Thursday 26 March 2009

New turbo trainer

I needed a new turbo trainer for my bike, Cameron destroyed the fan on my old one and Teresa wanted hers back to ride her bike on. I bought a gravity version of Teresa's it relies on the weight of the rider to make contact with the rear roller rather the pushing it on the bike wheel by turning a knob. It isn't the one I wanted but at the third of the price it is the one I could afford and hopefully I 'll get as much use out of this one as I did my old one - 16 years.

I'll put a photo up soon. There was only one hitch, I was quickly putting it together last night so I could use it, only to find to screws are missing so I'm going to have to go back to the bike shop.

Join the movement and we'll start a revolution - stop all unnecessary shopping - seperate your needs from your wants.

Tuesday 24 March 2009

Weekly traing 16Mar-22Mar

The gradual return to training continues.
Swim
500m swim +600m =1100m all with band around ankles and balls held in hands (B+B)
Bike
2 11minsessions on trainer= 5miles
Run
1mile run to test leg - it's is improving


Join the movement and we'll start a revolution - stop all unnecessary shopping - seperate your needs from your wants.

Wednesday 18 March 2009

Pub Night In

The only thing I really miss about the UK (excluding family) is Real Ale Pubs and cask conditioned bottled beer (we can get the latter but it is expensive). Teresa and I have had some great times in some great pubs with some great beer.

The problem is we enjoyed it most in a period when I wasn't training much because of my arthritis , it sort of filled the gap.

Anyway I had planned a sort of pub night in for myself with 3 bottles(pint bottles) of cask conditioned ale only around 5% in strength, not the usual where I go for the strongest, and lots of nibbles.


I have had a couple of these nights in the last few weeks during my break from training with Teresa and 2 bottles but tonight this is just me hangigng loose.

Teresa is away for the week at school camp with her class (she is in charge for the first time and the new teacher(she is mentoring) and her class). This is not the first time she's been away leaving me and the children and especially as I've been a stay home dad for over six years, I've always been the cook but I still have to put up with the usual boring, lame comments from women, from parents of Emily's friends, Terasa's colleagues, etc I can't do any training in the morning because I am taking the children to visit Teresa at camp. So I can indulge and not have to worry about feeling a bit rough in the morning.

Even though I am returning to training I am only easing myself into it very gradually because of my knew routines.

My eagerly anticipated almost never happened. It is my own compulsive nature, even though I have planned it for weeks Teresa thinks its fine, that almost stopped me. Fear of gaining weight, fear of spending the money (and its not as if we can't afford and occasional indulgence - our only debt is the mortgage and it will be gone by November). I spent $25NZ on myself, it was a real struggle because many times I have been at the same stage and pulled the plug. It isn't the only time - when Teresa and I would go out I would suggest an ice cream or cake and when it came time to buy I would say I didn't want it much to Teresa's annoyance because she would then feel guilty for having one herself.

Fear of gaining weight, fear of spending the money. These are the same reasons I have had to overcome during the last few weeks but I would add Fear of losing fitness even though I know that all training theory stipulates fitness gains can only come after recovery and having a break from training is good for physical and mental health.

So I am going to enjoy tonight, I've the beer, bought the nibbles but I didn't get the dvd rental I had planned to get . 2 out of 3 ain't bad.

Finally my brother William in South Africa may read this ... but if you do Hi from me and don't expect great writing it is mostly me emptying my head so I can free up space;-)

Join the movement and we'll start a revolution - stop all unnecessary shopping - seperate your needs from your wants.

Monday 16 March 2009

Weekly traing 9Mar-15Mar

I swam 500m (10x50), 10min on turbo trainer 3miles and ran a very nervous half mile. I could still feel the in the side of my left calf slightly, I ran so carefully I was stiff the next day. This was on top of the stiffness from playing a bit of cricket with some of th boys at school on Wednesday. I was bowling and the action is quite violent when you are not used to it, which I'm not.

Join the movement and we'll start a revolution - stop all unnecessary shopping - seperate your needs from your wants.

Friday 13 March 2009

Correction

In my last post I accidently put 'do need to buy a wetsuit...' it was supposed to be 'do NOT need to buy a wetsuit...'

Join the movement and we'll start a revolution - stop all unnecessary shopping - seperate your needs from your wants.

Wednesday 11 March 2009

Reflections on the last 12months of training

I've moved on from finding it hard not to train and forcing myself to have a few extra beers. I am now enjoying those beers and the extra time not training allows me. But I have had 4weeks completely off time to ease myself gently back into it with one run, bike and swim this week.

Here are the things I did well in the last 12 months in regard to training.

  • life balance - family, training, work

  • recovery - children sleeping better= more sleep

  • consistant training - very

  • nutrition - more real food, even less takeaway food(very low already), primal blueprint

  • nutrition - less work at school more time for preparing proper meals and growing more food

  • less stress - by dropping day to day relieving

  • less stress - by doing less relieving

  • less stress - by deciding that I do NOT need to buy a new wetsuit or bike bits because less money needed, means less work required, more cosistant training +more recovery+ more family time+happier=go faster than buying expensive gear




The plan for 2009 is to slightly increase training volume and keep working on my swimmimg. To run at 9am (no more 5am runs) because Cameron is at morning kindergarten. Swim at 9am alternate days to run, bike still trainer sessions Wednesday and Friday evenings and Sundays. Easy weeks will come in the weeks I do relieving, which should in terms2,3,4 be only 4days a term and I will miss what ever 9am session is planned.

This is the flexibility I've been working towards and not buying new gear helps it happpen. 2010 next year when Cameron goes to school will be the achievement it should be even better.

Join the movement and we'll start a revolution - stop all unnecessary shopping - seperate your needs from your wants.