WEEK 2 UPDATE, Day 14/84

Hello all! Firstly, I notice 'blogger' has changed on me! New set ups and all today! That's a way to keep me on my toes! n I will have a good look through the new content when I have more time! Have had more good efforts, (by my standards) with training this week. Here goes what I did below:

MON: Treadmill run as far as I could go in 30 mins, - incline 0.1. I don't have my notes right beside me but think I did 5.2km, I remember being BUGGERED! However before the run I completed 100 pushups over 4 sets of 25, - managing the first 6 of each set on toes before dropping to knees. Between pushup sets I did a 1 min plank, 15 tricep dips, 20 bicycle ab thingies so each of these got repeated 3 times before I pushed out the last 25 pushups. After the run, some de-puffing and stretching I was in mood to hit the weights machines, - shoulder press, tricep dip machine, one for the back......all 3 sets of 12 as challenging as I could go. I finished off with the ab crunch/curl up machine! Firstly a set of 10 there, then a rest and a second set of 5 till I was totally done!

TUE: 5.8km outdoor hilly run in dark. Didn't time self. Couldn't be bothered with run however did it :-), but speed didn't feel too bad and I'm sure I hit close to a 10 in effort. Also 100 power lunges, set of 40, then 30, then 30 with 1 min plank between each set.

WED: Last week as I added an extra run to my original workout, - I felt the need to do the same today. As last week I wanted to see if I could possibly struggle through 12kmph pace and do 2k in 10 mins (succeeding with a struggle), - I decided today to go for 2.4km in 12 mins! Another struggle today, and I gradually increased the pace the last couple of mins to really kill me......I got 2.43km in 12 mins! Ouch! Had 5 mins to stretch, drink more water before starting Bodypump! I was pleased with my doings, weights, effort and form in Pump. However I just couldn't get into the chest track! I kept wondering why I felt lopsided, un-co etc! At the end of the track I noticed I had a 1.25kg plate less on one side of the bar than the other.......BIG difference! First time in years I've done that, never again! The interchanges are quick! After PUMP I still had my 10 min rower machine effort to endure ;-(! Last week I managed 2.08km in 10 mins on level 8. This week I hesitantly put it up to the top level, (level 10) to see what I could do. It hurt......but 2.24km on rower in 10 mins! Next as I saw 'The Biggest Loser' was on the gym TV's I went to elliptical for a 10 min (more casual) workout, - but still ended up pushing relatively hard getting HR to 175BPM while watching the show. I know I'm a freak, but I can get my HR to well over 200BPM in my runs. Then DONE!

THURS: After work it was another 9.6km lap around the 'Bridges' run in Perth city around the Swan River. PB last year for that run was 49:26. Last week it was 1:02:45. This week: - 1:02:50. I didn't look at time till end of run. However that's OK.....been working hard, work has been busy, full on so am happy with effort!

FRI: - DAY OFF TRAINING, - busy work day!

SAT: - 25km bike ride (included to and from gym from house), - good purposable pace. Yoga class at gym, - new to me but felt efficent. Decided on another silly run on treadmill.....to see how far I could go in 15 mins, to see if I could make 3km! It was tough......but I did, infact increased speed in last few mins to make me REALLY uncomfortable, anyhow managed 3.03km in 15 mins! Next.............was swimming a km at pool at gym. Did that! And felt I was finally working out how to become a little more efficient in regards to stroke and speed. I did the km all freestyle.

SUN: - Was 'supposed' to be a casual 5km run. I ended up having a glass of wine in a pub before the footy yesterday, then 3 midstrength beers at the footy......which I deemed to be too much to try and drive from train station to my house last night. I thought about taking train up to station.......then getting a cab from there but I never trust the cab system in Perth. Therefore I decided to pay $60 for a cab to take me from city to my home. This morning my proposed job was to take a 6km run to train station to pick up my car! I was a slacker today! I jogged the first 2km, felt flat possibly due to yesterdays alcohol. Then due to all waiting at lights, carrying keys, cards in pockets etc.....I stopped and broke into a walk till I reached car. All in all......a good week! Really need to watch alcohol levels in weekends as I seem to have curbed all weeknight drinking for a few weeks of late! 2 drinks, (maybe 3 standard drinks) weekend day OK, but more than that seem to affect training efforts for the next day. Still need to do better with sleep objectives.

Oh.....just to mention.....I've started reading the book Pat Farmer wrote on his run from the North to the South Pole! Roughly took 10 months, his accounts are very awe inspiring. He started April last year finishing in Feb this year! Through the Arctic he and his team were trudging through 20km a day in terrifying conditions. Once he made it to Canada, USA, Mexico, South America etc he was averaging 84km running a day......every day! Imagine that! 2 marathons a day, rain, hail or sunshine everyday.......day after day! The main point of his run, (or one of them) was to raise money for the Red Cross! While it takes the exceptional person to have a desire to achieve that or similar..........(or be able to arrange to take time out of their everyday lives to do so)............... I think it's very beneficial to make sure we are utilising our own time to ways we are happy with. And if our goals are a 5k run, even a 10k run, a 1k swim, a weight training circuit to keep us feeling on form.......suck it up! To finish, if that means reducing our alcohol intake and increasing sleep time......all good :-)

Diet, pretty good for me I think.....no excesses, even no confectionary for 2 weeks.  Not missing or wanting it!  Approaching 32 doesn't mean you are over the hill in regards to striving for the fastest times and/or best strength results ever achieved ;-)