came along. It satisfies my gadget-freakery and my penchant for tracking numbers, and it has just enough social contact to help with motivation without creating heavy personal obligations.

The geeky aspect is that you can upload your training session stats to their server. That's where the gadgetry comes in - you do need a Polar heart rate monitor and a USB dongle that can upload its data.

Once you've got the hardware under control and started your personal training diary, you can start participating in challenges with other people who use the site.

I've only been using the site for a couple of weeks, but I have already "met" people from all around the world who face some of the same challenges as me. I may only know them by nicknames like Mikij, Big E and Drew2010 but their stories are inspirational, and the stats speak for themselves. These people have made sustainable permanent changes in their lifestyles just like I need to; they are my new role models.

Spinal Tap - Back From The Dead

Our workout today was a spot of retail therapy (I burned more calories than I normally would at the gym). Darren bought a copy of Spinal Tap - Back From The Dead (a CD) and this is how the cover looks when you follow the assembly instructions.

Climbing a new kind of hill

On 20 Feb, there is a Round the Bays event that combines a half-marathon and fun run/walk.  I haven't registered yet, but I am hoping to be fit enough to participate as a walker. Can I walk 7km without collapsing in a heap? I think so, but I will make the decision a little closer to the time, perhaps at the end of January.

Catching up

I just found some old drafts that I had emailed in and forgotten to publish. I don't suppose they really matter now, but I published them anyway.

Doing okay, I guess

I went to see the doctor this morning, and it seems I've lost about 3kg since the last time I stood on her scales. I choose to believe this is a result of my efforts at the gym, and not because I was a bit hyperthyroid for a few weeks while I was over-medicated with thyroxine.

Speaking of the thyroid thing... It feels like I'm always yoyo-ing between over and under medication, and the only time I feel good is in the transition phase.  4 tablets a day is definitely too much, but alternating between 3 and 4 is definitely not enough.  It's like trying to walk a razorback ridge in a 40-knot gale, almost impossible to get the right balance.

I also feel somewhat cheated (not by anyone in particular, I add hastily, just the dreaded System). Supposedly, after the RAI treatment (radioactive iodine) I was supposed to be able to go on a steady dose, and it would just need a little tweaking in the first year or two to get it right. Well, that was about 4 years ago I think, maybe longer, and here I am still lurching from overdose to underdose. I am not particularly impressed by the way our health system has handled my case.

October - O for Orsome!