BEAST week 7 (Monday)

Ugh, I am definitely having one of those regretful moments at not having made better use of this 8-week base fitness block, but there is nothing to be done about it now.  Probably I am just suffering from lack of sleep and work stress: I went to the 6am class, as Brent had to get up at 4 for a 5:15 car to the airport. Had thought of doing a double class, but I have a huge pile of work and a long day of teaching ahead, so really better to stop after the first hour.  (Feeling a bit queasy on and off through class - 4 hrs. sleep not enough!)

BEAST week 6 (Friday)

Very good, as usual.

1:20*

*There's a 6am class and a 7am - I'm registered for the second one, but if I get to the gym early I tuck in to work right away...

BEAST week 6 (Wednesday)

It was truly horrible to me to get up this morning, I am highly fatigued, but I am glad I made it downtown to exercise: it was a good Beast. Got here early enough that I really got a full hour and a half plus - once you are doing it regularly, an hour does not really feel long enough, 1.5hr. is better...

1.5hr. strength

BEAST week 6 (Monday)

Very good.  I am unduly weary but felt energetic for the duration of class...

1:15 boot camp

Frigid Saturday run

We were supposed to run for 90 minutes, but I just didn't have it in me. I've had three nights in a row of wretched insomnia; it emerged that both Liz and I had been tempted to cancel by email earlier in the day (it is incredibly wintry and windy out there, especially in contrast to yesterday's balmy weather).

We figured we'd try for 2 x the middle loop, roughly 8 miles, which would do us about the right time if we paced appropriately, but the first loop just seemed monumentally hard: we didn't walk at all, which is good, but the wind was bitter and I was having twinges in my right thigh muscle. We stopped after the first loop to assess the situation, and when we thought about starting up again it seemed clear that I was neither mentally nor physically up for it: even just those couple minutes of standing around in the cold had caused my twingey muscle to protest.

(Missed sleep means that recovery doesn't happen - boot camp/lower body strength stuff plus long runs plus sleep poor in quality and quantity are a bad combination. I will take tomorrow off and see how boot camp feels on Monday...)

(I think we were probably going a bit fast for a long run, too - it's hilly! - we should have been more like 11:00/mi., but it was so cold there was a tendency to hurry!...)

We will do a real 90-minute easy run next weekend, and perhaps hope for better weather. And now I am going to get in a very hot shower - it is freezing coming home on the subway in sweaty running clothes!

4.21mi., 44:31 mins., avg pace 10:34/mi.

Friday swim

Nice! Didn't stay in too long, I have slightly strained some groin muscle and avoided whip kick accordingly, but it was very pleasant.

4 x 250: #1 free, #2 flutter kick with board, #3 free, #4 drill-swim by 25 (fists x 2, front scull x 2, finger-drag)

2 x 100 stroke drill or drill-swim by 25 (fly, back)

6 x 50 on 1:15, stroke down free back (1st 3 fly, next 3 back)

50 kick, 100 easy free

1650 yards total

Friday strength

Terrible insomnia Wednesday night, last night not quite so disastrous but sleep still very light and fitful, so I emailed Gerald around 5:30 to say I wouldn't make it to class at 7 - definitely the right call, I then slept adequately from 6 to 11 or so.  Hied myself downtown (on my bike! Delightful weather ddvelopments here...) for noon-1:30 abs and strength.  Will probably stick around for a short swim before riding home.  

BEAST week 5 (Wednesday)

Very good - the time flew by.

I still have a tiny bit of sore throat left, but the antibiotics seem to be doing their job...

1.25hr.

Tuesday double spin

A very nice one, with the companionship of my triathlete friend H., someone I haven't seen for much too long!

1:45 spin

Postscript

No strep, but throat remains very sore and doctor has given me antibiotics. Currently waiting for the pharmacy to call and say the prescription's ready to pick up; discretion suggests that really I should not go and swim with Jim Bolster's group at 6am tomorrow, I will sleep in and keep my germs to myself for the time being...

BEAST week 5 (Monday)

Still have quite a sore throat, it is mysterious - but as it is strictly neck-up, I did go to boot camp, and it was a very good class, one of those ones that passes by really quickly. I got there about 20 mins. early and did the last part of the previous class too...

(My annual physical is scheduled for later today, so I'll get my doctor to take a look at the throat too - I don't think it can be strep, surely I would feel sicker, but it's the third day it's been this sore, so that's slightly worrying, especially as I am hoping to do massive amounts of exercise this week!)

1:20 strength

Sunday run

That was good - actually it was arduous and wintry, both Liz and I were tempted to stop, but that is the good thing about doing it with a friend, you really can't just stop!

I have annoyingly misplaced my HR monitor strap - either it is somewhere mysterious in my apartment, or else I accidentally left it at the gym. Will check in the lost and found at Chelsea Piers on Monday; it is going to be annoying and expensive if I have to replace it, I fear...

7.57mi., 1:22:48, avg pace 10:56/mi.

It is more mental than physical, but I couldn't face running up the 2 big hills, we walked 'em; everything just felt hard. (My throat is still slightly sore, and legs were stiff and huffing and puffing systems under strain.) Very good to get it done, though.

Next week we'll do 90 mins. easy, including perhaps still walking those couple biggest hills, and then the following week we'll do 90 mins. with no walking.

Saturday BEAST

Well, I didn't do the three BEAST classes this week that were exactly what I meant to (i.e. MWF7-8am), but I did do three total in the end (T6-7, M7-8 and S9-10), so that isn't bad. Lauren came today as a visitor, it was interesting to hear her thoughts! I had a slight but painful sore throat late last night and this morning, but boot camp seems to have dispelled it; nose slightly runnier than usual, I guess I do have some minor virus, but I am going to ignore it...

1hr. strength

Friday strength/spin

Didn't get a ton of sleep, but managed to get up around 9:30 and get on with things. Midday abs/sculpt and spin:

1hr. 30min. strength, 40min. spin

Insomnia redux

(This time I feel it is my own fault, I knew I shouldn't stay out so late - I think I have to make a concerted effort not to have so many evenings out next week, this has been a bit of a disaster for me as far as sleep goes. Have emailed Gerald to say I won't be at boot camp; will go to midday abs and strength class instead.)