Hello Mirror readers!
Welcome to the final instalment of my Lockdown Fitness Diary, and I hope you’ve enjoyed following it as best you can during what has been a pretty unexpected and intense couple of months.
Whether you have managed to follow all the exercises laid out, or have dipped in and out, I hope you have stayed as active as possible.
Completing my first ever half marathon this week was an epic challenge that really pushed me, although I will never double it!
I will keep my training cricket specific going forward, just like this.
(Image: redbull.com)
MONDAY
Breakfast
Porridge – Water used rather than milk, raisins, cinnamon, greek yoghurt, honey. Small flat white coffee.
Warm Up
Full body stretching
Longer session before the workout following a few DOMS after the weekend’s workouts. Let’s start the week right.
Morning
INTENSE WORKOUT
Exercise 1
10 x Burpees
10 x Squat Thrusts
10 x Pull ups or TRX rows
10 Sit Ups
2mins REST
Exercise 2
Skipping (2mins)
Rest (30secs)
Squat holds (1min)
Rest (15secs)
Plank (1min)
Exercise 3
10 x press ups
10 x Burpees
10 x Sit Ups
Rest (1min)
CHALLENGE
Squat Challenge
“Bring Sally Up” – You should last the whole song now!
Lunch
Bubble and Squeak with Sunday Roast leftovers. Chance to raid the fridge and come up with something different before our big Monday shop.
Afternoon
Did some PE with kids in the garden and set up a mini circuit training and assault course. My mind was starting to think about the long run to come the next day.
Dinner
BBQ night
Steak, Sausages and chicken. Side salad and chips. Weather was great so had to get the BBQ out again, feel lucky we’ve got a nice outside space for us all to play.
TUESDAY
Breakfast
Toast with scrambled eggs and bacon, plus a protein shake to make sure I had enough fuel for my big run.
Warm up
Lots of stretching and gentle movement to get the body ready.
Morning
Completed my first ever half marathon in 1.39.41 which I was very pleased with. I had never run that far before but it was worth it to support two great causes in Chance to Shine and NHS Charities. Visit uk.virginmoneygiving.com/HitandRun  to donate.
Lunch
Leftover BBQ. Made sure there was plenty left so that I could tuck in following the run along with lots of water.
Afternoon
Very low key with the body put through the wringer in the morning. Lay on the sofa absolutely cooked and just couldn’t get involved in anything else.
Dinner
Grilled Chicken filets, chicken tenders and beans for the kids, small salad, chips for everyone. Bit of the kids cake, I’d earned it!
(Image: Handout)
WEDNESDAY
Breakfast
Full English ‘Fry Up’ – Fried eggs, bacon rashers, baked beans, mushrooms, brown sauce. Pot of tea, orange juice.
Morning
“REST” WORKOUT
Had to make sure I got up and did something with the body sore from the run.
Get the foam roller out. Work from head to foot (min 30mins). Then managed to water the garden and kept the body moving as much as I could.
Lunch
Cheese and ham sandwich. Sandwiches all round for kids and adults
Afternoon
There are some interesting hairstyles in the Stokes household during lockdown. Clare asked me to take her extensions out, it took an hour and a half and she was surprised at how patient I was. There were about 80 in there and I did pretty well.
Dinner
Three Bean Chilli con carne with brown rice. Probably my favourite vegetarian dish of ours.
THURSDAY
Breakfast – Homemade Bircher Muesli. Small flat white coffee.
Morning
INTENSE WORKOUT
Exercise 1
10 x Burpees
10 x Squat Thrusts
10 x Pull ups or TRX rows
10 Sit Ups
2mins REST
Exercise 2
Skipping (2mins)
Rest (30secs)
Squat holds (1min)
Rest (15secs)
Plank (1min)
Exercise 3
10 x press ups
10 x Burpees
10 x Sit Ups
Rest (1min)
CHALLENGE
Press up Challenge
“Bring Sally Up” – This is the biggie. I can last the whole song now, can you?
Lunch
Veggie fajitas – Mixed Vegetables, Halloumi, Hummus, chilli sauce.
Afternoon
Back on the F1 simulator rig to get in some practice ahead of my next virtual race, Stuart Broad is getting involved this time too. Out clapping for carers in the evening and the kids are getting louder every week.
Dinner
Spaghetti bolognese – Another one of Clare’s specialties, think it’s the brown sauce she uses!
(Image: redbull.com)
FRIDAY
Breakfast
Three Egg Omelette with ham, cheese, tomato, spinach. Pot of tea
Morning
Cricket Challenge
Return to catching practice against the wall. See how many catches you can take rebounding the ball off the wall in 1 minute. Keep legs wide for a solid base and use ‘soft’ hands to gather the ball. Try not to drop it like I did!
Lunch
Tuna salad – Light lunch with the hard workout to come. Red Bull time, for that bit of motivation in the afternoon session
Afternoon
MEDIUM WORK OUT
Exercise 1
4 x 15 bodyweight squats
4 x 15 goblet squats
Press/Pull circuits
20 x lunges
Quick stretch and foam roll to bring heart rate down
Dinner
Chippy tea
Sausage and peas for the adults, fish fingers for the kids. Homemade thick cut chips.
(Image: redbull.com)
SATURDAY
Breakfast
Homemade Bircher Muesli same batch as Wednesday, quick and easy. Kids like it too with frozen berries.
Morning
“REST” WORKOUT
3 x long lunges (Each side)
4 x lateral band walks (10 x side)
Lunch
Jacket Potatoes with beans and cheese. I do love the classics, probably more than the kids if I’m honest.
Afternoon
Been watching the re-run of the 2005 Ashes Test at Edgbaston on Sky Sports. What a game, the quality is incredible. It is also amazing to see how much Edgbaston has changed over the years since then.
Dinner
Homemade Falafel with Hummus, veggies and halloumi. Kept it relatively healthy after last night’s chippy!
SUNDAY
Breakfast
Porridge – Water used rather than milk, raisins, cinnamon, greek yoghurt, honey. Small flat white coffee.
Warm up
Little run around with the kids in the garden to get the HR going.
Morning
INTENSE WORKOUT
Exercise 1
10 x Burpees
10 x Squat Thrusts
10 x Pull ups or TRX rows
10 Sit Ups
2mins REST
Exercise 2
Skipping (2mins)
Rest (30secs)
Squat holds (1min)
Rest (15secs)
Plank (1min)
Exercise 3
10 x press ups
10 x Burpees
10 x Sit Ups
Rest (1min)
Lunch
Actually skipped lunch today to enjoy the roast later, and with a few nerves ahead of the F1. Got myself a Red Bull to be alert for the race.
Afternoon
The big F1 race, and I managed to beat my England teammate Broady! Came 13th with Red Bull Racing after starting 17th on the grid. Pretty pleased with that.
Dinner
Sunday Roast with all the trimmings! Starting to get a bit warm for a roast now, could be the last one of the season…or maybe not!
