Train Smart

Sometimes life gets in the way despite your best intentions. Yesterday was a prime example. Was supposed to be an 11 mile day but with Laura not finishing work and arriving home until half seven I knew running in the morning was out of the question and that I couldn’t do it home from work because I would not be home in time to have tea with the family before Laura had to go back to work. There are sacrifices I am willing to make but has to be something completely unavoidable to miss family tea time.

So with Liz yelling’s personal advice to train smart (did I mention that before ;-) ) still at the forefront of my mind I ended up doing the following:

Plan – 11 miles starting @ PMP+20% (9mm) with last 5 @ PMP+10% (8.15mm)

Done – 6 mile cycle to work
6 mile cycle home
5.5 mile run straight off bike @ 7.50mm

Run was faster than I expected but had exactly 45 minutes to get out and back and was feeling extremely comfortable at that pace and wanted to feel as if I had done a workout you know? Could be a fair bit more plan adapting to come still but am feeling happy with progress at the moment.

In other news the inspectors have been and gone and decided we are a good college across all key areas, best we could hope for in my opinion only being just over a year into a merger with another college that is still causing a lot of division.

Also I may be taking Liz’s advice to train smart(did I mention that before ;-) ) a bit far but after skim reading the economist in work for the last 5 years I bit the bullet this week and subscribed for the princely sum of £1 for the first 13 episodes. What next? Watching the news? Don’t get me wrong I do keep up with current affairs as much as a business studies teacher should but have always been much of Sherlock’s mindset that bothering myself with things that I can’t affect are a waste of my energy. The Economist is a good read though so I thought why not. That is what Liz meant by train smart right? (did I mention that before ;-) )

Adios Amigos

Relax/Baggy Trousers

What were Frankie Goes To Hollywood all about then? For some reason something possessed me to get hold of their greatest hits earlier and can’t work out whether it was worth my time or should I have just got Welcome to the Pleasuredome, they weren’t great after that were they? And there are only 4 songs on there that really stand up although they are fantastically over the top. Then again maybe with a few more listens it will all work for me although saying that’ Ferry Across The Mersey’? I don’t think so! On the other hand also got Complete Madness, for about the 83rd time in my life, and that is a sure fire winner every time! What with getting the Ministry of Sounds Alternative 80s Anthems album last weekend is almost as if Old Grey Whistle Test has landed in my docking system

As for running has been a good first two days on the plan, 19 miles done, plus 12 on the bike and a core session, and all at bang on target pace of 8.30 for general runs and PMP+20% at the start of long runs and PMP+10% for last 5 miles. Feeling good but have had a titful of the wind now. Tomorrow may see running and cycling at recovery pace but Friday is going to be the tester when my only option I can see is going to be to run my 11 miler home from work leaving at quarter to five because of Laura’s shifts. Supposed to be 5 mile recovery Saturday and 15 miler with 7 @ PMP on Sunday, anyone recommend another way to fit the sessions in so I only do a short one Friday? No didn’t think so…

Anyways, until next time!

Shooting Stars never stop even when they reach the top…..

You can't knock a Double Decker

Summary of W/C 16/1/12

Mileage – 41.48 miles
Bike – 74.39 miles
Core sessions – 3
Weight loss – 2lbs

Exercise interrupting dogs – 0 (In fact there were some very considerate dog owners)
Another good week last week, not as many running miles as I may have liked but was important to recce the ultra route on the bike on Saturday hence the high miles there and lack of a long run. Really pleased I forced myself to do core session 3 before bed last night too, could this, my 40th year, finally be the year of the 6 pack, probably not but is another goal…..

Am on the Double Deckers and digestives tonight, before anyone shouts at me let me make it quite clear that his is like a final supper before the Llanelli plan starts tomorrow. I’m feeling highly motivated and got a personal message from me athlete of the year, Liz Yelling, on facebook last week, wishing me well and telling me to train smart.

So train smart I will…..

Mate in work thinks Star Bars rule?

Inspired by Marathon Talk

I can’t believe that, despite hearing of it eons ago, last week was the first time I actually downloaded marathon talk. Have now listened to the latest two episodes plus the Mo Farah interview episode and obviously the episode where James Adams talks about his bimble across America. Honestly if you haven’t listened to it and are interested in running at all, but particularly long distances, get on it now, or am I really the last one to get on the bandwagon? So much good advice, so many inspirational stories and great interviewees…

Listening to the Mo Farah episode tonight has got me even more excited for the Olympics, can’t wait to see how he performs along with what I guess are the other obvious competitors to follow for equally obvious reasons, Jessica Ennis, Usain Bolt and Dai Greene. Key athlete of the year for me though is, and this is pretty much solely from her marathon talk interview last week, Liz Yelling. I will be glued to the screen and willing her on to get the qualification time in London in April. After all she has been through she is still chasing her dream and is so positive which has, with time to start a 12 week plan for Llanelli next week, made me revise my plan for Llanelli. If I could run a half marathon on the same course averaging 7:25 pace last March with hard work, sensible diet and positive thinking surely I can do a full marathon at 7:27 pace this year. Is all about improving speed endurance isn’t it? The pace is there…

So there it is, out there for you all to measure me and help to push me on, a 34 minute PB which will get me a good for age for London for next year as an old, 40, man! You only get out what you put in don’t you?, and training has been going well, I’m feeling strong and have already got 133 miles running and 77 on the bike logged for the year with plenty of core work too. Lucky I have a supportive wife and kids (or they just like me being out of the house). Here’s to lots more injury free, touch wood, miles and lots of early mornings.

