Great expectations

What a difference a week can make.........
I had previously drafted an update that dwelt on my poor diet and how depressed I had been with recent performances when training (even though I had only just tentatively started back). Only four days after the initial draft and my morose thoughts have lifted, causing me to delete in total my previous depressive ramblings and place more positive words in there place.

Have started to ride too and from work, its only a 14 mile round trip but with the longer lighter days I am hoping to take detours and extend this figure. I have had a couple of soakings already but as another Celtic Tri member mentioned last week, I cant predict what the weather will be like on the fateful day so I might as well train in all weathers to ensure that all bases are covered.

Last ride out was with two club members, Anthony and Hayley, after only 9 miles I felt totally smashed! Its really evident that I need to work on my power to weight ratio as every incline I had to work really hard in order to keep up with them. Subsequenly I decided not to climb over the major hill on the planned route and opted to do an undulating 30 mile TT. Not pleased with my lack of 'oomph' but pleased with the 17.9mph average speed.

My running is slowly getting there, been struggling to do 3 mile but my last run the day before yesterday was quite comfortable(ish). Going to do this run twice more and then start, if I am ready, to add distance on. Plan is to run at least 4 times a week, three short efforts followed by one long one.

At long last my wound is now healed enough to go swimming, even surprised myself by giving it an extra couple of days to ensure it was OK. It felt so good to be back in the pool this morning for my return swim, it was only 1400meters (Zoggs Predator goggles are the biz! Will review them properly after a couple more swims) and wanted to go further but as I plan do to quite a bit of swimming this week, did not want to trash  muscles that had not been used for a while.

So this is it, four weeks more recuperation than I thought but I am now able to do everything I had been doing prior to the operation, just not as quick or as long. Challenge is now not to go out there and do too much too soon while managing my personal expectations and continuing to push myself.

Getting back on track

Question, how can you go from running 6mile in under an hour to struggling to complete 3? Answer is, you have an operation and be 'immobilised' for 5, very frustrating weeks. Getting back into the swing has not been as bad as I though it would however and I know its a marathon and not a sprint. Pretty sure in fact that within a month I will be back to running 6mile easy.

One positive is that my cycling does not appear to have taken too much of a backward step, I can happily cover 30mile without pain or feeling as if I want to be sick. The latter is more down to me taking it easy and slowly building things back up, getting my 'sit bones' used to a race saddle again and not wanting to do something silly and risk the chance of more time off training. 

My previously reported open wound is now almost healed; hoping that it will be good enough for me to start swimming again by the weekend and am flirting with the idea of my come back swim being an open water one this Friday, I will not risk infection though if my wound is not healed fully.

Letters have been sent to prospective sponsors, will do my best to reward them with as much publicity as possible if positive results are achieved.

Thanks to those that read my blog and provide feedback in order for me to improve it.

Until next time............

Spike, his part in my downfall

Hi folks,

I have one hell of a cheeky grin on my face at the moment. Am I still pleased that Wales are Grand Slam winners again....yes but that's not it. Am I pleased that Jack my son is playing rugby really well and relishes tackling other kids, especially ones bigger than him?.......yes but that's not it either. Is it because I HAVE JUST HAD A RUN!!!!!! YEH BABY YEH!!!!

To run after four weeks off felt really good........ok, lets revisit that last sentence. To run after four weeks off was really hard. It hurt, it was not pretty, quick or long. I did however have the aforementioned cheesy grin for the whole two mile along the very scenic river path in Chippenham (Moved into digs today, which I stay in while at work)

My biggest worry was chaffing, I still have an open wound in the crotch and I did not want to do anything that would set my recovery back, especially as I know its very important that I get back on the bike as soon as possible. Pleased to report though that I did not do any damage at all. I will be still taking it easy though and easing myself back into things slowly.

During this last week I have once again discovered the delights of squashed, fermented, apple juice. I know this is not good, especially as my diet has not been the best. Some of this I put down to comfort eating, I just hope next time that I jump on the scales they don't scream at me that only one person should be stood on the scale at any one time.

I have discovered that there are only so many times that a person can ask themselves why do people go on the Jeremy Kyle show to be talked to like idiots, be belittled and highlight just what 'Numpties' there are out there. It does show where such a large amount of our taxes are going!!!

In order to avoid this car crash TV I have started reading all my old Triathlon mags, once most of these had been well thumbed I read 'Spike, an intimate memoir' by Norma Farnes. A book about the legendary Spike Milligan from the heart of the woman that started as a 'Temp' and eventually became his manager and most probably his best and most trusted friend.

If you have read any of Spike's books you will know just how funny they are. In reality though Spike, like so many other talented funny guys, was a troubled and tormented soul. Suffering greatly from bouts of depression he would often lock himself away for days and even spent time in institutions. A roller coaster ride of emotions its a fantastic read and very, very funny in parts.

Volunteered to marshall at the Mumbles Duathlon this weekend, good luck to all readers taking part, especially Amy and Andrew as its their first time doing such a thing.

Cake, flatulence and old man injuries!

Its been a good couple of days for training, a trip to the gym yesterday saw an hour on the spinning machine followed by a half hour run. A total of five Celtictri'ers in there at one stage meant there was no loafing, guaranteed that if I had one of them would have caught me and at the end of the day I would have only been cheating myself.

I have however a little confession and an apology to make. Before I do however a question; have you noticed that when there is a 'bad smell' in the Gym everyone looks at the fattest person within sniffing range? It is now that I should hold my hand up and say that it was I that was responsible for the foul smell. I was having such a good run that I did not want to stop, get off and go to the toilet and thought that no one would notice a sneaky 'love puff'. So, if you are over weight and were in the gym yesterday with loads of people looking at you in disgust, I am sorry :-/

Today's run with Paul my brother-in-law was a bag of mixed emotions. I have a circulatory problem in my legs and am due to go under the surgeons knife on the 28th February to rectify. The Nike running tights I have are a bit too tight around the ankles if the zip is pulled tight. This strangulation caused my left 'Cankle' to swell and the first corner I went around I experienced a sharp pain in that area and had to pull up. Leaving my running partner continue with his run I turned for home but after 100m of walking the pain subsided and I was able to run again. Like a game of Fox and Hounds I ran like the clappers (for me anyway!) for a mile and a half in a bid to catch up with Paul. I had him in my sights after Ten minutes but my lungs could not continue, the good ideas club held a quick meeting inside my head and decided I should take a short cut in a bid to meet him.

In hindsight the boggy field was not such a great idea and the 200 meter sprint through the Gipsy camp even less of one. I don't suppose its often that a middle aged, slightly overweight.........ok, ok, heavily overweight man in Lycra runs though Gipsy camp and the look of one female inhabitant suggested I could expect to have cats and curses hurled at me at any minute. It did however get my heart rate up and keep my pace at a high threshold. Just over 4 miles with a average pace of 9m 30s per mile, no pain in my knee and no back pain = Happy bunny.

Never been a big fan of cake, always preferred to eat takeaway as a treat after a good workout but I realise that this is wrong. Mothers home made fruit cake topped with almonds was just the boy after today's run, washed down with a strong coffee, problem is trying to stop my youngest son from eating it all.

Not lost any weight this week, can't say that I am depressed though as it is the first time in 7 weeks that I have not (Taking protein in the form of KFC and eating half my body weight in Chinese does not help). My logic is that if you lose weight every week then the body will suffer, after all, we all need something bad in our lives to keep us going, life would be pretty boring otherwise eh!