Monday, January 23, 2006

Training Week T-27

Had a great weeks training last week – even though I’ve had an injured neck – all I did was drop the intensity a bit and work on what I could do --- which lead to me having a great week of just short of 10hours training and that’s with 2 complete rest days and a recovery day on Sunday.

I have another physio appointment this afternoon and maybe another later in the week but its onwards and upwards

MON_____REST DAY (at Physio)
TUEAM00:35SWIMSteady swimming session to test my neck out - couldn’t tumble but managed an easy 1700m
TUEPM01:15RUN

At the running club - this is my longest run since PF did 7-8miles which I was very pleased at

CORE SESSION RUN

TUEPM00:35SWIMA drill session to hel recover from the run - done on finishing the run
WEDAM01:06BIKESpinning session on the gym bike with an aim at helping spin the lower gears better thus help my climbing
WEDPM00:45SWIMStructured set
THUPM02:00SWIM

At masters (see post)

CORE SESSION SWIM

FRI_____REST DAY
SATPM02:30BIKE

A really nice bright (but cold) winters day felt good all the way round even on the many hills

CORE SESSION BIKE

SATPM00:30RUNRan out of light on the bike rid so decided to make it a bit of a brick session so went for a 30min run as I was still feeling on top of the world
SUNAM00:32RUNA recovery session for me - but to my better half out for a run as she is thinking of doing the Great North Run (a half marathon)

Totals Were:-

SWIM 3:55
BIKE 3:36
RUN 2:17

TOTAL = 9:48

Friday, January 20, 2006

Hey Mr Grump Gills …

You know what you gotta do when life gets you down?
Just keep swimming
Just keep swimming

(Above from Finding Nemo, one of my nephews favourite movies)


But that is what it feels like this week with 4 swim sessions in 3 days and the probability of another at the weekend. Last nights session was with the local masters group and due to being under treatment for an injured neck I was unable to do tumble turns etc so I joined the slower lane for what turned out to be a very enjoyable session … I think it does you good to train with new people every now and again.

The session went like …

5mins pool side warm up

WARM UP
5 x 200m

BUILD
8 x 25 on 50 building 1-4 to 20secs then holding 5-8

MAIN SET
4 x (
3 x 100m hard
1 x 50m hard
1 x 50m easy
)

DRILL SET
10 x 50m Kick

WARM DOWN
200m easy

and finished with 5-10mins stretching



Have Fun All

Monday, January 16, 2006

Training Week T – 28

Not as good a weeks training as I had planned this week, infect 90mins short of what I had hoped, this was down to 2 reasons, firstly going away on business on Wednesday and being out the house for 17hours left no time to train and on Saturdays bike ride I some time managed to hurt my neck and could not move on Sunday so ended up missing my swim on Sunday Morning.

I used to often have problems with my neck following a rather bad car wreck in my early 20s, but this is the first time it has bee this bad for a long time … so fingers crossed – I’ll recover quite quickly


MONAM00:50BIKESpinning on the Gym bike at 100RPM on a random program - aiming to loosen up my legs
TUEAM00:40SWIM4 x 400m, as 3 build 1 recover, Plus drills including managing to set a PB for 400m of 6:48
TUEPM01:00RUNAt running club, ran with training partner aiming to run at a conversational pace which for me at the moment equates to 9 min miles
WED______REST (away on business)
THUAM00:30BIKESpinning at the gym 30mins at 110 RPM - looking to get my legs used to spinning to help me climb a bit beter
THUAM00:30GYMNon stop Circuit training
THUPM01:10SWIM

At the Masters for an AT+ session (very hard work)

Session included :-

5 x 100m, 1 x 200m, 4 x 100m,

3 x 75m hard + 25m recovery

2 x 75m hard + 25m recovery

2 x 75m hard + 25m recovery

8 x 25m catch up drill

1 x 100m warm down

FRI______REST
SATAM02:50BIKEA nice day and a good ride in the Northumberland borders - 40miles including 530m of climbs - it was an out and back ride rode as a negative split with the return leg at 19mph average - so very pleased (well I would have been if I hadn’t hurt my neck)
SUN______REST (due to neck problems)

Have fun all

Thursday, January 12, 2006

What better way to spend a lunch break

What better way to spend a lunch break


Hi, all I thought id take some time to share how I like to spend my “Lunch Break”

I am currently working for a company that operates a limited flexi system – this allows me to quite often take a little bit longer for lunch; due to the fact that when I’m at my suppliers I often put in a 14-17hr day thus, allowing me to put in sessions of 30-60mins at the local pool or gym during my lunch break.

