State of the Zed

[przed]

I keep thinking I should post an update (I've seen Spectre! And Take That have put out a ridiculous disco video!) but I've hardly had time to turn on my computer of late.

I've mentioned that I'm in the process of training for my black belt in Taekwando. I knew it was going to be a lot of work, but it's more than I imagined, and I'm still not quite hitting all my weekly training goals.

Here's what I'm doing (or in some cases, supposed to be doing) every week:

Three regular, one hour classes (Tuesday Thursday at 6 a.m.; one evening that floats around)

One 90 minute black belt training class every Saturday at 6:45 a.m.

One two hour forms practice session every Sunday morning at 8

Running 10K (this is the thing I'm really having a challenge fitting in between work, Ros' activities, classes, and all the other TKD training I'm doing)

Practicing all forms as often as possible (I've got 7 regular forms and 2 weapons forms I'm supposed to know cold; I've got 6 of the 7, and have got a good start on the bo staff form, but nunchuks are never going to be my favourite thing)

Doing my thousand form (I've been assigned one form, Yul-Gok, which I have to do 1,000 times before my final grading in May

100 sit ups, 20 min. of skipping, 50 knees up reps (I'm way over the sit ups and knees up, but need to up the skipping)

Volunteering at one kids class a week, and at the occasional event at the school

I have, fortunately, been given a pass on the requirements for push ups and burpees. I irritated the osteoarthritis in my back this summer and all the instructors suggested I bail from the things that irritates it. I'm replacing them with wall pushups, tricep dips, side planks, and a very ugly, modified one-armed burpee. As a bonus for the training, my core strength is now awesome and the back pain I struggled with most of the summer and fall is now a thing of the past.

What all this has meant is that I haven't been online, or even on my computer, much at all. By the time I've finished work, got Ros to and from her activities, made dinner, got Ros to bed, done laundry, and all the other stuff that needs doing, I'm pretty much baked. (And this even with the Sweetie earning his nickname by trading off on the Ros activities and dinner thing, picking up a huge amount of the stuff I don't have time for, and accommodating my training schedule.)

I'm reading LJ on my phone, but haven't had the time to get on my computer to comment or post. (LJ's mobile app has eaten more than one post and comment on my, so I don't do much beside read on it.)

I have grabbed 15 minute chunks of time for writing, but that's meant any writing is excruciatingly slow. Especially since the thing I'm working on in a heavily plotted and researched TT secret agent AU that just crossed 31K words and is heading in the direction of 40K. I am hoping, however, to write a treat or two for Yuletide, and maybe a Pros Christmas story. (I've got an idea for a manageably-sized Christmas story, so it's possible!)

Which is all a very long-winded way of saying, if you don't see me around much, know that I'm still out here. And after next June, when I participate in our school's Black Belt Spectacular, I should be back more properly.

Comments

[krisserci5.livejournal.com]

Sounds like you figured out how to clone yourself. . . .wow. . . busy much?

remember to stop and smell the roses. . .or at least occasionally between taking a shower and sleeping :)

[przed.livejournal.com]

A clone would be massively useful right now. Having a clone to do that 10K a week would be marvellous!

Not that I'm not enjoying myself. The whole point of doing the black belt is that I love martial arts. But you couldn't keep up this sort of pace indefinitely.

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

Otherwise, you'll be basking on a beach somewhere with your toes in warm hand and a drink in your hand. *beg*

[przed.livejournal.com]

I'm not really a beach person, in case that wasn't clear. *g*

[zebra363.livejournal.com]

That is a seriously impressive training schedule!

[przed.livejournal.com]

It was a bit alarming, seeing it all written out like that. But it'll be more impressive once I finally start making my distances running.

[graculus.livejournal.com]

Yikes! And to think I've been moaning about starting to go to the gym twice a week... ;)

[przed.livejournal.com]

To be fair, I started off with just the two morning classes and thinking that was quite enough...

[graculus.livejournal.com]

Well, as long as you're enjoying yourself! One of my ambitions, as your icon reminds me, is that I would like to learn how to fence (and we have a really good club locally that does adult lessons, starting with foil) but my basic fitness level is currently not great so I realised that needed to improve that to a significant degree in order to get the most out of lessons. It's always been something I wanted to say I've tried even if I don't end up carrying on with it.

[przed.livejournal.com]

My first martial art was fencing. I fenced all through undergrad, and then again when I did my teaching degree. I lurv it, and would still be doing it, but it always blows out my knees.

If you're planning on trying it, I'd strongly suggest working on the strength of your quadriceps before you get on the piste, both because that's where all your power comes from and it will help protect your knees.

[graculus.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I'll bear that in mind. I get the feeling me and the leg press machine are going to become close friends over the next few months. ;)

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

Lovely to see you anyway! LJ has been iffy even without the added complications of mobile apps. Wishing you all the best with your training and goals, and just keep us updated occasionally like this!!

[przed.livejournal.com]

I've been enjoying your autumn updates! The pics of Jamie have been great.

Thanks for the good wishes, and I'll definitely try to do an update every now and then.

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

Great that you've been enjoying, even if you don't have time to comment!

[dawnebeth.livejournal.com]

I am exhausted reading your activities and exercise. You're amazing.

