Wednesday
Day off from running. Went to body pump which was a bit of a struggle - I hadn't slept well the previous evening and was feeling tired. Decided at the last second to do James' spinning class afterwards. As usual ended up with a really stiff bike, so got a good workout even if I couldn't tweak the resistance as much as I would have liked.
Thursday
This was meant to be a rest day as we were meant to be holding our quiz evening at work. When I found out it was postponed until March I asked Becky if she wanted to run this evening, and she did. We ended up doing the Cheney Manor route, which is 5-6 miles, at just over conversation pace. It was so cold neither of us wanted to hang about, even though I had tired legs and she had no energy. Quite a good run in the end - good to do an endurance run with a few races coming up.
Thursday, 31 January 2008
Tuesday, 29 January 2008
28th / 29th January
Monday 28th January
Legs felt very sore today so just did 10k on the treadmill at a very slow pace to loosen my legs up and burn some of the calories I consumed over the weekend. I never used to be this sore the day after a 10 mile run, so I definitely need to get my body used to long distance running again.
Tuesday 29th January
Decided not to go to the track tonight as I wasn't sure what a "whistle-stop session" is. Having struggled with the hills on Sunday, decided to go to the gym and do hill reps at the ridge. Last time I did any hill reps was on Boxing Day last year, so no wonder I find hills hard at the moment. Instead of doing 2 sets of 10 or a mixture of hills and sprints, I did 3 sets of 8 with recoveries in between. This seemed to work well - managed to push myself hard enough to be out of breath all through the sets and was on my feet for a good hour. Quality session and I need more of these.
Am especially glad I did this session tonight because if I hadn't I wouldn't have known it was my friend Esme's birthday today (they put the names of all the people whose birthday it is on a board at the gym) and I wouldn't have been able to wish her a happy birthday. Sometimes it is good to be reminded of the real reason I do this sport, namely for the nice people I have met as a result.
Legs felt very sore today so just did 10k on the treadmill at a very slow pace to loosen my legs up and burn some of the calories I consumed over the weekend. I never used to be this sore the day after a 10 mile run, so I definitely need to get my body used to long distance running again.
Tuesday 29th January
Decided not to go to the track tonight as I wasn't sure what a "whistle-stop session" is. Having struggled with the hills on Sunday, decided to go to the gym and do hill reps at the ridge. Last time I did any hill reps was on Boxing Day last year, so no wonder I find hills hard at the moment. Instead of doing 2 sets of 10 or a mixture of hills and sprints, I did 3 sets of 8 with recoveries in between. This seemed to work well - managed to push myself hard enough to be out of breath all through the sets and was on my feet for a good hour. Quality session and I need more of these.
Am especially glad I did this session tonight because if I hadn't I wouldn't have known it was my friend Esme's birthday today (they put the names of all the people whose birthday it is on a board at the gym) and I wouldn't have been able to wish her a happy birthday. Sometimes it is good to be reminded of the real reason I do this sport, namely for the nice people I have met as a result.
Sunday, 27 January 2008
Upping the mileage
Thursday 24th January
Out for a meal and a few drinks in Bath so complete rest. I think you need at least one day off a week.
Friday 25th January
Interval session at the lake. Struggled badly with this after the previous evening. I didn't have a great deal to drink, but I have cut down on alcohol since Christmas and my tolerance level has definitely dropped. Managed 5 laps in total but had to make a "pit stop" on almost all of them. Still, this is a good "all in one session" when you do a good few laps, as it is kind of a speed session but I also cover about 8 miles, so mega calories burnt off.
Saturday 26th January
Body pump in the morning followed by six miles steady. Went quite heavy in body pump, especially on the squats and lunges. Time to start strenghening the leg muscles. It did mean I struggled on the run a bit (did the lethbridge route which is roughly 6 miles) but to be fair the wind was also a factor. Wanted to run after pump as it was our running club (the one at the gym, not the Swindon Harriers) night out tonight, including a meal at the Dolce Vita.
Sunday 27th January
Oh dear! I guess running was always going to be a struggle after an enormous meal and several beers. I swear to God, the steak I had last night was the biggest piece of meat I've ever seen! And most of us went to the Revolution bar for more beer after the meal. True to form, I was one of the last to leave at about 1.30am..
