Big Rock - Big Snake?

This was the second evening in a row that we were in a Yambol apartment with song, dance, food and drink, the hangover from the night before still hanging we started off at around 5:00 with today the 1st March being the Baba Marta Den (Grandmother Marta Day) and the name day of those whose name has attributes to the name Marta, so it was my name day today as well (Martin). The whole of Bulgaria celebrate this day with song, dance, food and drink, well actually just a bit more than normal working days.

There were Bulgarian friends here tonight who we hadn't met before - all men! Silva, the hostess could be called middle aged, single, free and remains a very attractive proposition to many men who cross her path. Even though she has to care for her Baba which is a full time job, she is living life to the full right now, and deservedly so as she has worked very hard abroad over the last few years. She has been married twice before, but the Bulgarian men never lived up to here expectations. She was the life and soul of the party yesterday night and kicked off again this evening with more of the same.

There was no Dimco and Poliya tonight, but instead local neighbours mainly from the same block apartment. Dimco had left his guitar behind and this was taken up and used this evening from another Bulgarian guitar playing talent in the room. Three hefty Bulgarian men took up most of the bed sofa space. Like typical Bulgarian men they were all short and stocky, built like weightlifters. All I kept thinking of was three Humpty Dumpties sat on the wall!

It is normal that Bulgarians look deadly serious when you first meet them, but as you get to know them they start melting and become very warm and friendly after a while. This was exactly what happened this evening. A slightly nervy start, which was based on taking these guys at face value - They would scare the s*** out of most people if you met them in a dark alley! In fact a great deal of the evening was spent talking about why they look like they do.

Their names were Yordan, Avram and Nikolai respectively, all gradually warmed up with rakia and great Bulgarian food they found out that I jog 4 km everyday. All three couldn't understand why I jog to lose weight. Explaining that it was good for your heart not to be 'fat' was laughed at as they stood up and compared stomachs with each other, then their philosophy came out. Being slight in build equates to being weak, it is the Bulgarian way to be large so people are scared of you when you walk the streets. Being large is being strong and confident so yo can hold you head up high and not be scared of anything that comes your way. They believe that fitness is important, but alongside the big build. They asked who would win if I picked a fight with any one of them - I was no contest for them I agree.

As I thought about what they were saying. I explained that I have a different build that their Bulgarian bodies and that if I was to work on being as large as they were I would be in an early grave. Their argument was to do fitness in the gym or which they all do based around lifting weights.

Well the argument whether a big or athletic build is better went on most of the evening. I suppose the past and fighting for you country has something to do with it, it wasn't that long ago, two or three generations that Bulgaria was a land of warriors fighting for their Independence, there was no need for athletically built Bulgarian in hand to hand combat. But then on the other hand coming from a health conscious background myself, it is an inbuilt goal of mine to be fit and not overweight.

The other argument they had, but wasn't proved this particular evening was that you find bigger snakes where there are bigger rocks!

Jogging From Scratch in Bulgaria

Over the last few years I have been so lazy as my lifestyle now just involves sitting down and writing. It wasn't a New Year resolution to start up jogging again, I haven't done that since I gave up smoking over 15 years ago.

I started joggin again because I was looking more and more like a Bulgarian weightlifter every day. I didn't feel right in myself, lacked energy and really worried that my heart was being packed with superb Bulgarian food, but it wasn't being worked off of exercised. As a barometer to the size of my stomach, I have always used the rule that if I can't see my private parts I'm too fat. It had now got to the stage where I had to lean over slightly or get aroused to achieve that. I was too fat! I really have to do something about my Blogaria, actually what a good name for a blog about Bulgaria!

So it was a couple of weeks into January and my intention were clear, lose some weight and get fit, the last thing we need is a hospital bill for a heart treatment and medication. Jogging doesn't cost anything and is an investment in health, unless I get run over by idiot drivers, which has happened a few times.

Having run marathons, been a member of an athletic club, competed in cycling cyclo-cross, and cross country races as well as time trials over 10 and 25 miles as well as mountain biking and endurance events, this was well into my past. This is a danger as a fit person who suddenly give up all exercise is more at risk of having heart attacks than someone who isn't. Starting up again would have to be done very steadily, I knew how to train from the past, warming up and stretching before and after is just as important as the jog. The most frustrating thing is being injured and not being able to perform.

So the first two weeks I just restricted myself to brisk walking starting with a 20 minutes session right up to an hour after two weeks. Eventually faster walking up hills and recovery going downhill. I was ready to start jogging at that point.

My first venture out, it was minus 12 degrees so it was on the the cycling tights before the jogging bottoms, two tea shirts and a sweatshirt, a bobble woollen hat, three pairs of thing sock under my running shoes. After at least ten minutes of stretching I was on the street, but not jogging. Initially it was fast walking then on a flat bit of road a little jog for about 400 metres then a walk again to get my breath back. This was done repeatedly for about 20 minutes on a circular route that brought me back home. Stretching was done again before a quick wash down an a cup of herbal tea or tisane.

For the next four weeks this was a daily routine increasing the jogging distances each time, but always restrained from over exertion. It was now getting to the stage that involved non-stop jogging and over 40 minutes each time.

Right now it is at the stage where I can manage to turn my jog into a running and back to jogging to recover. It is now two day jogging and one day off as rest is needed with the amount of energy used now.

I feel much better in myself, have far more energy and when spring comes I will be fit enough to do some intensive digging on the farm. I can clearly see my privates now and that is a relief. I never weigh myself , but I know that there have been quite a few kilograms left out on the road.

Anyone who blogs a lot, should really consider getting out and doing some exercise, it's not good for your health otherwise, you'll have more energy and think better as well. Besides, when was the last time you got out of breath - Perhaps, some of you shouldn't answer that! No matter where you are it can be done, even if you are a moving target for crazy Bulgarian drivers in Yambol.