Enough of lying around!

I forced myself out of bed at 6.30am this morning.  After almost 3 weeks of long lies I needed to break the bad habit.  I managed 30 minutes on the turbo trainer and my heart rate was ok considering.  Didn't cough too much but my chest isn't 100% yet.  However the bad habit has been broken and the new one established.  Now to keep building it up to get back on target.  Thanks to everyone for their support during this blip in my training schedule.

Slow start

I had my first nights uninterupted sleep last night with no coughing.  Feeling good I decided to have a light turbo training session on the bike.  I aimed for 1 hour at an easy pace.  10 minutes later I got off the bike coughing with a pain in my back, probably some rubbish left in my lung.  You have to make a start and that's what I've done but I don't think I'll be doing much until the course of antibiotics is finished.  At this stage Lanzarote is looking more like a holiday but I still intend to achieve the main objective of going round the 112 mile IM course.

Road to recovery

This weekend I will start on my road to recovery with some light turbo training on the bike.  I've been advised that if I start coughing then I should stop.  I may stay out the pool until later on in the week as having a coughing fit may encourage drowning!  My target is to be ok for Lanzarote in 2 weeks time.  I know I won't be in full fitness but by the time I get back I will be a long way down the road.  My main objective is to go round the 112 mile Ironman course to see what I will be covering in May 2012.
In the meantime Neil is making great progress.  His assistant coach Maz tells me he did 14 lengths of the pool  on Wednesday with only two short breaks - that's unbelievable.  He may have been completely knackered afterwards but it shows what you can achieve when you want to.  I'll catch up with him next week and see how his power walking is progressing.  He will be getting a static bike in the next two weeks which will be the start of his bike training.  He's a man on a mission!

The Velodrome opens

Today the Velodrome opens signalling that we are on track for the London Olympics 2012.  At the weekend the cyclists won a number of medals in Manchester but when you got behind the "psycho babble" coming from the athletes I got the feeling they had not performed quite at their best.  But they are on track for 2012 and sometime disappointment can be the best motivator!  A good lesson for us "weekend warriors" which is we can't always be at the top of our game and we need to peak at the right times.  While I can't train at the moment it doesn't mean I won't be working on the mental side of my preparation - you should know me better than that!

The recovery starts

Back at work today, for half a day any way.  The advice is to break myself in slowly and I intend to take the advice.  Training won't start until I get rid of this cough that has been so bad that I've been confined to the spare bedroom and yesterday pulled a muscle in my back while coughing!  On the bright side the weight loss (like I need it!) and the constant coughing are starting to improve the visibility of a six pack!  Every cloud has a silver lining as they say.

Made my day

Still in my sick bed but you really don't want to hear about that.  I was concerned that Neil would be missing his coach and putting his feet up eating some machos! How wrong I was.  He has continued with his programme, assisted by his wife Maz, and has doubted the length he can do before taking a rest in the pool - that's significant progress.  More power walking this weekend planned though he'll have to wrap up looking at the forecast.  What this proves is that if you have the desire to tackle a challenge, you will make sure you do what is necessary to achieve it.  Well done Neil it brought a smile to my face this morning before I started coughing.........Keep it going you'll start to feel the benefits.

Flu jab essential

I never want to repeat the last 4 days.  Watching time go by slowly, feeling horrendous and that's just because I'm on my tenth episode of The Sweeney - daytime telly sucks!  But it does make you appreciate the small things in life like getting to the top of the stairs and not being out of breath.  I will remain off work till Monday as this really has taken a lot out of me and will rebuild the fitness levels starting slowly next week.  Like all aspects of life, set backs happen it's how you pick yourself up and get back on track that matters!  Thanks for the support while I've been ill.  Next year I'll be getting a flu jab.

Enforced rest

I feel worse than if I'd just done an Ironman - I won't bore you with the symptoms but I am going to make sure that when I am back to full fitness I am not going to take it for granted.  At least it's just a chest infection and not lying in a ward some where battling something serious.  Normal service should be restored in the next few days I hope.