Anyway, made my way to the gym not really knowing what I was going to do. As it turned out I bumped into Terry, Kev and Gerry who were setting off on a 10-miler. Was apprehensive about joining them but they assured me they were suffering as well and were going to take it nice and steady.
In the end we did 10 miles on a tough course at roughly 9-minute miles, which is excellent under the circumstances. I also learnt a new route, which is a variation of a route I do out to Wroughton, instead you go through a place called Elcombe. Lovely route, but a couple of tough hills. Still, I certainly sweated out most of last night's beer, and often it is more rewarding to do a tough run at a good pace when you're not feeling great.
One other thing..
Had some great news at work this week, as it was appraisal time; basically in the next round of pay reviews I will be moved up to a higher grade and will receive the concomitant pay increase (not as much as I'd have liked to be honest, but the grade increase is more important). This is obviously due to a lot of hard work on my part and my performance generally over the last twelve months. But i think running has had a lot to do with it; it has certainly improved my confidence which has impacted how I perform at work, but also running the marathon last night means I am recognised for that, as opposed to just Jon Weedon from parts pricing. Basically I am seen as an achiever, which is why my boss managed to get so much support from senior management when fighting my case. And if I say it myself, I am.
Out for a meal and a few drinks in Bath so complete rest. I think you need at least one day off a week.
Friday 25th January
Interval session at the lake. Struggled badly with this after the previous evening. I didn't have a great deal to drink, but I have cut down on alcohol since Christmas and my tolerance level has definitely dropped. Managed 5 laps in total but had to make a "pit stop" on almost all of them. Still, this is a good "all in one session" when you do a good few laps, as it is kind of a speed session but I also cover about 8 miles, so mega calories burnt off.
Saturday 26th January
Body pump in the morning followed by six miles steady. Went quite heavy in body pump, especially on the squats and lunges. Time to start strenghening the leg muscles. It did mean I struggled on the run a bit (did the lethbridge route which is roughly 6 miles) but to be fair the wind was also a factor. Wanted to run after pump as it was our running club (the one at the gym, not the Swindon Harriers) night out tonight, including a meal at the Dolce Vita.
Sunday 27th January
Oh dear! I guess running was always going to be a struggle after an enormous meal and several beers. I swear to God, the steak I had last night was the biggest piece of meat I've ever seen! And most of us went to the Revolution bar for more beer after the meal. True to form, I was one of the last to leave at about 1.30am..
Anyway, made my way to the gym not really knowing what I was going to do. As it turned out I bumped into Terry, Kev and Gerry who were setting off on a 10-miler. Was apprehensive about joining them but they assured me they were suffering as well and were going to take it nice and steady.
In the end we did 10 miles on a tough course at roughly 9-minute miles, which is excellent under the circumstances. I also learnt a new route, which is a variation of a route I do out to Wroughton, instead you go through a place called Elcombe. Lovely route, but a couple of tough hills. Still, I certainly sweated out most of last night's beer, and often it is more rewarding to do a tough run at a good pace when you're not feeling great.
One other thing..
Had some great news at work this week, as it was appraisal time; basically in the next round of pay reviews I will be moved up to a higher grade and will receive the concomitant pay increase (not as much as I'd have liked to be honest, but the grade increase is more important). This is obviously due to a lot of hard work on my part and my performance generally over the last twelve months. But i think running has had a lot to do with it; it has certainly improved my confidence which has impacted how I perform at work, but also running the marathon last night means I am recognised for that, as opposed to just Jon Weedon from parts pricing. Basically I am seen as an achiever, which is why my boss managed to get so much support from senior management when fighting my case. And if I say it myself, I am.
Wednesday, 23 January 2008
Weds 23rd Jan 2008
Body pump tonight, tried to up my weights on most tracks. Think the chest track is finally getting a bit easier. In fact, most of the new release is getting easier I think.
No spinning tonight, decided to run indoors instead. 8 km in total, but at a very steady pace. Felt like I needed to loosen my legs up a bit after the race and track session. Plus I won't be running tomorrow as I am having a much overdue night out in Bath. Will make sure I do a good session Friday to burn off the calories.
