The Off Season

The off season used to terrify me. The mere idea of taking a break from structured, intensive training caused me huge anxiety about vast fitness losses and weight gain.

Of course I'm older and wiser about it now, I've learned the benefits of taking real time out. It isn't about hibernating entirely, but taking the pressure out of exercise and doing it because you want to, not because you feel you have to. Ideally, this would be the case all year round but realistically most of us are inherently lazy and need a goal or event on the horizon to motivate us into action.

A Year Off, A Year On

I was going to say that "I'm not making any resolutions this year", but Google states that the definition of resolution is "a firm decision to do or not do something". Therefore anyone who insists they are "not making any resolutions" is either a liar, or silly, or too scared to share! I was very nearly silly. Surely everybody has made some sort of decision about something they do or do not want to do this year?!

Negative Split: Check. Next: World Domination

Yesterday I was in a state of pure delirium. I wandered up my driveway tapping frantically at my Garmin₁ to see what I had just run. It had felt good, but usually when a run feels good it is because I have pootled along without much effort .  This felt different. The data looked promising, but I stopped myself getting too excited until it was uploaded, then I could view it and analyse it properly and be absolutely sure it was good. Until you can see numbers on a computer screen, it doesn’t count.

12 Week Challenge, Week 1, Day 1

I weighed in on day 1 at bang on 59kgs this morning. No wonder pull ups have been feeling harder. So, the goal for the 12 weeks is to lose 6kgs. Half a kilogram (around 1lb) each week, simple.

That is all!

Losses and Gains

I've been dealing with a loss. I hadn't realised exactly, but after a conversation earlier this week it occurred to me that I "lost" the marathon, and without me knowing, it had really knocked my confidence. With a gammy knee it seemed it was taking ages to get my trainers back on again. Sick of the frustration of not being able to run and sick of the silly weather that makes cycling not fun and/or unsafe, I made a sudden decision to jack in triathlon for the time being and focus on other things.

I've been trying to gain strength in weightlifting - specifically power-lifting - for ages. I've dabbled for the last couple of years but endurance sport and power lifting are enormously incompatible. One heavy squat  session will ruin my cycling/running legs for days and long runs or rides will prevent good, heavy lifts. When you try to be good at lots of different things you inevitably end up being mediocre at all of them!

The Quest for the Negative Split

I can't pace myself. No matter how good my intentions, or how in depth my mental preparation is, as soon as I hear the word "go", natural instincts override everything, massive exercise excitement sets in and I go off like a rocket.

Lazy or Normal?

Busted having another afternoon nap in
the Chair of Recovery

It's been a funny few weeks. The training weekend in Exmoor a few weeks ago was tough going but, whilst we trained very hard, we also rested hard too.

A seriously comfortable, oversized armchair became "the chair of recovery" and I subscribed to daily post-training power naps where I'd usually be sneaking to the gym for an extra strength session.

A lovely, long weekend away in a very sunny Dartmoor followed and was a welcome break from the usual routine. Whilst it was an active holiday with a spot of cycling and a lot of walking up hills, I felt enormously relaxed and physically recharged.

A Balanced Diet

Hypothetically, if you have one day that is a super, super healthy day where you fill up on vegetables and good, nutritious food and don't eat as much as a sesame seed over what you need, then the next day you have a bacon breakfast, four bits of cake, a packet of cookies and a curry with all the trimmings (and all the stuff everybody else can't finish) for dinner.. does that good/bad actually create balance in the grand scheme of things?

Andover Triathlon 2011

I thought today was going to be one of those days. Firstly, a last-minute bike check showed up that Bianca had a flat back wheel. I was less than impressed, especially as earlier in the week I thought there was a slow puncture somewhere and so had changed the tube. What was actually wrong was a big old stone was wedged into the rubber that I had completely failed to spot! Fortunately, I had one spare tube left and a spare tyre knocking around so I got her fixed up and race ready.


