Jog On...

I decided to have a rest day yesterday, for 2 reasons really, Number 1, I hoover the house before my wife's sister and husband turned up so by the time I had finished that, they were here so I played the total host and looked after our guests. Number 2 I had planned to do a long run, long as in my 1st training half for the year. I was up early, for a Saturday, 2 weeks on the trott thanks to our next generation of Lewis's and Corbett's, I dont mind it has been really good to see everyone. Everyone else was off to the local pool to play in the rapids, but I ellected to give it a miss and go for a run, I had planned to run down to the sea front to meet the everyone after they had finished playing in the pool. I left about 20 minutes after they left in the car, I had planned my route to follow the cycle path all the way so it was relatively flat, which was great. When I saw the above lap times I was very happy, and completing the route with an aver...

I was looking forward to tonights run session with Celtic Tri, when I got the schedule for tonight, I though "oh my, this is going to hurt" and how right was I. It was a monster! The rain had stopped, but I still went out with my hat anf gloves on as there was a slight chill in the air, but after the first 6 minutes the gloves came off and stayed off. I am having some troubles with my trainers though, I think I've done over 750 miles in them so I think they are well past there best, and I think they are assisting to some of my hamstring issues. I think my wallet might be £70 lighter come the weekend and it wont be my wife spending my money it will be me, all on me! Ooooooh are'nt I the lucky one! Tonight it was - 5x (1min H, 1min R), 1x (2min H, 2min R), 1x (4min H, 4min R), 1x (2min H, 2min R), 5x (1min H, 1min R) H = Hard 95% Max HR R = Recovery 70% Max HR The session tonight also included a warm up, warm down and stretching. Im in two minds to save m...

What a day today has been, It was misty when I walked to work this morning and its stayed all day, looking out the office window I was glad to be in doors. I had a meeting scheduled from 4-5pm tonight so I knew my run was going to be a late one. Don't you hate people organising meetings at 12 and at 4.. the two most important times of the day, LUNCH and HOME times of course! Wednesday is my recovery run day so the object of these runs are to stay in the training zone, don't go over and definitely don't go under. My optimum zone is 160 BPM, This isn't to hard but its enough for me to get out of breath.  I decided to run the extra mile route again tonight so I clocked in 7.5 miles, I doubt I'll go back to the 6.5 mile loop as its only an extra 8 minutes, and whats 8 minutes when your out running... on your own. I normally find this kind of training quite easy now since I've been doing it every week, the 6.5 miles has become quite easy to keep under the 160 ...

Pool session tonight, in the pool for 6pm out by 7pm, I like those turbo session, plus Spurs are playing so I needed to get home for that. I'm now remembering my full sessions without the need to write them down and bring them on paper, this probably means I need a change to get some fresh impetus plus I think I'm starting to get bored of the same session. I haven't been swimming with the club for 2 weeks now, and I wont be there this weekend either - Whoops! The pool lane was relatively quiet tonight, just 3 of us in the lane so I could take my full 30 seconds rest before each set started. Good job that clock at the end of the pool is so big as I cant see a thing without my contact lenses in, so thinking about it there is no point writing down my set for pool side as I couldn't see it anyway! The normal set of: 200m Warm up (50m x fist, 50m x catchup, 50m x stretch, 50m x 1 arm) 4 x 100m freestyle 8 x 50m freestyle 100m pull buoy 4 x 100m freestyle 8 x 5...

I didn't train yesterday so I was inching to get out there today. As Ive said in early posts I'm really enjoying my running and I'm running really hard in the elite session on a Monday. The session was 800 meters, 400 meters, 50 meters on stairs, 400 meters and we did 4 sets plus a half mile warm up/warm down. I really enjoyed the set, short, Sharp and intense. I only noticed tonight that my Ronhill light in my jacket has dropped off, it must of been last week in the rain, which is a shame as it was a handy red flashing light on the back of my jacket, so it made sure nutters on their bikes or in there cars could see me, I think I'll have to have a look on eBay for a new one. On the plus side I managed to get out early from work today to get a new battery for my heart rate monitor , so I can once again track how hard I'm working and if I can work harder. I tired to figure out how to turn off auto lap on the forerunner but I couldn't find it before the sessi...

