2 lots of 45 mins to end week 7, the second intense week of the 14 week cycle; 2:28 for Anita, 2:04 for me, 4.5R
The Saturday row is a nice long, relatively low-intensity row, but its still 90 minutes worth of rowing, so it's more a psychological test than physical now.
Anita is finding her physiology is changing - she always used to suffer from overheating during exercise. Now she perspires (no, sweats :)) more, but is regulating her body temperature much more efficiently than before, a sign of improving fitness. She also used to lose her breath during exercise, this doesn't happen anywhere near as much as before, only during intense (Sub 2:00) rowing. Psychologically she deals with the time aspect better than I do, and his happy with her music.
After every session now (1 hour being the shortest) I'm absolutely drenched in sweat, but within an hour (After we've got home and showered) I get the endorphin rush, which usually tides me over for about 2 hours before food energy kicks in. One thing I'm starting to realise through experience is the food choice prior to exercise is massively important - I need lots of Carbs/Natural Sugars. Today I had Scrambled Egg./Toast for breakfast, and suffered in the last 15 minutes (75 to 90 minutes) because of it. High carb breakfasts or lunches always allow me to exert myself to the fullest in rowing sessions, but low carb meals afterwards (high protein) are seeming to be the way forward for weight loss.
Lastly, I passed 1MM lifetime today (601018m since October 3rd this year), and expect to go past 2MM in February 2012. Anita has another couple of weeks to her first MM :)
Anita: 18249m
Andy: 21780m
Cumulative:
Anita: 502019m (312.3 miles)
Andy: 601018m (373.5 miles)
Total: 1103537m (685.8 miles)
Journey:
Start: Topnotch Gym, Colchester CO4 9ES
Finish: Chavannes-de-Bogis, Vaud, Switzerland http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chavannes-de-Bogis
Saturday, 19 November 2011
Friday, 18 November 2011
Day 34 - More progress on TFI Friday.....
3 lots of 25 mins tonight, each 25' split into 8'/17', Anita at 2:15/2:25 and me at 1:52/2:01
Had a bit of a dodgy tum tonight, which led to a bit of discomfort (Plus having to get off to move the towel that I was sitting on after 9 mins in the first piece - took about 15 seconds or so) but the pieces themselves weren't particularly difficult. Effectively I did the 6344m challenge series piece for November 3 times under 25 mins (the 3rd time in 24:20), having decided to blow the cobwebs out in the last 5 minutes of the 3rd piece (Sub 1:45 for 4 of the minutes)
Anita is just getting better and better, easily doing the 3 pieces, the last one in a 2:16.5 average overall. Her best ever 5000m was a 2:16.6 average (22:46) - She did a faster pace than her best ever 5000m for 2:14 longer, whilst following (to a point) the 2:15/2:25 setup above. 2:20 HM possibilities, planned for Christmas Eve :)
Anita: 16210m
Andy: 19248m (Lifetime 999686m :))
Cumulative: 1063508m (661 miles)
The Journey:
Start: Topnotch Gym Colchester CO4 9ES
Finish: Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, Haute-Savoie, France http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Julien-en-Genevois
Had a bit of a dodgy tum tonight, which led to a bit of discomfort (Plus having to get off to move the towel that I was sitting on after 9 mins in the first piece - took about 15 seconds or so) but the pieces themselves weren't particularly difficult. Effectively I did the 6344m challenge series piece for November 3 times under 25 mins (the 3rd time in 24:20), having decided to blow the cobwebs out in the last 5 minutes of the 3rd piece (Sub 1:45 for 4 of the minutes)
Anita is just getting better and better, easily doing the 3 pieces, the last one in a 2:16.5 average overall. Her best ever 5000m was a 2:16.6 average (22:46) - She did a faster pace than her best ever 5000m for 2:14 longer, whilst following (to a point) the 2:15/2:25 setup above. 2:20 HM possibilities, planned for Christmas Eve :)
Anita: 16210m
Andy: 19248m (Lifetime 999686m :))
Cumulative: 1063508m (661 miles)
The Journey:
Start: Topnotch Gym Colchester CO4 9ES
Finish: Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, Haute-Savoie, France http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Julien-en-Genevois
Wednesday, 16 November 2011
Day 33 - Self Harm Wednesday, and an important landmark
3 lots of 30' tonight, 2:25, 2:18 (Fastest this year) and 2:25 for Anita, 2:01, 1:55 (Fastest this year) and 2:01 for me, 3R
Anita's words are - "The 1st one hurt, the 2nd one really hurt and I resigned myself to just getting the 3rd one done" - As it is she completed everything, and her middle 30 ' was her 2nd fastest ever (2:17.9), in the middle of 2 other 30' pieces!!!!! Another piece to log on Nonathlon :)
I didn't feel too bad (My left glute is still causing issues down my left leg, even though I sat on a towel tonight) and the first piece went OK. Then with the 2nd piece I set out nice and hard, had some good music come on the mp3 and was at 1:53 with only 8 minutes left. I decided to let the time bleed away until it got to 1:54.2 (My best ever was 1:54.3), and it hit 1:54.2 with 20 seconds left. As such I hit a PB in the middle of 2 other 30 minute rows :) Feeling a little bit big headed :)
Lastly we passed 1MM Cumulative tonight just into our 2nd 30' piece, so passed 1MM in 32.35(ish) sessions, in 74 hours 50 minutes, a 2:14.7 average.
