Lost my mojo

Well I lost my mojo - I knew it was going to happen sometime but not on a Saturday when its my long tyre drag as, crazily enough I enjoy it. I put it down to knowing that I was going to do the "commute" to Dubai the next day, and wanted to be able to get to the office with no aches and pains.  When I told my fellow tyre draggers, for some reason they seemed to be very happy about this, don't know why, might have been to do with going for a 6 mile drag maybe? But actually thinking about it a small rest is a good thing. Give my knees a breather for a few days before I get ready to drag tyres again.

I have just done my walk round with the outward project manager and guess what he showed me - the tyre thats already waiting for me, all good to go.  The new team he introduced me to as "This is Anita, she's going to be dragging tyres round" And its got me excited again. So mojo will be back in gear after another days rest, ready to pick up again.

Drag time!! Women v tyre

Another day another drag.  There is just no elegant way to put this. I sweated my bits off.  Three bricks in the tyre and I went out from the gate fast.  I had two drag buddies this time. So we had representatives from Sri Lanka and the Philippines in our tyre community.

This was a light weights speed drag of three miles and it was a killer.  My friend from Sri Lanka went up to a tyre size in-between Tiny and Tina which is the equivalent of Tiny with two bricks.  I am so impressed with her that she almost managed the whole three miles before we swopped tyres and put some weight in the bigger one - just for me thanks friend lol. But at least she then understood my feeling of running in a dream but getting nowhere (and at least not being naked - it is not just me having those dreams btw!!!)

My friend from the Philippines who has done fitness for a while didn't really get the full effect as it was her first time so she did the first mile and a bit with no brick, but when she put a brick in and hit the pier area she could really feel the drag - so guess who's going to be joining us tonight

 



 

Just sent the pictures to my company's news letter as unfortunately they won't sponsors us which is a real shame, but they would like to feature us.  And next week I'm off to my other job, and guess what the first question was with the guy that I'm swapping with - have you got any tyres.  I'm sure he thought I was a nut job. Nothing new there then

This is what its all about!

MY TYRE!!

Just in case our colonial cousins forget who is doing this

 





 

 

WE DID IT!! We broke the 5 mile mark on Saturday.  4 bricks of concrete in my tyre and going over really rough ground and past some Royal Navy guys that just stopped and stared with open mouths. On the way back they all of a sudden had to start doing PT as we went passed.  Bless them. And finally when we dragged out sweaty tired (should that be tyred) bodies through the vehicle gate the security guys told us we were outstanding - well duh obviously.



The various degrees of hurt makers tyres

Then again last night I pulled Tina the Tyre (the SUV size, the big one on the back of the cart in the picture) round for nearly 2 miles.  This time I wasn't swearing so much which must be a good sign right? And that big boy on the cart seat is Tommy and I flipped that thing 40 times.  Though it was quite funny when we were both flipping tyres one of the security force came out and asked us were we okay and needed help as all they could hear was grunting and groaning as we were flipping the tyres. No we are fine just doing PT. 

This is my dirt and I've earnt it!!



Tina the *&%$ tyre - and other words I called her

Yesterday I went up to Tina the Tyre.  She is the size of a big SUV about the size of a Toyota Landcruiser tyre.

As you can see from the picture I ended up having to put ice on my knees.  It was a real killer all the way round. Even though it was just over a mile, every step I was battling with myself to just keep going, just keep going!  And on top of that needing to go to the toilet as I wasn't going to do a Paul Radcliffe for anybody!! So I kept thinking all the way round of why and what I'm doing this for and I don't know about you, but I turn into a bipolar person when I do exercise that really pushes me.  One side of me - the angel side - keeps telling me you can do this, think of how good you are going to feel when you finish, think of the achievement. The other side of me - the devil side - tells me just stop now you don't have to do this, you can try this again another day. 

But you should have seen me I was nearly horizontal at some point due to the rough terrain. I could have easily touched the ground and it started raining so I could almost imagine I was back in the UK.

I'm going to go back to Tiny with weight next drag, for a distance drag, and use Tina as strength training, as she made me realise I have a way to go yet.

Not all tyres are created equal

Who would have thought that dragging tyres you become a connoisseur of what tyre to use and when.  I now have 3 different size of tyres to choose from, and yes I've named them (as you do). But I have called them other things as I go round dragging them which I won't repeat :)

There is Tommy - hes the one at centre of the picture - he's not quite a tractor tyre so a small truck size.  He's the daddy.  I will be doing short drags with him for strength training

Next there's Tina - shes the one next to Tommy on the right.  Shes a SUV size tyre.  I see using her by herself soon or putting one of the smaller tyres on the end when I progress.

Next there are two of roughly the same size - Teeny and Tiny. Normal car size tyres. These are the ones I'm working mostly with at the moment. Putting increasing numbers of concrete blocks in, then going up to Tina size and gradually progressing.

Oh and I did a 3 miler two days ago around the base with Tiny and 3 concrete bricks.  Getting some real progress going.  My dragging buddy did a two miler and did part of it with one brick - that's amazing progress for somebody who has done hardly ever any fitness - WELL DONE!!

Saturday equals tyre dragging :)

I never thought I would actually look forward to tyre dragging but I'm really starting to enjoy it. Crazy Brit/Anita I hear you think.

As we went through the back gate on our travels we got some stares from security who obviously thought that we were barking mad, I really got into the swing of it. A hot sweaty mess swing of things but still it was good.

I started with two concrete bricks as weight and did a fast pace for the first 1.5 miles and then put some random block of concrete that I found along the way side - as you do - in the tyre for some extra resistance for the next mile.

 My partner in tyre pulling

Now just got to deal with the cold as you can imagine Bahrain even in winter isn't going to be anything near the arctic I think somehow.

Training update

Well things have been really busy on the tyre dragging/fitness side of life.  Yet again no photos thanks to security on base, though I'm not ready to take things out into the streets yet. But I promise I will get some without being run over by some bad Bahraini driver

I'm doing my own High Intensity Interval Training alongside the tyre dragging which is a killer.  I pick about 8 exercises of pain to do full out for 40 seconds with 10 seconds rest in-between - going through 3 or 4 times. I can safely say my 6 pack is on the way back, no longer a barrel, as after not doing anything for 6 months due to injury its a very slow process. I've learnt my lesson of not trying to kill myself quite so crazily (like flipping tractor tyres in 55 degrees direct sunlight). Because surprisingly I don't want my kneecaps injected anymore.  I'm in this for the long run not a sprint. Besides watching me run is like phoebe out of friends - I am not a natural runner

My American tyre drag buddy has come to the end of his time in Bahrain - how very rude of him. So the tyre will be ceremonially handed over to my friend and work colleague who is a complete beginner so she will make me slow down look at my form and take things gradually which is a really good thing, as you have probably guessed by now I sometimes just push myself a little too much :)