Today it was time for the gym and I had on hour available to me so this is the session I put in: -

30mins on the Gym Bike at 100-110 RPM on a random setting looking to keep my heart rate within the 65-75% MHR range.
A gym bike is not the best form of cycle exercise you can do but at this time of the year it is a good option for me to supplement my weekend rides

Followed by

30mins of weights done as 25mins non stop circuit training, including some heavy moves including Squat, Bench Press and bent over rowing, finished of with 5mins stretching.
The reason I take this approach is that my time is limited and I want to get the most out of it that I can so by incorporating Supersets and Giant sets with only a few seconds rest every now and again lets me pack the session full -if you look at a typical sets session lasting 60mins most people will only actually train for 15-20mins of that time and to me that’s a waste.


After my shower and during my brisk walk back to work I noticed myself thinking to myself “That was Great I FEEL GREAT

Got back to work and ate my lunch at my desk and felt invigorated for the challenges the afternoon holds in store and toward my evening swim session with the local masters group

WW

Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Training Week T – 29

Yep 29 weeks to Ironman Germany and I am at last back into training, I still have to watch my running due to my PF Injury but on the whole I had quite a good first week back

MON______Rest
TUEAM00:36SWIM1.8km - an easy swim as 2 x 500m in 10:00 plus 2 x 250m in 4:45 plus 100m Drills
TUEPM01:00RUN5.5 mile Club Run - very hilly and I struggled a bit due to my lack of running lately
WEDAM01:06BIKESession on the gym bike at 115rpm working up and down the levels
THUAM00:35GYMCircuit Training non stop full body
FRIAM00:30SWIM1.2km - Had to cut my session short due to a sugar crash leaving me feeling quite ill early in the session

Did - 350, 200, 150, 100, 50 + Drills
FRIPM00:45RUNJust 3.5mile but done as an interval session on a very hilly course 1min walk / 5min Run

Trying to get my running going again
SATPM02:25BIKE30 mile - First road ride of the new year (see Blogg entry)
SUNAM01:00SWIM2.0km - An easy Sunday morning session 5x200m in 4:45-4:50 the drills plus I coached a couple of mates who are looking at improving their swim

About 8hrs in all including 3 x Swims, 2 x Bike, 2 x Run & 1 x Gym

Saturday, January 07, 2006

First Ride of the year

Actually the first proper out dour ride in quite a while.

Did 2:30 with my training partner – it was Windy, it Rained all the way round and The temperature was just above freezing …. And I loved it :o)

We took it at an easy pace completed just about 30-miles but also climbed over 530metres so considering that and the weather it was quite a good work out.

I’ll probably aim to increase next weekends ride by 30mins next Saturday and so on in the weeks that follow then, when the weather improves I'll look my seriosly at improve distance speed
Map And Profile

Tuesday, January 03, 2006

New Year and a New Start

Happy New Year all

The season of excess and merriment is now behind us and that combined to recent injuries and holidays have seen by training slip and my waistline with it, so the new year see the start of my big push towards Ironman Germany.

It starts this week with the beginning of my first 4 week base training phase and the reorganising of my diet.

My weight is well up at the moment at 206lbs (at my worst I weighed in at 259lbs) so the aim is to get this down to 199lbs by the end of Base-1 and to 190-192lbs by end of Base-2 which will have me back close to my racing weight

Due to PF I’m still limited by the amount of running a can do but hope to lift my fitness with Cycling, Swimming and Gym Sessions until I can once again lift the run training

… well that’s the plan.