Yes, alongside some colleagues from work, I will be competing in Commando Challenge in just two weeks’ time. This involves running seven miles through bogs, rivers and submerged concrete cylinders – not to mention tackling the fearsome sheep dip. There’s no information yet as to whether we are allowed to wear pants.
Scary mary. I have to admit, this was my idea, so I now need to see it through to the bitter (and dirty) end.
Obviously, we’re not doing this purely for the good of our own health. No no no, we’ll be raising money for the Devon Air Ambulance Trust and Help for Heroes. I know we’re in the middle of a credit crunch and all that, but we’d all appreciate a small donation.
Filed under: gym, healthy eating, running | Tags: gym, healthy eating, running, spinning
No really, it is. Not a drop of alcohol has passed my lips since about 2.30am on Friday morning. Pretty impressive for a weekend. Exercise-wise, after my session at the gym on Monday, I did my five-mile Twyford/Dinton run yesterday and a spinning class plus a few weights this morning. And I’m on a bit of a health kick to get my digestive system back on track after my holiday. Not to mention trying to shift a few pounds that crept on when I wasn’t looking. :-/
Filed under: 10k, Commando Challenge, gym, running | Tags: 10k, Commando Challenge, gym, running, weight training
Abstained from alcohol last night, had a healthy vegetable pasta meal and was in bed by 10pm last night.
Went to the gym this morning and ran 10k/6 miles in 60 mins. I rarely run at any other speed – and I’m good at pacing other people, as long as they run 10-minute miles! At some point, I’ll do some proper work to increase my speed over shorter distances.
Right now, I need to build up my strength, particularly in my upper body in preparation for Commando Challenge. So I did about 25 minutes of weights in the circuit training area. I did two sets of 12 then 8 reps, increasing the weight for the second set. Each machine has 12 weight settings,and I’ve noted below for my own records what I did on each machine. I’ll be trying to increase the weight level in the run up to the Challenge.
| Sets | Reps | Weight | |
| Tricep press | 2 | 12-8 | 5-6 |
| Ab crunch | 2 | 12-8 | 5-6 |
| Biceps curl | 2 | 12-8 | 5-6 |
| Seated row | 2 | 12-8 | 5-6 |
| Seated leg curl | 2 | 12-8 | 6-7 |
| Lat pulldown | 2 | 12-8 | 5-6 |
| Shoulder press | 2 | 12-8 | 5-6 |
| Squat | 2 | 12-8 | 5-6 |
| Chest press | 2 | 12-8 | 5-6 |
| Leg extension | 2 | 12-8 | 6-7 |
Just thinking about doing some work that needs completing by Monday 
But getting distracted by the Paralympics. Top marks to the BBC for screening three hours of coverage at peak-time on a Saturday even after the football season has started. Terrific to see the GB team remain in second place, having already secured as many Golds as we did in Athens (35).
Filed under: Commando Challenge, Pulse8, gym, running | Tags: Commando Challenge, gym, healthy eating, running
My positive thinking at the beginning of the week resulted in a 5-mile/50min run on Tuesday morning, my first day back at work for two and a half weeks. And – erm – that’s it.
On Tuesday I got home a smidgen before midnight after client drinks in Londonium and went to bed without having any dinner.
Wednesday afternoon I was back on the train for a client meeting in Waterloo, followed by birthday drinks with a very old (as in long-standing, rather than ancient) friend. I was fairly restrained and left at 9.15, but it still tool me over two hours to get home again.
Thursday saw me in Newbury first thing, then back onto First Crap Western for another client event in the Capital, from which I was unable to escape until 2.30am this morning.
I’m not a very nice person without at least seven hours’ sleep per night, so I’m suffering. There’s also half a stone of Italian cheese nestling around my bottom that needs shifting, and of course I haven’t eaten properly all week.
So the Nottingham Half is an impossible quest, and I’m pulling out of an event for the first time without a proper illness/injury excuse. I’ve still got a press release to sort out before I leave the office tonight, then it’s home for a nice wholesome home-cooked meal featuring lots of vegetables before bath and bed, then to the gym in the morning. I shall repeat that process twice before I return to work on Monday.
There’s no way I’m going to be allowed to duck out of Commando Challenge on 12 October. The t-shirts are being designed, our sponsorship page goes live next week and certain members of the team are inordinately excited about our adventure in the West Country. Onwards and forwards…
Filed under: 10k, Bupa Great Capital Run, Nike Human Race, gym, half marathon training, running | Tags: 10k, gym, Nike Human Race, Nottingham Half Marathon, running
A belated race report, as I went on holiday about four hours after completing the race last Sunday.
The good bits:
- Well organised, well publicised event by Nike. They might not make great running shoes, but they sure as hell know how to run and market an event.
- Great start inside Wembley Stadium after set by Moby, swift baggage drop-off and pick-up and plenty of loos.
- Not one, but two, lovely freebie dri-fit tops – a short-sleeved red one that we all ran in, and a long-sleeved white one to keep warm in after the event. Well worth the £30 entry fee. And they’re actually fitted for girls – wooo-hooo. Watch and learn all you other race organisers. Us ladies do not want another massive, square-fit cotton number that would work better as a (deeply unsexy) nightshirt.
The not-so-good bits
- Running with a dodgy tummy after tapas the night before. I blame that for the lame time – 1.00.14 (according to my text from Nike just minutes after I crossed the line).
- Moby’s warm-up act, Pendulum. Atrocious.
- The late start. I’m not a fan of evening running, though that’s just my personal choice. But there was also a very long wait – in the region of two and a half hours – between arriving at the stadium and starting the race.
- The rather uninspiring route around Wembley on a slightly chilly, very wet and dark evening.
That all sounds a bit negative, but I would definitely do the race again. I’d hope for less waiting around next time, nicer weather and – erm – a rather more solid feeling in my tummy.
Been on hols for a week, and put in a couple of runs – around the four and six-mile mark. It was a bit warm, and I don’t feel even vaguely ready for the Nottingham half marathon in six days’ time. That’s crept up on me, I can tell you. Despite my resolve as I travelled home earlier today to eat properly and run every day this week, I’m going to struggle with three events in London over the next three evenings. It’s going to take self-discipline that I’m not sure I have to resist the lure of naughty food and wine so I can still make my dates with the gym…
