Training whats, whys and wherefores

So, to feed my obsession I try and follow a regular routine. I find that having the routine makes it easier to get out of bed and do the exercise, and forces me to keep it up. It tends to go generally something like (at least this week anyway):

• Monday: Get up uber early at 5:45 am and run for 5 miles or 40 odd minutes
• Tuesday: Get up uber early at 5:45 am and run for 5 miles or 40 odd minutes
• Wednesday: After work go for a more relaxed 5-6 mile run along a canal
• Thursday: Day off… no exercise at least, not a work day off which would be much nicer…
• Friday: 6-7 mile run either first thing in the morning or around 5:30pm.
• Saturday: 1 mile swim, accompanied either by a 6 mile run or bike ride down to the pool and back.
• Sunday: Long day… currently alternating a 10+ mile run and a 35+ mile bike ride.

I do try and take into account of what week I’m running in, i.e. every 4th week I tone down the exercise by around 20% as a rest week, and then building up each week after that by 10%.

Basically, I see this training as giving me a sufficient base from which I could go out and run a half marathon tomorrow without too much effort. And then from this base, I want to push to the longer distances.

I wouldn’t say I wake up every morning raring to go… some are harder than others, but the moment that I’m out of bed, there’s no turning back. It’s that lying in bed moment where the ‘go, no-go’ decision is really made, and I try and get out before I come to the wrong decision.

Anyway, after doing the exercise, you do feel extremely good and nicely smug…

Out ‘n’ About

One of my more obvious ‘addictions’ is running or cycling around like a fool in the dark, cold, wind, rain and sometimes, although rare, sun. I like a good run, probably more than cycling, but basically I like to get out and about.

Over the next few months there’s a number of events I’m up for including the Open5 Adventure racing in the Yorkshire Dales, the Blenheim Sprint Triathlon, and ChallengerWorld corporate team adventure event (look ‘em up if you’re interested). There’s also the Marathon du Medoc in September, enrollement is tomorrow so I’ve got to remember that and sign up in time.

The real big thing I have lined up though is the Marathon Des Sables in 2010, well I’m on the waiting list, #84, bit of a way to go yet. One way or another I will be doing this uber race, either then or the following year as a real entrant.

The challenging thing with all this is fitting it in with family, work, and all the rest of the fun stuff we all have to live with, although this is not really world shattering worries relatively.