Kerry – 12th March

Another Friday, well the second Friday, and another early morning with my mate Davina. I’ve also had the realisation that while my current routine is adequate for getting my inital fitness levels up, I’m really going to have to up the ante in another two to four weeks.

Prob lis I’m not quite sure how to do this. There is a local running club but they meet on Wednesdays, which are school nights until July. I am half tempted to give Brit Mil Fit another go, even though they helped break my medial ligament last year, that would involve even earlier mornings  but would help increase fitness levels dramatically – nothing like a hairy-arse ex-bootneck shouting at you to make you work that bit harder.

If anyone has any other suggestions, then feel free to chip in.

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Kerry – 9th March

Strangely having one day off made it harder to get out of bed this morning. However haul ass I did and spent another enjoyable hour of crunches, reverse crunches.press ups, planks, bicep curls, lat raises and various other weight-type things.

I’ve got tomorrow off to finish* an essay but I’m planning to fit in a run first thing.

I’ve also just been told that there was a six week tough guy by three-time winner Vito Graffagnino. It’s not available online but some very kind soul has transcribed it.

So this is what we need to be doing as of 15th June.

Week 1

Mon Core Stability for 20 minutes
Tues Off Road running at level 4 for 30-60 minutes
Wed Indoor bike intervals: 1km at level 4 followed by 1km at level 8. Do this three times
Thurs  Upper-body training for 30 minutes
Fri Rest
Sat  Hill intervals in the threadmill. Run on an incline at level 8 for 750m, then at level 2 for 750m. Do this four times.
Sun  Swim at level 4 for 30 minutes

Week 2

Mon  Lower-body training for 30 minutes
Tues Off Road hill run at level 6 for 30-60 minutes
Wed Cycle at level 4 for 40 minutes
Thurs Core Stability for 20 minutes
Fri Rest
Sat Hill intervals in the threadmill. Run on an incline at level 8 for 750m, then at level 2 for 750m. Do this four times.
Sun  Off Road run at level 6 for 60 minutes

Week 3

Mon  Upper-body training for 30 minutes
Tues  Off-road run including hills at level 7 for 60 minutes
Wed  Indoor bike intervals: 1km at level 4 followed by 1km at level 8. Do this four times
Thurs  Rest
Fri  Gym Circuit training. Alternate between upper and lower-body moves and use high reps.
Sat  Swim (front crawl) at level 5 for 20 minutes. Run at level 6 for 40 minutes.Rest and have a light meal between these sessions.
Sun  Hill intervals in the threadmill. Run on an incline at level 8 for 750m, then at level 2 for 750m. Do this five times.

Week 4

Mon
Tues Indoor bike intervals: 1km at level 4 followed by 1km at level 8. Do this five times. Core stability for 20 minutes.
Wed Run at level 6 for 40 minutes.
Thurs Recovery rowing machine at level 4 for 25 minutes
Fri Off road running at level 7 for 60-90 minutes. If possible choose a woodland route with rocky paths.
Sat  Rest
Sun  Off road hill reps: run up a hill, then jog back down to recover before running up again. Do this 10 times.

Week 5

Mon  Upper-body training for 30 minutes
Tues Off road run including hills at level 6 for 60 minutes
Wed Indoor bike intervals: 1km at level 4 followed by 1km at level 8. Do this five times.
Thurs Swim front crawl at level 5 for 20 minutes
Fri  Rest
Sat  Hill intervals on the threadmill. Run on an incline at level 8 for 750m, then at level 2 for 750m. Do this six times.
Sun Off road run including hills at level 7 for 75 minutes. If possible choose a woodland route with rocky paths.

Week 6

Mon  Rest
Tues  Hill intervals on the threadmill. Run on an incline at level 8 for 750m, then at level 2 for 750m. Do this six times.
Wed  Rest
Thurs Cycle at level 4 for 45 minutes
Fri  Core Stability for 20 minutes
Sat  Off Road run at level 4 for 20 minutes
Sun  Race Day

Effort Level
1-3 Easy to a gentle pace
4-5 Able to have a conversation
6-7 Getting out of breath
8-9 Can’t talk, uncomfortable
10 Flat-out sprint
Upper-body training – For the strength to pull yourself out of muddy holes, do pull-ups, dips and press-ups
Lower-body training – Get hill-running leg strength with squats, calf raises, lunges and dead-lifts
Core stability – Do lower back extensions, planks and crunches

*Well start and complete if I’m totally honest. Anyone with any strong views of community cohesion, anomie and deviance, please drop me a comment – all help desperately needed

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Kerry – 8th March

Have decided that today is my day to chillax. Calves are tight enough to take a bow to and abs hurt every time I cough. I’ll go for a run first thing tomorrow, flatter and faster being the aim this time round.

Came across this video, which provides ample motivation to make sure I do get back out there in the morning.

 

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Kerry – 4th March

Another early morning but not quite fancying the outdoors, I elected to do an arms and abdominal circuit with the aid of my good friend, Davina. An hour of criunchs and lat raises and I’m struck by just how unfit and weak I am and just how far I have to go. Daily update from my spinning addicted brother are not helping.

I’m typing this on the tube so in about 20 minutes I’ll add another 123 steps, this time in 4 inch heels. You’ll know I’m feeling I’m doing an adequate amount of phys when I stop including the Queensway stairs as part of the weekly routine.

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Kerry – 3rd March

So today was more of a rest day, Still no pump, so no cycling and currently resting idiotic knee for 48 hour in between runs.

I did climb the stairs at Queensway, did I mention there was 123 of them? And did all the various squats, leg raises n stuff that in theory should help the idiotic knee be well less idiotic.

Tomorrow a run or a leg and arm circuit.

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Kerry – 2nd March

There’s nothing quite like starting the day with 2lb of frozen peas strapped to your knee.

Suspecting that if I cycle in then I’ll run my tyres, I instead hauled ass out of bed at a not-too-tardy 6.30 to go for my first early morning run in about three years. I’m still a bit wary of my idiotic knee so it was a fairly gentle trot of about two miles over a very slow 25 minutes. The knee seems to be holding up so guess it’s more of the same tomorrow.

Updated: I also took the stairs, all 123 of ‘em, at Queensway – not sure if it really counts towards training but it did hurt a bit.

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