Week 9 Begins With 9...

...Reps on the treadmill. Nine 2 minute reps at 3:45min/km pace with a 90s recovery. The recovery was better this time and I was able to bring my pulse back down to around 120bpm before starting each rep. It felt a bit higher quality tonight and I got less ragged by the last while still taking my heart rate just shy of 170bpm on each rep. A short bike session and some ab-crunches to finish. I feel I'm past last week's 'blip'. Still a good deal more work is required though...

Chilling Down As The Weekend Draws To A Close...

Didn't feel too energised today. I had to wait in for a delivery which arrived later than I had hoped. By the time the goods arrived I wasn't feeling it any more but rallied for 90 minutes on the bike. Treadmill speed session tomorrow...

Three, Two, One And Back In The Room...

After the disaster that was Thursday, I wasn't sure how I would go today. I was tempted to take an extra day off but I can't afford to let the momentum slip or this comeback will go the way of every other one of my comebacks - down the pan. I'm determined not to let that happen time.

I decided I needed a re-match against the rowing machine - and this time it was personal. I needed to gauge things and a run wouldn't really let me see if Thursday was a blip due to fatigue or something else. Happily I can report things are back to normal. It's true it wasn't my fastest 2000 metres but it was a good solid performance. 7:44.8. I finished with the bike and core.

Total And Utter Rest Day

Nice lie in this morning. Twas well beyond daybreak before I awoke. Did a few household chores - but not too many. Watched a film on my AmazonFire TV. Even had time for a little nap in the afternoon. Hopefully the batteries have been recharged. Guess I'll find out tomorrow...

Tank Empty...

What an awful training session. I started with a paced 2000m row - except I couldn't maintain any sort of pace. It was all I could do to stay inside eight minutes, finishing in a truly terrible 7:56. I was aiming for a steady 7:45-50 but from the start I was nowhere near it. I had no response to what was unfolding before my eyes.

I cancelled my planned steady treadmill session and finished with 45 minutes on the bike instead - and even then I forgot to start the bloody watch so I failed to record the first twenty minutes or so. I probably shouldn't have done the bike but I can't let the routine slip. Think I might need a day off though and it's okay if it's scheduled in...

Still A Bit Sore...

The ol' quads are still sore so I took it relatively easy on tonight's treadmill session. Eight 2 minute intervals off a 1 minute recovery. It was decent enough. The recovery just about right to get get the heart rate back down. I finished off with 45 minutes on the bike.

Still Not Great...

To be fair my quads are still pretty wrecked. That said, I wasn't prepared to miss two straight days of training. So tonight I put in 8 one minute intervals on the rower. The pace was a bit variable with a few reps up at 1:50 while others were off the pace at 1:55 and several others somewhere in between but I got my heart rate pumping. I finished with 45 minutes on the bike and some core work. I think my legs feel better for it...

On other matters I'm being asked to take part in the Compass Sport qualifier in mid March. I don't really want to race at all before my official relaunch, Mad Runner 2.0, in June but I think I can reconcile things so long as I consider orienteering to be a) not a race and b) not really running - well at least it isn't the way I do it! Time to cogitate...

Recovering From My Dalliance With The Real World....

My legs are gert killin' today. So bad I've decided to pull a rest day. I guess it wasn't that unexpected really. My comeback, as I head into week 8, is still on track though - so don't panic. My fitness level is still headed in the right direction and body fat remains on the decline as the conversion to lean, mean running machine continues...

I Ventured Into The Real World....

and I have witnesses to prove it! After yesterday's failure I needed no excuses today as I plodded over to May Hill to catch a bit of the May Hill Massacre. I timed it just about right and reached the long forest track (about half way in the race) as the first runner came through. They were finding it far easier than me - mainly on account I was struggling up and they were flying down.

In all I covered 11.6 km, 375 metres ascent in a slow 64 minutes. Finished the days training with forty five on the bike - safely back indoors, away from the scary real world...

Time To Get The Excuses In...

Firstly, no training yesterday on account of a family evening out - and there was absolutely no way I was hitting the gym when I got home at a few minutes to midnight.

Secondly, no, I didn't get out for a real run today - hello did you see the weather out there? And me a southern softy... Besides - excuse number three alert - when the rain is pouring that heavily I like to be home just in case I need to roll out the emergency sand bags - thankfully I didn't. The forecast looks better tomorrow morning. Fingers crossed.

Right, with the excuses out of the way, I turned my pent up energy to a full gym session. The highlight of which was a 2000m row PB - and boy did I ever go for it from the get go. I chose my pace and just went for it, maintaining 1:55/500m through the first 1000m but then I began to wobble as the pace slipped to 1:56 with a few strokes at 1:57. As I went through 1500m I put in my final effort and gave it everything I had left, taking the pace up to 1:52/53. I just managed to hold it together for 7 minutes and 39.8s.

It is a bloody good feeling to get back into the seven thirty's - even if only by the smallest of margins! The seconds begins with a 3 so that's good enough for me. I'm now within fifteen seconds of my PB of ten years ago and closing in...

I finished with an hour on the bike and then 25 minutes on the treadmill, gradually upping the pace throughout before finishing with a solid core workout. The spare tyre continues to deflate and I think the love handles are finally starting shrink although that's a bit subjective.

Elevating Things A Little

I ran the elevation session on the treadmill tonight. Steady 5:00min/km pace through two sets of four 90s reps at 4%, 6%, 8% and 10% elevation with equal recovery. Got it about the right with the 10% rep being tough but without getting too ragged. I finished with the bike and some ab-crunches.

Forty six days in and I'm now about 3 bags of sugar lighter than when I started the crusade - that's around 7 pounds in real terms or about 3kg for those have gone through the change - to metric. I don't need to lose too much more now, just need to continue converting the lard to lean....

Time For A Rest Day

My resting heart was slightly raised so I decided on a rest day. I did my ab-crunches, pull-ups and push-ups because I figure that doesn't affect cardio recovery. Should be back on it tomorrow.

For the weekend, something a little different... I'm aiming to take a run in the heart of the Forest. Probably somewhere around the Speech House area.

This Speed Lark Is Hard Work...

Four 3 minute reps at 3:45 pace off a one minute recovery. I think I'll knock the pace back a few seconds, add a few seconds more recovery next time so I can manage six and build from there. It's early days and it's going to take me a few more session to find my level. Calf muscles are tight again but they'll be okay tomorrow. Finished with an easy recovery bike session.

So to the big question of the day, did the UK get a good deal from Europe today? - Heck, that's not the big question. The BIG question is can someone who's let themselves go to self induced rack and ruin over the years qualify for the Harriers most improved runner of the year when they finally decide to pick themselves up, take their mat and run?

Another Solid Row

Intervals tonight. Strongest session to date. 10 one minute intervals on 1:50/51s pace. It proves my fitness levels are continuing to improve. I followed up with a solid interval-ish bike session, with the aim of keeping my heart rate up. Finished with some ab-crunches.