Anyway I know it won’t be easy along with organising the ultra and work. We are being inspected next week and apparently I am extremely laid back about the whole thing but surely if you are confident in your abilities, same as with the running, there is nothing to worry about? I will just teach as normal and all will be cool I’m sure…

Had a good run today in dreary drizzle and misty conditions and took what is going to become the obligatory photo from the ultra start line, hopefully I will capture all conditions so entrants will feel nice and comfortable on the start line almost as if they have been there before. So I did just over 10 miles starting at predicted marathon pace (pmp) +20% and doing last 5 at pmp +10% followed by 8 x 100 metre strides concentrating fully on good form. Is days like that along with the motivational marathon talk that make my goals seem achievable and although, I am sure, there will be blood, sweat and tears along the way and days and blogs where I question my ability I am determined to enjoy it! Anyway if I don’t reach my goals I will just blame marathon talk, Mo Farah, Liz Yelling and James Adams

Until next time readers….

Manic Monday

Time it goes so fast
When you're having fun

Summary of W/C 9/1/12

Mileage – 54.94 miles
Bike – 45.53 miles
Core sessions – 3
Weight loss – 3.5lbs
Exercise interrupting dogs – 2

I’m on a roll now with two blogs in two days, long may it continue!

Am going to start every Monday off with a summary like above. I have been told blogs are allowed to be selfish and am sure, being the type of person I am, that knowing the eyes of the blogging world are on me will keep me on track with my goals regards training and eating. So not a bad week last week by any stretch of the imagination, only two dogs is a bonus too. Have had two already this week, the first one really tested the brakes on the new bike this morning, they passed thankfully. So at this point each week you can congratulate me on my awesome previous week, berate me if I have been weak or like Laura, my better half for those not in the know, just tell me you hate me for losing so much weight. She was joking I am sure?!? On the other hand you are also welcome to not care either way but you have read this far so you do right?

Before anyone starts to worry I am starving myself trust me that is never going to happen. I had 5 good days which consists of breakfast, usually poached eggs on toast (no butter), mid morning banana, lunch (100g pasta/rice with peppers, chillies and spring onions. Low fat yoghurt. Pink Lady apple) mid afternoon apple, copious amounts of whatever we are having as a family for tea and then sometimes cereal for supper. The other two days I had all of the above plus unfathomable amounts of chocolate digestives. Apart from that I do avoid fried foods if possible. Hopefully will only be one chocolate day this week, has to be done if is not going to become a chore, will probably squeeze in a double decker to compliment the digestives.

Good day in college today was made even better when last lesson was cancelled as the group were in a talk allowing me to leave early and do a few miles extra home on the bike, where I took the above photo from the start line of my ultra. Plan is to take a photo from somewhere on the route every time I am on it just to help whet the competitors appetite (or scare them shitless).

Only a core session left for today now as I got up to do it this morning but after glancing in the mirror decided to shave the barnet instead.

Oh and yes I know the first ultra is not out of the way yet but I have an idea for a 64 mile trail one brewing already, just need to make a few enquiries and may even fit it in this year, wiil not be for the faint hearted though (obviously). Watch this space….

Until next time peeps!

Return of the Matt

So I'm back up in the game
Running things to keep my swing
Letting all the people know
That I'm back to run the show

Well maybe not to run the show but certainly back blogging for this year’s marathon assault.

Can’t actually believe I am blogging for the first time since post London last April and the whole 3 marathons in 16 days shenanigans.

Anyway this April is all about me, selfish I know, and am running my local marathon, Llanelli, with the hope of getting a marathon PB that does my preparation some justice. I won’t say what my actual target is but let’s just say sub 3:30 would be lovely.

Again for selfish reasons am hoping that keeping the blog will help me pursue this goal, the training is fine but I hope to report every day how well I am doing keeping up the core and strength work but more importantly eating healthily and getting back down to the weight I was pre-December. I really am a bloater, compared to 6-7 weeks ago anyway, at the moment. Christmas was great but whoever it was began the mince pie tradition has a huge amount to answer for.

In terms of training things are going ok, done 114 miles so far this month and have a new mountain bike, Veera, which I have also been getting some miles in on and hope to ride down some hills very fast next weekend. This morning I did my longest run in a good while, possibly, without checking my log, since the aborted run up to Robin Hood last September. So 17.33 (the .33 are very important I feel) miles including the second half into a bloody strong head wind, with a negative split has me feeling quite confident it is going to be a good year with another plethora of PB’s before I move up an age group when I turn 40 at the end of the year.

So here is to a strong year blogging and running, I will share my complete race plans at a later date, and hopefully pushing my running club a little harder, or as hard as work and family commitments will allow. What with also arranging Llanelli’s first ultra in March, where I look forward to meeting a load of friendly faces I shouldn’t find a shortage of things to write about. The only problem is I always think of things to say when I am out running etc and then have forgotten all about them when I get here, maybe I need a note book although if I really did jot all my random thoughts down I would probably be institutionalised….

Oh if you are clueless what I am talking about regards the club and ultra look here http://breathefitnessandevents.wordpress.com/

Until tomorrow….