Bring Me Tea!

Because my arms are barely working.
My arms and my butt are where I'm feeling it, my legs are in overall good shape today.

I thought I'd go for a swim, loosen up the muscles. I went too early. There was a school, as well as a group of learning disabilities in, and doing lengths was doing zig-zags, and I felt kind of shattered at half a mile, and went home. However, felt better for going, and did some quality stretching/yoga in the deep end.
I am awesome at yoga when there is water to hold me up.

 I have to embalm first thing tomorrow, so will either go for a little run or do some turbo before that. I need to cycle to work on Thursday, so need to get my bike muscles moving again.

I have also begun to work on a plan for the next nine weeks. I have to make sure I steadily increase my distances, and properly fitting into my wetsuit is becoming an urgent matter.
So far I have found a big pink A4 pad and some Spongebob stickers I forgot I bought. Tomorrow, with these fine tools, I will chisel a plan that will make sure I don't line up as unprepared for the half iron as I was yesterday.

Ythan Challenge

Ow, man. Just ow.

It was warm today. I don't do warm.
I am now shattered and stuff hurts. That was proper exercise.

It was all fine to start with, normal trails, and I was going quite fast, and the first few obstacles, like going under nets, were quite good. I know to keep my head down. I then went though a really muddy bog, and lost my trainer. The water was about thigh height, so no chance of getting it back, especially with people coming up behind. A marshal gave me a spare but tiny shoe, and that is the root of the ouch. I still had about 8k to go, so that's a long time to run in a tiny, wet shoe.

The hay bales were fine once I got the hang of them, many had a dent where others had put a foot in to help get up, as they were as high as my neck. However, then there was one at the top of a very went and slidey, muddy hill, so the bale was covered in mud, and had no foot hole. I pretty much pulled it onto myself, and others had to push the thing back up again. Then two men helped me over it in the most ungainly fashion possible.

The crossing of the river was proper fun. The water was beautiful and cold, I washed some of the mud off my face, and we had to stand for quite a while waiting for people to climb out. People were moaning, but I could have stood in there all day. We had to cross it one more time later on. A lifeguard was splashing people and these girls were making silly noises, when I passed him I help my arms up and said 'Bring it on!' and he splashed me good!

Not long after that, a marshal told me all the bales were done, but they lied! There were two to climb at the finish! And they have no footholds and the hay was so short on the top, I couldn't get a grip. Then I saw Chevy coming up behind me (oh no, you're not beating me), so somehow managed to drag and roll myself over them, and being right by the finish, I had a big audience for my lack of grace and skill. 'Come on, nearly there!' they shouted.
'Shut the fuck up!' I wanted to reply, but didn't. 

Anyway, I can't find my camera, so only have a rubbish phone picture, but these are the trainers I finished in, and the rather nice medal.

I will absolutely do it again, but will be a damn site fitter and stronger overall.

Feeling Wussy

I have genuine half iron fear.
I considered not doing it today. My calendar is scaring me. My lack of open water experience. My lack of anything. However, it cost so much I have to, and better I realise now, rather than 4 weeks away, just how much work needs to be done.

Yesterday morning I went out to do 3 miles before work and ended up feeling like I was going to puke after 2. This morning I was so tired getting out of bed an hour early wasn't going to happen, and I had planned 4 miles.
I haven't been eating that great and been finding it hard to sleep, so must stop being an idiot and sort that out.

However, tomorrow was going to be a rest day ahead of the Ythan Challenge, but now I will do the 4 miles then, so it won't effect the week much, and will just have to work harder next week. I need a plan. A proper progression of miles and brick sessions.

I have to bike to work more as my car is being an idiot, and has it's MOT next week.

I have to do a lot of things.

Double Sporting

First up I ran this morning. It was warm, in spite of dullness of the sky. I did 6 miles at 10:28 min miles. It wasn't particularly pleasant.

 I then went swimming, it was really busy and I lost count, but I felt quite strong in the water, and did a good 45 mins.

I then ate pretty much a whole and very lovely watermelon whilst doing my tax return. I'm glad the return is out of the way, but fear there may be consequences to eating that much fruit.

How Crap Is My Left Leg?

Bloody crap, that's what.

Today I tried single leg drills on the turbo. I have read a lot about them, and as I have a whopping great imbalance I wasn't surprised it was a lot harder with just my left leg, but wasn't prepared for the severe and utter shitess.

I put it into a lower gear, and had been cycling away happily for half an hour, then I tried the right leg, yes it was hard, and there was a little dead spot when coming up to the top, but I soon eliminated that, and did 30 seconds. I then tried 30 seconds on the left leg, and had to put it into a much lower gear, and really, really struggled. Just like I don't seem to swim as well on the left, seems I don't ride, either.

So, I will do single leg squats, pedalling, and all kinds of stuff to sort out my useless left leg. I had kind of assumed it was stronger as it's a good inch and half wider at the calf and thigh than the other leg, but now I'm thinking it's just fatter.

Yesterday I ran 5 miles, today I cycled 15 on the turbo with the resistance whacked right up, and tomorrow I will both run and swim. Tonight I am watching Spartacus and doing weights and core work.
Yeah.

On It! *punches air*

Yeah!
I feel my first week back has been ok, and I am rested, so this week is going to be BRUTAL, MOFOS!

It's kind of tricky as I have a crapload of extra shifts, so will be doing the hardcore 5:30am stuff.
I have very little time to swim, but will MAKE IT HAPPEN as well as get a long-ish bike in somewhere. Probably to work.

Tomorrow I will run 5 miles before work, and do lots of core and weights.
This morning I did 4 miles before work, and was totally shattered, my eyes bleary, felt a bit sick, but managed 10:15 min miles, and by the end was far more alive than at the beginning.

This week, man. Gonna be ALL ABOUT THE TRAINING AND THE CAPS LOCK!

Nearly Normal

My swimming on Friday felt a lot better. It's amazing how quickly the fitness can come back. It was super busy, and I was sharing a lane with an idiot woman with no sense of direction, but felt I achieved something, as my goal was to work on the pull I make whilst breathing, and I felt a bit faster and stronger doing that.

Today I did nothing, bar a walk. I had intended to get back on the 35k a week again this week, but will be slightly short. However, as a first week back after a poorly ankle, I feel it was wise to not push it. I will go for a reasonable size run before work tomorrow.

It's a week now until the next race, so will up things a little bit, but not too much. And someone has just pointed out the Peterhead Half Marathon is on 20th June, and I'm off work, and it's only £14 and there is a medal and a t-shirt!
I am very tempted.
Very.