So, I've made it to the end of the working week, yesterdays training has left me feeling like I've been hit by a truck, and I'm in desperate need of coffee.
Weeks progress so far -
Monday - S&C then 5k run
Tuesday- Swim
Wednesday - S&C then football (with a win!!!)
Thursday - Swim then 1hr turbo session.
Friday (to be completed) - 10k run (maybe)
Saturday - Union match (possibly)
Defo looking forward to Sunday and a feed / rest day.
Feeling good, knees are sore, getting leaner...
Friday 18 November 2016
Wednesday 16 November 2016
Another week, another training update!
Weeellllll, its Wednesday, its still cold, its still raining a little, and I'm still training!
Had a great game at the weekends for the Vets Union team, paid the price on Sunday by being utterly trashed physicaly and pretty much unable to do anything constructive... This manifested itself on Monday by me being very relectant to go out at lunch, and instead hit the gym for a little S&C session.
Training plan so far looks like -
Monday - S&C at lunch, super quick 5k in the evening (22 mins!)
Tuesday - 30 lap swim set at lunch (paddles and pull bouy work) with 2 X bakewell tarts in the evening
Today I plan on a run and a swim, although this may change to just a run, or even just an S&C session. Or possibly just some 5 a side football. TBH if I do anything it'll be something...
Thursday - Swim at lunch (40 laps just swim)
Friday - 40 min spin
Saturday - Possibly Union, possibly a run, possibly a cycle early doors if I'm not playing.
Had a great game at the weekends for the Vets Union team, paid the price on Sunday by being utterly trashed physicaly and pretty much unable to do anything constructive... This manifested itself on Monday by me being very relectant to go out at lunch, and instead hit the gym for a little S&C session.
Training plan so far looks like -
Monday - S&C at lunch, super quick 5k in the evening (22 mins!)
Tuesday - 30 lap swim set at lunch (paddles and pull bouy work) with 2 X bakewell tarts in the evening
Today I plan on a run and a swim, although this may change to just a run, or even just an S&C session. Or possibly just some 5 a side football. TBH if I do anything it'll be something...
Thursday - Swim at lunch (40 laps just swim)
Friday - 40 min spin
Saturday - Possibly Union, possibly a run, possibly a cycle early doors if I'm not playing.
Thursday 10 November 2016
Dammmmmnnnnn
Yesterday saw my first swim set using training paddles - Awesome I thought, I'm super quick, I'm like lightning, I'm a swimming machine!...
Fast forward to Thursday morning and I ache like a mother fker. Like really ache! not this pussy footing DOMS you get when you stumble out of bed and doubt you can get down the stairs kind of ache. I can barely move my arms today, my triceps are HUGE, and my shoulders feel like I've blown them up with an airline.
Enjoyed the workout, looking forward to the next swim set on Tuesday, will probably stick with 40 laps as a standard lunchtime session as I can get in / out / eaten within the hour.
7k ran at lunch today, just under a minute quicker than Monday :-)
Looking for a 40 min spin tomorrow lunchtime at a high cadance to finish of the weekday workouts.
Happy days
Fast forward to Thursday morning and I ache like a mother fker. Like really ache! not this pussy footing DOMS you get when you stumble out of bed and doubt you can get down the stairs kind of ache. I can barely move my arms today, my triceps are HUGE, and my shoulders feel like I've blown them up with an airline.
Enjoyed the workout, looking forward to the next swim set on Tuesday, will probably stick with 40 laps as a standard lunchtime session as I can get in / out / eaten within the hour.
7k ran at lunch today, just under a minute quicker than Monday :-)
Looking for a 40 min spin tomorrow lunchtime at a high cadance to finish of the weekday workouts.
Happy days
Wednesday 9 November 2016
Kicking my ass
So we're upto Wednesday, its raining outside, I'm hungry, the pool water is cold, and I'm struggling to get through the day. Time for a quick training recap!
Monday - 7k lunchtime run that felt really, really slow. In reality it wasnt slow at all, and was just a few seconds off the time last week for the same loop. Decent bit of pacing now should see me improve as the weeks go on...
