Looking Ahead

After last week's disappointing training effort I've started off easy this week, with a 30 min 'fast legs' and 'sort of tabata' session ('sort of' as in 5 secs very fast spin 15 secs easy). HR was under control and I felt good.

Looking ahead, I have a strength block coming up, and I'm at a bit of a loss as to what, exactly, to do. Big gear, slow cadence work is the general idea but can anyone help me with specific sessions? And can I (indeed should I?) be doing normal cycling during this block? Or should everything be big gear, low cadence during this period?

Grateful for any advice.

Not tired, ill

I mentioned earlier this week that I was feeling somewhat tired and didn't know why. Well Thursday morning I felt pretty rubbish when I woke up: headache, lack of energy, aching limbs and joints. Clearly something was not right and certainly more than a piece of cake and a glass or 2 of red wine would cause. I didn't train Thursday and went to bed just after 2200; this morning my alarm went off at 0600 and I switched it off as normal. Next thing I know its 0700! I felt a little better but not 100% so chose to have another day off. Hopefully another good nights sleep will see me feeling better tomorrow, but I'm not making any plans and will just see how I feel when I wake up. Fingers crossed.

30 Years Ago Today ...

... I joined the RAF! I don't remember the attestation ceremony in CIO Brighton very clearly, but I remember vividly the following day: walking to Newhaven Town train station with a rucksack and a small holdall; the train journey to Newark Northgate via London; the coach journey to RAF Swinderby; getting shouted at for the first time (of many!); multi-man rooms - 24 I think it was; polished floors and the amazing buffers; one double wardrobe and a bedside cabinet each - that was it; bedpacks; inspections; firing the 7.62mm SLR for the first time (I had never fired a gun before and I remember being about to squeeze the trigger for the first time and not really knowing what to expect. Squeeze - Bang - Ouch!); etc etc etc.

At the time the strength of the RAF was about 105,000 - how things have changed!

Something Different

I don't know about you but I am always looking for ways to make my training more interesting, and with the increased usage of our gym at lunchtimes (probably caused by the miserable weather) of late I have had to think on my feet a few times. I usually default to the rowing machine as I know this gives me a good workout and today I came up with an interesting and enjoyable session, as follows:

Ensure the rowing machine has the elapsed time and pace/500m showing.
Warm up for 5 mins.
At the 5 min point and every 2:30 thereafter do 10 strokes at maximum effort.
In between, maintain your pace faster than the average pace/500m showing on the computer.
Continue for as long as you like; I managed 30 minutes.

Sounds easy, but as the more astutue of you will notice the average pace/500m will continually get faster as the session progresses, so although it starts relatively easy it continues to ramp up all the way to the end.

I followed this with 30 minutes of core, stretch and flex and have an hour easy on the turbo planned for this evening.

I'm not sure why but I'm feeling very tired of late; maybe it's having the kids home or maybe it's the cumulative effect of training and my body getting used to exercising regularly again after almost 3 months off. Either way, I need more sleep, but with a house full of people it's proving difficult.

Train smart folks.

Another Small Increase

I managed my planned session on the turbo on Sunday, plus a little extra. The plan was 6 x (30 secs max 4 min recovery) but in the end I did 8, so very pleased. This took me to just over 9.5 hours of training for the week, so another small increase on the week before.

This week is more difficult due to work and family commitments restricting the available training time, although I hope to get another good road ride in on Saturday.

I checked Mrs TM bike's yesterday and it needs a trip to the bike shop for some TLC. It seems the lorry hit the pannier rack that is bent and the rear disc is now rubbing, so I expect that took some of the impact as well. There is also evidence on the handlebars and gear shifters of impact with the ground, and the handlebars are no longer pointing in the same direction as the wheel. I think this just needs re-aligning rather than the handlebars actually being bent. And I know where the bill is going!

Train smart folks, and be careful out there!

It Must Be Springtime!

Why? Because I've been out on my bike this morning and you all know what a fair weather cyclist I am!

If I'm honest, and it was left to me, I wouldn't have gone. After walking the dog I realised it was cold, wet and windy, the combination of conditions I dislike the most. But I had arranged to meet one of my cycling buddies so I had to go, rain or shine. So I routed around for all my kit and eventually found it all (more evidence that this was my first outdoor ride this year!) and then, when I got out to the garage, I had to find spare inner tubes and gas cannisters. I found those but couldn't find my multi-tool so went without it (yet more evidence, if it was required!); I really must get more organised!

