Gym Maths

Didn't get out of work in time to do both gym and watch House - and House won. However, I've been pondering gym maths.

There are 200 lockers in the women's changing rooms. So how come every time I go into the changing rooms after pounding the treadmill is there somebody else using one of the lockers adjacent to mine when there are so many others to choose from?

1 in 199 gives the probability as 0.5% of somebody else choosing any one locker (assuming that it's a random process) - which seems low. However, there are 5 adjacent lockers, bringing this up to 2.5%. Given that there are normally about 10 women in the changing room at any one time, brings the probability of one of 'em using one next to me to 25%. So one in 4 visits, I will have to politely negotiate around another semi clothed person to get to my locker.....

I need to get out more.

Finally made it to the gym

Got out of work before 7pm last night so managed to get to the gym for the first time in ages. I'm booked to do the 10K Great Manchester run in a couple of weeks - I've given up on the idea of running it all so I used last night to work out my walk run routine. I did 60 minutes on the treadmill, alternating running with walking and spent equal time on both. I covered 7K. So for the Manchester run, the plan is to run 1km then walk 1km. I'm loathe to even think about the time but I think it should be possible to do it in less than 90mins even with the walk/run plan in place. Much slower than last year but things have changed alot for me since then.

It's a great event - good viewsof the ever changing Manchester/Salford centre, lots of people and a real mix if serious and non-serious runners. My middle sister and her bloke are running too - except that they really will be running - both are aiming for times significantly sub 60mins.

Hmmm - no progress

Absolutely no exercise whatsoever. Unless I count a very pleasant shopping amble around Totnes at the weekend with my Mum-ish (so much better than calling her an "in law") and a 5 minute wander down to my husband's folks' beach hut on Sunday. And any benefit of the latter was completely destroyed by scoffing picnic. It was very pleasant though!

Ah well.

First bit of exercise to post!

Went biking yesterday - 21 miles around the Wiltshire/Hampshire border just south of Salisbury. Just went with my husband this time.

It was the first time we tried a route from Ian White's "Mountain Bike Guide to Wiltshire". Got misplaced once but nice man sorted us out (patronising us extensively first).

Husband thoroughly enjoyed drenching me when we cycled through a ford - he sped up especially to maximise splash.

Bikes got very muddy due to some very 4X4 churned up track at the end.

Nature Stuff: lots of primroses, violets and loads of wild garlic. Saw a wren and 2 deer shot across the track at one point.

Views: Great as the ride starts on Pepperbox Hill from where you can see the Solent to the south and downland to the north. There's also a good view of the northern New Forest heathland at around the halfway point.

Other stuff: World War 2 Observation posts - presumably taking advantage of the extensive views.

Summary: Book was largely easy to follow and the map was better than many I've seen for mountain bike routes. Some excellent sections and impressive views but there was quite alot of tarmac and the slog up the hill at the end was made tougher by there being no discernible path and having to walk! 7/10

Fat Bird Does Exercise

This is an attempt to give myself a sense of achievement from being active over the next year. I don't have a petite, sylph like figure and I find exercising is much more enjoyable than depriving myself of the good things in life (chocolate, chips, cheese, crisps, beer - got to move on as this is making me hungry!).

Motivation's been a bit of an issue of late - I've recently changed jobs and I'm finding that having less leisure time has resulted in much less exercise time.

Hence - this blog. I'm hoping that after a year or so, I'll be able to track what I have actually achieved and feel good as opposed to only remembering not making it to the gym recently and feeling bad.

So - exercise..... Love mountain biking so this should feature lots - which is good as it's probably the most photogenic of my exercise activities...... Don't really love running but I do some so hopefully I can feature that too..... Gym is OK but I promise not to clog up this blog with vast quantities of stats..... Swimming - I'm a dreadful swimmer but I guess it should figure somewhere!