Saturday 29 March 2008

Active recovery and spare time

I officially finished training for 2007/2008 season and although I only raced once I still trained hard and my body and brain needed a break.

I was looking back at the training diaries from my best patch of racing olympic distance. What I figured out was what I already new I trained easier, more consistantly and different have formal rest weeks they just happened when I felt I needed them or events beyond my control.

The other thing I never had any time completely off because my mind needed to know that I was still doing something so I wouldn't fret (Iam a compulsive person). So I keep doing tiny bits and just increase it slightly each week, so I am getting active recovery with plenty of days off. I started just
running 1 mile last week, this week I will do a 1 mile and a 2mile run
Bike I started with a 10min and a 15min trainer ride
You get the idea
What have I been doing instead, digging up old bricks from the garden (from a previous owner) and edging the veggie garden, filled on the holes with compost, tidying the compost area and giving it an edge. Planting more berry plants, harvesting walnuts.

Doing loads of reading mostly blogs / websites on personal finance (growing wealth slowly), organic gardening, living simply and frugally, living free in New York (Freegans), keeping chickens/ rescuing battery hens (we are planning on getting some and I have been pricing wood and drawing plans to make their home), trying out new recipes and triathlon until I couldn't face anymore.

In my next post I plan to put up a list and add them to the links on my page. I also plan to post photos of the garden.

Work wise one of my clints has left me hanging with an ecommerce I can't use, the swimming club is still deciding on designs and it still hasn't gone to committee. So paying work is slow but I am using the time productively redesigning a clients content management system making it much more usable.

Emily is progressing rapidly with her swimming and Cameron is still improving riding his trike to kindergarten. I can't wait for him to ride his proper bike(with training wheel) at the moment he can manage two pedals and then starts spinning backwards. I think I expect a lot he is only 3yrs and 2 months.

Till next time.

Sunday 16 March 2008

Cars get some more..

I read on various blogs and websites of the death of Kristy Gough and a fellow cyclist by a car and it saddens me. Every time I hear this type of news I feels a little of me goes with them, whilst we are not all fast we are kindred spirits.

Cameron had hi first haircut by a paid professional this week. It comes after his mother attacked his hair and gave him the mother of all bowl cuts.

I have decided that my aerobic efficiency sucks (This again is the result of doing only sprints since my return to the sport.)so I have lowered all my training heartrates and gone back to the consistant steady training that brought me to a reasonable standard 12 years ago and I feel better for it although it means slower longer rides.

Keep safe on the roads, never get complacent when it comes to other road users/misusers.

Sunday 9 March 2008

Busy week and feeling rested

I had about 7 days off and I feel normal again. The really wanting to train itch started and I ignored as long as possible. First session was on the turbo Thursday, my heartrate came up fine. I had already decided to lower my heartrate training zone for my mid week rides I was just doing them too hard. I looked back in my training diary to a more consistant part of the year and really looked at the differences betewwn then and now. Swam friday as if I had never been out of the pool, surely this is a sign of better technique, I missed 3 swims and that used to mean a lousy week of swimming until I got what I thought was the magical feel for the water. Ran 4 miles yesterday slow but thats ok. I am doing 30miles on the bike this morning. I have a slighty sore left heel I think it maybe time to replace my running shoes (I have 2 new pairs) or was it caused as a result of my sore right hip and I was compensating for it by running funny on my left heel.


Other stuff Teresa was at school camp4 days this week, taught in school Wednesday and kept Emily out of school Thursday so we could visit Teresa on camp. I had trouble sleeping , might be connected. Children were in bed early most nights so had a lot of time too myself although because I wasn't training I filled the time with bad tv and experimenting with fruit smoothies. At least it was healthy food and it won't happen again. Last Sunday I weighed 73.2kg my lowest weight for years (these last few months are the first time I've weighed myself) Ilooking in the mirrir comparing old photos. This morning 75.8kg shows what a week of bored eating will do. I want to keep it under 75kg and next summer I want to race at 70kg. I'm not doing anything special just normal healthy diet and lots of training.

Monday 3 March 2008

The hardest part of training

This is it the hardest bit TAKING A REST. I have known for the last few weeks this was coming I'm just really tired. I stopped enjoying my weekend rides, legs tired on the bike all the time and I couldn't get my heart rate up. Running wasn't so bad as I was running as I felt. Swimming was okay because I am drilling in fistgloves.

It is a combination of lots of things. Good consistant , training , Cameron starting Kindergarten and me walking him there and back, starting up swim cords on days I'm not in the pool.

I still want to train, I still miss training even though I only decided last Thursday to take a few days off (the weekend was my birthday 1 Mar I was 41) we went out for a great lunch and I was spoilt by the family and Ironman New Zealand was under way 2hours from here with friends taking part.

Today Monday I decided to take off the whole week. Even though I know the rest is good for me and I will get stronger because of it when you are addicted to training as so many of us are, I just can't help the old anxieties coming back. I'm at my fittest, lowest weight since my return to triathlon for about 11 years my resting heartrate is around the 32 mark (I seem to remember that years ago I had a 27 which stayed in mind because it was the same as Miguel Indurain). And I don't want to lose it and even though I know in a week I won't.

It is actually not a bad week to have off because Teresa is off on school camp Tuesday-Friday. I've got website designs to finish and submit to a client, a new prospective client coming round , I am teaching Wednesday and taking the children to visit Teresa on camp on Thursday.

Cameron (3yrs and a month) pedalled all the way to kindergarten on his trike today he was smiling and shouting fun all the way despite the rain. I have high hopes that he will become a pro cyclist or triathlete and I'll get to live vicariously through him and carry his bags.