Stoptober 2012

[El Gordo]

Good man.

I've been on my own private plan for about 10 days now - since my long weekend in London which I knew would see debauchery and gluttony on a grand scale. After 6 months' deprivation, it was inconceivable that proper ale and fish & chips wouldn't appear high on the repeating menu. I succumbed without a fight. Indeed, I succumbed with a large grin on my face, while hands were being vigorously rubbed.

The day after attending the cremation of someone who has died prematurely through alcohol abuse is, let me tell you, a very good point to start a spell of teetotalism. My target is even more outlandish than the great Sweder's. On the plane back 'home', I peered at my spreadsheet with the usual throb of excitement. From that Monday to Sunday November 17 2013 is... precisely... 60 weeks. Hmm, that'll do, I thought.

And that's the plan. More than a year off the booze. Ten days in, and I'm feeling good. Other stuff too, but I should put it in a proper post.

Good luck, Sweder. Enjoy these first few ethusiastic days. They won't last. (He said, encouragingly...)

You are dead right, I'm sure, that a serious assault on your PBs next year doesn't stand an earthly without blubber loss. Ten kilos? Funnily enough, I was pottering about in a cupboard last weekend and came across 2 x 5kg dumb bells. I picked them up and sort of weighed them in my hands. It is surprising how heavy 10Kg is when you hold it in your hands like that, and even more astonishing to think what a burden it must be to try to carry that excess up a hill or around a marathon course. I've left the dumb bells out to remind myself just what a burden it is. In fact, I reckon 15kg in my case would be a minimum target.

Anyway, good luck. We are now expecting regular bulletins from the frontline...