Power Cages

I've been looking for a power cage to go in my gym (the loft!) at home. I was going to get some squat racks, however Shaun sent me a few links and said that a power cage is the way ahead and it will be perfect for the rest of my strength training that's coming up after Florence. The only issue will be if the ceiling height isn't tall enough, as it goes down in a V shape (as lots of lofts do!). So, I've seen a really good power cage and the first step is to measure our room (which Graeme is doing tonight) and if it's big enough I'll email Shaun and William and ask what they think of it. If the ceiling is too low, there's always the option of Graeme making one (again, Shaun said he would send us instructions on this).

The squat session I did on Wednesday has had no effect on me at all, so 50KG really isn't heavy enough and I need to get something sorted so equipment isn't the issue that lets my training down. Graeme is quite keen on getting a power cage too. He was umming and ahhing over Florence the other day because he hasn't done any training whatsoever... I brushed his worries aside... after all... he NEVER trains, however he has it in his head that he isn't fit enough this time. This morning he got up and said he has decided to bike the 30 miles to work twice a week to see if he can pull himself together. He has also started saying he is going to do deadlifts and squats. I think he sees that I am improving and realises that the training is very good for me. He will only do the deadlifts and squats two or three times though, because he is one of the most unmotivated people I know... bless him!

I got home yesterday to a delivery of raw food for the cats and Lincoln. I tried the cats on liver this morning... it looked absolutely vile (I refuse to eat liver after seeing a post mortem where the woman on the slab had died of liver cancer). I wasn't the only one who wasn't impressed at the offering... Merlin and Emma looked at me like I was Hannibal Lecter and walked off in a huff. I later changed it to tinned salmon (as that's all I had not needing thawing out... cats are not allowed raw fish as the enzymes in it are not good for them). They were both much happier with the second bowl presented!

Merlin goes to the vets again on Monday morning. I'm hoping whatever they find in the blood tests will be good news!

Tomorrow is my second attempt at a 2 hour and 45 minute run. I'm really going to try for as close to 16.5 miles as possible in that time. I only got to 16.14 last week. Unfortunately I'm running a route that is harder on the way home as there are a few inclines and small hills. I have discovered that if I run the first mile 30 seconds slower than my predicted pace, I get into the run much more comfortably and easier, however making the time up on a route that is harder in the second half may be quite difficult!