What can I say, I've had the weekend off from any sport! It's been quite a funny feeling really, I've had family here all weekend so I don't feel that bad. After my run on Friday my calve/hamstring wasn't right, after some recovery stretching after the run and on Saturday it felt quite tender, I'm allowed 1 rest day but after still being alittle sore I decided to give today a miss. I did go for a nice leisurely stroll across the beach but that was about it. This is the first time I've had 2 rest days togerther since before Christmas day so im happy.. well happy-ish! I'm sure I'll be grateful for the additional restday tomorrow as I'm sure the guys will have something extreme planned for us!

Friday is normally my rest day, but I've got my family coming to stay with me for the weekend, which is going to be brilliant! My niece is 5 and my nephew is 2, there both are keen to fight with me so I'm ready give give out loads of tickles.. Muwwhahahhaa!! I've been running the same route for nearly 3 weeks now so I decided today to extend the route, only by a mile but that was enough when running into the wind. The new route took me past 3 betting shops, and 4 takeaways. If I wasn't hungry before leaving the house, I definitely was by the last Chinese take away. My left calve still giving me some jip, I was on the massage table this morning and my wife did a cracking job to my calves and hamstring so my run was a little easier, so when I got home I jumped in the bath so I'm not aching to much... lets wait till tomorrow. I'm really enjoying my running at the moment, it doesn't feel like a chore and I look forward to each session, as its jus...

Last night was the club session, 10 x 2 minutes 95% max HR and 90 seconds recovery at 70% max HR, I was not looking forward to this set, it was going to be a killer. the past month we have been doing smaller sets but last night it has been coming and I knew it. By the looks of so did the rest of club as we had a very small turn out last night, we had half the group off due to sickness so I hope I've managed to stay clear of it. I managed to complete the first 6 sets with no issues but then, it was like I was dragging a tyre around with me it felt like I had gained a few pounds and someone had jumped on my back. Set 6 to 10 was hard work, plus  my left calve starting to creak... As you can see on set 5 (step 10) I've stopped to do some stretching on my leg... It didnt help! I'm having a few issues with my left calve so I'm hoping the sports therapist in the family can help me out, it is affecting my stride and stretching it out is ...

Another run completed and it was in the rain... This is starting to become the norn, so I put a positive spin on it and I felt like Gene Kelly. Without teh lampost hugging as im sure i'd get some random looks for doing that. I enjoyed my run, even tho I was late setting off, I stopped off at the bike shop to sort out some slicks for my mountain bike, £50 all in and they would fit tehm for me too, so I was happy with that!. As Wednesday is normally my zonal run I had planned to take it easy, but after resetting my forerunner for some reason it did not pick up my HR monitor, After this piece of kit being so reliable im starting to lose patience with it. I ran my same route and found it pretty easy tonight, so I think from March I am going to extend the route a few more miles, not sure if I will carry on the same road or go someone completly different, it depends on how like it gets as im currently dependant on the street lights. Its definately getting warmer out there as I haven...

Didn't yesterday drag, I looked at the clock and saw 1pm and it felt it stayed they for over 3 hours, 5pm couldn't come quick enough! Tonight was the swim session, I got home was really up for the swim, as soon as I got to the pool I felt like going home. I don't know why but in the 10 minute drive I had gone from top of the world to the bottom... and I don't know why, so I dug deep and got in the pool. I decided I was going do as much as I could of the same set I normally do: 100m x catchup 50m x fist 50m x drag 4 x 100m freestyle 8 x 50m freestyle 50m x kick board 50m x pull buoy 4 x100m freestyle 8 x 50m freestyle - I didn't get this far in the 50 minutes The pool was relatively empty so we had the lane to ourselves, which was a nice change as last week it was rammed full of people who liked to stop and chat. After the 200 meter warm up and the first 400 meters I was getting slower and slower, it wasn't looking good. I had visions of swimming...

I'm really into my Monday night training, I started running with these guys over 12 month ago and they used to leave me for dust and I would catch them on the turn on the way home. Not being big headed here but my running has come on lots since joining them. I extremely enjoy the session which makes me work harder so I'm only going to get better, I'm trying to get my wife to come down but she's having none of it :( We decided to do a duration run tonight, after last weeks hard core track session it was a nice light session, only banging out under 7 min miles. One of the lads turned up with some great news that he is sponsored this triathlon sesean by team tri uk and they are giving him all the free kit he could ever want/need! So well done matey, Hope he can hand down some freebies :) The Garmin had a little wobble so I called them this morning to get some advice, there support center is 2nd to none, a excellent service which will keep me with them for years to come...

