Training Log Archive: RobBIn the 7 days ending Sep 22, 2013: |
| « | » |
| » now | ||||||||||
| Mo | Tu | We | Th | Fr | Sa | Su | |||||||
Monday Sep 16, 2013 #
Note
On and off track
Life in Melbourne, is starting to resemble some sort of routine now. There is a certain irony in the fact that one of the reasons for moving to the other side of the world was to have an adventure and shake myself out of my comfort zone and yet, the establishment of a work, exercise and weekend routine has given me the strongest feelings of physical and mental contentment since arriving.
There has even been some semblance of structure to my exercising (still a bit of a stretch to call it training). I have been seeking counsel from the wise sage that is Ian Wainwright and for June and July we successfully agreed on a light running diet of 2 then 3 hours a week in total. This went well, and fibrillations were minor, and so in early August we introduced some light intervals. Excitingly, we decided to do these on the track. About 7 weeks ago I stepped onto the track for the first time in about 15 months and did 5 x 400m in 80 seconds with 300m recovery.
In the early weeks the intervals felt magical. Yes they felt hard, but they were supposed to, and I felt like a runner again. Muscle memory meant that running at 80 second 400m pace felt familiar and comfortable (to start with) but they were appropriately lung stretching and during the first few weeks it felt that I was running at altitude. The highlight of my track exploits came on a blustery and rainy night at Collingwood Harriers Athletics club (a mile and half run along a bike track from home). After my solo session, I was approached by a gent in his 60/70’s who said “you seem to moving ok tonight son.” Had to smile to myself.
Unfortunately, Moose (which I later found out he was called) would not have been impressed me with my 2 subsequent sessions. Both of these had to be aborted due to fibrillations, which came on during the recovery parts of the intervals. So frustratingly I have not completed an interval session for the last few weeks; and can’t work out a discernable reason (caffeine, food, sleep etc) for why they have developed.
Aside from running, I have been going to pilates 2 – 3 times a week (I can almost touch my toes), cycling to work daily and orienteering at weekends. Last Sunday was the Victorian middle distance championships and I was proud to walk away with a win - and sew on badge - in the M35 category. The courses were well planned and the orienteering was fast, challenging and absorbing. Clare had a great run to finish only 2 minutes off the win.
I picked up a new bike (a Trek 4.3) on Friday from the Melbourne Bicycle Centre which is owned by a local orienteer. I had the chance to give it a fantastic maiden ride along the Great Ocean Road from Lorne yesterday. There was a sportive going on and I sneaked onto the closed roads once the race had started and had an hour and half of the best riding of my life - riding traffic free on one of the most picturesque roads in Australia.
Next up is the National orienteering champs in Canberra and I have an appointment with a heart consultant in October. This will give a better understanding of my options in Australia and, I imagine, the possibility of discussing another (probably very expensive!) ablation. Hopefully this will get me back (onto the) track.
First Young Old Man
In the forest at the Vic Champs
Life in Melbourne, is starting to resemble some sort of routine now. There is a certain irony in the fact that one of the reasons for moving to the other side of the world was to have an adventure and shake myself out of my comfort zone and yet, the establishment of a work, exercise and weekend routine has given me the strongest feelings of physical and mental contentment since arriving.
There has even been some semblance of structure to my exercising (still a bit of a stretch to call it training). I have been seeking counsel from the wise sage that is Ian Wainwright and for June and July we successfully agreed on a light running diet of 2 then 3 hours a week in total. This went well, and fibrillations were minor, and so in early August we introduced some light intervals. Excitingly, we decided to do these on the track. About 7 weeks ago I stepped onto the track for the first time in about 15 months and did 5 x 400m in 80 seconds with 300m recovery.
In the early weeks the intervals felt magical. Yes they felt hard, but they were supposed to, and I felt like a runner again. Muscle memory meant that running at 80 second 400m pace felt familiar and comfortable (to start with) but they were appropriately lung stretching and during the first few weeks it felt that I was running at altitude. The highlight of my track exploits came on a blustery and rainy night at Collingwood Harriers Athletics club (a mile and half run along a bike track from home). After my solo session, I was approached by a gent in his 60/70’s who said “you seem to moving ok tonight son.” Had to smile to myself.
Unfortunately, Moose (which I later found out he was called) would not have been impressed me with my 2 subsequent sessions. Both of these had to be aborted due to fibrillations, which came on during the recovery parts of the intervals. So frustratingly I have not completed an interval session for the last few weeks; and can’t work out a discernable reason (caffeine, food, sleep etc) for why they have developed.
Aside from running, I have been going to pilates 2 – 3 times a week (I can almost touch my toes), cycling to work daily and orienteering at weekends. Last Sunday was the Victorian middle distance championships and I was proud to walk away with a win - and sew on badge - in the M35 category. The courses were well planned and the orienteering was fast, challenging and absorbing. Clare had a great run to finish only 2 minutes off the win.
I picked up a new bike (a Trek 4.3) on Friday from the Melbourne Bicycle Centre which is owned by a local orienteer. I had the chance to give it a fantastic maiden ride along the Great Ocean Road from Lorne yesterday. There was a sportive going on and I sneaked onto the closed roads once the race had started and had an hour and half of the best riding of my life - riding traffic free on one of the most picturesque roads in Australia.
Next up is the National orienteering champs in Canberra and I have an appointment with a heart consultant in October. This will give a better understanding of my options in Australia and, I imagine, the possibility of discussing another (probably very expensive!) ablation. Hopefully this will get me back (onto the) track.
First Young Old Man
In the forest at the Vic Champs