Kokoda Trail Trek Preparation - Mike's Journal

mickeym · Last edited by mickeym on Wed May 27, 2009 9:34 am; edited 2 times in total

INTRODUCTION - MONDAY 23-03-09

No More Gunna's

Hi. Lets not beat around the bush. I'm fat. I'm in my forties. And I'm a long, long way from being fit.

About 5 years ago I saw a tv show about the Kokoda Trail. Being born in New Guinea, and having had a grandfather who fought there, I decided then and there that one day I would walk the Kokoda Trail myself. One day...

Each year I have made an excuse not to do it. No longer. I've made the decision that this year I'm going. I've booked the trek with Adventure Kokoda (http://www.kokodatreks.com/) for late August. Why them? They do the real wartime track, rather than the eco track, with a qualified military historian to talk you through what went on back in 1942. The downside is that their trek is 155km in ten days, rather than the easier eco-trek of 96km in eight days.

So, I need to get fit. I need to lose about 18kg. And I need someone to professionally design a programme to get me there.

That is where Jay comes in. You see, I could probably go to my local gym and have a programme designed. But I need to look at it holistically. I need the cardio for fitness. I need the weights for muscle building. I need the diet for weight loss. And I need someone to help keep me on track for the next five months to get me there.

I'm booked in to see Jay in two weeks time to take my measurements and go through my programme. Meanwhile, I'll start walking around the block in the mornings so I'm not a total disgrace when we meet...

Opening Stats

Weight - 98.2kg
Height - 183cm
BMI - 29.3 (A rating of 30 is Obese)

mickeym · Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 12:28 pm Post subject: Day 1

DAY 1 - MONDAY 06-04-09 (Week 1)

96.7kg (First thing in the morning)

Weights

Legs & Back

Jay has me doing lots of reps at lower weights in order to help build stamina. As I haven't ever spent a lot of time in the gym, I'm a bit aprehensive about the resulting muscle soreness, but will follow the programme. I've got to be careful, as in the last two weeks of walking around the block a few times a week, I've developed shin splints. I've also had 6 operations on my knees over the years, including 2 knee reconstructions on my left knee. So, easy does it to start with.

Doing 15 reps of each exercise, I could really feel the burn today. The weights aren't heavy, but I could really feel it by the time I finished.

Total Time - 50 minutes

Cardio

Machine - Stationary Bike
Type - Manual
Level - 8
Time - 30 minutes
Distance - 15.55
Avg H/R - 141
Easier than I expected, and didn't get the HR over about 155

Diet
Jay has set me a strict calorie limited diet to follow. Unfortunately, I don't yet have the protien powder. And tonight saw a birthday dinner, so no diet followed.

I know - excuses, excuses...

mickeym · Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 12:43 pm Post subject: Day 2

DAY 2 - TUESDAY 07-04-09 (Week 1)

95.3kg (I must have been holding extra fluid from a weekend drinking too many beers to have lost that much weight since yesterday).

Cardio

Walk - 3 x block @ 2.2km per circuit
1 x hill @ 0.4km

64 minutes 17 seconds

My street follows the top of a spur, with drop offs on either side. I can walk along my street for some mild to medium hills, followed by flat terrain, or take the streets off the spur to do medium to hard hills. Given that the Kokoda Trail climbs over 6,000 feet, hill work is a necessity, so I'm doing the local block with the hills.

A relatively slow walk today. I was mindful of my last walk causing shin pain, so took it easy. Was 20 seconds off my best time for the first lap, and felt very strong in the big hill.

Did an extra medium hill between lap 1 and 2, which resulted in my 2nd lap being about 60 seconds off my best time for the middle lap! Was suprised that the extra hill in the middle would do that.

Got to the end with very little shin pain.

