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[Rossco]

Yeah I hate that whole mythology about abs that you can work them all the time. Just smile and nod along when people say it as they never seem to believe the truth for some reason!

Just checked my weight and I'm up to a nice 12st 5lbs, definitely a high for the last 2-3 months at least, and its not xmas fat either thats for sure!

My trainings going so well too so its good to see the weight inrease again, and I keep setting myself targets for the gym and totally crushing them which is great.

I thought I would give in to the 'big-holiday-laze-about-on-yer-arse-all-day' thing that everyone else seems to do but I've been more motivated than ever this last month and I dont even know why, but its doing good so I cant complain!

[recipher]

recipher you're clearly a machine

Ha! Maybe I am but doing a race like the one I just did does indicate that there are a lot more people in way better shape than me! I'm not built for hill running, which is a shame, since I'd love to be able to do the Bob Graham Round at some point in my life (I think I'll need years of fell running though).

I was at the gym yesterday afternoon (in a 4* hotel) and I had to skip my swim training - the pool was full of fat people and their ugly kids (joke). That sounds harsh but there were a lot of tubbies bouncing around in the water - no chance to do any quality swimming. It's usually empty too - so I had to stifle my annoyance

I'm taking today off - it's pishing down and my quads are still a bit sore after running down Tinto on Wednesday. Running downhill isn't good for the quads. I had to back off the weight of my leg presses yesterday.

I'm starting on fewer reps, higher weights next week.

Happy New Year.

[recipher]

Interestingly, I used to work my abs every day. It was a while ago now (8 years, bloody hell, I'm getting old) but when I lived with a friend in the US for a few months, I had a twice daily workout routine which I did for at least 2 months with good results (I wish I'd kept it going, at least a bit).

Anyway, I used to do around 500 crunches (of various sorts) every day. 250 in the morning and 250 in the evening. As I remember, I did sets of 25, 20 and 15 of 4 (differing) exercises - crunches, leg raised crunches, side raises and so on. It seemed to work pretty well. I guess I could have got better/as good results on 2wice a week.

I was pretty idle during those months - all I did was watch baseball, go mountain biking, weight train and drink beer. Good times.

When I came home, I got a job and let myself go - for 3 years.

[Spagoli]

since I'd love to be able to do the Bob Graham Round at some point in my life (I think I'll need years of fell running though).

Wow thats some goal and an exclusive club too, ever thought about an ultra as a halfway point, few of mates have done them and reckon it changes your perspective on running marathons forever. If you haven't read it alreday feet in the clouds is a great book about the bob graham. My London marathon training is going well, started earlier this year determined to get in around the 3hr mark, doing the Mike Grattons Hard Schedule and its bloody hard 7 days no rest not sure I'll last till March....

[Rossco]

Just went for a cycle earlier, and as soon as I started, the rain came on. No big deal I thought, I dont mind the rain. Oh was I wrong, within 5 minutes, it was torrential, with really really fast winds, and I'm cycling right next to a huge river with the wind coming at me fast blowing me about, thought I was gonna just fall in. Ended up having to cut the cycle short as it was just too dangerous to keep going, the wind was so powerful I was really struggling to stay on the bike! I did fall a few times but nothing major. So I managed to get home safe and sound and 100% soaking wet! Still a tough workout though.

[recipher]

Wow thats some goal and an exclusive club too, ever thought about an ultra as a halfway point, few of mates have done them and reckon it changes your perspective on running marathons forever. If you haven't read it alreday feet in the clouds is a great book about the bob graham. My London marathon training is going well, started earlier this year determined to get in around the 3hr mark, doing the Mike Grattons Hard Schedule and its bloody hard 7 days no rest not sure I'll last till March....

Yep, I've read it - it's a great book. I'd love to do more fell running but it'll have to wait for later years. To be honest, I don't think I've got what it takes to do the BGR but I'd love to give it a go. I've spent a lot of time in the hills and I think I'd be able to go all day but I don't know if I'd be able to get fast enough to cover the ground. Interestingly, I believe that most (mortal) people who do BGR walk (fast) uphill, jog on the "flats" and run down. That's doable but to do it for 24 hours would be very very tough. Still, he who dares...

3 hours for a marathon is very decent. I'm a few years of running away from that. Supposedly, most runners keep improving for 7 years. I've only done one year. My target for Lochaber (same day as London), which is flat, is 3:30.

Not sure about Ultras. For some reason they don't appeal - at the moment, I'm thinking that fell running is my next port of call. I'll probably change my mind. I can't ever see myself running more than 50 though. That'd be my limit (if 26.2 isn't already).

Good luck with London. I'm ramping up my run training this month - I'll be moving to 4/5 times a week (on top of 4 swims, 2 weights and 3 cycles), with some structured interval and hill training for the first time, to see if I can improve my speed and running economy. I'm kinda bogged down at the 8 min/mile point at the moment.