Anita: 18940m
Andy: 22764m
Cumulative: 1028050m (638.9 miles)
The Journey:
Start: Topnotch Gym Colchester CO4 9ES
Finish: Saint-Germain-de-Joux, Ain, France http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Germain-de-Joux
Anita's words are - "The 1st one hurt, the 2nd one really hurt and I resigned myself to just getting the 3rd one done" - As it is she completed everything, and her middle 30 ' was her 2nd fastest ever (2:17.9), in the middle of 2 other 30' pieces!!!!! Another piece to log on Nonathlon :)
I didn't feel too bad (My left glute is still causing issues down my left leg, even though I sat on a towel tonight) and the first piece went OK. Then with the 2nd piece I set out nice and hard, had some good music come on the mp3 and was at 1:53 with only 8 minutes left. I decided to let the time bleed away until it got to 1:54.2 (My best ever was 1:54.3), and it hit 1:54.2 with 20 seconds left. As such I hit a PB in the middle of 2 other 30 minute rows :) Feeling a little bit big headed :)
Lastly we passed 1MM Cumulative tonight just into our 2nd 30' piece, so passed 1MM in 32.35(ish) sessions, in 74 hours 50 minutes, a 2:14.7 average.
Anita: 18940m
Andy: 22764m
Cumulative: 1028050m (638.9 miles)
The Journey:
Start: Topnotch Gym Colchester CO4 9ES
Finish: Saint-Germain-de-Joux, Ain, France http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Germain-de-Joux
Tuesday, 15 November 2011
Day 32 - Sprints after a day of databases.............
4 lots of 15 mins tonight, 9' 2:15 and 6' 2:25 for Anita, 9' 1:52 and 6' 2:01 for me, 4R.
Went over to St. Ives in Cambs today to go through the new database/client system schema, and got back to Colchester mid-afternoon, so it wasn't too bad a day considering.
In the first 15' I suffered again from the pressure-point issues in my left glute that I had last night, sapping strength in my left leg again. For my second piece onwards I sat on my towel, which was a quick remedy. I hit all the targets and more though, so it wasn't anywhere near as big an issue as it was last night over the 90 minutes.
It's getting a bit boring re. Anita - She yet again stormed it, getting faster with every interval, finishing with 3350m (2:14.3) - I think 2:14 av for her 6344m Challenge Series piece is more than doable, if not a bit conservative :)
The biggy tomorrow - 3 lots of 30', including what will be both our fastest 30' of the season so far (2:18 for Anita, 1:55 for me)
Anita: 13228m
Andy: 15752m
Cumulative: 986346m (613 miles) - 1MM cumulative tomorrow, in 32.5 sessions :)
The Journey:
Start: Topnotch Gym, Colchester CO4 9ES
Finish: Pont D'Ain, Ain,. France http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pont-d'Ain
Went over to St. Ives in Cambs today to go through the new database/client system schema, and got back to Colchester mid-afternoon, so it wasn't too bad a day considering.
In the first 15' I suffered again from the pressure-point issues in my left glute that I had last night, sapping strength in my left leg again. For my second piece onwards I sat on my towel, which was a quick remedy. I hit all the targets and more though, so it wasn't anywhere near as big an issue as it was last night over the 90 minutes.