Diet

Loosely followed the diet today, without the protien. Had too many carbs, because I'm not yet organised.

mickeym · Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 12:50 pm Post subject: Day 3

DAY 3 - WEDNESDAY 08-04-09 (Week 1)

95.1kg

Cardio

Walk - 3 x block @ 2.2km per circuit
1 x hill @ 0.4km

62 minutes 16 seconds

Woo Hoo! Took 2 minutes off yesterday's time, with no shin pain.

Lap 1 was the same time as yesterday, but my 2nd lap was only about 30 seconds off my best time for the middle lap, which means that I recovered quicker from doing the extra hill. The extra hill I also did about 45 seconds quicker, and the third lap 1 minute 15 seconds quicker. Maybe I am starting to get a bit fitter Shocked

.

Again, very little shin pain.

Diet

Loosely followed the diet, though had pasta for dinner - a big no-no. Am busy getting ready to go away for Easter, so am still slack on the diet side (more excuses...)

mickeym · Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 1:54 pm Post subject: Day 4

DAY 4 - THURSDAY 09-04-09 (Week 1)

94.3kg

Weights

Chest, Shoulders, Triceps, Abs

Mores sets of 15, and really feeling the burn at the end. Got through them ok - hopefully won't have the muscle soreness that I had on Tuesday after my last session.

Total Time - 40 minutes

Cardio

Machine - Cross Trainer
Type - Manual
Level - 9
Time - 30 minutes
Distance - 5.1
End H/R - 172
Really pushed this cardio. Started with a speed of 12, struggled with 9.5km/h for the last 5 minutes. Completely spent at the end.

Diet

Still not doing well with the diet. Packed the car tonight for a very early departure tomorrow. Dinner was a rushed lot of leftovers. The weekend won't be much better, driving to Melbourne and staying at a hotel.

mickeym · Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 1:56 pm Post subject: Day 5

DAY 5 - FRIDAY 10-04-09 (Week 1)

Rest Day

Drove to Melbourne - no exercise, poor diet.

mickeym · Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 1:59 pm Post subject: Day 6

DAY 6 - SATURDAY 11-04-09 (Week 1)

Cardio

Stairs - 10 Storey Hotel Building (227 steps)
Walk bottom to top & return - 10 times.

58 minutes 46 seconds

A very tough workout. Ending pulse 156 after walking down the stairs! Calves were really burning by the end. Quads sore, but not too bad.

Remainder of the day spent walking around Melbourne.

Diet

Tried to loosely follow the diet. I know that there were too many calories - including a beer at dinner.

mickeym · Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 2:01 pm Post subject: Day 7

DAY 7 - SUNDAY 12-04-09 (Week 1)

Cardio

Walk - Flat Melbourne City Streets
Approx 8km

65 minutes 23 seconds

Very sore calves today. Walking down stairs is like I am 75 years old. Early morning walk along the river.

Pulse at end 142.

Remainder of the day again spent walking around Melbourne.

Diet

Once again tried to loosely follow the diet. Again, too many calories. Again, a beer at dinner...

mickeym · Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 2:02 pm Post subject: Day 8

DAY 8 - MONDAY 13-04-09 (Week 2)

Rest Day

Day spent driving back from Melbourne. Diet poor.

mickeym · Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 2:09 pm Post subject: Day 9

DAY 9 - TUESDAY 14-04-09 (Week 2)

95.7kg (Yep - put back on 1.4kg over the Easter weekend)

Weights

Legs, Back, Biceps

Overall, a really good workout, where I felt strong throughout and recovered quickly after. I had been concerned about my calves, but they were feeling a lot better prior to the workout than they had been for the past 2 days, and didn't notice them during the workout. Perhaps the protien powder before and after made a difference. More energy at work today too. Extra sleep over the long weekend probably also helped.

Total Time - 45 minutes

Cardio

Machine - Cross Trainer
Type - Manual
Level - 9
Time - 30 minutes
Distance - 5.16
End H/R - 148
Was fatigued after 6 minutes, but came strong after about 10 minutes. Finished well, feeling good.