[przed.livejournal.com]

I'm at the point where momentum is carrying me forward. I have a feeling that I'm going to fall over at the end of next June. *g*

[halotolerant.livejournal.com]

I think many of us would have run screaming for the hills even at ONE of the entries on that list of skills *grins in sheer awe* Well done you! It must be quite a rush, all that exercise (so glad it's helped your back) but I'm glad it's not a permanent life schedule! *g* That said, I can appreciate exercise - I'm walking more and more and it's awfully pleasant (even in November!)

The Take That Hey Boy video is awesome. Have you seen the footage of them on Strictly Come Dancing? In some ways even more camp and amazing, not least for being (sort-of) live and the way they just owned the tower ballroom in Blackpool (the usual Strictly situation is: musical act performs stiffly behind microphone, pro dancers do distracting and vaguely inappropriate dance in front of them - Take That blew that out of the water!)

[przed.livejournal.com]

I started out with just one of those entries, the two morning classes. It's all escalated from there. It's fun(ish) at the moment, but it's not the sort of pace you could sustain long term.

Hey Boy is a ton of fun. (Though the editor in me can't help but think I could have cut together a better video with the same raw footage. There's not nearly enough of the boys, and they don't exploit the natural rhythm of the song nearly enough in the cutting.) I did see the Strictly performance, and it's also fun. Although, man, I really want to tie Mark up and cut his hair. And strongly discourage his killing of muppets for outerwear. I was impressed that Gary totally owned wearing the leopard print coat, though. And I'm not easily impressed by Gary. *g*

[msmoat.livejournal.com]

Wow. Out of all that list...well, I can handle the running! *g* I wish I could do sit ups, and you can do 100 of them?? But I desperately need to improve my core strength. Hmm. Maybe I could start actually trying regularly. But, man, reading of all you do...it's amazing. Go you! I love it that you are required to volunteer for a children's class, too--that's very cool.

Good luck with everything! I hope you do manage to fit the writing in as well. (You need to nourish that part of you as well!) But don't stress too much if you don't. You've got so much going on!

[przed.livejournal.com]

Between the two of us, we're one awesome black belt candidate! (I was on track with the running last week, but a migraine on Monday has derailed me this week.) When I started, I could only do sit ups 30 at a time, but now I can do 100 at a shot. It's all just practice. Building core strength is a really good thing, though.

Volunteering at the kids class can be interesting. A couple of weeks ago they were practicing getting out of wrist grabs, and one of the little boys in my group bonked me in the nose.

I'm trying to keep the writing up without getting sleep deprived. That's the real challenge. I was only going to write for 20 minutes last night and make sure I was in bed before 11, but then I got on a roll and was up until midnight. Which is bad, because I was up at 5 this morning to get to class early to practice bo staff.

[norfolkdumpling.livejournal.com]

Goodness me! That is a LOT of work. I'm in awe over here - go you!

[przed.livejournal.com]

Your icon is entirely accurate!

Fortunately this is all stuff I enjoy doing. Okay, except for the running. (I have to run listening to music or I get a steady mantra of "I hate this I hate this" running through my head. *g*)

[soundofthesurf.livejournal.com]

If only I had worked harder on that time machine - you really really really need it, don't you? I stand in awe, as per usual - you're just the greatest, most sparkly star of all!

[przed.livejournal.com]

A time machine would be really, really awesome right now. I reckon that's the only way I'm going to get 10K of running into my week. (We'll have to steal one from Time Lord!Jason, no? *g*)

I don't know about sparkly. Sweaty is more likely these day. ;-)

HUGS!!!

[dracothelizard.livejournal.com]

Never mind time machine, Zed needs a Time Turner!

(I've been using Zombies Run myself to work on running, but never managed more than 5K and that's quite enough for me ;) )

[przed.livejournal.com]

Ooh! A Time Turner would be fab! Just me and Hermione!

I've been considering Zombies Run for motivation. And I'd be perfectly happy to do 5K at a stretch. I've got several 2 and 3K routes I do currently.

[dracothelizard.livejournal.com]

Well, I for one quite like it! It's basically an audiobook but with your own music in between and it will give you feels - seriously, there's character development and character backstories that'll make you go 'SOMEONE HUG THIS PERSON' while out running.

[przed.livejournal.com]

That sounds like exactly what I need: a reason to look forward to getting out there and running.

[dracothelizard.livejournal.com]

Give it a go :D

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

Go you! \o/

My younger brother is a black belt (upper dans? I'm not sure what exactly) and so this training schedule looks rather familiar.

[przed.livejournal.com]

I'm just hoping I can keep the pace up. We had one of our regular pre-tests this morning (weapons and self defence today), and then I hopped in the car and drove up north for a visit with my mum. And I've spent most of the day trying not to keel over from exhaustion.

I am taking comfort in the fact that there's a number of other moms at the school who've already gone through it, so it is survivable. *g*

[freetraveller15.livejournal.com]

Oh my!... this training schedule is just... OMG I'm in such awe that you can manage to fit this demanding programme with all your other activities and having a daughter! You must be so disciplined and focused. I'm very glad your pains are a thing of the past thanks to this ... But starting classes at 6am?!! I knew lots of north Americans are very early starters... (or maybe over there the days are just longer than 24 hours! *g*) I hope you get enough quality sleep! I'm the total opposite, very late sleeper (on average I never go to sleep before 1 am any day of the week) and of course struggle to get up before 7.30/8am on a weekday... *sigh*...
Hugs
P x