My last post and update was just over 3 weeks ago after returning from back to back weekends in the USA, which on reflection was one weekend too far after a gruelling slog of a hike in Boston. Now where the hell does time go!? I am currently sat in Heathrow Terminal 5 with 2 hours until my flight and going to tell you how the last few weeks have been in recovering from Boston/Miami, preparing for the huge kit list we have to take with us and also tapering.
So lets review my training plan, back in July i set myself a very aggressive training plan that at times would have me training 6 times a week. I wasn’t going from nothing but was only doing 1 or 2 activities a week, so to jump to 6 was always going to be a big ask. However i thought if i document the plan and one that was going to be tough to stick to then guilt would set in when i missed a run or a ride or strength session and ultimately spur me on to do more.
Original plan had me set out to do 109 individual activities or training sessions of some sort. During this time i made sure i was flexible with still being social and getting some DIY done. Although one weekend on the decking build i still managed back to back 10 mile runs, was impressed with that. I also picked up a calf strain at one point which set me back a couple of weeks and made me miss a few sessions. This was just prior to heading to Boston and meant i had to take it a lot easier than i had planned, almost to the point of a mini taper within the plan before i actually got to the proper taper time. You also have to factor into this a family holiday and 3 weekends away overseas. However i never let them get in the way and took the running shoes with me at every opportunity to get those vital miles in where i could.
So…several months later, how did i get on against plan!?
109, became 100 after all the changes and injury. I managed to complete 57 activities in this time, so its been just over 20 weeks since i made the plan which means i did on average, just shy of 3 sessions a week!
If you look at my fitness trend which i pulled from Strava tonight, it highlights that my fitness level is up 269% in the last year, some might even say I’m peaking at the right time! It’s a little lower over the last week or so, which is natural and expected when tapering, however ill tell you more about that later. For now ill just bask in the fitter version of myself that currently weighs a lot less than when i started out.
This last couple of weeks have been full on, not just with getting ready for the event, but life admin has also been at a high, works busy, lots of purchases (mainly for the trip) have been made, returned, exchanged. Also had to do the small thing of buying a new car, one less thing to think about when i get home.
The Kit List
When i booked this adventure race I didn’t truly appreciate just how much kit i would need to take with me! Now I’ve had a go at most things, so when the mandatory kit list below was sent through i knew i could tick a few things off, yet also had to make a number of purchases (not that I’m complaining, love a little treat) to have everything covered.
So what’s the first thing you do when you get such a list, its to make your very own! I’ve had the below on my training plan sheet for a number of years now, although this one had to get expanded for multi event and multiple days. A lot more to plan for than a week cycling the length of the country thats for sure!
From the next few pics you can see just what that sheet looks like in reality, along with what outfits I’ve chosen to wear during the running and cycling days!
So the final week and tapering!
This is the first time i have had to taper from several months of training and it just feels weird! I had originally planned to taper from a few weeks out, but with the injury i was unable to get to the distance i wanted within training, so i decided to taper from about a week ago after an 18 mile run. Tapering is designed to reduce the effort yet maintain fitness levels, meaning i should be fighting fit come race day! Well thats the theory anyway, not sure what a 16 hour flight, 2 hour flight and 4 hour coach trip will have to say about that! However i took my plans advice and stuck to short sessions, nothing too strenuous this week, a massage to break down the legs and flush out any knots and ease into it. Had a final little 5km run with Ruby earlier and the next time i do anything will probably be when i get there on Friday, but even then it won’t be more than a mile or so just to get the travelling out the legs!
Leading up until tonight I’ve been spinning multiple plates, so to say I’m looking forward to getting on the plane and switching off from the outside world for 16 hours is an understatement! Ill update again later in the week when on the other side of the world!
I Just Felt Like Cycling 