Week 7

14.02.11 - 20.02.11


What can be said about this week except that although I didn't quite manage all my sessions and my hours, I learnt a valuable lesson about nutrition, I hit the wall badly and I enjoyed an unexpected evening bowling with some of the guys n girls from the Tri Club. 


Monday was my rest day again and I enjoyed kicking back and doing nothing after a fairly busy day at work. I didn't feel like a cheat or a fraud as I had had a good weekend of exercise.


Tuesday, and I was back in the saddle. I settled onto my indoor trainer and got through the hour relatively unscathed, except for when I tried to reach for my towel and almost ended up tipping the bike, trainer and me onto the floor, however my cat like reflexes saved the day and I was able to carry on cycling, albeit with a relatively higher heart rate then before... The ride over, I slipped on my running shoes and headed off into the rather miserable evening. The rain was falling rather heavily and the road was more like a puddle than anything else, yet I pushed on into the chilly wet night and on a slightly longer route than normal got home in 35 minutes absolutely drenched. I felt fantastic and energised and more than a little cold so skipping the cold bath I opted for a hot bath with Radox Muscle Soak...aaah, a little girly but utter bliss.


Wednesday was down to be long swim day, however I was at a funeral in Surrey and didn't make it back to Oxford until about 8 and was exhausted. I hadn't eaten much at all during the day, or had much of an opportunity to drink and so we ended up going to bed feeling very tired, very hungry and not feeling as dehydrated as we really were... big mistake which I would pay for later on in the week.


Thursday arrived to the awful sound of my alarm clock... and was followed by a headache that should have been caused by vodka. I dragged my sorry self off to work and with the thought of not exercising yesterday haunting me I turned down a bacon and egg roll and then proceeded to have a light lunch. I got home and with no energy what so ever I climbed onto my bike... Oh dear, I managed to get my legs turning at a rather lacklustre pace and eventually after merely 30minutes I all but collapsed off the bike. I hit the showers, cooked dinner and by 9:30 I was in bed, head down and in dream land!! 


Friday and again I was rudely awoken by my iPhone shouting at me... I had slept 9 hours and was still exhausted. Work was work and luckily I managed to finish at 2 and so off home I shot. I jumped on the indoor bike and after half an hour was feeling puffed again, but I wasn't going to give in and so into my running shoes and off I went pounding pavement. I struggled around my 10km route in a shocking hour and 20 minutes... What was wrong with me?? I was beginning to get worried as last week I had done so well... I had a shower and slipped into my joggers prepared for an evening of feeling sorry for myself, when Laura reminded me that it was OxTri Bowling Social. I headed off just to watch as I hadn't pre-booked my place, however once there I was able to join in and had a great evening that got me out of my slump. I was chatting to some of the other members about what had happened to me and my energy levels when we hit the nail on the head...nutrition! I hadn't taken on enough calories to keep going and so had bonked...


Saturday, and the sky was grey and the wind was blowing and it was the long ride day. I Headed off for Chipping Norton on the rusty mountain bike and slowly the gears started to jam up until I couldn't change the front gears and eventually I could only use 3 of the 6 rear gears... But after the lack of hours during the week I was determined to carry on and eventually I saw the sign, the light at the end of the tunnel, almost the Holy Grail. I had reached Chipping Norton. I stopped at a service station and bought myself a Powerade, a breakfast bar (blueberry flavour) and a snickers and I was set for the return journey. I got home quicker than it took to get out there and that was probably for 2 reasons. Firstly there was a cyclist out in front of me and I was determined to catch him and so I just kept the legs turning (I didn't catch him...) and secondly I think it was mainly a slightly downhill gradient back in to Oxford. I got back home in the dark after 3 hours, wet, slightly chilly and a little exhausted... I am convinced that doing my initial riding on the steel beast will show some long term benefits when I jump on my aluminium beauty.


Sunday is long run day and after quite a hearty breakfast, 2 blueberry pancakes, a couple of rashers of bacon and a couple of eggs (I was hungry, OK) I set off for the longest planned run to date...One and a half hours. I headed into town, back out of town along the canal, crossed into Port Meadow, crossed the Thames, back along the canal out of town and then past a couple of very inviting pubs till I was back on tarmac and then homeward bound. I covered 13.5kms which isn't bad but I was hoping to manage 16kms, well that becomes the goal then. It was very muddy out along the canal and over Port Meadow and at one point I lost my running shoe to the mud... great, wet muddy shoes slipping and sliding along as if I was on ice-skates. I came out of the run feeling really good, and as of yet (monday eve) I am feeling no serious side-effects or sore muscles.


And so the week in numbers


8:45 hours spent exercising out of a planned 10
173kms covered


I did survive this week, although I could have survived better, but it is a lesson learnt...


Bring on week 8


W