Tuesday - 40 laps at lunch knocked out in a quick 34.34 (1719m) felt really good in the water and wasnt too pushed. Could have done without the nobber in my lane speeding up everytime I came to overtake, but as a session I was more than happy with the pace and fitness.
BONUS ROUND - Tuesday night spinning was a 40 minute strength and power session which truely kicked my ass. This followed by a quick calisthetics session meant I fell asleep watching family guy, needed 2 pee's in the night, and am now struggling to move my legs / arms / shoulders etc etc etc.
Today - 40 laps of the pool at lunch, this may go down to 30 depending on if I decide to train with paddles or not. shoulders are sore!
Probably no football tonight as I've promised my wife some time to herself swimming, its cold, its wet, and I quite fancy a little PS3 session.
Veggie chilli for tea. Boo.
O
Monday - 7k lunchtime run that felt really, really slow. In reality it wasnt slow at all, and was just a few seconds off the time last week for the same loop. Decent bit of pacing now should see me improve as the weeks go on...
Tuesday - 40 laps at lunch knocked out in a quick 34.34 (1719m) felt really good in the water and wasnt too pushed. Could have done without the nobber in my lane speeding up everytime I came to overtake, but as a session I was more than happy with the pace and fitness.
BONUS ROUND - Tuesday night spinning was a 40 minute strength and power session which truely kicked my ass. This followed by a quick calisthetics session meant I fell asleep watching family guy, needed 2 pee's in the night, and am now struggling to move my legs / arms / shoulders etc etc etc.
Today - 40 laps of the pool at lunch, this may go down to 30 depending on if I decide to train with paddles or not. shoulders are sore!
Probably no football tonight as I've promised my wife some time to herself swimming, its cold, its wet, and I quite fancy a little PS3 session.
Veggie chilli for tea. Boo.
O
Monday 7 November 2016
Plan for the week!
So another week, another set of sessions to try and move the fitness up a notch.
Made the mistake of re watching the IM Wales 2016 tv programme, and now I'm shitting it about the bike leg again...
Anyhow, this weeks training should look like this...
Monday - 7K run @ lunchtime
Tuesday - 1740m swim (40 laps, split into 4 sets of 6 pull, 4 F/C)
Wednesday - Gym for some calisthetics at lunch, possibley night ride (30m?) on the bike if its not too cold in the evening. No 5 a side this week as my knees are sore!
Thursday - 1300m swim @ lunch (3 sets of 6/4 split), 10k run in the evening
Friday - 20m bike at lunch if I'm feeling upto it.
Saturday - Vets rugby :-)
Sunday - Maybe, a ride early doors if I havent got one done in the week.
Think I should start to maybe set some structure to the time / distances i'm putting in each week, looking at the plan above for the next 4 weeks, should be the following -
Swim - 3000m
Run - 20k
Bike - 50m
No chance I'll hit this every week, but its a good start.
\m/
Made the mistake of re watching the IM Wales 2016 tv programme, and now I'm shitting it about the bike leg again...
Anyhow, this weeks training should look like this...
Monday - 7K run @ lunchtime
Tuesday - 1740m swim (40 laps, split into 4 sets of 6 pull, 4 F/C)
Wednesday - Gym for some calisthetics at lunch, possibley night ride (30m?) on the bike if its not too cold in the evening. No 5 a side this week as my knees are sore!
Thursday - 1300m swim @ lunch (3 sets of 6/4 split), 10k run in the evening
Friday - 20m bike at lunch if I'm feeling upto it.
Saturday - Vets rugby :-)
Sunday - Maybe, a ride early doors if I havent got one done in the week.
Think I should start to maybe set some structure to the time / distances i'm putting in each week, looking at the plan above for the next 4 weeks, should be the following -
Swim - 3000m
Run - 20k
Bike - 50m
No chance I'll hit this every week, but its a good start.