After Saturdays bike session I was thinking I would be hurting. Well I was wrong, I felt great so I decided to squeeze a quick run out in the morning before I went to see my wife in work. She works for the Welsh FA as a sports masseur  and the lady's team were playing Scotland. I had a normal route I created over Christmas when I was down there, but I wanted something different, something with a few more hills in which would make me work harder. I went to mapometer and found a new route, same distance, but more farms, more mud on the roads and MORE HILLS! My legs felt great, and the cycle ride was a distant memory as I clocked in another 8 minute mile and when I hit the 3rd mile I still felt pretty good so I pushed on. I only clocked in a PB, 5 miles under 40 minsutes a new record for me and I still felt great! Got home, Turbo shower and off to the footie, Shame Wales lost 4-2! Todays session Duration 00 39 41 Distance 5 miles Calories 742 Max HR 177 BPM Garmin is h...

After my rest day on Friday, Saturday was my planned cycle day. I got out on my old school Raleigh bike for a hard session. I was visiting my parents down the Pembrokeshire coast so I had planned a route along the coast line, and joined some of the Wales Ironman bike route. I have definitely forgot how many hills there were by my parents home! There were 2 killer hills which nearly destroyed me! Went I took off on my ride, I passed a group of 10 cyclist at the top of the road, I said good morning and kept my head down so they didn't look at me and think, 1 was is he doing, 2 what does he look like and 3 so they didn't feel like they had to ask me to join them. An hour had passed with some cracking view, I wish I had brought my camera, as I got out the saddle to climb I could see over the hedges and there was the cast line, the surfing swell looking amazing, Thank god I was on the bike and not the board. In the distance I could see a group of cyclist, as they got closer I co...

Today started early, I had a meeting off site with work today at 9am, so I needed to get up early with my wife so she could drop me off. I normally walk to work but today there was no chance of me walking, Well that is a lie, I could walk it but I was suited and booted and it was raining. The meeting went on from 9am till 1pm I had to boot up my laptop check my email, see if there is anything important I needed to know and then call office so they can come and collect me. We did have 1 break in the meeting so I had a choice of grabbing a coffee or a can of coke and I went for the coca cola option. Not the best pre-training beverage but it gave me a kick up the arse I needed to focus on my meeting. Once it was over the car came to pick me up and I got into the office, I then threw my spag bol in the microwave and scoffed it down, it was just what I needed as I was starving. I was chatting to my colleague in the canteen and I decided to get a drink, not just a ordinary drink.... An...

Tonight was the zonal run, so its a kind of rest run before the hard sets tomorrow night. i say a rest run I still have to run over 6 and a half miles but keep the heart rate under 160. Its been over a week since I did the last zonal run as last week was the first rest day since Janothon finished. I failed tonight, the first down hill I hit over 160 so I just gave up and came home... NOT! It was raining all the way around the run, and I felt soaking, wet right through even though it was hammering down it was just light rain, but constant. It was quite annoying as it was being blown into my face all the way, It was like running with a cheap crappy bathroom shower over your head. Nothing exciting on this run tonight apart one speeding police car sirens blaring, I even heard it over my music which was Tiesto - In search of Sunrise Track lisitngs I wounder what the cops were after, I recon he was late for dinner... Todays session Duration 00 59 51 Distance 6.56 Miles Calories 9...

I was looking forward to my swim session last night, I really enjoyed Saturdays session so this session could not come quick enough. We chanced our luck of going down the pool an hour early, that place is always busy so its a nightmare trying to park the car. But lucky enough someone was leaving just at the right time so we jumped in and took there empty space! From the car park it didn't look that busy in the pool, how wrong was I? There was only 1 lane just like the norm and with me and my wife joining in there was going to be 6 people in it. One lad had flippers and paddles on so it was going to be a right squeeze! I suppose it will help keep my arms in and my stroke tidy rather than throwing my arms anywhere, like I do when im tired. After doing my warm up a poor lady got smashed in the face by the guy with the paddles, she didnt look amused and I think she complained, anyways the bloke took his paddles off! The pool soon emptied and me and my wife had the lane to ourselv...