It's getting a bit boring re. Anita - She yet again stormed it, getting faster with every interval, finishing with 3350m (2:14.3) - I think 2:14 av for her 6344m Challenge Series piece is more than doable, if not a bit conservative :)
The biggy tomorrow - 3 lots of 30', including what will be both our fastest 30' of the season so far (2:18 for Anita, 1:55 for me)
Anita: 13228m
Andy: 15752m
Cumulative: 986346m (613 miles) - 1MM cumulative tomorrow, in 32.5 sessions :)
The Journey:
Start: Topnotch Gym, Colchester CO4 9ES
Finish: Pont D'Ain, Ain,. France http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pont-d'Ain
Monday, 14 November 2011
Day 31 - Unexpected Pain..................
2 Lots of 45 minutes tonight, as we enter the 2nd intense week of the Eddie Fletcher Marathon plan - 2:28 for Anita, 2:04 for me 4.5R
Anita yet again rowed brilliantly, 22 strokes/minute across both pieces, with only slight bum ache in the last 5 minutes of the 2nd piece.
I however really did feel it tonight. My feel is that I didn't have enough for lunch or breakfast (Roast veg pasta at lunch, but just not enough of it and as such was in calorie deficit from about halfway through the first piece. Couple that with a severe case of numb bum from about 35 minutes into the first piece, which eventually started my left leg aching and my right foot going numb - It wasn't a brilliant night :(
I stuck at it though, and did the full distance, and feel pretty good now so its not all bad :)
Anita: 18248m
Andy: 21782m
Cumulative: 957366m (595 miles)
The Journey:
Start - Topnotch Gym Colchester, CO4 9ES
Finish - Polliat, Ain, France http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polliat
Anita yet again rowed brilliantly, 22 strokes/minute across both pieces, with only slight bum ache in the last 5 minutes of the 2nd piece.
I however really did feel it tonight. My feel is that I didn't have enough for lunch or breakfast (Roast veg pasta at lunch, but just not enough of it and as such was in calorie deficit from about halfway through the first piece. Couple that with a severe case of numb bum from about 35 minutes into the first piece, which eventually started my left leg aching and my right foot going numb - It wasn't a brilliant night :(
I stuck at it though, and did the full distance, and feel pretty good now so its not all bad :)
Anita: 18248m
Andy: 21782m
Cumulative: 957366m (595 miles)
The Journey:
Start - Topnotch Gym Colchester, CO4 9ES
Finish - Polliat, Ain, France http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polliat
Saturday, 12 November 2011
Day 30 - Walkies then a slow-row
2 lots of 40 minutes today, 2:28' for Anita, 2:04 for me, 4R
We went to our good friend Tracey's early this morning to go for a nice long walk with her and her two beautiful woofers, Stan and Ruby through the beautiful countryside around Wivenhoe Woods and the Colne, which started the day of brilliantly.
Then we got to the gym to do the 2 40 minute pieces, and frankly they were very easy.
Anita did both 2:28' pieces at 18 strokes/min, whilst I had a bit of a mess around.
On the first piece I got to 10 minutes left at an average of 2:02, so went down to 2:10's for the last 10 minutes to get to 2:04 at the end.
On the second piece I did the first 10 minutes at 1:52.9, was at an average of 1:58 at 20 minutes (Meaning a 2:10 for the 2nd half would get me in at 2:04 average), was at 2:00 with 10 minutes left (Meaning a 2:16 for the last 10 would get me in at 2:04), decided at 5 minutes to do a minute at sub 1:40, then really had to mess about at 2:50 and lower to get it down to 2:04 with 11 seconds remaining.
I believe I could now Marathon at sub 2:00m pace, and HM at 1:55 (Best 1:59.5) - Anita could Marathon at 2:25, and HM at 2:22 in my opinion, and we will try the HM a week before the full marathon in early January.
Week 6 done :)
Anita: 16222m (417644m Cumulative, 259.6 miles)
Andy: 19360m (499692m Cumulative (So Close :)), 310.6 miles)
Total Cumulative: 917366m (570.1 miles)
The Journey:
Start: Topnotch Gym, Colchester CO4 9ES
Via: Calais, Reims, Troyes, Dijon
Finish: Saint-Albain, Saone-et-Loire, France http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Albain
We went to our good friend Tracey's early this morning to go for a nice long walk with her and her two beautiful woofers, Stan and Ruby through the beautiful countryside around Wivenhoe Woods and the Colne, which started the day of brilliantly.
Then we got to the gym to do the 2 40 minute pieces, and frankly they were very easy.
Anita did both 2:28' pieces at 18 strokes/min, whilst I had a bit of a mess around.
On the first piece I got to 10 minutes left at an average of 2:02, so went down to 2:10's for the last 10 minutes to get to 2:04 at the end.