No spinning tonight, decided to run indoors instead. 8 km in total, but at a very steady pace. Felt like I needed to loosen my legs up a bit after the race and track session. Plus I won't be running tomorrow as I am having a much overdue night out in Bath. Will make sure I do a good session Friday to burn off the calories.
Tuesday, 22 January 2008
First track session of 2008
Tuesday is the day I go to the track. Or at least it should be. Until today I hadn't been, due to being ill after Christmas and too sore after the rough n' tumble.
I was still sore today, but not overly so. The main problem was a mental one, i.e. I had to psyche myself up to go. The track session is usually the shortest session of the week, but always the hardest.
Tonight I was stepping into the unknown as the session was 30 x 200m (2 sets of 15 x 200m with 3 minutes' rest in between) - not something I had ever done before. So it was a bit daunting, but I told myself the Bourton 10k is not far off (24th Feb to be exact) and if I want a hat trick of PBs at that event I need to do some hard training in the next few weeks.
As it turned out, I did fine. In fact, I managed all the reps. Granted, I was in group 3 (the coach splits us into 3 groups at this time of year, group 1 being the strongest). Also, it transpired that we had longer recoveries than we should have had. It was meant to be an effort every 1 minute 35 seconds, but the coach made a mistake and we did a rep every 1m 45.
That notwithstanding, I actually managed to get stronger towards the end (I have no idea how that works) and was leading the group in some of the later reps. All in all an excellent session and I've gained confidence from it. My training for the year finally seems to be on track (no pun intended).
I was still sore today, but not overly so. The main problem was a mental one, i.e. I had to psyche myself up to go. The track session is usually the shortest session of the week, but always the hardest.
Tonight I was stepping into the unknown as the session was 30 x 200m (2 sets of 15 x 200m with 3 minutes' rest in between) - not something I had ever done before. So it was a bit daunting, but I told myself the Bourton 10k is not far off (24th Feb to be exact) and if I want a hat trick of PBs at that event I need to do some hard training in the next few weeks.
As it turned out, I did fine. In fact, I managed all the reps. Granted, I was in group 3 (the coach splits us into 3 groups at this time of year, group 1 being the strongest). Also, it transpired that we had longer recoveries than we should have had. It was meant to be an effort every 1 minute 35 seconds, but the coach made a mistake and we did a rep every 1m 45.
That notwithstanding, I actually managed to get stronger towards the end (I have no idea how that works) and was leading the group in some of the later reps. All in all an excellent session and I've gained confidence from it. My training for the year finally seems to be on track (no pun intended).
Monday, 21 January 2008
Highworth Half Marathon
Friday 18th Jan - complete rest. Or was it? Got quite a lot of housework done and they say that burns a lot of calories.
Saturday 19th Jan - Body pump in the morning. No running or cardio work. Went very light on the squats and lunges. Managed to up the weight on the chest track but it meant I struggled to knock out the last few reps. With hindsight, that was a mistake.
Sunday 20th Jan - Highworth Half Marathon. My first road race of 2008 and my first half marathon for two months. And to be fair, probably one of the toughest half marathons I have done. It was very hilly, and as I had been warned, the second half was tougher than the first. As it was, I started to feel tired after about 8 miles, which is probably due to me not keeping up the long runs. It was definitely a wake-up call, as my stamina has definitely dropped - if I want to do the Blackpool marathon in April I have got some work to do. Oh and guess what - my chest muscles hurt. I knew that extra weight was a mistake.
Having said all that, I'm not too disappointed with my time of 1:55:02 - given the course and the conditions, it's quite a respectable time. And I wasn't last in the Swindon Harriers' team (this is a race for club runners only) which I thought I might be. As I write the next day I'm fairly sore, so I know I gave it a good go.
Monday 21st January - was meant to have a PT session with Ali (core work) but having packed my bag in a rush this morning I forgot to bring my shorts. What a muppet. It wasn't worth going home to get them, and I couldn't have run tonight anyway to be honest, so an enforced rest day. Probably not a bad thing and I have another two weeks to practise my core exercises.
Saturday 19th Jan - Body pump in the morning. No running or cardio work. Went very light on the squats and lunges. Managed to up the weight on the chest track but it meant I struggled to knock out the last few reps. With hindsight, that was a mistake.
