I have had a few days off from training to try to get over a virus. I now feel much better again (slight headache but definitely on the mend).
Training starts again at 6.30am tomorrow. Cannot wait - I’m really raring to go. I’m not sure whether it is going to be sprint training or a weights and legs session.
I’m even thinking of doing a double session on Thursday to play catch up before the Stirling 10K next weekend.
I cancelled my training session this morning - I am still suffering with a really bad headache. I think I could train OK but I don’t want to bring the virus back again. I’m thinking a few days off, along with good sleeps, will help me to get completely over it. I’ll try not to eat too much crap whilst I’m off so I don’t pile the pounds on….
I bought a new training top today - it is from adidas and has a criss-cross across the shoulder blades. The idea is that it pulls your shoulders back during training (and when you are not training). I have always had rounded shoulders and a big focus for me is to strengthen my upper back to resolve this (or minimise it at least). Lets see how the top works out… Looks bloody cool - although I’m still a bit podgy to get away with it in public. From a distance it makes you look really athletic but up close it shows off your worst bits too 
So I’ve been thinking that I’ve been badly dehydrated this week but I now know I have picked up a virus. I didn’t train Thursday morning and felt fine Thursday during the day but then felt crap again Thursday night. I trained this morning and it went really well (10 sets of weighted squats and then 10 sets of weighted lunges, plus some rapid alternate squat thrusts, power lunges and squat jumps).
About an hour later I was waiting to get the bus to work (as someone stole the car) and I puked my guts everywhere - totally embarrasing. I just headed home and fell asleep for 3 hours. Now I just have a banging headache but am trying to get some work done.
It is so weird how I can feel good enough to train and then it all comes back on me. I’m going to take it easy over the weekend and see how I feel on Monday - hopefully my body will have had chance to recover by then.
I hate this ‘negative’ post - I would much rather be bloggin about all the good shit. However, I guess it needs to be a warts and all blog. I promise there will be lots of positive stuff soon too - I’m finishing work in the next few days and making preparations for Oz - there will be lots of good training sessions and things to talk about.
Cheers, M
I did a full upper body workout at 6.30am this morning. I really struggled on the 3rd set of bench presses - where I would normally have breezed it.
I have been suffering from dehydration since the weekend - I thought it was just a bit of a hangover but it seems to be more than that. Possibly I have picked up a virus too. I’ve been waking up every 30 mins through the night in a cold sweat. I’ve also had really dry eyes, chapped lips and a pain in my belly. Not so bad that I feel I should be in bed - but bad enough to have a moan anyway. And it isn’t just man-flu.
I’ve been drinking loads of water and rehydration powder and it seems to get better for a while and then go down hill again.
I know it is very important to make sure you are always hydrated enough - not just when exercising but at all times of the day. When you feel thirsty you are already dehydrated - you should be drinking even when you are not thirsty. Just make it a bit of a habit. With dinner I always have two glasses of water on the table, and make sure I finish them.
Hopefully all will be well in the next day or two. I’m going running tomorrow morning (maybe 4-5 miles) and then plan to have another upper body workout on Friday. Next week will be 5 days straight of personal training sessions as I will be winding down a bit the following week - I plan to run in the Stirling 10K that week and need to get a bit of recovery time. I want to get under 50 minutes but will have to work my nuts off this week and next. Here’s hoping…
One thing that I’m really happy with is my toolbox - now this isn’t any reference to Linford’s Lunchbox (Mark’s toolbox doesn’t have quite the same ring to it
No - my toolbox is basically my list of options for when I’m training. I’m not stuck with one or two routines. I now know how to train all my body in one session, or how to focus on certain areas when required.
I can train with or without weights, indoors or outdoors, cardio or strength or stamina or fat burning. It is really important to understand the different effects of the different training schemes. It is also super important to make sure you change the scheme every few weeks so you don’t plateau. Also, if you have an injury you can avoid training or damaging it until it heals - just by understanding what each specific exercise is doing and which muscle groups it is using.
My toolbox gives me confidence that I can tackle anything.
