They say women glow and men sweat. Well, last night, I think I was doing both. At the same time.
So appallingly knackered was I that, forget men and women, I was struggling with weights a four-year-old girl could probably handle.
In fact I'm sure I saw Mitch, my personal trainer at Virgin Active, writing 'little girl' on the little clipboard he carries around with him like an evil secretary.
Mitch, it seems, is a masochist.
In image terms he drove me to the edge of hell. Then, when we arrived, he said 'Yay, let's go sightseeing!'.
Yes, last night was a struggle. The biggest struggle I have had so far.
First up, and I think what did me for the rest of the hour-long session (it seemed like much, MUCH longer), was a run.
Now, I am no runner. My team mates on Real Papparazzi will vouch for that. In fact, I would prefer to take blunt spoons to my own eyeballs than run for more than two minutes. But Mitch, dear evil Mitch, had me on the treadmill for 15 entire minutes.
Not only that, but we did incriments of 1 minute at 8.5 kmph and then another minute at 12.5 kmph.
I did not last. At about 11 minutes I pleaded for mercy. I was allowed to walk for two minutes, before the speed was cranked up again.
Later we did a few weights and some more core work. Remember, nothing whatsoever to do with apples, or pears, or any other fruit for that matter. Apparently.
I was thoroughly exhausted by the end and I don't think I've sweated so much, certainly not in a gym, my entire life.
It's a good thing we reporters just make up quotes (we don't really!) because I've hardly been able to lift a pen all day.
Keyan
Wednesday 24 March 2010
Tuesday 23 March 2010
Success
I had a personal training session at Virgin Active this morning with Demian, and I think we've had a breakthrough.
Sure, the first 15 minutes were torture. There was ten minutes on the strange cross-trainer type machine, which sends shivers of fear through me when I just look at it. While on that I made the mistake of asking what the funny looking machine behind me was, which resulted in me having to spend five minutes on it cycling with my arms, if that makes sense.
But the other 45 minutes of my session were good, because I got to try out boxing. And it turns out it's a form of exercise I like, that works out all my body, and that I'm not completely terrible at (read: I'm just more than a little bit bad at it).
But it was fun and got me laughing, which is probably the first time my laughter at the gym hasn't been the hysterical-about-to-burst-into-tears kind.
After I had to do some exercises to strengthen my core muscles, of which there are none at the moment. First up was an exercise which required me to roll from a sitting position onto my shoulders and then back again, a bit like a turtle would. Only I couldn't, so we gave that up after two goes.
Then there was the exercise which required me to keep my feet in the air and move my arms from side to side touching the floor each time, which hurt.
The final one was probably the most painful but I had a very tiny bit of success at that (very tiny).
I shall be practising all the moves over the next week in the hopes that if I have to do the same ones again I won't be quite so pathetic.
Overall though, I would call this morning's gym visit a success.
Sarah
Sure, the first 15 minutes were torture. There was ten minutes on the strange cross-trainer type machine, which sends shivers of fear through me when I just look at it. While on that I made the mistake of asking what the funny looking machine behind me was, which resulted in me having to spend five minutes on it cycling with my arms, if that makes sense.
But the other 45 minutes of my session were good, because I got to try out boxing. And it turns out it's a form of exercise I like, that works out all my body, and that I'm not completely terrible at (read: I'm just more than a little bit bad at it).
But it was fun and got me laughing, which is probably the first time my laughter at the gym hasn't been the hysterical-about-to-burst-into-tears kind.
After I had to do some exercises to strengthen my core muscles, of which there are none at the moment. First up was an exercise which required me to roll from a sitting position onto my shoulders and then back again, a bit like a turtle would. Only I couldn't, so we gave that up after two goes.
Then there was the exercise which required me to keep my feet in the air and move my arms from side to side touching the floor each time, which hurt.
The final one was probably the most painful but I had a very tiny bit of success at that (very tiny).
I shall be practising all the moves over the next week in the hopes that if I have to do the same ones again I won't be quite so pathetic.
Overall though, I would call this morning's gym visit a success.
Sarah
Monday 22 March 2010
Guilt
I have always suffered from an over sensitive guilt gland. It can strike at any time. I feel guilty for the most stupid reasons.
I have a very vague recollection of stealing a penny sweet once. I felt so guilty I blurted my confession to my Mum who made me go back to the shop with her to perform my penance, sobbing into the owner's chewing gum stand.
It's a bit like my over sensitive nature, I can cry at adverts and songs. Secret Millionaire is a killer. I blame my mother for both. She burst into tears over a baked bean advert once. You probably know the one; where a man comes back from working, puts a tin of beans on the hob and kisses his children goodnight.