Sunday 20th Jan - Highworth Half Marathon. My first road race of 2008 and my first half marathon for two months. And to be fair, probably one of the toughest half marathons I have done. It was very hilly, and as I had been warned, the second half was tougher than the first. As it was, I started to feel tired after about 8 miles, which is probably due to me not keeping up the long runs. It was definitely a wake-up call, as my stamina has definitely dropped - if I want to do the Blackpool marathon in April I have got some work to do. Oh and guess what - my chest muscles hurt. I knew that extra weight was a mistake.
Having said all that, I'm not too disappointed with my time of 1:55:02 - given the course and the conditions, it's quite a respectable time. And I wasn't last in the Swindon Harriers' team (this is a race for club runners only) which I thought I might be. As I write the next day I'm fairly sore, so I know I gave it a good go.
Monday 21st January - was meant to have a PT session with Ali (core work) but having packed my bag in a rush this morning I forgot to bring my shorts. What a muppet. It wasn't worth going home to get them, and I couldn't have run tonight anyway to be honest, so an enforced rest day. Probably not a bad thing and I have another two weeks to practise my core exercises.
Thursday, 17 January 2008
Still hurting
Its not been an easy few days, the rough 'n' tumble took more out of me than I thought and my calves and hamstrings have been giving me gyp the last few days. Just goes to prove that a race like that does make for a good strengthening exercise even if the time is disappointing.
So, on Tuesday I eschewed speedwork and just went to step class instead. Its not the easy option it might sound - by the end I was soaked in sweat and all the lunges off the step did have me blowing a little. The instructor, Frankie, always does a good class, and she is a lovely lady to boot - always says hello, always has a chat if she sees me shopping in Sainsburys. If only she would switch her step class to Monday, it would make the perfect recovery session after a race or long run.
Wednesday was the usual cross-training day, pump and spinning back to back. Found pump a bit easier now I'm getting used to the release, and managed to up the weight slightly on the chest track. Spinning was good but didn't get the usual sweat on. Not sure why this is, I had plenty of resistance on and was pedalling hard enough. Maybe I'm just too fit these days!
Tonight (Thursday) my calves were still sore, so I just went out for an endurance run; what I know as the Cheney Manor route via the church. At a guess its 6-7 miles and it was nice to just go out, switch my music on and jog round. It seemed to do the trick because by the end my legs felt much looser and I managed to up the pace a bit. In fact, I had so much energy left I did most of my core work when I got back to the gym. Good session.
Tomorrow will definitely be a rest day, I may do pump Saturday morning but will be going very light if I do. I'm meant to be taking part in the Highworth half marathon on Sunday (weather permitting it still goes ahead). This is for club runners only and I'm only in it because I asked to do it. One of my fellow team members is the lad who won the Swindon half marathon in 2005 so it should be interesting to say the least!
So, on Tuesday I eschewed speedwork and just went to step class instead. Its not the easy option it might sound - by the end I was soaked in sweat and all the lunges off the step did have me blowing a little. The instructor, Frankie, always does a good class, and she is a lovely lady to boot - always says hello, always has a chat if she sees me shopping in Sainsburys. If only she would switch her step class to Monday, it would make the perfect recovery session after a race or long run.
Wednesday was the usual cross-training day, pump and spinning back to back. Found pump a bit easier now I'm getting used to the release, and managed to up the weight slightly on the chest track. Spinning was good but didn't get the usual sweat on. Not sure why this is, I had plenty of resistance on and was pedalling hard enough. Maybe I'm just too fit these days!
Tonight (Thursday) my calves were still sore, so I just went out for an endurance run; what I know as the Cheney Manor route via the church. At a guess its 6-7 miles and it was nice to just go out, switch my music on and jog round. It seemed to do the trick because by the end my legs felt much looser and I managed to up the pace a bit. In fact, I had so much energy left I did most of my core work when I got back to the gym. Good session.
Tomorrow will definitely be a rest day, I may do pump Saturday morning but will be going very light if I do. I'm meant to be taking part in the Highworth half marathon on Sunday (weather permitting it still goes ahead). This is for club runners only and I'm only in it because I asked to do it. One of my fellow team members is the lad who won the Swindon half marathon in 2005 so it should be interesting to say the least!
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