Diet

Finally, got my act together, and followed the diet almost to the letter. Had lean steak instead of chicken/fish for dinner. And snuck in a cappuccino in the morning. Otherwise, just as Jay prescribed.

mickeym · Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 2:13 pm Post subject: Day 10

DAY 10 - WEDNESDAY 15-04-09 (Week 2)

94.6kg (Must have been a bit of fluid retention yesterday, which has gone today)

Cardio

Walk - 3 x block @ 2.2km per circuit
1 x hill @ 0.4km

63 minutes 09 seconds

A dissapointing result today. The first lap was 30 seconds slower than last time, but I really pushed it after that. The last lap was also about 30 seconds slower than last time, resulting in a time almost a minute slower. Couldn't understand why, as I was feeling pretty good all the way through.

Shin felt very good. A little bit of a twinge at one stage, but overall no problem.

Diet

Followed the diet the same as yesterday, including the addition of a cappuccino and steak instead of chikcen/fish.

mickeym · Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 2:24 pm Post subject: Day 11

DAY 11 - THURSDAY 16-04-09 (Week 2)

94.0kg

Weights

Chest, Shoulders, Triceps, Abs

Upper body was super fatigued by the end of the session today. I had trouble lifting my arms high enough afterwards to wash my hair. Really know that I went to the gym this morning...

Total Time - 45 minutes

Cardio

Machine - Cross Trainer
Type - Manual
Level - 10
Time - 30 minutes
Distance - 5.21
Avg H/R - 159
Upped the Level to 10, and felt fairly strong up until the 25 minute mark. Had to push to get the last 5 minutes done at a speed of 10.

Diet

Still swapping steak for chicken/fish - this time at lunch as well. Still having the cappuccino - but while the weight is still going down might as well enjoy my luxuries...

mickeym · Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 2:27 pm Post subject: Day 12

DAY 12 - FRIDAY 17-04-09 (Week 2)

93.7kg

Cardio

Walk - 3 x block @ 2.2km per circuit
1 x hill @ 0.4km

60 minutes 52 seconds

Who - me competitive? Not a bit Wink

.

Was pretty determined to beat my time from Wednesday. Took it easy for the first half of the first lap, then really put it in after the BIG hill. Ended up being a record lap first lap, and the second lap was even quicker.

Felt strong all the way, with just a hint of shin feeling when I thought about it.

Diet

Stuck exactly to the diet, with just the addition of a small cappuccino again

mickeym · Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 2:34 pm Post subject: Day 13

DAY 13 - SATURDAY 18-04-09 (Week 2)

93.0kg

Rest Day

No exercise at all.

Diet

Followed the diet exactly until early afternoon - when at 2:30 a mate and I went to watch Sydney Uni play rugby. From there, we went to watch the Waratahs have a shocker. Meanwhile, I had a steak sandwhich on turkish for dinner, a handful of hot chips, and 5 beers before we left at 11PM...

mickeym · Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 2:39 pm Post subject: Day 14

DAY 14 - SUNDAY 19-04-09 (Week 2)

93.3kg (Beers didn't hurt as much as I expected)

Cardio

Walk - 3 x block @ 2.2km per circuit
1 x hill @ 0.4km

63 minutes 24 seconds

Was raining when I got up to do my MTB ride, so was called off, and went for a walk instead.

Carrying the umbrella in the wind seemed to put me off a bit, and time suffered. Will aim for a finish in the 59's next time.

Diet

More or less stuck to the diet, although I had visitors for morning tea, and visitors for dinner. A slight blemish pre-dinner with corn chips and dip, and probably too much roast lamb. Also didn't drink as much water during the day (yesterday either) as I should have.

Nutritional Regime is ok during the week. For example, I found chicken 'minute steaks' at Coles, which I sprinkle with Morocan Seasoning and dry fry - taste fantastic! Harder to maintain over the weekend. But, overall, ok at this stage for a fat bloke who loves his fast food!