Once I had made my post-race peanut butter and jam rolls, donned the tri suit, packed my bag and consumed vast quantities of coffee,  I was feeling a lot more relaxed. That feeling lasted all the way through arrival, registration and transition set-up. Even as the rain started coming down I was feeling pretty good about the race, I knew what to expect from the course and it was all good.

Second Tri at Andover

A whole year ago I did my first ever triathlon and I was spending the whole day before completely freaking out. This year I am really happy to be repeating the event courtesy of Andover Tri and seeing if I can knock some time off.


I've been very sensible with training this week and have had the prescribed rest and all that stuff, now I just need to manage not to get into that 'carbo-loading' zone where I somehow make myself believe that two tubs of ice cream and a triple pack of jaffa cakes will benefit my race.

The Eggathon

It may look like a pepper with a bad case of d&v, but it
tastes delicious!

I haven't really been doing anything in particular for the last couple of weeks, without a big event on the horizon or any sort of major goal to aim for I have been trundling along and filling my time with random but very enjoyable training, creating more dubious combinations of food and marshalling other races.


Whilst I like having my goals to work towards it is actually really nice just to be training for the sake of enjoyment and doing all the stuff that I love without any of the pressure of "must do this session this week". 


I also think that I may have sort of reached a bit of a milestone. As I tucked into my very tasty spicy couscous with sesame and pine nut stuffed peppers I got to thinking:

Unnecessary Eating

Yesterday I had a bit of a blip. A wonderfully light and crumbly, home-baked scone made by a brilliantly talented office buddy had left a sweet taste in my mouth. I was walking home past Waitrose and decided to go in and torture myself. I started out well; perused the bakery aisle, oogled the cakes and the freshly-baked, chewy, chocolately cookies. I spent some time in the baking aisle and briefly daydreamed, realising I was surrounded by world of limitless, delightful possibilities.


The biscuit and confectionary aisles called out to me. In Waitrose the force in these aisles is stronger than other supermarkets because there are some seriously scrumptious and exclusive products to tantalize the taste buds. I scrutinised the posh biscuits and managed to tear myself away only to be faced with an enormous range of biscuits for cheese! I stood and imagined a smearing a thick layer of Boursain atop a salted and cracked black pepper thin or a slicing a well-softened brie onto a hovis digestive...


More mental agony occured in the frozen section as I ran the tips of my fingers over the cool, frosted tops of many a luring and luscious flavour of ice cream.

Sensible Stopping

When you have set yourself a challenge, or been set a challenge or even just told a few people what you're planning to do, the pressure is on for you to complete it. Once I have my head set on doing something, I want to see it through to the bitter end and the idea of having to give up - whatever the reason - fills me with dread!


As I have discovered in the last week though, stopping can be the most sensible option. I was feeling massive excitement and slightly nervous anticipation about doing the South Downs Way on mountain bike. A goal of mine for ages, this would be one to tick off the list. I was feeling particularly smug as I managed to cram everything I needed (including a sleeping bag, spare clothes AND vast amounts of food) in an 18 litre sack; small and light enough to make for a very comfortable ride.

Downton 10K

I've never raced a 10k before. In actual fact I haven't so much as run a 10k since last summer, pre-knee injury. So of course it makes perfect sense for my first 10k distance in about nine months to be a race. Not only a race either, but a tough, hilly race. I don't do things by half.


Still, with my first triathlon of the season two weeks away and a 10k on the cards, I needed to know I could do the distance. Any sensible person under these circumstances would probably just turn up, do the race, then head home for copious cups of tea and a nice relax. I however, got (very, very easily) talked into making the 10k a 'brick session'. 


My training buddies for this brick session were two ladies who are both extremely comfortable with the 10k distance, and in extremely good shape in general. The pre-run ride was a fairly fast-paced two hours (after I'd just ridden the 9 miles to meet them in the first place) so it was actually good practise for me with the triathlon coming up. We quickly changed, grabbed our race numbers and had time for a quick munch and a short warm up.


The race was hard, within the first mile we were heading up hills and even though the track was dry, it was hard going. The legs were giving up before the lungs and the last mile and a half was tough going as my calves really started to burn. 