\m/
Thursday 3 November 2016
3/11 update
So, another couple of days into the training and so far we're ok -
Monday - 7k run to ease the legs back into the week
Tuesday - 1.3k swim
Wednesday - 1.3k swim (both off 3 sets of 10 lengths, 6 w/pull bouy, 4 without)
Wednesday evening - 5k run to football practice, then 6-a-side for 30 mins
Thursday - Calisthetics in the gym & hopefully rugby union training tonight.
Proposed spin on Friday, or possible swim again depending on how I feel.
Hopeully I'll find time to have a decent (2hr+) ride on Sunday but that might not happen.
Feeling good, knees are a little sore, swim feels nice and quick - minimal effort and putting in nice even laps, just a pity its getting fking cold and dark so early.
Happy days!
O
Monday - 7k run to ease the legs back into the week
Tuesday - 1.3k swim
Wednesday - 1.3k swim (both off 3 sets of 10 lengths, 6 w/pull bouy, 4 without)
Wednesday evening - 5k run to football practice, then 6-a-side for 30 mins
Thursday - Calisthetics in the gym & hopefully rugby union training tonight.
Proposed spin on Friday, or possible swim again depending on how I feel.
Hopeully I'll find time to have a decent (2hr+) ride on Sunday but that might not happen.
Feeling good, knees are a little sore, swim feels nice and quick - minimal effort and putting in nice even laps, just a pity its getting fking cold and dark so early.
Happy days!
O
Monday 31 October 2016
Update!
So, I'm a little more into the groove of understanding what I've signed up for, as expected its going to be fairly difficult balancing the demands of work / family / training - Even more so when the shit hits the fan and you dont know quite what to do.
The good thing is we seem to be out of the woods so-to-speak, and as a result I feel a little more like training!
As its Monday, and the pool changed its timetable (cheers boys) I figured it was time for a run. With an hour to play with I figured a 7k run (dont forget time to get to the sports centre, change, run, change, get back and grab a sandwich!) would be a good basis. 34 mins later, with 7k under my slightly bulging belt I was back and actually feeling pretty good.
Hopefully this is the start of something beautiful, and a renewed like of running. What I expect is that I'll spend the next 6 months cursing and swearing at my sweaty mess of a body trying to run 4 times a week.
Happy days, 313 days indeed to go!
The good thing is we seem to be out of the woods so-to-speak, and as a result I feel a little more like training!
As its Monday, and the pool changed its timetable (cheers boys) I figured it was time for a run. With an hour to play with I figured a 7k run (dont forget time to get to the sports centre, change, run, change, get back and grab a sandwich!) would be a good basis. 34 mins later, with 7k under my slightly bulging belt I was back and actually feeling pretty good.
Hopefully this is the start of something beautiful, and a renewed like of running. What I expect is that I'll spend the next 6 months cursing and swearing at my sweaty mess of a body trying to run 4 times a week.
Happy days, 313 days indeed to go!
Tuesday 4 October 2016
Training update :-)
So we're up to Tuesday and a mere 48 weeks (!) till IM wales comes to bite me on the ass.
The weekend training was good - Union on Saturday left me with a sore foot (still), a bloody nose, and a fat right arm.
The plan for an early morning cycle was initially well received, I've gotta admit that at 6am Sunday morning the last thing I wanted to do was get on the bike. Legs were sore, I couldn't breath very well through my nose, it was dark, and more importantly it was f-ing cold.
TBH it wasn't too bad once I got started - The deer that ran out in front of me definitely woke me up, as did the climbs. 36 miles wasn't too shabby, and the 1689ft climbing definitely had the desired effect. I actually enjoy climbing, and although I took them easy (the climb from Seaton to Glaston was a whole 2 mins slower than my PB set back in 2013) they should prove a good base for some winter miles.
Yesterdays swim was ace. Decided to save my legs slightly as the foot was still sore (damn props standing on my beautiful toes) and swum with a pull buoy for the 1000m. Pace was great, pull felt great, body position in the water was great. Tomorrows will therefore be an utter clusterfck of poor breathing and slow swimmers getting in my way ;-)
Run today, with possible bodyweight session in the gym if I've got enough time.
Happy days, even the suns out.
Might even order some new kit!
The weekend training was good - Union on Saturday left me with a sore foot (still), a bloody nose, and a fat right arm.