Man down

The lurgy got me.  Chest cold which as all me will know could be very serious and is probably going to develop into "man flu".  Therefore all training suspended over the weekend which is really upsetting because it will knock my fitness levels back having just got them to a good level.  Could be worse, it could be just before an event.   That's why the first objective in any training like this is to get to the start line fit and injury free.  I'll leave it to Neil to take up the batton over the weekend with some training - progress report to follow.

AWOL

So I've been AWOL.  One email suggested that I missed my blog yesterday because I might have a hangover - very perseptive.  Yes I was away at a conference at the Belfry and yes it was an exceptionally long day, night and early morning.  I "trained" hard with all the other "corporate athletes"  seeing who could last the pace.  It was tough, but not as tough as getting up for an early morning meeting!  Just got back this afternoon and think I'll write today off as a rest day!  Back at it tomorrow in between kids football, horse riding and other domestic tasks - that's assuming this tickly cough I've picked up doesn't develop into something nasty.  Keep the posts coming for Neil - fantastic encouragement all round thanks.

OMG

Oh my god!  That's all I can say about tonights swim session.  The hardest of my short tri career.  While it was "only" 2,600 m it was intervals e.g. 200m within a certain time and then 4 x 25 m within a short time - this was repeated 3 times.  This was repeated in various guises.  The thought going through my head as I crawled through the water was just keep it going, ignore your lungs that are screaming to give up or the cramp that's starting in the arch of my feet and works its way into my calves.  But I made it.
And Neil was starting his power walking with his biggest supporter, his wife Maz.  Both were out pounding the streets in the rain - he's got the bug.  The great thing about having a stretching goal is that it makes the effort worthwhile.  Also the ATHelite tri club are right behind him.  The swim coach wants to help and I have also been offered a bike for Neil to use.  That's one of the great things about the sport of triathlon, the people.  No matter what standard you are if your willing to try then they will do everything to help.

The BIG announcement

It gives me immense pleasure to inform you that Mr Baldy (remember him from last year?), now to be known as Neil, who bravely battled cancer for his 2nd time last year has stuck to his word and 5 minutes ago entered his first Novice Triathlon on 5th June.  To put this in context, last year we almost lost Neil as he contracted pneumonia when his immune system was shot to pieces.  This is when I suggested the challenge to him - it gave him something to think about other than needles and drugs.
Neil's idea of fitness is going to the bowls or the football - to watch.  He hasn't swam since he was a kid or cycled for that matter and the last time he ran it was because he had "the trots".  So last night we went for his first training session in the pool, after his doctor had approved.  Neil's arms were sore after 50m but we took it easy and by the end he had even attempted front crawl.  This is quite a challenge and those that know him are in complete disbelief when he says he is going to swim 400m, cycle 13km and run 2.5km.  This is making him all the more determined.  Your support for Neil would be greatly appreciated.  All you need to do is post a comment giving encouragement on this blog (just open a google account it's easy).  Neil's too modest to have his own blog, although I wish he would, so I'll keep you informed on how he's doing.  This is an inspirational story - come on Neil!

Ice station zebra

The plan today was to run 13km and take a minute off my time.  I started off at 6.45am with my tourch and the first thing I noticed was the "furry" pavements otherwise known as frost.  However when I got out onto the country B roads we were now talking sheets of ice and a change of plan was required otherwise I was going to take fall.  So I decided to pick up the pace, where I could with the ice, and run a fast 8km which was fun.  Sometime you have to change your plans to take account of the conditions but it doesn't stop you achieving a goal, perhaps a different one from the original goal but still one step closer to the overall objective.

Marathon marathon man!!!!