I wanted so much to get a sub one hour time and I knew it was going to be close to the mark. The results sheet revealed a time of 1:00:01. Noooooooooooooooooo!!! I couldn't believe I was so close. At least now I have a time to beat anyway and hopefully on an easier course I'll be getting closer to that goal of 52 minutes!


Did I stop for copious cups of tea and a good rest? Nope. I ended up riding another 40 miles with a soup stop in Brockenhurst instead. As the wise Nicky Yevko said earlier today "this isn't Egg Goes Healthy, this is Egg goes bloody bonkers! She's not wrong..

Aquathlon Amazement

I've always thought that an aquathlon (swim then run) was a completely pointless and rubbish race to do. Mostly because it involves all the things I'm not very good at and I would miss my bike. In a bizarre turn of events today (which is a long story involving vomiting, I won't elaborate too much), I went from planning to do a 100 mile bike ride, to getting a last-minute entry into a local aquathlon. The event entailed a 500m swim and a 5k run. Short enough to go as hard as possible. 

The golden rule in racing is to never try anything new on race day. I decided (with the decision-making help of Tamzin and Claire) to break the rules and try running sock-less and in elastic laces for the first time. The justification for this was that the run was short enough to get away with it... even though really, for me, 5k is not that short.

We arrived at the leisure centre, registered, and went to recce the transition area. I should really put transition area in inverted commas as it was actually a slab of concrete just out the back of the swimming pool fire escape where people had strewn various towels, trainers and miscellaneous items of clothing.

I almost had second thoughts about the sock situation but I decided to wing it and see what happened.

We got ourselves ready by the pool. There were to be three people in each lane, so not too cramped. I barely had time to get nervous as we were in the first wave. The swim started well, I was trying so hard to pace myself and not go out too hard but I do get so over-excited and I just can't help myself. About halfway through I had caught up to Claire in front and was happily drafting her. Then with 100m to go I accidentally swiped her feet so she stopped to let me past at the end of the next length. I ploughed through to the end and breathlessly hauled myself out of the pool using the classic "beached whale-esque knee up and roll" manoeuvre.

Thanks to the elastic laces, the trainers were on in no time at all and I was off. However I realised very quickly that going from swim to run is an absolute killer in terms of being able to breathe. At least when there's a bike involved you get a chance to sit down for a bit! I was gasping to get enough air in and when I'd just about managed to get it under control the run turned uphill. Slowing down of course, was not an option - I could see another girl up ahead and the red mist set in.

The run just kept going uphill until we got to a man with a cone, at which point we turned around and it was alllll down. I tried to pick up the pace on the downhill, which worked quite well until it flattened out at the bottom and I felt myself slow. The last bit of the run then goes across a field which feels even SLOWER, but I tried to hold the pace even though I felt I could be sick at any minute through the sheer intensity of it all.

Considering how small the event was (22 competitors), quite a crowd of supporters had turned up and getting cheered in to the finish was a great boost. The event - though short -had felt really hard. I found out why when the results were put up. I had done the swim in 8:57; an enormous personal best for me and absolutely trashing my goal of swimming an 8 minute 400m. The run had also been a big personal best over that distance (although that was common amongst everyone so I suspect it was slightly shorter than 5k) and I was chuffed to bits. In fact we all had a good race and were super happy with our times.

I suppose sometimes going out of your comfort zone can yield good results.. The elastic laces did the trick, but I probably wouldn't go for anything longer without socks, I missed all the padded comfort!

Bianca wasn't happy, she barely spoke to me on the way home..

Challenge results!

I stepped on the scales tentatively on Tuesday morning. Whilst I'd done quite a considerable amount of exercise over the Christmas break, and eaten reasonably healthily - I had still been having the odd chocolate treat and glass of something bubbly, plus a delicious meal out at a local Italian restaurant (with THE best garlic bread I think I've ever eaten). So suffice to say I was nervous, was I going to reach my goal of 55kgs?

