A much needed day of rest!...well I almost managed it!

Ahh a day off training, a day off work, caught up on a few odd jobs round the house, still managed to fit a core work out in the evening.
Warmed up with 10 min on the rowing machine, then managed 5 sets of press ups 5 sets crunchies and 5 sets squats, not very imaginative I know but feel pleased I fit it in the day.
Next week going to start doing a more comprehensive core workout.
May even try a bit of yoga sometime in the new year. They do a class at my gym so may go a long just to get some idea.
Planning on a 45min run in the morning, and a swim session in the evening, but after last weeks big week just going to ease off a little this week.
Really hope my shins are a bit better tomorrow, if they are still sore, resort to plan B, and head back home and do a session on the rower.

End of a great week!

What a week it`s been!! 6 days working and over 13 hours training, my plan actually wanted me to do 11, but with the 100km commute took it well over.
On top of the 13 hours also managed to fit in quite a bit of core/ strength training. Using some really nice apps on my new phone which help you build up to be able to do 200 crunchies 200 squats and 100 pushups, the programmes really don`t take much time out of the day and hopefully I`ll notice a difference in my workouts.
Today headed to the gym and swam 2km felt pretty tough today and split it into 200m sets with 2 min breaks, probably end of week fatigue!. After a very very long transition :-)) managed 10880metres on the concept2 rower 45min keeping my heartrate in zone 2. Longest row I`ve done for at least 7 or 8 months so the last 15 min were tough have a feeling my glutes will suffer tomorrow..:-)). Finished the workout off with 45min on the eliptical trainer, quite a mental battle to keep going, but good practice on "toughing it out" kept my HR mainly in lower Z2 mainly because i was just two knackered to get it much higher.
Pity I couldn`t get my long run in today but I think it`s probably wise to let the shins heal.
On the whole though the body is holding up well and feel strong and positive going into the New Year.
Have to mention the positive effect twitter has had on my training since i signed up a week or so a go, listening to the triumphs and struggles of fellow athletes is really inspiring and motivating, and somehow I do feel more accountable, this blog also makes me feel accountable too, so I`d like to thank the people who do follow in helping me achieve my goals in the coming year.

Oh dug the trailer out today for a super healthy weekly shop...New year=healthier diet so feeling very pleased with myself lol

New Years Day ( a memorable start to the year)

2.35am OMG what the hell am I doing a wake at this time of the morning, I banked on my 7.5 mile run the day before guaranteeing me a good nights sleep, this was the commute to end all commutes 100km to work in temperatures around -2c, but despite the lack of sleep and tired legs from the previous days run I wasn`t going to back down on this, after all promised Kelownagurl a voicemail during the ride and told most my friends of my plans. I still reckon I had the best deal from the 100km trainer challenge, I mean how tough is 4 hours on the trainer!!!!

5.45am Finally set off, too late to be honest hoping for a 5.30 start, had to be at work by 9.45am so knew 100km was going to be tough. The weather outside was pretty much what i expected and the sky's were clear the winds were lighter than expected. I set off with a route planned , but soon realised that the best bet was not to attempt a 100km round route to work, but keep close to Rugby so I knew where i was, didn`t need the stress of getting lost, time was already a bit tight, so in the end I just took roads as and when i pleased.


6.45 One of the high points of the ride.At this point I`d managed to get the blood circulating enough to get myself pretty warm, partly due to the fact I was stuck on the big chainring. A couple of days before the bike shop had supposedly fixed my gears..hmm. With a full moon up and the peace of a New years morning the ride had a surreal quality to iy..fantastic,felt strong and even my gears were starting to behave themselves.

7.25am reached the half way point averaging about 27kph.. after climbing a few testing hills and needing a much needed pee break :-)) decided to take a five minute break,munch on a muesli bar and take a gel. At this point I decided it was a good time to send the voice mail. The break was nice and gave me a bit of a boost when i got going again, however the cold was starting to really get to my hands, during the break took my gloves off, and although they cold cold, i was not overly bothered, expected with some hard cycling they`d soon warm up a bit. My gloves though had got very damp inside, and putting cold hands into cold wet gloves well needless to say my hands suffered for the next 10k or so. If anything it had got colder, although that was probably jsustt my perception.
On the plus side, the sunrise was gorgeous and my legs still felt okay so I pressed on.


9.00am
Found myself passing my house. On the way to work now on one of my longer commuting routes about 12 miles a way, I was familiar with this route so somehow despite the constant headwind felt great and could see the end in sight, at this point I knew I didn`t have the time for the full 100km, but I knew with the commute home at 7pm it would just about hit the 100 mark!

