Bang!

Haven't shot in a year but this quick grouping is reassuring in event of zombie apocalypse.

Also went swimming so if I run out of ammo or can't get hold of a rifle I can swim away.

Brief update on today

http://connect.garmin.com/jsPlayer/451944982

Flat huh?

How annoying. first half of that ride, up to Chertsey, I was averageing 18mph without feeling like I was pushing it then the remainder of the journey was crap. Potholes. Traffic lights. Traffic. Roadworks. Boring boring boring.

I was going to go swimming on my ride in this morning. My alarm didnt wake me up though so I was far too late to fit it in. I monged it into the office instead and got some work done.

I'm now addicted to homeland so better get back to it... thanks Fletch.

Back in the saddle

I rode to work today. No this wasn't me. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-26336618 

Not knowing if roads were open from recent flooding I took a diversion this morning around Egham up by Prune Hill. Wait there. I didn't get onto that section that quickly because the traffic from my village and all the way through was awful. Potholes are rather abundant too but the sheer weight of traffic was forcing me to progress at their speed. I quickly established that my ankle wasn't going to be a problem when clipped in as it wasn't relying on stabilising itself in the rolling plain. I had left slightly later than I planned but thought I had plenty of time still. I managed to get up to speed a few times but it wasnt pretty.

Prune Hill was fun, I thought it would cause me some problems but I span up it happily despite the traffic I had to negotiate.

I'm struggling to get pleasure from writing about this, it was so excutiatingly slow. The only fast oppotunity was down Priest Hill into Old Windsor but even that had traffic, people pulling out, clods of mud, potholes, its own river and a gravel pit at the bottom to contend with.

My cycle home was faster initially, a cheeky headwind and too much lunch the only things to worry about, then ground to a dismal series of sprints and pauses from Runnymede till home.

I had planned to reflect on why I'm training, why I'm happy to be fundriasing for Macmillan, Ironman and offer some thoughts on some deep and meaningful topics. I'm knackered though so I'll post an amusing video instead.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtube_gdata_player&v=vuBw39uCT4Q&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DvuBw39uCT4Q%26feature%3Dyoutube_gdata_player&app=desktop

Oh! An impromptu social media campaign resulted in 183 unique visitors from a fair range of countries. UK, USA and South Korea seem to home the biggest beasting blog fans... followed closely by Slovakia and Czech Republic.  Also Oh!, I was about to give a 'big shout out' but then remembered a post I dreamt up on that whilst swimming the other day then either forgot or blogged it and forgot I did so. How exciting, I'll keep it stored up. Oh! also wanted to talk about suggestions to Macmillan I sent in. Tune in soon.

Ankle has rare twinge this evening but I'll try a jog tomorrow.

Uh oh

For those of you sceptical about the spectacle of me lumping my mass around the half marathon, please follow the link to the run data. I need to find my heart rate monitor now though. http://connect.garmin.com/page/activity/jsPlayer.faces?activityId=449408440&cid=6681990

I hope that works. As I said in previous post, my ankle was painful for last part and after the run. It is OK to put weight on but any rotation and its painful. A gentle jog on toes feels OK but I'm not going to risk running on it. To that end I swapped my cycle for a swim yesterday.

Arriving poolside in Staines-upon-Thames' Spelthorne Leisure Centre, I saw to my mild disatisfaction that there was no slow lane, nor was there a fast lane. Instead a Medium lane had been staked out to prevent the excesses of the young swimmers in the 'Swim for all' area encroaching into the domain of the automaton lane crawlers. A brief glance over my fellow pool users summed them all up as slower then me, including the likes of lots-of-splashing-instead-of-progress chap, old man doing what looked like a perfect front crawl in extreme slow motion, can't swim person, cartoon limbs flailing man, normal but slower than me lady and a couple of others. In plunges Hurst as the pelaton turns for another lap, dislodging one or two in need of rest and accumulating others.

I overtook everyone twice on the first 100meters. Some congestion was caused by other jockying for position then I saw the lifeguard move round towards us. He gave me a symmpathetic look as I came in to turn so I stopped and he said he was going to split the lane. What a good chap. It was another 150m later that I had a new lane in which I was joined by slower than me lady, cartoon limbs flailing man and another chap who appeared and started doing odd drills. It meant that there was no real pace to the lane as I snurgled up and down amongst them. With the amount of overtakes, avoidance drills and bursts of speed to turn prior to an end getting congested I lost count of how far I went though it was about an hour's swim.

