Tuesday 29 December 2009

It's All About the Snow, Ice and Chocolate!

Belated Merry Christmas to you all, hope Santa was kind!

Since my last post my training levels, in all 3 disciplines, have increased steadily. I'm now training without any hindrance or repercussions from my operation, which is encouraging to say the least. I'm now just conscious of pushing too hard, too soon and picking up any 'over use' niggles and tweaks.

I've still not settled in to any kind of set training plan yet, I'm just training by how I feel and trying to edge up the mileage to the levels I can realistically call 'base miles'! This has not been easy on the bike with all this flipping snow and ice around. All this time off work and the weather conditions are keeping me off the roads...typical! I find it hard work putting in long rides on the turbo. My turbo is set up in the garage and while it's still freezing, it's the boredom factor that is my worst enemy! But watching a DVD helps, and I've found that '300' is the best for a long ride! I've also been doing my 'strength workout' cycling DVD which was a present from Santa and it's a real quad buster! I've also managed to get a bit of weight training and core strength work in at the gym.


Running wise, I'm up to runs of over an hour around the frozen fields and lanes, and a bit of long intervals on the treadmill from time to time, and now that my local pool has reopened after an unreasonably long festive break (how very dare they!) I can now crack on with more drills work in the wet stuff.


After this week I'll start a more regimented training plan for the remainder of the winter which will be centered around building more bike strength ready for a summer of lovely weather and enjoyable racing...well that's the plan anyway.


Until then I need to find some will power from somewhere to stop me from eating my own weight in chocolate every day!!




Train smart. Enjoy the rest of the year!


Thursday 3 December 2009

Leaps and Bounds!

My recovery seems to have turned a corner and I'm coming along in leaps and bounds!! Since my last post I have not only managed a 2 hour bike ride - actually on the roads...not only have I been swimming...but more miraculous than all that is the fact that, last night, in the gym, I actually ran for 20 minutes! Hallelujah!!!


My 'run' started as a brisk walk at about 6kph. I increased the pace to a very slow jog after about 5 mins, and by 15 minutes I was up to a mind blowing 10 kph! Yes it was slow but it felt fantastic to be running again. I felt as though I could have gone on for longer, or even ran a bit faster but I was remarkably sensible and decided to quit while I was ahead! (for once!)


Today, I am feeling a little sore but in a good way, if that makes sense?! One or two of my scars feel a little 'tight' but other than that it's mainly a bit of DOMS really, which is just natures way of letting you know you are working hard enough!!
So now that I have managed to get back to all 3 disciplines, it's just a matter of increasing the mileages steadily. The biking should be fine, as should the swimming, but I know I need to be hyper careful with the running. So I haven't set any running goals - I've just got to listen to my legs and rest properly after each momentous run!

Things are definitely looking up! Enjoy your base miles!