Adam had challenged me to a ten minute wall sit, which a number of people declared was a physical impossibility.. but I managed 7 minutes and 11 seconds (and will continue to reattempt!)

Sarah B had challenged me the the trek across the Plains which had all gone well. Then you have the lunges, the silly distances on the crosstrainer, loads of turbo training etc etc.

In general, and especially given the season, I thought I had been really rather good and decided I would bear that in mind whatever the result.

..55.4kgs. Damnit! Didn't quite make it, but a good start to the year and still a good amount of December weight lost.

I Resolve

New year resolutions are always a bit rubbish aren't they? Usually made whilst in some sort of festively inebriated state, they are normally totally impractical and then as soon as you mess one of them up you give up completely and revert to your previous ways!


So instead of making resolutions per se, I shall stick with what worked last year and create some long-term and short-term goals for 2011. The other thing I learnt last year was that the whole 'giving up stuff' doesn't really work for me, purely because when the end date arrives I become some sort of rabid animal and over-indulge on whatever it was I had been going without. With that in mind, I won't be giving up anything for 2011. Instead I shall focus on what I need more of and hopefully that will displace all the stuff I need less of!


Long Term Goals


Swim an 8 minute 400m. The swimming thing really came together in 2010 so now I need to persevere with swim sessions and try to knock some time off.


Run a 24 minute 5k. My fastest 5k last year was 25.34, I started to get close to the 8 minute mile before I had my knee injury, now that I've started to run again I want to bring this goal back in. 

Hit 11,000rpm on the powerball - tough one!


Get up Tryfan without breaking an arm (or leg, or anything else!)


Walk and ride the South Downs Way. I have nearly made it to the SDW several times in the last couple of years but something always happens to prevent me from going. This year I will make it!


Do some time-trialling on the bike. This was another one I intended to do last year and never got around to.


Short Term Goals


Get back into running very steadily, 2-3 runs per week.


Eat more vegetables! Must consume some sort of vegetable matter every day.


9000rpm on the powerball this month - I'm already getting close!


Get in the pool at least two times a week. I have been so slack in this department, but two times a week is definitely achievable. Obviously I won't be doing any proper swimming until the arm is fixed but pool-running and kick drills still count!


If I do buy a bag of cookies, share them.


Sorted. I'd recommend my sister's website at www.will2succeed.co.uk for anybody else who wants to make some achievements this year. She's taught me loads about making effective goals and staying motivated- cheers sis!

More Cakey Confessions

Confession time. After doing so well to spend a considerable amount of time in the pool throughout November, it came to yesterday..the last day of the month. I needed to do 1 hour and 15 minutes to make my 10 hours target for the month.

It got to about 7pm and I was nearing the end of the Season 5 box set of 24. It was getting very exciting indeed, so I told myself I would finish this episode, then head off for my swim, then watch the last episode later. When the credits rolled I couldn't drag myself off the sofa and out into the baltic winter air, I needed to know how it was going to finish and to do that, I also needed snacks.

This is where it all went horribly wrong. The only snacks available to eat in my house at the moment are cakes, cakes and more cakes. I ate half, yes HALF a cheesecake.. as the episode reached it's climax my eating pace quickened and when I looked down I realised what I had done.

So not only did I miss my swim and my whole month's target, but I also ate approximately 8 million extra calories. Epic fail. 

On the upside, 8 hours and 45 minutes is still my biggest ever month of swimming, I now have space in the fridge for vegetables and the vast majority of cake (with the help of my coffee break work chums) is now gone.

I'm still considering what my December goal(s) shall be. Ideas on a postcard please!

Thou Shalt Not Give in to Temptation

Anybody who has spent any amount of time with me in the last few weeks will know that my thoughts are dominated with cake, chocolate and all those delicious desserts and treats I am not allowed. Cake has almost exclusively become my main topic of conversation, incredibly managing to overtake cycling and women - quite a feat!


Only retrospectively did I realise that I had blabbered on to Chris (who gives me a lift to work) for almost a whole journey about the best place in Salisbury to buy a Millionaire Shortbread; detailing the pros and cons of several cafes, shops and patisseries.