It made me realise though that I was progressing at my usual speed but manageing to recover quickly from sprints at that speed. I need to start using the pool time more effectively. I'll have a look online for some Ironman training sessions but I remember one or two from previously that I'll try soon.
1)
25meters 10 tricep dips at end of pool
50 meters 9 tricep dips
100 meters 8 tricep dips
150 meters 7 tricep dips
200 - 6
250 -5
300 -4
350 -3
400 -2
450  -1
400 -2
350 -3
etc

2)
Warm up
5x 400m sets with last 25m of each hundred at high effort then 1 minute rest between each set
Warm down

Hopefully these will make good use of my pool time before the ever more attractive lake swimming draws close. Other thing I need to do is time myself over 1k.

After the swim my ankle felt fine to the extent that I put the support bandage on the usual bad ankle and not that one but today its in a bad way. Rest compression ibuprofen drills in place and its a reminder that I need to be a good boy and go back to the other exercises such as core, previous physio ones I have learnt and skipping.

Creeping realisation

Gentlemen, a creeping realisation is stealing its way into my conciousness. Ladies stop reading please.

I did my first half marathon of the year yesterday and before I left. Hey! You there, woman, stop reading, I've already told you once! Before I left N advised that I should take some water with me. I almost rejected the idea until I remembered how I have suffered from lack of water on longer runs before and how much I throw down myself on organised events. A disposable water bottle with a soluble SIS electrolyte tablet crumbled in accompanied me.

It dawned on me whilst I was running that the water idea was quite typical of N's support at the moment and was very accurate for what I need as the sweaty man I am. Similarly perceptive comments on kit, nutrition, sleep, opportunities to beast and injury management or prevention are not uncommon. How could she know this much? What a natural coach! The fingers of the subconscious slinking figure hovered in my peripheral vision before grabbing my shoulder and spinning me on my axis to present his hypothesis.

Gentlemen, I have a horrid feeling that our good women folk listen to us. It seems that N has accumulated 9 years of experience in listening to my grumbles, complaints, excuses, triumphant exultation at successful new methods, feedback on dabbled-in techniques, positive reflections on training and advice from friends. This is now, in my months of need, being assimilated, processed and regurgitated to keep me on track and excuse free.

To what other aspect of our lives does this apply? How much other data from what we say, whether in heat of moment, reflective discussion or overheard is stored in such a manner, ready to be brought out at a moments notice as hard hitting information? I dread to think.

With these thoughts in my mind, oh ladies, you can start reading again now, I tackled what N labelled the Seven Hills Half Marathon. There is no point in me building up on the flat easier courses as I only have seven months till a hilly race and this is the best I can do from my doorstep. Out to the main road, two laps of the roads on the circumference of the St George's Estate, and back into Byfleet. Just over 14 miles in all, 13.2 is just as I get back to the village. Lap one I listened to music and tried to keep to an average of 6.5 mph. On lap two I reigned it back to average of 6mph as a niggle in my ankle and some back twinges were bothering me. Main effort was to get round though. On the downhill past P&G my ankle really started playing up (not army ankle incidentally), which by the end was bothersome.

I really enjoyed the run, exertion for two hours was not a problem, legs were OK other than niggles, the main muscle limitation seemed to be hamstrings.

I've woken today with painful ankle and no other aches so I'm pleased. 6mph ave over the 13.2 miles. Something to build from and I'm now mentally happy to start doing, hopefully, that distance weekly. At destination now, bye!

Hunger games

Yesterday I went on an awkward run with Chris. Not socially awkward (we discussed films, world politics, baby names, table tennis, squash and triathlon) but physically. More chaffing, more miles in the legs though  so glad I went.


Overnight I awoke at least 5 times extremely thirsty, I got through 2 pints (of water) and still needed more. I'm getting bored of drinking the amount of water I chuck over and through myself so picked up some low vol beers. I should drop some coffee intake possibly though that is already down from pre Christmas levels. Another problem is my hunger. I feel like I need to be constantly grazing as I'm always feeling hungry, I wonder if it is actually thirsty but I cant drink much more. By the time I got home my stomach was pretty pissed off with me for not eating since a snack at 4PM. Will I get used to it? I'm eating less\better and doing more but it's pretty ridiculous this unbalanced thirst and hunger thang.

