The curse continues

I knew I could only get 2 swims in this week because I was out seeing a client in one of my usual day time slots and my back up session Friday was a no go because of a swim meet. So I wasn't to down about it especially as I had swum really in the sessions I had done.

Came to do my strength session on the bike and turbo wednesday night, all was going well, then I punctured. This happens sometimes and I just accepted fixed the puncture and put it back on my bike. Friday I was putting my bike back on the turbo for training that might, and I accidently knocked the fans on the turbo and snapped one off. My turbo is a 17year windtrainer and although I've tried 2 others I just like the feel and load and the way it forces me into good circles. It has also been repaired by a plastic welder because I can't get parts for it. I glued the broken bit with a super strong glue, it looked as good as new. I left my bike at the sideof it went away and then heard a crash, Cameron had fiddled with it and the bike had crashed on top of it almost destroying one of the fans. I was very angry. I had no option but to carry on using it now until I can no longer use it.

Friday evening I was really enjoying my session and then it happened again , PUNCTURE!!!! I went and bought a new inner tube. But it means I have to do a bit of cycling on Saturday my normal day off, my Saturday is already because I have to go to see a client this afternoon because she doesn't have an internet connection in her shop so I have to show her how to use her website at her house. You wouldn't think this is a problem but it is an online shop for existing baby stuff shop. I have advised her that I don't think she is going to be able to do it successfully without the connection in her shop.

I can only advise and as long as I have done everything I can, I just accept payment and she has to do the rest.

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

Does someone have it in for me...

I enjoyed my first full week of training last week, the first full week in about 4 or 5 weeks. I was also looking forward to this week. Swimmimg was going great I've started doing some of my swimming without the fistgloves with a band around my ankles. I have done this before but stopped in favour of the fistgloves, the band also serves to improve body position and catch/pull because if they are not right your legs sink rather than float. But I am now doing them after I have done 1200m with fistgloves. On Monday I did 2x150 and it was amazing how easy it was, The other challenge is swimming with fistgloves and no kick has a similar effect to band.

Anyway I woke up in the middle of the night on Wednesday in absolute agony I have no idea why but the leftside of my neck and back are locked up in pain. I was teaching in Teresa's class Wednesday and Thursday having a great time but on Thursday everytime I laughed with the children I was in agony and that made them laugh more, which made me laugh more. Apart from the pain I was in it was teaching and learning how it should be - a lot fun.

I did manage to cycle on the turbo last night because you need to keep your upper body still, running this morning was out of the question and probably swimming tonight although I might go and just flop(a term from Chuckie V - see his blog great read) and try and loosen it up.
Got to go and read to Cameron and warm my homemade soup up ready for lunch.

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Weekly training 18-24 August

Weekly Training
Swim	3 sessions with fist gloves. Alternating 200's and 100's making me concentrate on stroke. Alternating adding shorter stuff now in fistgloves with no legs (held together -try it and see) and no fistgloves with band around legs. Aiming to be able to swim with the band and fistgloves (again try it).	4300
Bike	2x60min McCormack style intervals I've dropped down gears to concentrate on increasing my cadence to above 90- the problem I found is that I often found myself without a gear that suited the cadence and hr I needed to be in , often the gear was too high or low. So I am warming up and they see what gear I can sustain. Again I used to this before the hr monitor. 1x42.5min strength on trainer trying to do 40+cadence in 53-12 whilst keeping hr as low as possible around 130.	35.57miles
Run	3x4mile despite feeliing like I am plodding (running as I feel )times are getting quicker	12miles

Don't let the amount of miles fool you into thinking I'm not doing much. Technique , aerobic efficiency, bike position are the best investment I can make to go quicker.

Weekly core Training
Swim cords	2 sessions Building specific strength - 10 on each arm twice with the cords even tighter
Back	2 sessions
Abs	2 sessions 8 different exercises based on crunches and leg lifts
Weights	2 sessions with dumbbells
Push ups	2 sessions - some moving side to side and Hindu push ups
Stretching	6 sessions

This was my first full week of training for about a month due to illnesshopefully as we move into spring I will avoid anymore colds.
I'm still not sure if I'll be racing the local sprints this summer because of boredom but at lot of it is my swim - what if my swimming is still rubbish after all the work and my biggest problem getting to train in open water. I feel it would be easier to hideaway until the following season when I can afford to travel to a race elsewhere and try out my swimming away from my local tri scene.

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

Am I sick again or am I still sick???

I have a sinus cold. I feel like the left side of my head is dead. I'm getting better but I have very little to say.

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

We survive birthday party

I forgot to mention midweek that I was off training. Trained in all 3 disciplines Tuesday as normal but didn't feel very well, feeling really tired especially in the shoulders and some symptoms of a cold. Both children are unwell and I had spent the previous weekend cutting /pruning some of our trees to provide some of next years fire wood.

The birthday party: Teresa and I are both teachers and have plenty of experience of handling lager amounts of children classes of over 30 and sometimes much larger groups and yet we were caught out on Saturday. There is nothing quite like a storm of 6year old girls in party mood especially when they have had 3 parties on successive weekends.

In the post party analysis and reflection we concluded that:

1. They were high before they got here


2. They wanted a sugar fix


3. The girls all know Teresa and I because we teach at their school- so they were familiar and not intimidated by meeting Emily's parents.
   
4. But the most important point was that 5 of the girls arrived together

This was significant because poor Emily got hit with 5 presents all at once and while she was dealing with one gift the girls lost interest and started getting their fingers into everything.

My initial reaction was to do what I would do as a teacher and get them all sitting down and quiet ready to listen but I held back because I didn't want to be overly strict because I thought Teresa would tell me off. As it happens Teresa wished I had because she realised that what was needed. We fianlly regrouped and got them busy doing games and eating and towards the end it started going as planned just in time for the parents to come and get them.

This is Emily's first party as a school girl and there will be many more parties and lessons have been learnt at this one. On a positive note the road was usable and the weather stayed fine so they could let off steam in the garden.

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