After all the faffing I was a few minutes late leaving and when I reached Titchfield Hamish was waiting for me - I had hoped he wouldn't show so I could just turn round and go home! We headed off on to one of our regular routes that takes us north towards Wickham before looping round to Southwick and then back to Titchfield. The effort level was easy with efforts on the uphill bits; Hamish looks to be in good shape and dropped me on all the hills (the fact that he only weighs about 10 stone certainly helps here), but I kept up a steady rhythm and never felt overly stressed. As usual, the final few kms back to Titchfield saw the pace increasing although it certainly wasn't a flat out effort. After dropping Hamish off at his house I enjoyed an easy final 10kms home for a total ride of 74km in 2 hours 44 minutes. We had a few laughs on the way round, the funniest moment being when Hamish waved a considerate driver, who was waiting patiently behind us for an opportune moment to overtake, passed on a short straight. Unfortunately this was just before one of those kerb-to-kerb puddles and as the car went passed it covered us in a wave of tsunami proportions! Oh how I laughed. :-(

When I got home I undressed in the garage and I don't think there was a single dry part of me. But you know what? I really enjoyed it. How weird is that.

Tomorrow I will be back on the turbo for the 6 x (30 seconds max 4 min L2) session; this will take me over my target 9 hours for the week. So another good week in the bag although still no swimming, although this time that was not entirely my fault.

Train smart folks

PS Thanks for all the comments ref Mrs TM; she's very sore today and has some very nice bruises and a nasty graze on her hand. Nothing appears to be broken though; the lengths some people will go to to get out of housework - unbelievable!

SMIDSY - A Close Escape!

I set off to Leeds early this morning and had a very pleasant journey; the usual traffic but no real hold ups. I had just sat down to my breakfast when I received a phone call from home. 'That's strange', I thought, 'no-one should be at home'. It was Mrs TM; she had been knocked off her bike on her way to work this morning. She reassured me she wasn't that badly hurt and that the bike was ok, but she was a bit shaken up so when she was offered a lift home by one of the witnesses (who happened to be driving a van so could also take the bike home) she took it.

When I got home the injuries had had 12 hours to stiffen up. Thumb, ribs arm and leg are all sore and she has a couple of grazes. It seems she was following another cyclist onto a mini roundabout when a truck (yes, a big truck!) pulled out and gave her back wheel a glancing blow. Not that hard but sufficiently hard to knock her off; it seems the injuries are all as a result of hitting the ground. The driver said he had seen the first cyclist but hadn't realised there was a second one behind. Classic SMIDSY. No excuse, though. It seems there are several witnesses and the driver admitted responsibility in front of them all; names and telephone numbers have also been exchanged. I will check the bike over in the dayight tomorrow.

Be careful out there folks.

This is more like it

Had a good few days of training, having clocked up 6 hours in 4 days. One setback was going across to HMS Collingwood last night for a swim session to find that the Sub-Aqua Club had shifted their booking from the previous week and the pool was closed to other users. C'est la vie. Fortunately I had my gym kit with me so managed another 90 minutes of low intensity work to add to the hour I did at lunchtime; so a good day.

Friday is a rest day as I have to drive to Leeds to collect my kids from school for half-term; really looking forward to having the family back together, if only for 9 days.

The weather forecast for the weekend is rubbish, so my plan for 2 road rides may have to be amended. I will try and get out on Saturday regardless of the weather even if it is only to test the mudguards and lights on the Planet X!

Train smart folks.

Best Week of the Year (so far ...)

Sat on the turbo watching Ireland v France this afternoon (excellent game by the way!), getting off at half time for some core work, then back on for the 2nd half. Clocked up 96 minutes and 47.9km in the process.

Total training this week was 9 hours 10 minutes, my biggest week of the year so far (and by some margin); I need to maintain this as a minimum now. Swimming is back on the agenda this week; I will spend a few sessions easing back in to it and then begin increasing the distance. I'm not interested in working on speed, just managing the distance comfortably, so efficiency is all important.

Next weekend there is no 6-Nations rugby on TV so I guess I will have to hit the road. Lets hope the weather's kind.