Today I awoke pre 6 to get to the pool for my swim, the road closed sign to get to Staines-under-Thames via Thorpe Park was gone so I zipped along there till I realised it was still closed so I had to do an about turn and head back round via Pooley Green again.

In the pool I woke up during a 500m warm up, stretched (apparently I should be doing more dynamic stretches but I don’t know what they are), then ploughed the fast lane for 2km. I wasn’t going to do 2k straight up but I felt good going at an OK pace with the occasional boost as I overtook people and just enjoyed myself. Actually I say 2k, I was thinking a lot and so a few times lost track. The Hurst policy is to revert to the last known number so I did in excess of that distance. The bagel for breakfast saw me through commendably. Dan arrived and after having a chat I bimbled up and down a few hundred meters more before heading for some gratuitous shower action with the man himself. I'm feeling positive after that swim, I enjoyed it, pushed myself and left the pool feeling like I could have continued on much longer. My new goggles are working well and so is the pro glide anti chaffing stuff for armpits you'll be pleased to hear.

I was going to go for a run at lunch but between wanting to leave the office on time, having forgotten my socks and watch, delaying myself with some work and feeling the burn still, it didn’t happen. Naughty Hurst.

Stupid iphone and having a splash

I have been in the process of shifting away from iphone as it is far too prohibitive and increasingly unstable. Today is the day my I have cancelled the contract on it and will use my work number from now on, hopefully scrounging a nokia with which to use it. In a final act of sticking its fingers up at me it no longer wants to be recognised by itunes for me to take everything off. Now what? I've done all the bits that the apple help site suggests. Oh well I'll figure it out.

Today I started off with a swim. Hang on, when did I last blog? I did lots of beasting at the weekend thanks to being kicked out of the house by my supportive wife. OK. To the pool today, via pooley green which is no longer blocked off due to the flooding. The problem with Pooley Green was the 15, yes FIFTEEN minutes queueing at the level crossing. That was 15 pure minutes from my swim wasted.

As it is my Blogger prerogative to have a soapbox moment now and then I was considering whilst going up and down the pool what I should rant about. The lads the day before who had been the only other occupiers of my lane for 10 minutes had failed to get their testosterone pumping teenage selves to splash the 25 meters as fast as I was trundling up and down. They at one point tried to stand line abreast across the end of the pool but I continued to swim through them anyway, a couple of lengths later I finished a set and stood up in the end in which they were loitering, a genial nod and hello from me looking down at them encouraged them away. To be honest its good to see young people having fun at the pool and they were just kids. No rant there. The aforementioned collision lady I have seen a couple of times since. She seems to swim fast up then pootle back, hypocritically in the middle of the lane before pausing for an opportunity to moan about how people shouldn't be in the fast lane if they are slower than her. Nice woman. Oh well, I really couldn't care less. Just as I was reaching the point of despair for a lack of topics an amusing image hit me. Nothing to rant about but it made me laugh whilst swimming. Whilst my right arm was way over my head, my body sleekly rolled to the side, legs kicking fluidly from the hips and left arm pulling manfully through the water, I glanced with rapid eyes (through my new goggles) towards the showers area. Emerging was a battalion of large women moving with a purpose, marking the turn in the tide from the early bird fitness swimmers to the breakfast gossip club. I hadn't realised they all arrived at once, I wonder if they share a coach? Actually, it was probably a section rather than a battalion, or a troop perhaps. They dominated the entrance, completely blocking it before heading to the shallow end ladder like a troop of pay day squaddies emerging from a club and strutting into a small kebab shop, stopping occasionally to gesticulate boldly. All this in two glances as I switched to a two stroke breath pattern to compensate from my guffaw as the song "here comes the girls" came on turned up to 11 in my brain. I wondered if they were still there when Dan arrived.

I can't wait to get out of the pool and into a lake to swim, I'm running out of things to think about and when i think too deeply I forget to count lengths.

The other day I heard some of C's 'Game Songs' shortly before swimming and had those rattling around in my head for an hour and a half. It isn't healthy. "Don't ever step on a snake, or you're making a big mistake, so for the sake of your protection, I suggest you change direction, get out of there for good for goodness sake." Don Spencer (N thinks).

I met Chris for a run at lunch today, it was slow as I'm aching from the weekend and wasn't at 10005% after my swim but it was great to catch up and book him to run more often.