She was in bits.
Anyway, I'm getting carried away. My point was I haven't been to the gym since Friday and I'm feeling guilty.
After reading Jenni's post I don't feel quite so bad. Although I have not been swinging hammers, visiting her garden or even climbing worms. Or whatever it was.
Besides, I'm seeing Mitch tomorrow so he's bound to make me feel awful for another few days.
On another note, we (read Jenni and Sarah - I couldn't organise a drink at a brewery!) have organised a charity quiz night to raise further funds for our appeal.
Tickets are £6 each for the event which will be held at the University of Kent at Medway on Thursday, April 15.
Call the newsdesk on 01634 227803 to book your tickets.
Keyan
I have a very vague recollection of stealing a penny sweet once. I felt so guilty I blurted my confession to my Mum who made me go back to the shop with her to perform my penance, sobbing into the owner's chewing gum stand.
It's a bit like my over sensitive nature, I can cry at adverts and songs. Secret Millionaire is a killer. I blame my mother for both. She burst into tears over a baked bean advert once. You probably know the one; where a man comes back from working, puts a tin of beans on the hob and kisses his children goodnight.
She was in bits.
Anyway, I'm getting carried away. My point was I haven't been to the gym since Friday and I'm feeling guilty.
After reading Jenni's post I don't feel quite so bad. Although I have not been swinging hammers, visiting her garden or even climbing worms. Or whatever it was.
Besides, I'm seeing Mitch tomorrow so he's bound to make me feel awful for another few days.
On another note, we (read Jenni and Sarah - I couldn't organise a drink at a brewery!) have organised a charity quiz night to raise further funds for our appeal.
Tickets are £6 each for the event which will be held at the University of Kent at Medway on Thursday, April 15.
Call the newsdesk on 01634 227803 to book your tickets.
Keyan
Sunday 21 March 2010
Climbing lighthouses and avoiding worms
When I woke up this morning I was already starting to dread the training session I have at the gym at 9am tomorrow. It’s not that I’m not grateful Virgin Active personal trainer Demian is giving up his time to help me get fit for the Three Peaks, but I know he is going to tell me off because I haven’t been to the gym since my last training session with him on Tuesday.
This session was such hard work that I ached for two days afterwards. It began on the treadmill with what Demian called a warm-up, but after 10 minutes I couldn’t breathe and thought I was going to pass out. Not a good start.
I then spent the next 45 minutes doing all sorts of painful exercises to build my core muscle strength. At one point Demian said I could have a break but instead of sitting down like I had planned – he made me go on the cross trainer for 5 minutes. Not my idea of a breather.
My excuse for not training this week is that I have been enjoying a staycation. For those of you not familiar with this 21st century lingo, it’s a holiday for people who can’t afford to go away. I have been busy enjoying a visit to Lincoln, a day trip to France, a short stay in Southampton and a day out at Leeds Castle, so I’ve not had time to get down the gym.
My other excuse is that all these days out have included lots of walking (including climbing 271 steps to the top of Calais lighthouse), so I have been getting exercise of some sort.
Not to mention the fact that I have just done the equivalent of a gym session in my back garden – by taking a sledge hammer to our garden path. After four hours breaking up concrete and avoiding worms, my back aches, I’ve pulled a muscle in my side and I have a big bruise where a piece of stone hit my leg, so going to the gym doesn’t seem quite so bad. I sure I will have changed my mind again by about 9.15 tomorrow morning.
Jenni
This session was such hard work that I ached for two days afterwards. It began on the treadmill with what Demian called a warm-up, but after 10 minutes I couldn’t breathe and thought I was going to pass out. Not a good start.
I then spent the next 45 minutes doing all sorts of painful exercises to build my core muscle strength. At one point Demian said I could have a break but instead of sitting down like I had planned – he made me go on the cross trainer for 5 minutes. Not my idea of a breather.
My excuse for not training this week is that I have been enjoying a staycation. For those of you not familiar with this 21st century lingo, it’s a holiday for people who can’t afford to go away. I have been busy enjoying a visit to Lincoln, a day trip to France, a short stay in Southampton and a day out at Leeds Castle, so I’ve not had time to get down the gym.
My other excuse is that all these days out have included lots of walking (including climbing 271 steps to the top of Calais lighthouse), so I have been getting exercise of some sort.