The plan for an early morning cycle was initially well received, I've gotta admit that at 6am Sunday morning the last thing I wanted to do was get on the bike. Legs were sore, I couldn't breath very well through my nose, it was dark, and more importantly it was f-ing cold.
TBH it wasn't too bad once I got started - The deer that ran out in front of me definitely woke me up, as did the climbs. 36 miles wasn't too shabby, and the 1689ft climbing definitely had the desired effect. I actually enjoy climbing, and although I took them easy (the climb from Seaton to Glaston was a whole 2 mins slower than my PB set back in 2013) they should prove a good base for some winter miles.
Yesterdays swim was ace. Decided to save my legs slightly as the foot was still sore (damn props standing on my beautiful toes) and swum with a pull buoy for the 1000m. Pace was great, pull felt great, body position in the water was great. Tomorrows will therefore be an utter clusterfck of poor breathing and slow swimmers getting in my way ;-)
Run today, with possible bodyweight session in the gym if I've got enough time.
Happy days, even the suns out.
Might even order some new kit!
Friday 30 September 2016
Week 3 plan ;-)
So here's the plan for week 3s training -
Sunday - Time and family permitting I'll do a longer ride (2-3hrs, 40-50miles). This may need to be early AM before kiddies rugby training :-(
Monday - Swim at lunch, 1m approx.
Tuesday - 10k run and union training
Wednesday - Swim at lunch
Thursday - Indoor spin and union training possibly ;-)
Friday - 5k run at lunch
Saturday - Match!
Going to try and float the idea of trying early morning swims on a Monday - a 2 hr session would actually allow myself to run a proper set incorporating rest and recovery rather than plow up and down. Yes its a long pre-pre season until IMW, but any work done now and over the Winter will play the foundation for an easier spring / summer.
Happy days!
Sunday - Time and family permitting I'll do a longer ride (2-3hrs, 40-50miles). This may need to be early AM before kiddies rugby training :-(
Monday - Swim at lunch, 1m approx.
Tuesday - 10k run and union training
Wednesday - Swim at lunch
Thursday - Indoor spin and union training possibly ;-)
Friday - 5k run at lunch
Saturday - Match!
Going to try and float the idea of trying early morning swims on a Monday - a 2 hr session would actually allow myself to run a proper set incorporating rest and recovery rather than plow up and down. Yes its a long pre-pre season until IMW, but any work done now and over the Winter will play the foundation for an easier spring / summer.
Happy days!
Training, training, training
So we're into the depths of Autumn and training is going... Well, its going.
Swim session on Monday, spin on Tuesday, Union training Tues Evening, Wed off and then 20m on the bike last night. TBH I was intending to ride for 1 1/2 hrs or 30m, but it was getting late, it was getting cold, and as much as I like riding at night I truly couldn't be arsed.
Pool or gym today depending on meeting times and if I can make it to the pool for the lunch time session.
Union match on Saturday, hopefully a longish ride on Sunday evening (or even Sunday morning before kiddies training).
Training is underway.
My foot hurts.
Huff.
Edit -
And lo, I did swim today. And it was a good swim. 34 laps of the 43.5m pool (yeah, work that into a decent / structured training plan!) and the pace was on point for where I want to be at the moment...
The biggest issue is stopping myself getting bored and a) miscounting lengths b)not being bothered to keep going and c) finding time to so a "long" swim.
Swim session on Monday, spin on Tuesday, Union training Tues Evening, Wed off and then 20m on the bike last night. TBH I was intending to ride for 1 1/2 hrs or 30m, but it was getting late, it was getting cold, and as much as I like riding at night I truly couldn't be arsed.
Pool or gym today depending on meeting times and if I can make it to the pool for the lunch time session.
Union match on Saturday, hopefully a longish ride on Sunday evening (or even Sunday morning before kiddies training).
Training is underway.
My foot hurts.
Huff.
Edit -
And lo, I did swim today. And it was a good swim. 34 laps of the 43.5m pool (yeah, work that into a decent / structured training plan!) and the pace was on point for where I want to be at the moment...