[recipher]

and its bloody hard 7 days no rest not sure I'll last till March....

I'm a firm believer in the 2/3 weeks hard, one week recovery schedule. Every third or fourth week, I ramp things down. I keep my training frequency but I don't run or cycle long and I don't do any really hard sessions - no intervals, no hills. I'm a seven day a week trainer too but Fridays are swimming drills and gym only. I take a day off on my recovery weeks. 7 days of running must be very hard on the body. Mind, I'm sure Mike Grattan knows better than me

[Spagoli]

I'm a firm believer in the 2/3 weeks hard, one week recovery schedule. I take a day off on my recovery weeks. 7 days of running must be very hard on the body. Mind, I'm sure Mike Grattan knows better than me

I bloody well hope he knows more than I do thats for sure I'm putting in a lot of effort. Mon 1hr at 8min miles Tue Fartleks X 10 between 1 and 5 mins at 6.30 min mile with 10 min warm up and down Tue 1hr recovery at 8min mile Thursday 1hr30 at 7.30 mile Friday 1h at 8 min mile Sat 1hr with 40 min tempo at 7 min mile Sunday Long run 2hrs+ 16 miles at 2hrs 10 at the mo. No room for recovery I think basically you just break the body down to point of collapse and hope it recovers by race day. Oh well gonna give it a go did 10 miles the other week in 66mins 40secs which was OK with no training in the middle of a weeks training so will have to see what improvements come in other runs have planned.

Love to do an IronMan like you are planning but i'd drown in the run especailly if it was open water! Run with a guy who qualified for Florida Ironman World Championshiops which he did in 4hrs 48 pretty amazing nut its the swim that would really sink me, no pun intended!

[recipher]

A lot of runners and cyclists have problems with the swim. It's a problem for me at the moment but I've thrown a fair amount of money and time at it, and hopefully it'll come right in the next couple of months. Otherwise, I'm a duathlete, which isn't quite the same. It will though, with a lot of hard work, I'm sure.

My marathon training this year was done on 4 days a week running but with 3 days a week cycling (replacing recovery runs), which wasn't as hard on my body but I still improved my aerobic economy. If I wasn't aiming at Ironman, I'd have run more and cycled less but it worked out pretty well.

My training since November has been the same but with swimming and weight training added into the mix, with less running (at the moment).

The Florida IM World Champs was 70.3 (miles) which is half distance Ironman. They'll have to sort that race out next year - I think they didn't organise the cycle route too well and it was a bit dangerous and difficult to avoid drafting other cyclists. I've seen photos of huge packs going round the course.

I'm doing the UK IM 70.3 next year (in June) which is supposed to be very hard with a hilly cycle and run. The swim is flat though (everyone uses that joke, why should I be any different? )

[recipher]

Ignore.

[Ish]

It will though, with a lot of hard work, I'm sure.

It will. A friend of mine used to do triathalons and she was incredibly fit but was a hopeless swimmer. She trained and trained and trained and eventually it "came right".

Keep at it man

[Matt]

Two things happened yesterday. One, the missus commented that my stomach has got MASSIVE! That's not good.

I also finally got to a chiropractor. Turns out I've severely twisted my spine in to a backwards S shape at the bottom! That's really not good. On the positive side, it explains my problems just trying to stand up, sit up, bend over, or do anything else. And he reckons he can get it re-aligned. TBH I'm glad it was a quickly identifiable problem rather than a slipped disc or something.

So until I'm sorted, not a lot I can do. Can't even jog.

I'll do a bit of benching and what not next week, but without much exercise I could well get fatter. I'm too afraid to measure the waist now. It is ****ing obscene.

[recipher]

It will. A friend of mine used to do triathalons and she was incredibly fit but was a hopeless swimmer. She trained and trained and trained and eventually it "came right".

Keep at it man

Cheers. I'm pretty confident (at the moment) that it'll all work. I know a triathlon coach, so if I'm not moving in the right direction in, say, a month, I'm going to get some (more) coaching. Hopefully, my new weight training plan will quickly increase my strength and that'll help.

[Nijo]

I was at the gym yesterday for the first time in a while (I've hit my highest ever weight: 70kg) so I did a bunch of different things to see where I was at.

I think I'm going to have to give up on the running side as - I reckon due to running a marathon without proper training - my right knee starts getting painful during any extended impact work. I don't want to push it and damage something, so I'll focus on cycling, rowing and swimming to keep the fitness up and do a bit of research on the knee-side. Am I right in thinking that building up some muscle to support the joint is a good plan?

[Matt]

Don't know that one Nijo. I think when a joint is ****ed, there's not a lot you can do other than rest, physio and probably surgery. Adding muscle to the leg won't do a lot for the joint.

Could be wrong.