Day 128\ Back at it....

Right back from a week in the hills, and the big push started yesterday morning at 7am with 47mins in the gym on the TRX. Completing the session outlined here. Objective for the next 4 weeks is to get the numbers back to where they were before the whole lurgy, weather, christmas episode do some testing and get a bike, very important.

'Back at it' gives you a view from the hubble telescope!

Backed up yesterday mornings TRX session with cycling to and back from Tombelle where i was coaching some kiddies. It was cold but not unenjoyable although the run home was a bit of a drag. Quite nackered this morning. Some intervals tonight, bring them on.

Day 114\ A new start and some top advice.....

A new year and a 'New Start'. My last post i wrote about really getting bugger all done and that theme has continued over Christmas and new year. I managed one running session and one TRX session however, flight cancellations a further bought of illness or two, a diagnosis of mild Bird Flu later and i'm back home raring to go. Yesterday i got back on the bike and in glorious sunshine did 21km in an hour and felt great afterwards. However it did serve to reinforce a number of key points,

1. The need for appropriate kit
2. The need for a bike that fits and doesn't crush any important nerves!!!! 

Pop 'New Start' into google images and this is the result

While in London i managed to go and see my friend Scherrit aka 'The Bike Whisper' so he could have a look at me on a bike, as we are similar sizes it was his bike. I don't want to knock 'the steed' but this thing was like sitting in a bubble bath by comparison. The long and short of it was as follows'

• Sportive Bike (more comfy than out and out racer)
• Baby front cog (a sportive bike should have but compulsory for a bigger rider)
• Effective top top length of 575mm

Based on my desire to be comfortable on this ride and during the training hand built in steel could well be the winning specification. Also on the kit front were speedplay pedals. These are generally rated as the best around and are as you'd expect more expensive but i think they are worth it and i'll explain why.

From previous sporting experience injuries have occurred from contact, accidents or fatigue. Injuries in cycling also occur from fatigue but more as a result of repetitive strain type injury. Think about it, you aren't performing large, multidirectional open chain movements but a small closed chain movement. But you are performing it hundreds of thousands if not millions of times, so if you have a series of small errors in your setup or restriction on how your body wants to move naturally then you likely won't be able to feel it but after several months and a couple hundred thousand cycles it could potentially spoil your training and competitions, cycling really is all about 'the aggregation of marginal gains'. So for my money hand made frame with speedplays.

Other Tips

• Top quality shorts (makes sense really)
• Splodge of cream between the legs before longer cycles
• Longer cycles to be performed at 80rpm (including hills) and below aerobic threshold approx = 180-age +5
• Come out of sadle for 20-30 seconds every 12 to 15 mins to give your bits a rest
• Don't let your knees drop out to the side at the top of each stroke

Day 99\ Time is slipping by....

It's the eve of 100 days since taking up the reigns for this challenge. Looking at my numbers the first 9 weeks i am overall very pleased with. The objective was really just to 'Get Back in The Habit'. The habit of structured exercised, the habit of recording and progressing my training, the habit of  writing a blog, putting messages on Twitter and Facebore. The last 4 weeks however have been garbage, illness, weather, facilities, dubai, illness. The main positive is the double bought of sickness has got my weight down to 100kg!!!

the sum total of the last 4 weeks

Need to sit down and work out more precisely I'm going to manage training through Jan & Feb along with the financial costs costs associated with this challenge. So far its cost me a pair of shorts and a set of lights and a pump but i don't think that's going to last for long.

Day 94\ What is a lurgy_flu_fever_thing anyway....

The last few days or so i've had the LURGY or something that was a bit like a cross between a flu, a fever, and a badly upset stomach which made me think what is it anyway, i think i know but do i really?

Bird Flu_much worse than what i had

I basically had the flu or influenza to give it its proper name. The virus infects your lungs and upper airways causing chills, fever, general aches and pains loss of appetite, nausea, headaches and even a dry cough. So excluding the cough i had the full hit.

The virus itself is a type of airbourne RNA virus that comes in 3 variations A,B & conveniently C. We catch from inconsiderate people sneezing and coughing and not catching or considerate people hwo just don't know they have kissing..........

The body has  a number of responses to deal with viruses, the first of which is inflammation which involves lots of things that attract white blood cells to start with, which engulf the virus and cause the release of stress proteins called cytokines. The inflammation then continues and fever starts to kick in. Fever (also known as pyrexia or controlled hyperthermia) is characterized by an elevation of temperature above the normal range of 36.5–37.5 °C (98–100 °F) due to an increase in the bodytemperature regulatory set-point.^[2] This increase in set-point triggers increased muscle tone and shivering. As a person's temperature increases, there is, in general, a feeling of cold despite an increasing body temperature. Once the new temperature is reached, there is a feeling of warmth. A fever is one of the body's immune responses that attempts to neutralize a bacterial or viral infection.

People with the flu are advised to get plenty of rest, drink plenty of liquids, avoid using alcohol and tobacco and, if necessary, take medications such as acetaminophen (paracetamol) to relieve the fever and muscle aches associated with the flu^[Medline]. I did right.


n.b. if you want to read the rest of the article that i didn't try and pretend was from wikipedia just go there

Day 93\ New programme.....

Right the new strength programme for the next few weeks is as follows

Movement Prep on the Plate followed by the following session


Exercise                   Reps                   Sets
Swimmer Pull            8                       2-3
Low Row                   8                       2-3 
Hip Press                  8                       2-3
Y & I Deltoid Flys     8                       2-3
Chest Press & Standing Roll Out     8(Alt. 16 total)       2-3
Atomic Push Up 1 Leg                     8  (ea)             2-3
Side Plank             5-10 (hold 10, rest 2 =1)         2-3
Body Saw to Pike         8                       2-3

Followed by abs & accupressure

Day 92\ Lurgified....

In a karmic week of payback, last weeks immense fun in Dubai has been paid back in full with being totally lurgified the last 4 days. It hasn't been pleasant. Managed two sessions last week, 40mins steady and on thursday my last activity 5x4min with 90s recovery. Practically another week of training lost, balls, and with heading back to the UK saturday i don't see me gaining much in the next couple of weeks....Objective has to be to get back to Italy weight Neutral!!!!!!!

The Dreaded Lurgy

Day 85\ Back on the wagon post Dubai....

Right had to get back on the bike today. The last two weeks training have been a complete load of spam. 2 weeks ago i struggled to get into it then some bad weather and my long awaited call up to go to the Dubai 7's which is absolutley brilliant. I wasn't quite sure what to expect if i'm honest but it exceeded everything. Met lots of old faces and some new old faces plus had the chance to play on no.1 pitch in front of 30,000 or so people. MAGIC. Would love to go back to without my sciatica and break into a jog when i'm playing. Didn't eat much drank far to much so got back on the bike today. 40mins at 143bpm. Good sweat on and not too taxing. Tidy.

can't quite believe i played here less than 48hrs ago