Not to mention the fact that I have just done the equivalent of a gym session in my back garden – by taking a sledge hammer to our garden path. After four hours breaking up concrete and avoiding worms, my back aches, I’ve pulled a muscle in my side and I have a big bruise where a piece of stone hit my leg, so going to the gym doesn’t seem quite so bad. I sure I will have changed my mind again by about 9.15 tomorrow morning.
Jenni
Monday 15 March 2010
ViPR - deadlier than its (sort of) namesake
A few hours ago the ViPR - standing for Vitality, Performance and Reconditioning - looked like a harmless tube with a few holes in it.
After using it for half an hour (and not even continuously) I discovered it was anything but.
In fact, if a real viper had come snapping at my heels I'd probably have fallen down and asked it to put me out of my misery.
The ViPR provides a full-body workout, as my muscles and my Virgin Active personal trainer Demian kept telling me.
Demian put me through a variety of exercises which involved picking up, throwing and balancing the ViPR while doing squats.
It was painful. In fact it was more than painful. Every muscle in my body was protesting, my heart was beating a million miles a minute and all I wanted to do was curl up in a ball and cry.
But I couldn't, because Demian was encouraging me to do better, and if I don't get fit then I won't be able to climb three mountains in 24 hours and then CPC Kent won't get the money we're trying to raise.
But still, if next week's personal training session involves the ViPR I might sneak a snake in and tempt it to bite me so I can have a moment's respite.
Sarah
After using it for half an hour (and not even continuously) I discovered it was anything but.
In fact, if a real viper had come snapping at my heels I'd probably have fallen down and asked it to put me out of my misery.
The ViPR provides a full-body workout, as my muscles and my Virgin Active personal trainer Demian kept telling me.
Demian put me through a variety of exercises which involved picking up, throwing and balancing the ViPR while doing squats.
It was painful. In fact it was more than painful. Every muscle in my body was protesting, my heart was beating a million miles a minute and all I wanted to do was curl up in a ball and cry.
But I couldn't, because Demian was encouraging me to do better, and if I don't get fit then I won't be able to climb three mountains in 24 hours and then CPC Kent won't get the money we're trying to raise.
But still, if next week's personal training session involves the ViPR I might sneak a snake in and tempt it to bite me so I can have a moment's respite.
Sarah
Boot Camp
So here I am at boot camp in a secret location in Yorkshire, sometimes called the in-laws. In Hepworth. Ya know, where they film Last of the Summer Wine.
This weekend I have promised myself that I will drink my last pint before the three peaks in May. An entire (nearly) two months. Maybe promised is too strong a word. I have suggested it. That, for me, might be more difficult than walking the 25 miles in 24 hours we are completing for charity.
On Saturday I went with my girlfriend and her family to a very good ale house. It felt like the last supper. In a pint glass.
Then, yesterday, we embarked on a little walk around the village. If the peaks of Hepworth are anything to go by I could be in serious trouble. At one stage we walked past a pile of sand beside a construction site and, me having been to the gym twice already, I challenged myself to climb it. By the top (about two and a half feet) I was breathless and sweating. What have I done.
Back to the gym on Thursday. I fear I might have to train a bit harder.
Don't forget to sponsor us here...
www.justgiving.com/messengerclimb
Keyan
This weekend I have promised myself that I will drink my last pint before the three peaks in May. An entire (nearly) two months. Maybe promised is too strong a word. I have suggested it. That, for me, might be more difficult than walking the 25 miles in 24 hours we are completing for charity.
On Saturday I went with my girlfriend and her family to a very good ale house. It felt like the last supper. In a pint glass.
Then, yesterday, we embarked on a little walk around the village. If the peaks of Hepworth are anything to go by I could be in serious trouble. At one stage we walked past a pile of sand beside a construction site and, me having been to the gym twice already, I challenged myself to climb it. By the top (about two and a half feet) I was breathless and sweating. What have I done.
Back to the gym on Thursday. I fear I might have to train a bit harder.
Don't forget to sponsor us here...
www.justgiving.com/messengerclimb
Keyan
Friday 12 March 2010
Oh, the pain
I have sustained my first injury.
No, I didn't slide backwards off the treadmill, drop a weight on my foot or come to blows with my personal trainer.
Instead, on my way out to cover a story, I twisted my ankle.
It was fine at the gym yesterday but this morning it's aching. Tonight I will have to elevate my foot, find a bag of peas to rest on my ankle and hope for the best, as I have another gym trip planned tomorrow.
Away from the doom and gloom, things are going well in the fundraising department. In two weeks we've raised £615 of our £1,500 target. Included in that is a fantastic £250 donation from the Rochester Coffee Co, a local business which is keen on supporting good causes like CPC Kent.