The biggest issue is stopping myself getting bored and a) miscounting lengths b)not being bothered to keep going and c) finding time to so a "long" swim.
Monday 26 September 2016
And so it begins
So just under a week on from the stupid decision to try and justify a mid life crisis (a sports car would have been cheaper...) and I'm starting to get my head around the gigantic training needs that the Ironman requires. The shortlist of aims in the short term seem to be:
1) Cut back on the coffee - Its no good aiming for a lovely and low RHR is I'm spiking it with caffeine every hour, likewise I like the buzz that gels give me, and I'd like them to have some effect come race time
2) Try to stay injury free during the union season - In the last 2 seasons I've broken 2 bones in my hands and further ruined my left knee. Whilst I'm still intending to play all season I think that strapping and pre-re hab are going to be my friends. I'm contemplating ice / cold baths following training but I think that's a little too pro.
3)Try to find time to get out on the bike. Easier said than done, although I have purchased some spangly new lights so I "could" go out in the dark.
4)Cut back the heavy weights sessions. In with body weight workouts and compound lifts (squat / dead / bench etc) to keep the core strong.
Another indoor cycle session this lunchtime ( a 45 min workout from you tube) and again I was sweating like a blind lesbian in a fishmongers. On the plus side it was good getting into the groove, and actually made me miss my bike sessions a little.
For every ying there's a yang - I ate like a ziggy piggy this weekend, so I'm most definitely back on the wagon this week.
1) Cut back on the coffee - Its no good aiming for a lovely and low RHR is I'm spiking it with caffeine every hour, likewise I like the buzz that gels give me, and I'd like them to have some effect come race time
2) Try to stay injury free during the union season - In the last 2 seasons I've broken 2 bones in my hands and further ruined my left knee. Whilst I'm still intending to play all season I think that strapping and pre-re hab are going to be my friends. I'm contemplating ice / cold baths following training but I think that's a little too pro.
3)Try to find time to get out on the bike. Easier said than done, although I have purchased some spangly new lights so I "could" go out in the dark.
4)Cut back the heavy weights sessions. In with body weight workouts and compound lifts (squat / dead / bench etc) to keep the core strong.
Another indoor cycle session this lunchtime ( a 45 min workout from you tube) and again I was sweating like a blind lesbian in a fishmongers. On the plus side it was good getting into the groove, and actually made me miss my bike sessions a little.
For every ying there's a yang - I ate like a ziggy piggy this weekend, so I'm most definitely back on the wagon this week.
Friday 23 September 2016
Reason for the Ironman experience - A journey through science
As a kid I was always chubby. Not obese, not skinny, just a little on the big side - I had boobs, a bit of a belly, bloody large thighs and normally epic hair. Fortunately as I hit Uni I discovered the gym and noticed the Mesomorph inside me was trying to get out.
Fast forward into my mid 30's and thankfully the mesomorph is still here - Shoulders? Thighs? Guns? all big despite my dropping T levels. Excellent for playing rugby, doing sprints in the pool, and generally impressing the girls as I drive my Harley past the school gates (bonus point for anyone who notices that reference). not so good for endurance sports - all this weight has got to be carried up (and down) hills, and all this mass needs more energy to fuel it.
So here is the rub - Can I drop weight (5-10kg), keep my strength (grrrrr!) improve my muscle tone (damn I'm pretty!) and still manage to complete?
What's my body going to look like after 12 months of training (ish...) whilst still trying to play union and live life normally.
Let the (un)scientific experiment commence.
September 23rd - 82kg and counting...
Fast forward into my mid 30's and thankfully the mesomorph is still here - Shoulders? Thighs? Guns? all big despite my dropping T levels. Excellent for playing rugby, doing sprints in the pool, and generally impressing the girls as I drive my Harley past the school gates (bonus point for anyone who notices that reference). not so good for endurance sports - all this weight has got to be carried up (and down) hills, and all this mass needs more energy to fuel it.
So here is the rub - Can I drop weight (5-10kg), keep my strength (grrrrr!) improve my muscle tone (damn I'm pretty!) and still manage to complete?
