DAY 15

That's because Ferenc Gyurcsány's Egyptian counterpart, Hosni Mubarak, is not very keen on stepping down from leading the country. I have a feeling that this problem will be resolved somewhat more successfully further south. You can tell Egypt is in deep trouble because they've shut down internet and mobile services. I really don't want to interfere, and I don't fully understand the ongoing processes there, but the shutdown of these two services alone can generate uncontrollable wars. Maybe they should turn them back on and see if things calm down. Try turning off Facebook here for a week. There would be a social and generational catastrophe. My internet was down for a few days last week, and by the second day, I was having civil war feelings. My smashed salt lamp could tell you about it.

So much for the current war developments, as plenty of important things have happened at home too. For example, my 64-day training plan reached its 15th day, and today's program was running. Just over two weeks have passed since my big resolution, and only 5 days separate me from being able to declare that this is the longest time I have ever stuck with training and dieting. Indeed, I have many failed attempts behind me, and 20 days is the record. After the 21st day, I too will be fumbling in the dark, as I have been moving in familiar territory until now. Because either way, I have already been through the processes I describe here day by day, but on the other hand, I don't know, for example, how my body will react on the 37th or even the 46th day to sustained training, dieting, and continuous strain. I am 100 percent sure of only one thing: that the handball team will qualify against the Poles, and that I will see this through. Because now I've even started to enjoy it.

This new lifestyle is producing surprising things for me. Since I was 6 years old, I've always played some sport. I won a district swimming competition, I was third in a Budapest wrestling competition for BVSC, and we won a youth football championship with BEAC in the 1995-96 season. I tried fencing, tennis, and water polo, so you could say I have some connection to sports. I had the talent, but I always had problems with my perseverance and diligence, besides my behavior, of course. Since I've known what sport is, I've hated running. The longest distance I've run was 5350 meters on Margaret Island, but even that was only with great suffering.

I don't know what happened, but something definitely changed in Hűvösvölgy. There, for the first time, I didn't see running as a peak-hour BKV experience. Damn, what is this stinking homeless guy poking? And the 7 km on the 12th day definitely changed everything I thought about running. I didn't know if this was just a flash in the pan or part of a process, so I planned a run for today that would answer that question for me. Life provides, as we've come to expect. It was -3 degrees and heavy snowfall late in the afternoon, but honestly, I didn't give a damn.

Bajza–Andrássy–Roosevelt tér–Pest embankment, Margaret Bridge–Grand Boulevard–Oktogon–Bajza

7.1 km. No dead points, zero fatigue, and I felt so good I couldn't believe it. I can't explain this change. At first, I thought of vitamins, but I had been taking those before. Then I tried to explain it with the mental changes happening within me, but then I dropped the topic. Bad things just happen, most of them have no answer, and "why" is also questionable, so I just accept and enjoy it.

As for the food, well, there are problems there. I hinted a few days ago that I'm finding it harder and harder to eat and I'm not hungry at all. My body is really burning through its reserves, but this isn't a solution; my calorie requirement with training should be 2000-2500 calories, and with this intake, I've lost over 6 kilos in 15 days. It's not that I don't have an appetite, but rather that the foods allowed by the diet just don't appeal to me. The problem isn't the lack of flavors, but the lack of variety. I feel an incredible craving for poppy seed noodles or a pizza, but these are just pipe dreams, because I don't feel any real urge to order them.

I confess, I'm getting prouder of myself. All my life, I've been lazy, hedonistic, weak-willed, and a slave to passions. Since I started this training plan, I haven't gambled, nor do I miss it; I quit smoking last April 25th, a memory preserved on video, and now, after 15 days, I'm more stable with my diet than ever. My drug career consisted of 3 joint cigarettes back in high school. By the way, do you know that less than 3 percent of smokers are able to quit cigarettes? HERE, you can be individualistic with this, not with customizable email accounts and ringtones.

The day before yesterday I weighed myself, I was 90.15. I'll weigh myself again tomorrow, as the second week will also be over. Now two rest days are coming, I plan to run distances and routes next week that were unimaginable a few weeks ago. Among other things, a section that includes running up to Buda Castle, with inclines of 10 percent in places. As part of an 8 km distance. It won't be an Angliru stage, but I might experience it that way now.

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