Cathedrals

Meandering off topic a bit here. I doubt many of you know this about Mrs TM and I but we like visiting cathedrals. From the ruins of Elgin and the stunning craftmanship of the carpentry in Norwich to the overall magnificance of Monte Casino, we like visiting cathedrals. And before you ask, no, we're not religious in any way. We like the history behind the buildings and enjoy viewing what, in most cases, is quite stunning architecture. Today we found ourselves in Chichester and took the opportunity to visit the cathedral. To be honest, the building is fantastic but there is little within that really stands out. There is only a small section where the carpenters demonstrated their skills (compared to extensive woodwork sections in Norwich) but what there is is absolutely stunning. Remember, this was long before computers could produce piece after piece of identically carved wood, so every piece is diffent. Neither are there any intricately detailed paintings on the ceilings (such as there are in Ely). There was one very impressive stained glass window, made all the more impressive when we visited as today's bright sunshine was streaming through it at the time, and some very good carved tombstones. There are also some Tudor paintings but these were hidden from view as they are currently being renovated. There are small RAF and RN memorials and a larger memorial to the Sussex Regiment and Sussex Yeomanry that includes the names of all those that died in the 2 WWs. Its an impressive building if not the most impressive cathedral we have seen and we enjoyed visiting Chichester with its myriad of small individual shops rather than the usual high street chains. We had a really good pub lunch and later on I had one of the best cream teas I have enjoyed in a very long time.

What I'm trying to say, of course, in a very roundabout sort of way, is that I didn't get out on my bike today! Although I did manage to sit on the turbo for 70 minutes whilst watching what was quite possibly the poorest game of international rugby I have seen in a long time. Scotland were, quite simply, awful. And Wales didn't need to go far above mediocrity to beat them quite convincingly. But tomorrow is the mouth-watering prospect of Ireland v France; with the weather forecast I reckon I should get another 90 minutes on the turbo.

All the best.

Another Good Session

Last night I hit the turbo as planned and after a nice warm up completed 6 x 30 seconds maximal effort with 4 min recovery at L2 effort. Regular readers here will know that I'm a fan of this session because it has been scientifically proven to bring on the same results as regular L2 rides lasting approx 2.5 hours, and it's all over in 47 minutes including warm up and warm down. In other words, my type of training! I was initially sceptical about the science behind it as the group used was quite small, but there have been subsequent tests using larger groups that have returned similar results. It's therefore a regular in my training regime. I do, though, need to change my cassette on the turbo bike as I am currently limited by cadence rather than my ability to produce power; time to bring out the 11-tooth on the turbo! And HR was over 90% of MHR at the end of each 30 seconds so exactly as it should be.

Despite my binge yesterday, the training seems to be doing the trick as I weighed 11 4.8 (72.2kg) this morning.

Question ...

What do a mars bar ...

A large slice of carrot cake ...

And a marathon all have in common?

First Harder (Not Hard) Turbo Session of the Year

Last night I headed out to the garage with the aim of doing the 6 x 6 min turbo session. I had no idea what power setting I should be using as I have yet to do an FTP test this year (really need to get this done) so decided to go with (2010 max - 50 watts) and see how I felt. I had a bit of a technical issue that requried a change of seatpost, the upshot of which was that I only managed to complete 4 x 6 mins, but I felt better to have this under my belt. HR was high 155s and topped out at 160 (86% of MHR) so there is clearly scope to increase the power for this session, but I really should get the FTP test completed first.

Today is an easy day with a planned hour on the gym bike at lunchtime and a 47 minute turbo session (6 x [30 secs max 4 min L2 effort]) tonight. Good to see that the weather is improving so I am actcually quite hopeful of getting out on the road this weekend. Tinman is away so if I do get out I will ride solo just to blow the cobwebs away. Unless it gets too windy. Or it rains. I know, HTFU!

All the best.

Only One Day But This Is More Like It

At lunchtime I hit the treadmill for one quarter of the marathon (that's 10.55km for those of you messing about at the back) completed at my revised marathon pacing strategy. Yes, I've revised it again as I have found out that when I'm tired my ability to do mental arithmetic, something that it may surprise you to hear I am usually quite good at, disappears. Therefore, my new regime is 4 minutes running 1 minute walking. This increases my run to walk ratio compared to my previous regime and also means that I only have to worry about 4 and 9s, and that when the stopwatch hits a minute ending in 4 or 9 I can walk for one minute. Easy peasy. Anyway, putting this in to practice I recorded a new season PB by completing the 10.55km in 64 mins 16 seconds and felt very comfortable doing it. It doesn't take the brain of Einstein to work out that extrapolating this up to full marathon distance equates to a sub 4 hour 20 min finishing time, and if I'm totally honest if I could run sub 4:30 for the mara I would be one very happy person. But I'm not counting any chickens yet, I can assure you.

But that's not all. This evening I headed out to the garage and did 35 minutes of easy pedalling, keeping in the small chainring and working through the gears. So, 100 minutes today and I'm feeling really good. It's only one day but I feel energised and motivated. Now all I need is for the sun to start shining!

All the best.