While our main hope is to get to £1,500, in an ideal world we'd like to smash that target to smithereens and raise lots more for the charity, which does a great job helping adults and children with cerebral palsy.
The pain is worth it if we can help the charity.
Sarah
No, I didn't slide backwards off the treadmill, drop a weight on my foot or come to blows with my personal trainer.
Instead, on my way out to cover a story, I twisted my ankle.
It was fine at the gym yesterday but this morning it's aching. Tonight I will have to elevate my foot, find a bag of peas to rest on my ankle and hope for the best, as I have another gym trip planned tomorrow.
Away from the doom and gloom, things are going well in the fundraising department. In two weeks we've raised £615 of our £1,500 target. Included in that is a fantastic £250 donation from the Rochester Coffee Co, a local business which is keen on supporting good causes like CPC Kent.
While our main hope is to get to £1,500, in an ideal world we'd like to smash that target to smithereens and raise lots more for the charity, which does a great job helping adults and children with cerebral palsy.
The pain is worth it if we can help the charity.
Sarah
Wednesday 10 March 2010
Rabbit food
Anyone who has been to our office knows it is a haven for all things that are bad for you. You are never more than an arm’s length away from a chocolate biscuit and we need little excuse to buy cakes – birthdays, last days or a day with a Y in it. But as part of our training, Keyan, Sarah and I have banished junk food and are attempting to eat healthily.
Jelly babies and donuts have been replaced by carrot sticks, salad and other unappetising snacks which resemble rabbit food. Our friends at Virgin Active gym in Rochester have told us to have five small meals a day and if we ever need advice on what to eat, we can always consult the Medway Messenger nutritionist (aka assistant news editor, gym addict and all-round healthy person Nathan).
Yesterday I started the day with porridge, followed by some fruit, a pasta salad for lunch and an afternoon snack of cardboard (low fat rice cakes). So far so good. The real test will come on Friday – otherwise known as breakfast-from-the-café-down-the-road day in our office. Will we be able to resist the temptation of a bacon sandwich?
Tonight , Sarah and I are off to the gym to see if we can put into practice what we were told by our personal trainer Demian on Monday. While Keyan is going to run around a five-a-side pitch with the rest of the boys from the office (I would say play football but going by the team’s previous form, you can’t really call it that).
We’ll let you know how we get on.
Jenni
Jelly babies and donuts have been replaced by carrot sticks, salad and other unappetising snacks which resemble rabbit food. Our friends at Virgin Active gym in Rochester have told us to have five small meals a day and if we ever need advice on what to eat, we can always consult the Medway Messenger nutritionist (aka assistant news editor, gym addict and all-round healthy person Nathan).
Yesterday I started the day with porridge, followed by some fruit, a pasta salad for lunch and an afternoon snack of cardboard (low fat rice cakes). So far so good. The real test will come on Friday – otherwise known as breakfast-from-the-café-down-the-road day in our office. Will we be able to resist the temptation of a bacon sandwich?
Tonight , Sarah and I are off to the gym to see if we can put into practice what we were told by our personal trainer Demian on Monday. While Keyan is going to run around a five-a-side pitch with the rest of the boys from the office (I would say play football but going by the team’s previous form, you can’t really call it that).
We’ll let you know how we get on.
Jenni
Tuesday 9 March 2010
The morning after the night before...
I'm relatively pain free today. Very unexpected.
This morning, I didn't even need my girlfriend to pull me out of bed and I've already fed myself with a bowl of porridge, although I admit my porridge-wallah helped a little with the microwave. But there were no jelly babies or even one eclair. Progress!
So last night was my first session with Mitch at Virgin Active in Rochester and I was pretty pathetic by the end, hardly able to lift my legs from the floor. I had a few funny looks as I grunted and panted trying to lift my legs inches from the ground as men with wrist circumferences bigger than my head watched on.
Other body builders waddled around looking as though I could have been a light snack had they fancied it.
I kept a distance. That weight lifting looks like hungry work.
We worked mostly on 'core' strength which, I found, has nothing to do with apples. I've also been reliably informed by female colleagues that some of the exercises were girly yoga positions. They certainly didn't feel very girly but I'll have to have a word with Mitch about those all the same.
He broke the news to me gently. The pain would probably kick in on Wednesday. I'm considering popping back tonight though to tell him what I'm feeling now will do fine thank you very much.
Next session, Thursday.
Keyan
This morning, I didn't even need my girlfriend to pull me out of bed and I've already fed myself with a bowl of porridge, although I admit my porridge-wallah helped a little with the microwave. But there were no jelly babies or even one eclair. Progress!
