Simple Session

For time:

70 burpees
60 sit-ups
50 kettlebell swings
40 pull-ups
30 handstand push-ups

I'm not yet lifting the prescribed weights but I'm getting closer; I managed 20kg on the kettlebells today when the standard was 24. I only used 1 of the very thin purple bands on the pull-ups instead of my usual 2 and the next step is no bands. Handstand push-ups is aomething else though, I was doing push-ups with my feet on a box so my body is at a 45 degree angle, rather than vertical; but we will get there.

Weight is slowly coming down and I'm feeling really good about myself, I do need to get out on the bike more although it's more a sadlle comfort thing rather than fitness that I'm concerned about, and the IOW ride has 2 natural breaks on the ferry to and from the island.

Train smart folks.

How hard?

Today's CrossFit session was:

1 mile run
21 thrusters
21 pull-ups
800m run
15 thrusters
15 pull-ups
400m run
9 thrusters
9 pull-ups

And for the first time since I stopped doing intervals on the turbo, I hit the vomit threshold! Just a mouthful but even so, proof I was working very hard.

AM very tired now but have lots I want to do so must get on.

Train smart folks!

Is it really almost 2 weeks ...

... since I last blogged? Apparently so. But never mind, not a great deal to report really other than I really enjoyed the Odiham sprint and am looking forward to more in 2012.

I've not done any swimming or cycling since Odiham but have done a lot of CrossFit and things are certainly getting better, focusing on technique before adding weight.

I must start cycling again soon as the IOW 100-mile sportive is only a month away!

Odiham Sprint Distance Triathlon

I haven't completed a triathlon since 2008, so was looking forward to today's event with mixed emotions. On one hand there was no pressure on me to perform but on the other hand there are so many things that can go wrong in a tri and make it a thoroughly painful and miserable experience.

I arrived nice an early (Odiham being just over an hour away for me), registered, set up my kit, listened to the race brief and was getting myself into race mode when the heavens opened and all manner of cats and dogs descended. I quickly rearranged my kit so my shoes were upside down (I learned that the hard way many years ago) and covered my bike shoes with a towel to keep the worst off them. There was little I could do for my helmet and tri-top, I just had to accept that I would be putting on cold wet kit at T1.

I haven't swam in 2011 so estimated my swim time at 8 minutes; seemed reasonable enough. 5 minutes before my wave started we went poolside and received a swim brief and put on the coloured swim hat. 30 seconds to go and into the water. 10 seconds. Then the whistle announced that we were off. With a complete lack of swimming in the last 6 months I started off steadily, trying to focus on making the best of my poor technique: stretch; glide; push; blah blah blah. Yes, I forgot it all! 400m = 16 lengths and I got to the end before the 2nd wave after mine set off, so sub 8 minutes - woo hoo! A gentle stroll into transition and I pulled on the cold, wet kit and headed off on the bike. It was a bit chilly so I worked the first km quite hard to get some heat into me, and I quickly overtook the other 3 members of my wave and dropped them. The route was undulating and very enjoyable to ride. I took the first lap steady as I hadn't done a route recce so was not sure what to expect. There was plenty of wind on the first half of the lap that made it tough, but it was the same for everyone. I caught a couple from the previous wave before the end of the first lap and then rode the 2nd lap a little harder, catching more riders in the process. I know I started quite early but but no-one overtook me. Unlike at the IS duathlon, I felt I rode well today.

Into T2 with a fine running dismount and a steady if unspectacular transition, taking a little extra time to grab a mouthful of water as I had that horrible taste in my mouth that tells you you are working hard. Onto the run and there were plenty of people to chase, but after 100 metres or so my calfs gave me the tell-tale signs that they wanted to cramp, so I slowed down until they eased off. I then ran steadily all the way to the finish, passing several people on the way but, again, not being passed by anyone. I don't know why but I am really pleased about this. Over the finish line in a little under 1 hour 18 minutes; I had no expectations for this race and the different bike route to the previous years meant that comparisons with previous years would be pointless.

I really felt that I performed to my best today, nothing spectacular compared to the quick boys and girls, but I feel really good. My legs are not in great shape, they seem to be telling me that I gave this sort of thing up 3 years ago! I really enjoyed myself though and can see me doing more sprint distance races in the future.

And it was great to meet up with the Old Skool RAF Triathletes, although our numbers are diminishing as the New Blood (and there is plenty of it) start taking over.

Rest well folks.

Pre Race Taper

Ho ho ho, haven't done that for a while, and guess what? I haven't done it this time either!

I'm participating in a sprint distance triathlon tomorrow (I won't say racing as that might attract the Trades Description people!) and back in my racing days I would have tapered towards the event, reducing my training load to ensure optimum performance on race day. Well those days are now behind me and I'm really looking forward to catching up with a few mates and enjoying the event for what it will be - a fun day out of the office doing something that I will (hopefully) enjoy in the great British sunshine (am I asking too much?).

In preparation I hit the CrossFit gym tonight, the WOD was not too bad:

50 Wall Balls
40 Double Unders (or 120 normal skipping)
30 Kettlebell Swings (note to self, not all black kettlebells weigh the same - check first. By golly the one I chose was heavy!)
20 Weighted Lunges
10 Box Jumps

This was good, but it didn't take very long and so we added another session on the end:

1 x 1 mile run, followed by AMRAP of 'Ground to Overhead' to take overall time up to 12 minutes. I completed the run in 6:08 and then added 56 lifts in the 12 minutes - by heck that was hard work.

On the way home we stopped off and collected dinner - chicken breasts and fillet steak on bed of green salad with some chopped carrots and red onions. And our eldest lad is about to prepare primal pancakes with greek yoghurt and a variety of berries. Delicious.

See (some of) you tomorrow.

Endurance

As a triathlete, even a fairly ordinary MOPer or BOPer as I was, who competes at standard, middle distance or beyond, you develop a useful base of endurance, maybe without even realising it. Today at the CrossFit gym the session was:

100 pull-ups
100 kettlebell swings
100 double unders (or 300 single skips)
100 overhead squats

That is a lot of reps, and takes the advantage away from the strong and gives it to those who have developed a good level of endurance. For example, I am far from the strongest person there, and on the overhead squats I used nothing more than a 15kg barbell yet managed 100 reps (broken down into 5 sets of 20 taking a break inbetween to stretch out and have a mouthful of water). Interestingly, by the end of the session, there was no-one lifting more than a 15kg bar for this exercise, even though they may have started with a far larger weight.

I smashed through this in less than 22 minutes; it was over 10 minutes before the 2nd person finished! Plus 1 to the triathletes!

Train smart folks.