Week 1 complete......and how did I do?

Well I've managed to complete week 1 in my quest to be the new Gordon and how have I done? let me break down my week into two categories, diet and fitness......first the fitness.

OK...I did it, three runs for the week, Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday (a good start I hear you say).

Tuesday 2nd.....my first run, if I can take this step I can go all the way. The route as suggested by my darling wife Rachael (herself a runner with Olney runners) was a short circuit of Olney (2.5 miles). In order to help create a picture of the run, if you leave my house and head in a clockwise direction, the start of the run is downhill or flat.....has a bugger of an uphill climb in the middle....and ends on a downhill run. So off I go (take it easy up the hill are the coaching words from Rach as I leave). It's a windy day but dry and I'm feeling good, infact I'm thinking what can I write for my next blog entry. I've completed a quarter of the run (so I'm still looking and feeling OK) and who should I meet running in the opposite direction but Jane (a friend and Olney runner). What an excellent point to receive encouragement in the form of a "Happy New Year" hug and kiss. I have since asked if Jane can support me in the same fashion on future runs, an invitation open to all the ladies that I know. So I keep going with a smile on my face and then reach the hill.....It doesn't take long for me to realise I DON'T LIKE HILLS....well not running up them. I keep going with the wind against me and manage to get to the down hill stint, I'm almost home. So I finish in 27.15 minutes (official time provided courtesy of Rachaels Nike running watch).

Thursday 4th.....well the first run didn't put me off so I'm off for my second but this time an anti clockwise circuit of Olney and a slight increase in distance which I will call the extended circuit of Olney (2.75 miles). Now this run starts hard with an uphill climb (it can be demoralising) but get past this stage and you have a long downhill run followed by a fairly flat course which ends in a short uphill run. It's a good run, another cold day but not as windy and I complete the run in 28.46 minutes (no midway hug and kiss but I survived).

Sunday 7th......it's my third run, I think I'm doing OK with this fitness regime. An extended circuit of Olney but in a clockwise direction (2.75miles) this is my attempt of changing my routine. I still don't like hills is what's running through my mind as I tackle the uphill slog on a day when the wind is blowing against me. What I also notice on this Sunday are other runners, but they have the pleasure of running downhill. OK I think, I need to look like this run is not a struggle so I manage to pick up the pace and run pass my fellow runners with a smile and say a cheery "morning". Now, if the uphill section wasn't so long I would have been fine, but by the time I'd managed three quarters of the distance, the next runner I pass only has the pleasure of a nod and the mumbled words "morn" from me... the mind was willing but the body wasn't. What can I say "I DON'T LIKE RUNNING UP HILL"...........but that said, I finish the run in 27.44 minutes.

So that's the running...come on week 2.

The diet......a mixed approach this week which probably wasn't helped by the fact that I didn't set myself a target loss. Well I suppose I can't expect to achieve everything in my first week but I've definitely not been as bad as I would have been if I wasn't trying to diet. First a good point, I've started to have breakfast and not rely on just a cup of coffee to start my day. A bowl of Special 'K' kicks the body into action (the coffee is still required or I'll end up being grumpy all morning). So what were the bad points......tucking into 2 man sized slices of Christmas fruit cake and a helping of banoffee pie (not all on the same day I hasten to add). My good friend Dave treating me to a pub lunch (he didn't know that he was buying lunch, I thought it would be a nice suprise), chilli mince pie and mash washed down by a pint and a half of Guinness (Guinness is good for you, isn't it?). Finally a day out with friends, cinema in the afternoon (what's a film without popcorn) and then tea at their house washed down by one....two.....no, three bottles of lager!!!!!

So do my eating habits reflect the weigh in result.......I was 84.5kg (13.3st) and now I'm......84.4kg (13.3st)...... I thought if anything I would weigh the same but was dreading the fact that I may have put on weight...so a relieft that I've lost 0.1kg (0.2lbs) ("but could do better".....as it would say in my school report).

Right then, target loss for week 2 will be 3lbs.........bring it on.