So last night was my first session with Mitch at Virgin Active in Rochester and I was pretty pathetic by the end, hardly able to lift my legs from the floor. I had a few funny looks as I grunted and panted trying to lift my legs inches from the ground as men with wrist circumferences bigger than my head watched on.
Other body builders waddled around looking as though I could have been a light snack had they fancied it.
I kept a distance. That weight lifting looks like hungry work.
We worked mostly on 'core' strength which, I found, has nothing to do with apples. I've also been reliably informed by female colleagues that some of the exercises were girly yoga positions. They certainly didn't feel very girly but I'll have to have a word with Mitch about those all the same.
He broke the news to me gently. The pain would probably kick in on Wednesday. I'm considering popping back tonight though to tell him what I'm feeling now will do fine thank you very much.
Next session, Thursday.
Keyan
Monday 8 March 2010
Training
So, it's still Monday morning and I've already had a near death experience.
Okay, maybe that's a little dramatic, but for an hour this morning I felt like my heart might just give up.
Why?
I had my first personal training session this morning at Virgin Active with Demian, who is kindly giving up his time to help us.
After filling out some forms and having my blood pressure, heart rate and body fat measured (none of which could be described as perfect) it was out onto the gym floor.
Or torture chamber as I like to call it.
First up was the treadmill, where I started on a gentle five kilometres an hour. It didn't stay gentle for long, as Demian kept pushing buttons on the machine to get me walking uphill at a rapid speed. After walking 1km I was exhausted.
But that was just the warm up.
Next, it was on to a machine that works both legs and arms, just to make life a little easier, before hitting the bike for a few minutes.
By then my heart felt like it was going a million miles a minute, my legs felt like jelly and I thought my arms might fall off.
On the plus side, it will apparently only get easier the more exercise I do.
If it doesn't, I might cry.
Sarah
Okay, maybe that's a little dramatic, but for an hour this morning I felt like my heart might just give up.
Why?
I had my first personal training session this morning at Virgin Active with Demian, who is kindly giving up his time to help us.
After filling out some forms and having my blood pressure, heart rate and body fat measured (none of which could be described as perfect) it was out onto the gym floor.
Or torture chamber as I like to call it.
First up was the treadmill, where I started on a gentle five kilometres an hour. It didn't stay gentle for long, as Demian kept pushing buttons on the machine to get me walking uphill at a rapid speed. After walking 1km I was exhausted.
But that was just the warm up.
Next, it was on to a machine that works both legs and arms, just to make life a little easier, before hitting the bike for a few minutes.
By then my heart felt like it was going a million miles a minute, my legs felt like jelly and I thought my arms might fall off.
On the plus side, it will apparently only get easier the more exercise I do.
If it doesn't, I might cry.
Sarah
Friday 5 March 2010
Base camp
And so it begins - £1500 to raise for CPC Kent, the highest mountains in the UK to climb and about eight weeks in which to get fit enough to climb them.
Three challenges, and I know which one I'm most worried about.
This morning I've eaten three jelly babies and a chocolate eclair. The sort of diet required? Probably not.
I'm also as thin as a rake. I caught sight of my legs in the mirror the other day and thought a hairy stork had managed to get in through the bedroom window. I struggled with the smallest weights in the gym when we went for photographs. The girls in the office have to help me open jars.
Things will have to change.
My first training session, with 'Mitch' at Virgin Active in Rochester is on Monday and I'm not looking forward to it. The gym is allowing us to use their facilities for the next two months for training free of charge. When we went for our photographs I caught Mitch training another woman (I forgave him) and she looked exhausted by the end of their hour. I dread to think what I'll look like.
We've had a lot of support so far but we need more.
Please sponsor us at www.justgiving.co.uk/messengerclimb
Keyan
Three challenges, and I know which one I'm most worried about.
This morning I've eaten three jelly babies and a chocolate eclair. The sort of diet required? Probably not.
I'm also as thin as a rake. I caught sight of my legs in the mirror the other day and thought a hairy stork had managed to get in through the bedroom window. I struggled with the smallest weights in the gym when we went for photographs. The girls in the office have to help me open jars.
Things will have to change.
My first training session, with 'Mitch' at Virgin Active in Rochester is on Monday and I'm not looking forward to it. The gym is allowing us to use their facilities for the next two months for training free of charge. When we went for our photographs I caught Mitch training another woman (I forgave him) and she looked exhausted by the end of their hour. I dread to think what I'll look like.
We've had a lot of support so far but we need more.
Please sponsor us at www.justgiving.co.uk/messengerclimb
Keyan
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