Speed session and new body pump release

Tuesday 6th January
Decided, almost inevitably, that it was too cold and icy to go to the track. But a speed session was definitely called for, having not done one since before Christmas.

2k to warm up, then 8 * 3 minutes @ 14kph. 1.6k to cool down, so about 10k in total.

I have to admit, it was a real struggle, especially on the first few reps. As it turned out, I needed to take a quick toilet break after four reps and after that it felt a little easier, but I was hoping to up the speed on 3 minute intervals to 14.5kph. I couldn't have done that tonight.

One thing about these sessions is they make me sweat like crazy, and I wonder if Ali O'Hara, who was giving a PT session when I came off the treadmill, wondered how I can sweat so much and still be overweight. It's not something I'm proud of. Watch this space.

Wednesday 7th January
New body pump release tonight, Ali said on Saturday that it's "a good one" and as this will be the one I will be using in the build up to London I was intrigued as to how I would find it. Overall, I have to say, I was very impressed.
Squats - Good, tough track. Will do well to increase my weights much on this one. Odd music.
Chest - Good, not overly challenging. Went easy tonight but should be able to use a good heavy weight on this one, maybe the same as Ali.
Back - Not bad - quite a few breathers in it though. Maybe I can increase my weights.
Triceps - Interesting! Quite a few new moves in this, but I felt it afterwards so they must be effective.
Biceps - Tough. I tend to go easy on biceps anyway as I trapped a nerve once by jerking backwards doing it.
Lunges - odd, with squats at the end, balancing a barbell across the chest? Maybe it will grow on me.
Shoulders - not bad, no push-ups which means there are only tricep push-ups in the release. Need to think about upping my weight.
Abs - A good one. Not as hard as the abs track Ali was teaching recently plus the music is one of my favourite songs of 2008, Chris Brown's Forever. In any case, I need to do a lot more core work in the next few months.

Did RPM with James afterward which was good as always. Probably a good combination, doing these two on a Wednesday as I burn a heck of a lot of calories but still give my legs a rest from running. I wouldn't be able to do any more than a steady run, 5 miles maximum, after pump anyway so RPM seems a good idea - as long as I'm not feeling too tired.

Bit of bad news when I got home, even though I posted the form well before Christmas I didn't get a place in the Bourton 10k - it must have sold out in days as opposed to weeks. So I will struggle to run a fast 10k in the build up to London as hoped. The only other option is the Devizes 10k but that is the same day as the Gloucester 20 mile race, which isn't one I can afford to miss.

Oh well. I'll have to make a 10k PB a goal for the summer. In any case, I can run the Tough Ten at Weston on 22nd Feb, another of my favourites, with Kev, Terry and Gerry for company instead. I'm looking forward to it already.