Another Better Week

This week I clocked up 6 hours and 15 minutes of training, consisting of cycling, running and core work. Notice anything missing? Yes, yes, yes, I will get to the pool this week, honest. Although my training hours aren't massive I feel the need to point out that I am also getting in a minimum of one hour a day of walking, and usually this is more like 90 minutes. And 6.15 is the most I have clocked up so far this year There have been some good sessions in there as well. I will admit to drinking more red wine than is good for me of late, but it's been good stuff (Carmenere is my favourite at the moment) so that makes it all OK. Doesn't it?

The Weather, Training & The Six Nations

The Weather here has been horrible; cold (although not as cold as it has been), wet and very, very windy. I had made preliminary plans to ride with Tinman tomorrow (Sunday) but there is just no way I will ride in such conditions, it's just too dangerous (IMHO). That said, from a training perspecctive this has been a good week, and providing I get another good session on the turbo tomorrow will see another increase in my training volume. Small steps, as they say.

The Six Nations rugby has started again, and I've managed to see all 3 matches this weekend. England beating Wales may not have been a thriller but it was one of those occasions when it was the result that mattered most! Although not partisan, I found myself hoping that Italy would hang on to beat Ireland, but it wasn't to be. Not a great game, but the last 5 minutes were very tense; I was just glad I wasn't a supporter of either side as that would have been a real emotional rollercoaster of a ride! I watched France v Scotland whilst on the turbo and at half time got off and did some core work. This was certainly the pick of the 3 games and although Scotland never looked likely to beat France they did manage to score 3 tries which is no mean feat in Paris. France were very good going forward but were wobbly in defence so fingers crossed for some excellent rugby in the weeks ahead.

I'm hoping to get back to the swimming pool this coming week and will listen to Neill's advice about getting a long swim in on a regular basis; I reckon once a month qualifies as regular! Neill reckons that swimming 3 or 4 times a week is the minimum number of times a triathlete should swim. And I'm glad about that. My 2 times a week (maximum!) means I remain a cyclist who is going to complete a triathlon, rather than making me a triathlete!

All the best.

Inspiration

Inspiration can come from anywhere, and sometimes it's origin may surprise you. Recently, a fellow blogger posted a thread about duathlons (see here: http://whittlestriworld.blogspot.com/ ) and despite may hatred for all things running related I found this inspired me to do a gym-based duathlon today. Based on what I believe are the Inter-Services distances of 5km run, 20km bike and a final 2.5km run I prepared myself mentally for the challenge by thinking it through and aiming for an irregular strategy that is better suited to my low boredom threshold when running.

I started at 10kmh but increased the treadmill speed by 0.5kmh every 75 seconds until I reached 13kmh, and then reduced the speed by 0.5kmh until it reached 11kmh and then I started increasing speed again, this time until I reached 14kmh. The upshot of this was that I reached 5km in a very respectable (for me) 24:17. A quick change of trainers, wipe down the treadmill and then ... wait.

The problem with planning gym based sessions is that the other gym users just don't appreciate what you are trying to do, and I had to wait almost 2 minutes for a gym bike to become available. But when it did I leapt aboard with vigour and hit it hard. HR was soon above 80% MHR and towards the end it was approaching 90% (Eek!!!) but despite my lack of bike mileage this year I felt good and reached 20km in 35:28 (33.8kmh).

Another 'quick' change of trainers and a wipe down of the gym bike (twas very sweaty!) and it was back on the treadmill for the final 2.5km run. The original treadmill I used wasn't available so I had to use another that was calibrated in mph! I was tired and my brain wasn't ready to have to do mental arithmetic so as I started running I was desperately asking the runners on either side how far and how fast I need to go! This was a real effort, nothing was to be spared and I ended up doing 30 secs at 6 min/mile followed by 1 min at 7.30 min/mile and hit 1.56 miles (that I think equates to 2.5km) in exactly 11 minutes. I was absolutely over the moon with that time!

The impact on my body was not good, though. My legs feel somewhat wooden now and no doubt they will be very sore tomorrow. But I am happy that I am making progress in getting some run form (no matter how poor) into my legs.

And a big 'thank you' to Frank for the inspiration!

Train well folks.

A little bit more

Last week saw another small increase in volume, up to 5.5 hours. Still some way off where I want to be but c'est la vie. I really need the weather to warm up. That said, this week is looking better and I can hopefully start putting together a few 2 hours+ training days and am hoping to actually get out on the road this weekend. Maybe with Tinman and my local cycling buddies, or maybe on my own. We shall see (probably after I've checked the weather forecast!).