On the second piece I did the first 10 minutes at 1:52.9, was at an average of 1:58 at 20 minutes (Meaning a 2:10 for the 2nd half would get me in at 2:04 average), was at 2:00 with 10 minutes left (Meaning a 2:16 for the last 10 would get me in at 2:04), decided at 5 minutes to do a minute at sub 1:40, then really had to mess about at 2:50 and lower to get it down to 2:04 with 11 seconds remaining.
I believe I could now Marathon at sub 2:00m pace, and HM at 1:55 (Best 1:59.5) - Anita could Marathon at 2:25, and HM at 2:22 in my opinion, and we will try the HM a week before the full marathon in early January.
Week 6 done :)
Anita: 16222m (417644m Cumulative, 259.6 miles)
Andy: 19360m (499692m Cumulative (So Close :)), 310.6 miles)
Total Cumulative: 917366m (570.1 miles)
The Journey:
Start: Topnotch Gym, Colchester CO4 9ES
Via: Calais, Reims, Troyes, Dijon
Finish: Saint-Albain, Saone-et-Loire, France http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Albain
Day 29 - Row then a Gig
3 lots of 20 mins on Friday evening, 7' 2:15 and 13' 2:25 for Anita, 7' 1:52 and 13' 2:01 for me, 5R.
We were a bit earlier to the gym than normal (Which was exceptionally quiet at 4:15pm) to get our session done before going out to see Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer (http://www.gentlemanrhymer.com/) at the Colchester Arts Centre (More about that later)
The session was relatively easy (Week 2 of the 4 week pattern of the Eddie Fletcher Marathon plan is ranked as the 2nd hardest) - Anita didn't feel particularly up for it, but still got through it brilliantly, averaging well under the 2:15 for the 3 7' portions of the row. I felt like it was a bit of a walk in the park to be honest.
We finished up there, met up with fellow Marathon trainee (Running this time) James McCullagh, went for a cheeky Chinese Buffet (2 plates for me, but I had just burnt approx 1400 calories) then onto the Arts Centre.
We arrived at 7:15pm, found out that Mr B was not on until 10, but stayed anyway, through some 'Interesting' electronica with videos - Think Aphex Twin/Squarepusher/Autechre/Boards of Canada, which to Jimmy and Anita was a bit like Audio-Warfare, but we stuck it out.
10pm came, Mr. B came on stage, and apart from a few (primarily 1) drunken 'oiks' (in the parlance of chap-hoppery) on the verge of spoiling it, was absolutely immense.
My amazing fiancee (Seriously, no vomiting please) bought me 2 of his albums for my birthday on the way out - An amazing night :)
Anita: 12895m
Andy: 15526m
Cumulative: 866155m (538.3 miles)
The Journey:
Start - Topnotch Gym, Colchester CO4 9ES
Finish - Chaudenay, Saone-et-Loire, France http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaudenay,_Sa%C3%B4ne-et-Loire
We were a bit earlier to the gym than normal (Which was exceptionally quiet at 4:15pm) to get our session done before going out to see Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer (http://www.gentlemanrhymer.com/) at the Colchester Arts Centre (More about that later)
The session was relatively easy (Week 2 of the 4 week pattern of the Eddie Fletcher Marathon plan is ranked as the 2nd hardest) - Anita didn't feel particularly up for it, but still got through it brilliantly, averaging well under the 2:15 for the 3 7' portions of the row. I felt like it was a bit of a walk in the park to be honest.
We finished up there, met up with fellow Marathon trainee (Running this time) James McCullagh, went for a cheeky Chinese Buffet (2 plates for me, but I had just burnt approx 1400 calories) then onto the Arts Centre.
We arrived at 7:15pm, found out that Mr B was not on until 10, but stayed anyway, through some 'Interesting' electronica with videos - Think Aphex Twin/Squarepusher/Autechre/Boards of Canada, which to Jimmy and Anita was a bit like Audio-Warfare, but we stuck it out.
10pm came, Mr. B came on stage, and apart from a few (primarily 1) drunken 'oiks' (in the parlance of chap-hoppery) on the verge of spoiling it, was absolutely immense.
My amazing fiancee (Seriously, no vomiting please) bought me 2 of his albums for my birthday on the way out - An amazing night :)
Anita: 12895m
Andy: 15526m
Cumulative: 866155m (538.3 miles)
The Journey:
Start - Topnotch Gym, Colchester CO4 9ES
Finish - Chaudenay, Saone-et-Loire, France http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaudenay,_Sa%C3%B4ne-et-Loire
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