Winter training starts here

I had Monday off of training in preference to a decent session on Tuesday, which had been the result of a difficult choice between going out with the guys from Attenda at work in Cheltenham on  a Christmas drinking binge and 2x300 plus sprint work. Not sure what I was thinking really, but I went training and enjoyed the session. 53 and 51 were the fastest reps for some time although I ended up "bearly" able to stand, and breathe at the same time and my heart rate was that of a hummingbird. Ten minutes recuperation was fully required if the sprint work was to take place, I did 4x30m followed by 4x40m with all the style of a flapping turkey, might have been quick on the first couple but I ain't winning any prizes waddling down the track like that.

Woke up Wednesday and discovered a fresh layer of cement had set in the lower legs, in  anticipation of this I'd already booked Thursday's Physiotherapy treatment, though I was not looking forward to the accompanying pain.  I'd also arranged a dentist appointment the same morning, get all the suffering out of the way in one day was the idea, and  try not to ruin my Christmas lunch, well a glass of Oban certainly helped me get past midday.

Thursday evening and true to form, Josie found more things wrong than right, I happily added to the teeth marks left by previous occupants of the torture bench as she explained which muscles were the issue whilst seemingly inserting her thumbs inside my legs., But then as I don't speak Latin, a lot of the science was lost on me, the manipulation was not. All I know is I have a new stretching exercise to combat a problem in the Glutes that I was totally unaware of. Seems the wife was right all along - I am a pain in the butt.

Friday's ride to work felt much like I'd been training, though I did get a thorough work out riding home thanks to the second gales of the week and the Severn bridge. Anyway two days recovery before the next session, that's if you discount Christmas shopping as a workout.

Sunday's session was indoors at the wonderful NIAC track, which was just as well because we were being buffeted by a hail storm at the time. I started off by proving I have completely forgotten how to do long jump and my hurdling has turned into badly choreographed jumping, at least I stayed upright. I was fairly disappointed with the block starts, I kept nose diving out of the blocks and barely managed to stay on my feet, much to my daughter's amusement. I decided rest was required and so went and did some coaching instead, we finished our training just after one o'clock and sure enough by late afternoon I'd lost the ability to stand up, which was mildly inconvenient due to the Christmas preparations. The wife was not impressed.

Happy Christmas anyway.

The return of the fridge

The weekend ended well and  spirits were rising, but we all know what that means, I woke Monday morning in time for my daily trek to Cheltenham to discover someone had poured cement into my legs, this made the ride north via the M4 & M5 traffic queues a little uncomfortable. Thankfully this was scheduled as a recovery day, so I survived through to Tuesday. Woke early Tuesday feeling like crap, the cement had set and reached the brain, so I had to forgo the bike and suffer the West Country's traffic in the car. I did manage to recover in time for the evening session, and 3x300m in 56 was, rather remarkably, completed. First one is always easy so bang on target, second was 2 seconds under, but the 3rd was 1 second over. Surprisingly, I could still stand on two wobbly legs after a quick scan of the paint work at the 100m start. I did a proper warm down as my coaching course suggested, first time I suspect, in 38 years. I ended the day with a cold bath in the hope to avoid contracting concrete calf muscles

Wednesday found me back on the bike, with movable legs. Can't say I enjoyed the day as UCAS, where I work, confirmed it was outsourcing the IT department to Bangalore next year, so I'll probably become a full time athlete sometime in the new year. That'll affect the training, so lets hope the current rehab completes successfully. Welsh Masters also confirmed they are taking part in the Indoor Inter-Area at Lee Valley so that and the impending Welsh Masters Championships in January rather focused the attention on the speed work, or my lack of.

To put this to rights, Thursday's session was scheduled to be 4x200 plus 6x60m, but as I mentioned before the cement had reached as far as the brain. Sherlock here turned up at the track without any spikes, and the Welsh weather had managed to deliver the rain early, so the was no chance of sprinting in flats. So I changed the session to 3x600m. Baring in mind I was getting heavier as the evening rained on, the times started badly and ended up in the fridge, times went from 2:24 to 2:34 and ended up at 2:41 with a wheezing display at the 200 start drawing the usual helpful and supportive comments from my shot coach nearby.

Two days "recovery" followed, which predictably included hours of Christmas shopping. Smart Alec here thought he'd cracked it this year, fool! I'd collated everyone's Christmas lists into  a single word document and put it on the SkyDive, thinking I can open it anywhere. Well I got to Cardiff's St. Davids II and guess what, couldn't get a good enough signal to access SkyDrive inside. I had to keep nipping out into the rain to see what to get next, somewhat negated the hole indoor shopping experience.

We went to see the Hobbit - Desolation of Smaug on Sunday, three hours of entertaining rest before doing 1Km road reps. Sadly I wasn't quite up to it, first one was OK if you enjoy running in torrential rain that is. I got so bad on the second I almost tripped over a fridge carelessly left in my way by some bear. Can't remember ever running that slowly, but I have been wetter - just. I need a single malt!

The road to recovery

We spent the Saturday in Southampton, checking out the Southampton Solent University for my daughter, she's been offered a place if she can score 240 UCAS points in her B-Tech this year. Currently she's aiming at 360 so it looks like we'll get shot of her next year then. We did the obligatory 3 hours shopping after 'walking the wall' despite there not being much of the medieval wall left between shops at West Quay and the car parks. It was a chilly day for a walk and I was  missing the drinks cabinet, so I was somewhat glad to get home and be reunited with the Balvenie.
Sunday it all became a bit real and panic set in briefly before the excitement returned. I did warn her that I knew one or two dodgy characters from Southampton AC so she could fit in training easy enough with the 4-5 hours of lectures a week.

Monday was Monday, it started with the dentist and it ended badly with the Balvenie running out, so there was a great howling and gnashing of teeth. I resolved to do a couple of  1000m runs on Tuesday despite the cold and being knackered from the 125mile round trip to work at UCAS in Cheltenham. So Tuesday came round and and I did "run" a couple of 1K  runs, such a shock to the system that  I had to fall back onto the Penderyn, butterscotch and fruit cake to the rescue.

Wednesday dawned with a surprising absence of stiffness, though I did struggle a bit with cramp in my foot riding home from work. So the next day's training session, planned to be a mere 3x300m, would probably require a little more than just Coca-Cola in terms of hydration, so I dreamt up a mixture of Blackcurrant squash and Indian Tonic Water. Tasted disgusting without the gin.

I need not have bothered, Thursday I decided to have a two day migraine so training was the last thing on my mind.

Sunday I resumed the newly re-arranged training  schedule in the form of  4x200m indoors, felt good to run on the boards once more, and turn in some decent reps too (34,34,33,34)  before collapsing in a heap dreaming of whisky and hot baths.