Only since being on this ban have I noticed how many opportunities there are (and how many I've missed!) for free treats. Last week at work there were no less than five chances for free cake. On Friday the cafeteria was dishing it out during afternoon tea break, which coincidentally is when my willpower is at it's weakest. I had to cut my break short and get outta there pretty sharpish otherwise I may have broken, I had mental images of something in my brain snapping and causing me to run and dive face first into the tray of cakes.


A new posh chocolate shop has opened in Salisbury too, and they were handing out free chocolate to everyone who went inside. I don't know why I didn't just walk straight past, but I couldn't. I was drawn in by the sweet scent of rich cocoa and just stood there admiring the enormous range of heavenly pleasures and imagining myself savouring such sumptuous sweets.


After torturing myself in the chocolate shop I was then given some sort of luxury hazelnut chocolate with my coffee in Neros, and then later I had dinner out and was given more free chocolates when we asked for the bill. Of course I'm becoming quite popular with friends for dishing out all my extras, but secretly I despise them and their treat-eating ways.


I've had doughnuts offered, a ridiculously delicious smelling lemon-drizzle cake and Halloween cupcakes. It's getting harder and harder to say no. 


The toughest one yet was on Saturday after a couple of hours cycling in the cold. Tamzin kindly made us teas and coffees and then brought out an amazing, fresh, soft chocolate cake that was just oozing sexuality. I lost track of the conversation as I just couldn't take my eyes off the cake. Thankfully Liz was also there so at least I wasn't going it alone and we could bathe in cake-related misery together.


There are only ten days of torment left now and I'm getting closer and closer to breaking point. So, if you see me wandering down the cake aisle in Tesco or going anywhere near that new chocolate shop, please don't hesitate to give me a shake and show me where the salad is!

Remember Remember, No Cake in November

October - on the whole - was a month of ups and downs (literally, if you've read my last couple of posts). Starting with some positives: I trashed the bike goal of 500 miles, which I am really chuffed about. In total I spent around 47 hours and 24 minutes in some sort of saddle if you include a few spinning classes.

I managed to lose my 5lbs - just. The weekly weigh-ins at work have been a good motivation but the giving up of chocolate, cake and biscuits has been key, so hopefully the weight loss should continue, at least until 26th November when the fast finishes and I gorge on five weeks worth of treats! By the end of November the goal is to lose another 4lbs, and I plan to do that not through hours and hours of exercise but through eating really healthily. Prepare yourselves for some weird and wonderful culinary concoctions. I even went to Tesco last night and bought cabbage, I mean business!

The swimming goal didn't quite come to fruition. I didn't manage my three times a week. I would love to give the excuse that my burn to the hand stopped me mid-October but realistically that only stopped me briefly and then once I lost my rhythm I slacked off a bit. I did however, do more than double the amount of swimming that I did the previous month. Slowly but surely I am getting better at making myself go. This is the big goal for November, over the course of the month I want to do 10 hours worth, which doesn't sound like a huge amount but it will be more than I have ever done in a month before (so far June takes it with 7 hours 15 mins, the majority of which was in glorious open water). So if anybody sees me hesistating or wussing out, please do give me an encouraging kick up the backside!

Unfortunately my dodgy knee is being particularly naughty at the moment, so running looks like it's still off the cards and I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to wave goodbye to Hellrunner at the end of the month. I'm absolutely gutted as I've been gearing myself up for it for ages and it was a bit of an 'ultimate running goal' for me. I will however, be upping the glute work and shooting for that "buns of steel" status under the physio's recommendation.

I'm also going to tone down the cycling a little to give the knee some time to rest, and when I say tone down I mean take it nice and easy on the bike pace-wise and no mega big long rides. With all that in mind, I should be able to fit in the swimming, and I will have  to be super healthy in the eating if I want to make my weight loss goal.

So, in summary. Lots of swimming, lots of bun clenching, and lots of lovely healthy grub... who says a life of excess is bad for you?!