What's my body going to look like after 12 months of training (ish...) whilst still trying to play union and live life normally.
Let the (un)scientific experiment commence.
September 23rd - 82kg and counting...
Thursday 22 September 2016
WTF have I just done?
Ok, well here it is... Last night I had one of those moments where I stopped and quite literally said WTF have I just done.
Find the date for next year - Done
Research the route (again) - Done
Convince myself that I can swim that far in open water - Done
Convince myself that I can smash the bike leg - Done
Convince myself that my knees will hold together and finish a marathon - Kind of done.
Put details into registration form - Done
Put credit card details in (to pay the not insubstantial race fee) - Done
Click the link which will send me into a world of hurt, despair, pain, suffering, cost (both in financial and relationship with my wife and kids) - Done.
WTF have I just done.
Like clicking on a live Jasmin pop-up I am now in a world of hurt that is entirely my own making.
Then the email comes through - Congratulations you've been registered for Ironman Wales 2017
Bollocks. I need to get in shape.
Its ok, I've got a year.
Shit the bed, I've only got a year!!!
So this is the tale of the tape:
Age - 36, will be 37 come race time (I say race, for the dudes at the pointy end its a race, for me it'll be survival)
Weight - 82kg of fairly lean muscle when not broken from the rugby season
Height - 5ft 10 with no hair care products
Current pace from my (limited) pre, preseason training
Swim - About 28 mins a mile in the local 43.5m pool
Bike - 82 miles in just over 5 hrs (longest ride to date) so that's looking like an average of 16.4 miles per hour.
Run - 1/2 marathon in 1.51 with f-all training and having been at work all day
All gravy then, I'll be looking at a 1hr swim, 7hr bike and sub 4 hr marathon. - 12hrs and a bevy of blonde welsh virgins (yeah, yeah, good luck finding them down chip alley on a Saturday night) will be waiting for me across the finish line.
Holy fuck I'm going to die. There is no chance I can run anywhere close to that pace following a ride, and my body has an inbuilt swimming inhibitor that dislikes any water sports (Schting!) before midday.
Let the most excellent adventure commence.
Indoor cycle this lunchtime, 51 weeks to go,
Ironman Wales you will not kick my arse.
Find the date for next year - Done
Research the route (again) - Done
Convince myself that I can swim that far in open water - Done
Convince myself that I can smash the bike leg - Done
Convince myself that my knees will hold together and finish a marathon - Kind of done.
Put details into registration form - Done
Put credit card details in (to pay the not insubstantial race fee) - Done
Click the link which will send me into a world of hurt, despair, pain, suffering, cost (both in financial and relationship with my wife and kids) - Done.
WTF have I just done.
Like clicking on a live Jasmin pop-up I am now in a world of hurt that is entirely my own making.
Then the email comes through - Congratulations you've been registered for Ironman Wales 2017
Bollocks. I need to get in shape.
Its ok, I've got a year.
Shit the bed, I've only got a year!!!
So this is the tale of the tape:
Age - 36, will be 37 come race time (I say race, for the dudes at the pointy end its a race, for me it'll be survival)
Weight - 82kg of fairly lean muscle when not broken from the rugby season
Height - 5ft 10 with no hair care products
Current pace from my (limited) pre, preseason training
Swim - About 28 mins a mile in the local 43.5m pool
Bike - 82 miles in just over 5 hrs (longest ride to date) so that's looking like an average of 16.4 miles per hour.
Run - 1/2 marathon in 1.51 with f-all training and having been at work all day
All gravy then, I'll be looking at a 1hr swim, 7hr bike and sub 4 hr marathon. - 12hrs and a bevy of blonde welsh virgins (yeah, yeah, good luck finding them down chip alley on a Saturday night) will be waiting for me across the finish line.
Holy fuck I'm going to die. There is no chance I can run anywhere close to that pace following a ride, and my body has an inbuilt swimming inhibitor that dislikes any water sports (Schting!) before midday.
Let the most excellent adventure commence.
Indoor cycle this lunchtime, 51 weeks to go,
Ironman Wales you will not kick my arse.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)