Sunday, 6 March 2016

Diverting from plan

What I am really enjoying is having a plan to follow and a coach holding me accountable for the results.  Writing the weekly blog also helps because I know I have you to answer too as well.  It keeps me going when on a long mind numbing session that I can think about how to convey those feelings in my blog as I want you to share in my journey.
I've trained before without a plan and you don't get the same results.  It's too easy to skip a session and if there are no measurements then there are no penalties right?  Absolutely not.  Having the measurement means you know what you are aiming for and how you are progressing.  My ultimate target may be 118 days away but every session counts.  However there are times when you have to divert from your plan and sometimes it's a difficult choice to make.
I had a morning and evening session on Tuesday but due to other commitments I swapped the evening turbo session for a run.  The following day I went to complete the turbo session from the day before.  After my first hard effort in the main set my heart rate shot through the roof, way over my maximum.  At first I thought it was my garmin malfunctioning but I felt my heart thumping on my chest so I slowed my pedalling down to recover.  2 minutes later there was no difference so I stopped and the high heart rate continued.  I binned the session as a precaution and it was only after a further 5 minutes when I lay down that my heart rate settled.
On instruction from my coach I took my resting heart rate in the morning and it was 49 which I was pleased with.  Went a steady10k run, no problems.  But when I got in at 8.30pm and hadn't had any dinner I decided to move my 1.5 hour turbo session to the folling day.
Friday came, resting heart rate 50, and I did a 3k swim.  That night I lasted 12 mins on the turbo trainer.  I couldn't get my heart rate up high enough and my legs were screaming.  So reluctantly I took the decision to bin the session and live to fight another day as I had a 4 hour bike ride scheduled for Saturday.
Saturday was cold, light wind and sunny blue sky.  96 km of brilliant riding with my heart and legs behaving themselves.  Sometimes you have to "listen to your body" and devert from your plan while keeping the goal in mind.  I'm putting the heart rate down to a heavy work load and heavy training schedule.  I will be paying close attention to it but after a days rest today, I feel good.