The Long Road Back

The weekend was obviously a huge disappointment. Not because I couldn't do the City to Surf, but because I missed a golden opportunity to sit down near my house, which is on the route, eat KFC and use a megaphone to heckle runners as they came past.

Really, it was perfect - cold but clear day, I had an excuse not to be running the race, I live really close (50m) to the course - but I got lazy and overslept.

Ah well, someone else can do it to me next year.

My week, exercise-wise, started very slowly. In fact, I didn't do anything as far as exercise goes until Wednesday. I returned to the gym for the first time since my (first) calf injury, and only the second time since I left for Europe in early July.

I'd been told I was OK to get on the rowing machine and the bike, and to swim. In fact it was encouraged. Anything that pushed my calf out of its comfort zone was good actually. And obviously doing weights was encouraged also.

Weights was a challenge not because of my calf, but because of the muscles I haven't used for so long. My abs and shoulders are very sore now, which of course is a good thing because it means I'm working on them and they're getting stronger.

Most importantly, the calf feels better now than it did before I entered the gym. Not least important, I feel much more confident on it. Earlier this week I was like a horse - I could walk upstairs but not downstairs. Now I can manage walking downstairs if I'm careful.

Still, overall, I didn't get a lot of exercise in. I was busy tonight and couldn't exercise. And that's reflected in my current weight.

Down slightly to 90kg.

So I need to lose 11kg in less than four months.

Not easy, but at least I'm moving in the right direction.