The Final Three!

So here we are. The last three days. I'm happy to say I've followed the plan to the last detail so far - and intend to for the last three days. Something else I've considered is one of the most important parts of exercise is rest. So I've decided to continue to eat just as clean for the next week - no celebratory Chinese for me on Monday night! I probably will have a beer though - given what I'm giving up this weekend.

My timing of this course couldn't be worse. Considering these are the last three days:

Friday - invite to BeerX, one hell of a beer festival in one hell of a beer city - Sheffield. Huge number of friends are up there for it, friends I haven't seen in months. BUT decided to look forward to Ludlow beer festival instead - need to check if I'm wanted for judging duties this year now I think about it.

Garrett Oliver - a man I'd truly love to meet - a pioneer in getting beer respected in the way wine is in France.  Brewer at the Brooklyn brewery. And I've just found out guest speaker at BeerX. Bollocks.

Saturday - last day of 6 nations. 3 matches, 1 day, including the highlight of the tournament, England Vs Wales. For American readers who might not understand the appeal of rugby, this is the equivalent to your Superbowl. Just without all the adverts and half-time show. And I'll be enjoying it without beer, snacks, fast food, anything. Gutted.

I wonder if it would be sunnier in Wales if he smiled more...

Sunday - St Patrick's Day. Nowadays pretty much a national day of drinking and 'Twat in a Hat' day.

Twats in Hats. Amazingly in the 21st Century it's still ok to dress like this without a note from your doctor.

I'm not particularly bothered about having my first sober St Paddy's day in 10 years, but it does mean that the vast majority of my friends are going to be beered out for the following week - when I want to have a few!

O well, there'll be plenty of other times to drink. I am surprised at just how many people wanted me to take a couple of days off the program though. Things like 'O do the last few days next week' or 'You've done 3 and a half weeks, isn't that enough?'. Didn't expect that at all - I expected things like 'plenty of other times for beer' or 'think of the money you'll save'.

The idea behind the 28 days is pattern workouts. So I won't have a rest day in one week, but it'll be 3 days between working arms and back, for example. With everything going on a cycle, taking a couple of days out just doesn't make sense.

The other thing is I'm so close! 3 days! I'd feel like shit if I ran a marathon but didn't bother with the last mile because there was something on TV I really wanted to watch. Or play 75 minutes of rugby and think 'sod this, it's started raining, where's the bar?' I want to finish it. Like I mentioned in a previous blog post - finishing because you have to (eg you're body can't physically do any more) is different to quitting because you can. And hell, if I can do this, me the beer lover, give up beer for 28 days including the biggest drinking weekend of the year, I can do anything!

So, three days left. Body is really feeling drained now - deep sleeps within minutes of getting into bed, no dreams I can remember. Sick of food (especially tuna). Sick of licorice tea and hemp protein shakes. But clothes feel better. I'm nicer to most people. Not to dick's who still think I work at the pub though, as if all there is to talk about with me is what beer's coming on next week. You wouldn't see a postman in the pub and ask him where your letter is would you? So jog on.

Ahem, mini rant over, time to get on with the last 3 days. And hopefully I'll be able to talk about a very exciting project I'm working on soon, which I'm really looking forward to finally be able to talk about!