So today I did a new plan, with 1 good 1-1.5 mile run, then picked a good hill and did sprint training on it. This involved sprinting 20 yards uphill, walking back (repeat 3 times), then take 20 seconds rest. Then I sprinted 30 yards, walked back (repeat 3 times). Rest for 30 seconds. Then I sprinted 60 yards, walked back (repeat 3 times). I then ran home again (1-1.5 miles).
It felt great - the sprinting felt really powerful. Previously I’ve only really sprinted on grass but this was on tarmac. I could feel a real benefit from the upper body strength I’ve been working on as well as the hip flexors (pulling my thighs up really high). I actually felt like Usain Bolt - OK so a slightly deluded 35 year old version - but honestly it looked really good.
I wish I had discovered all this ten years ago - I can only dream of how much more I would have enjoyed beach holidays and summers in shorts and T-shirts. But there is no point in looking back - it is all about the NOW! and the NOW is WOW. How bloody cheesy is that… I should be in marketing
OK - so it has been a bit quiet on the site recently - a month off to be precise. But I’m back and super motivated.
I had 2 weeks in the South of France which were amazing. Had a series of exercise plans worked out before I went to make sure I kept up some of my muscle strength whilst away. I planned to do at least 3 sessions a week. Here are the main points:
- It was bloody hot so daytime training wasn’t really an option. I had to choose morning or night. In the end it worked out much better at night (5ish) - the sun had cooled and I had at least an hour before eating dinner and getting tucked into the red wine. Morning time was too hard as I always woke up dehydrated (partly from the heat and partly from the red wine).
- The training sessions were either upper body (with various press up and core exercises) or lower body (with various squats). They could be done without any weights or equipment which was great.
- Managed a couple of decent 7K runs too.
- Plus lots of swimming.
- I ate a fair amount - some days more than others - and had loads of thin crust pizza (my biggest treat).
- I drank most nights (totally required when on holiday in France).
When I came back I was measured for weight and body fat percentage. My weight was actually down by a few hundred grams but my body fat percentage was up by half a percent (to 18.25%). This basically showed a drop in muscle mass and a bit of fat gain. But I’m happy that I now know what damage a 2 week holiday can do and how much work it requires to put it right - because let’s face it, we all need a blow out occasionally. I can’t go the rest of my life without eating pizza.
So all in all I’m really happy that I understand what I can do with my body. This really helps to motivate you when deciding whether to sneak a treat or not.
Since being back, I have trained really hard 5 days a week (1 upper body, 1 lower body, 1 core, 1 run, 1 cycle). I also had a big drinking weekend in the middle which added a bit more fat again! But I feel amazing - really in control. Now I’m going to push on for the next few weeks with a tight diet, good sleeps and not too much drinking. That elusive 6 pack is only a few months away. And Australia is looming….
I have just seen something on the BBC news that really made me sit up and take notice: blind football.
I’ve never seen anythinglike this. It is an olympic sport for the paralympics in Beijing (www.paralympic.org). I’m not sure how long it has been going on but I was blown away!
From what I could see, the outfield players are all non-sighted and play with a ball that contains ball bearings so you can hear where it is. What I found amazing was the different skills required to play it - you need to keep the ball moving so that you can always hear it. If the ball stops then you are stuffed. The main man being intereviewed has 100 caps for Britain and his fancy footwork was amazing. Incidentally he also holds down a full time job and a family too.
Anyway - I hope they do really well in Beijing. You really brightened up my day.
I am in a great mood today - I’m going away for a couple of weeks to the South of France. I’m really ready for a break. I’ve been training hard for the last month or so and am looking foward to a bit of a rest from the very early mornings. However, I do have a set of programs to take with me (they should last around 30 minutes or so and will keep my fitness at the same level over the holiday period).
I don’t think I could go for 2 weeks without doing exercise now - I would be bouncing off the walls. Plus, I actually enjoy doing exercise whilst on holiday - diving in the pool after a good run feels fantastic.
I had my body fat checked yesterday and it is now down to 17.75% (from 18.3% last month). I’m fairly happy with that - it is steady progress. I also dropped a kilo in weight. Most of the fat shifted from my waist which feels good too. I’m going to get measured as soon as I come back from holiday to see whether I did myself some damage
Cheers, Mark