Training Log Archive: SherB

Woop woop, I did a 12k run! This is an extension of the ChelsField 8 loop where the first 3.5km & last 2.5km are the same. This meant I could cut it short if I felt crap, which I did for the first 5mins, but then came good up the first little hill over the train line, so I continued on for the full loop. I was really pleased that some of the historically shitty bits underfoot on this run were much improved - I think the farmers have widened the public paths through their fields, rather than continue to plant crops over the paths...., but then the 2nd half which was historically nice underfoot, was rubbish today - boggy and horse trod. One of the worst fields of old was the "Bermuda Field", where visually it looks downhill, but was always an effort to run, which I had put down to having to run in muddy rough wheel tracks & a consistent headwind. But my watch (& heel) told me today that it's actually 10m higher at the end of the field than the start, meaning it's not downhill at all!! How this optical illusion exists I'll never know, but explains why it's not a fast field! Although the path is now like a smooth sandy walkway - much nicer than narrow rough tyre tracks.

DD's record for this loop is 61mins, and he thinks mine is faster than that, so way off those times, but I finished feeling like I could have gone further, so very very happy with that. It was really the underfoot conditions that slowed me down today more than a lack of fitness. Interesting that I lost 1.2kg on this run. Didn't think I sweated that much as it was only 11degs. Counted 30 stiles and gates today. Think my old pb might have been a "watch stop" for the stiles & gates. In which case, it's not accurate.

Really hope I feel this good in 2 weeks for BOC.

Bit sore in the glutes, back & shoulders today.

Recruited a guy from work for Friday Fun. He nearly threw up halfway through, but loved it & will be back for more. I paired everyone up today to make the sets a race. Made it fast & enjoyable despite being soaked from the torrential rain.

Barbican lunch session, doing 4 rounds of each exercise on 40s/20s, then move to next exercise. Couple of new exercises today which were hard:

1. pushup, then jump both feet in so your knees reach your chest, then jump them back out (so a burpee minus the jump up at the end); and
2. Pike squats where you grab your toes, then raise your bum up and down from deep squat to quarter squat. These start to really hurt after about 25s.

Legs were humming on the train home which is ominous.

Felt really good on the bike, which surprised me as I've had buggar all sleep this week because I'm back at work (and stressed already), and I'm shattered by the time I get home each night. Gorgeous morning too - although really cold at the start as only 4 degrees!!

Shed most of this mornings warm clothes for the ride home which was lovely at 15 degrees. Surprised to feel really strong again, so was able to push fairly hard despite heavy traffic. My motivation to push was helped by a guy that I overtook just south of Bromley, who of course, wasn't having that, so we raced the whole way home from there. I beat him to my driveway :-)

With my lunch group in the Barbican. They're happy I'm back!

Shattered after Day 1 back at work. 8 months off has made me soft.

84 work days to go, then I'm retired again :-)