I constantly talk to people about anything is possible if you put your mind to it.  People keep smiling nicely as though I'm 2 sandwiches short of a picnic but wait to you read the story in todays news (click the link)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12375646 .
365 marathons in 365 days with an average time of 4hrs - respect to THE MAN.  But it does go to show that anything is possible.  So I have a question for you.  Did you make a new year resolution or even set yourself a target?  I hope your still on track and if not, why not revisit the resolution / goal and get back on the case!  Have fun.

Boy racer!

Cycling is dangerous - fact.  Today I went out and repeated a hill climb I had done 2 weeks ago and almost got wiped out by a boy racer in a subaru impreza.  He decided to see how close he could get to my bike despite having the whole road himself!  2 Jack Russells also had a go but fortunately they were on a lead.  The roads were rutted and following my comments yesterday, it was pouring with rain so I was fully aware of being alive.  Despite all of this I improved on my time substantially, had a higher speed (obviously) and had a lower heart rate - now that's what I call progress.  Watch out Mr Subaru, I've got your number!

Smell the roses

Today was an extra "rest" day as I was in charge of the kids, if that's possible.  I also had a funeral to attend and although these are usually sad occasions, this was a celebration of a colourful and successful life in all ways.  A fiddle orchestra played at the service and I've never tapped my feet before at a funeral or wanted to clap - that's the way to go, have a shindig!  But it also made me realise that we should enjoy every day and take time to smell the roses.  So when the hailstones are smashing into your face and your feet are like blocks of ice on the bike, just be grateful you are fit enough to be taking part in life.  Enjoy every moment.

If it sounds too good to be true....

...it usually is.  The swim warm up was cut to 300m this morning.  Great I thought.  WRONG.  We then did 3 x 1,000m.  Sounds worse than it was as it lets you get into a rhythm but it was still a challenge mentally.  Lots of stretching required with the shoulders as they were starting to protest as I tried to put my jacket on.  Watch out for my blog next Wednesday as there is a BIG ANNOUNCEMENT coming up!

Blown away

Well the plans for today changed due to the weather and a sports massage.  The weather was headline news and I was pleased to see that common sense took over for the tri club and they cancelled the group run.  Trees were being blown down and a lorry overturned in my town so perhaps a sensible move.  However I had forgotten I had an appointment with Grant for a sports massage.  As I am not training at ironman level currently I thought it wouldn't be too bad - think again.  Aaaaaaaaaagggggggggggooooooonnnnnnyyyyyyyyy!  Having a tree fall on me would have caused less pain but it's an essential part of the training making sure the muscles in your legs are not knotted.  I just need to keep stretching and go back and see him on a regular basis.  Can't wait!

Double dip

..no not the recession.  This morning I had a lesson from a friend of mine who swam for Canada.  He summed up my swimming after 2 lengths - stiff!  In 20 minutes I had a few tips to go away and work on.  I didn't have to wait long to put them into practice.  Tonight was a group training session where we covered 2,200m.  Perhaps it was my imagination but I thought the tips had paid off.  Also a month ago this distance would have been hard but following the 3,000m on Monday it was "comfortable" - can't say easy in case my coach reads it and hammers me!
Running tomorrow with the group which will be my first group run in 2 months - can't wait as this is my chance to shine while some of the good swimmers will find in more difficult.  This isn't me being competitive, just enjoying playing to my strength.

Western v Eastern thinking

Long lie this morning and boy did I need it!  This is my official rest day to allow my body to recover and it gives me time to think.  In the west we are taught to work on our strengths but in the east they work on their weaknesses.  A good example of this is when I studied Karate and we were always encouraged to work on our weaknesses based on eastern thinking.  The example I always use is you may have the best punch in the world however if you have no defense i.e. a block to protect yourself you might never get the opportunity to use it.  Why am I writing this today?  Well I was reflecting on Andy Murrays result at the weekend (note I didn't say loss).  Andy's strength is his variety of shots but this is also his weakness.  Sometime keeping the strategy simple produces the best results.  Every training session, every result is one closer to your objective.  So tomorrow I will start to work again on my weaknesses knowing I'm one step closer to my objective!