I've been running and using my Garmin for well over 2 years now and I've always used it for its quality tracking etc as it tell me when to speed up or slow down and stop being a lazy git and work harder. The last 2 Mondays I've left the Garmin in the house. Last week I left enough time to turn around and drive home and get it, but last night I had driven past the point of no return so I had to do the set with out it! When arrived at our meeting point I got out the car and i was about to put on my hat and gloves and stopped, Is this a sign of summer coming? it was quite mild outside so I left the hat and gloves in the car.The last lad turned up and off we went, one of the group suggested me do a track session and we all agreed that it would be kind to the knees and it was a change to the normal routine of coastal path running. The chosen session was 6 x 1km efforts with 30seconds recovery. We had to make sure that we did the same time for all km efforts, I ...

I had a lovely lie in this morning even though it was my turn to get breakfast, toast and tea a lovely combination before a run. I had planned to go out on the bike but after seeing the weather I decided against it, it was blowing a gale and lashing down. I put on my "wind proof" jacket, hat and gloves and off I went. When they wind proof jackets I wonder where they test them as its definitely don't come to Wales. I got to the top of my first hill and I nearly took off, I found my self leaning into the wind so I could stay up and not end  up in the hedge and I didn't want to end up in there as it was brambles! I felt really good even though I had the wind blowing in my face, I looked at my Garmin and new I was ahead of time so a PB was on the cards. I didnt meet anyone until I gto about half way, this is where I saw my 1st set of joggers, I always tend to raise my hand, just to say "Hi" to all joggers on route, so today, just like any normal day I did an...

I do love Saturdays, a lie in, breakfast in bed, and sport on TV, what else can I ask for.. Oh and I get to spend the day with my wife. We both work hard in the week so I do enjoy being with her on the weekends. Since we have joined the triathlon club we train in the pool together twice a week which we both enjoy and also we borrowed road bikes so we try and get out on them together, but I tend to run on my own. Well today is the swim day, she is in the fast lane at the club so I see her motoring by as she is a swimming by trade so I'm proud of her beating all the other people without really trying :) Before training well about 4 hours before, my wife made homemade pizza it was top! I think it made me swim faster so I've told her she needs to made it ever week :) Todays session 100m x freestyle 50m x fist 50m x catchup 50m x 1 arm 50m x finger drag 50m x kick board 100m x freestyle 50m x fist 50m x catchup 50m x 1 arm 50m x finger drag 50m x kick board ...

Last night was a cracking session, even though i struggled. It was a rest day on Wednesday and I think I enjoyed it to much! It was bloody windy last night and we have a mile section of road where we do the session, one way was definitely going to be a struggle with the gale winds in your face. Why did I have to sit at the front, on my own, thinking about it i should have stayed with the pack and taking someones drag! The session last night was similar to last weeks, just with 1 extra set. I definitely noticed the 1 extra as on the last 30 seconds sprint i nearly spewed :( But I knew I couldn't give anymore to the cause, which makes it a great work out. the session was 7 x (2min H, 1Min R, 1min H, 30 secs R, 30 secs H, 30 secs R) H = 95% Max HR R = 70% Max HR. This chart shows the heart rate (in red) and speed (in blue) I found this chart by chance flicking through Garmin connect. If you click on the picture I will make it bigger so you can read it. After loo...

Today has been my first rest day, and I feel... well I think I'm suffering withdrawal symptoms from the running bug. Then again I do like my sofa and I do like sitting here on my butt watching the TV and resting my legs, Its a great feeling! I've just finished writing my report for work and I've promised myself not to work at home in the evenings but I've got a feeling its going to be one of those days tomorrow in work so every little helps. Now its time for the footie. Roll on Triathlon training tomorrow evening, I think its going to be a killer run session!

Well day 1 without Janothon and I feel kind of... Well funny. Today was a swim session in the pool at 7 on the dot, my timing has become quite military when the pool is concerned. In for an hour and out. The pool was pretty quiet today well the lane was it was just me and my wife so I could practise my tumble turns on every turn, well at the deep end anyway. I also worked on my breathing tonight, I made every effort to just turn my head as I've been turning from my waist so my aero-dynamics has not been so smooth, but tonight I think I cracked it... But I reckon my stroke went to pot! I can't wait for Wednesday... Rest day, my first in 32 days! :) Today's session 50m x freestyle 50m x fist 50m x catchup 50m x 1 arm 4 x 100m freestyle 8 x 50m freestyle 1 x 50m kick board 4 x 100m freestyle 8 x 50m freestyle Total 2050 meters