9.40am woohoo made it!!....despite a few hardships this was definitely one of my favourite rides for a long long time, and although work was.. mm how shall i put it, challenging would be a polite way of putting it, at the end of the day had no regrets at all about doing the ride, lol although have no plans to repeat it in a hurry!! Total km 92.2..and the ride home 8.2..totally 100.4km....AWESOME, maybe save the next 100km commute till next new year


HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL ...All the best for 2010

work, train, work, train

What a week! Definitely bad timing, 6 days working coinciding with my biggest week of training since i started IM training is not ideal.
However so far so good, feel really energized and the last two days I've managed a brick workout, comprising of a 2000m swim with 45 min bike(stationary) and a 20 min run, to be honest this wasn't really planned but the swimming pool is closed so much this time of the year, I've really got to squeeze the swim sessions in as and when i can. Felt pretty strong but I`m not sure wether it`s swallowing too much pool water bu always have a mild stomach upset after the swim especially when I have to workout afterwards as well.
My freestyle is coming on pretty well managed to swim the last 1400m of the 2000m completely front crawl technique still ropey but getting faster gradually i think.
Today finished work early, so afterwards went straight out to get my run in while the light held, great run but shins are still sore especially my left one, may do a long session on the eliptical trainer on Sunday and include some rowing just to give them a rest.
December has been a great month for training, my 2nd biggest of the year after august with about 40 hours training.
Well that`ll do for this post need to get to bed, work again tomorrow and the big 100km commute ooer I must be mad hopefully the snow will hold off tonight!
Her`s hoping you all have a fantastic new year and good health and prosperity in 2010 (oh and lot`s of Pb`s for the athletes ;-)) )

A Mixed bag

Dragged myself out of bed at 3.45am for an hour long early morning run..sounds a nightmare?. Not at all! I`m finding I`m starting to really enjoy my pre work runs . This one was especially nice, managed about 7 miles ok no records broken there, but had a great feeling throughout the run, definitely got into the "zone" where running seems effortless and thoughts wander. Only minor concern was my left shin which is definitely getting sore, good news is that the calf feels fine now and all the other aches and pains I`ve been suffering with felt fine also.
So the plan was to head to the pool after work to swim with my triathlon club, however after a very wet ride back from work found out the swim session had been canceled ..so plan B was to head down to my gym and do a swim there. Well after 400m attendent came and told they were closing early because of the holiday period!! grrr I guess it just wasn`t to be. Well to top it off went out after a quick change into my bike gear and the rain had turned into a full scale blizzard, that may be a slight exaggeration, but I was pleased to get home!
Tomorrow is definitely a swim day now, no work so plenty of time also really have to get a bike /transition/run in. So another early night is on the cards...OMG I haven`t had so many early nights since primary school!

Pretty uneventful last couple of days training wise, had to work Sunday which was okay really as I`d done my long run and bike ride over Christmas day and boxing day. So just the commute to work and back. Total for the week was 8.5 hours training which is just about where i wanted to be.
However missed another swim session, come the New year it`s definitely one of my goals is to be far more consistent with my swimming, after all my swimming is not great.
This week biggest week so far on my training schedule 11 hours supposedly may have to juggle my swimming around a bit, I think the pool is closed over new year.
Sooo New years day planning a long ride to work , it`s worked out really well since it`s only a 10am-7pm shift so should get at least half of the ride done in daylight. I`ve actually entered Kelownagurls challenge 100km trainer ride so I feel its a bit of a cop out to be honest, I know how tough cycling is on the trainer. Was thinking of splitting the ride , but decided to just go the all out and do the lot before work, then with the ride back may total nearer to 110km.
I`m a little nervous of the weather forecast, snow is on the way just hope I can get out and do it.

Boxing day run..Ouch

Another fine sunny cold day inspired me to get out for my planned long run, think I should have eaten more a couple of hours before I headed out, after 5 miles felt a bit weak but after a gel and a drink soon felt better. On the hour mark decided to turn round and head back was taking it really easy so estimated 13 miles would be a comfortable enough distance to cover in two hours. Suddenly felt a pain in my right calf, at first thought it was cramp so stopped for a minute and tried stretching it out. Well I did manage to run back and in fact did a negative split covering 14.25 miles in 2 hours and 1 minute. The calf continued to bother me on the way home but could run on it.
Stretched it well when I got home, but now feels pretty sore hopefully it will clear up quickly.
Couldn't get the right chain for my bike today so looks like it will have to wait till weds(next day off work) hopefully the weather will stay good and the roads clear, really don`t fancy negotiating icy roads on my road bike.