Training XXI

Tonight I had the choice of watching Fat Lad and CE look after a game in Bradford or to train with Zico and Titfer.

Being slightly masochistic I opted for training. I wasn't sure what to do but I decided that we should try to replicate the new fitness test which the Contributory League officials have to pass. It's the one that the gang were practising on Monday at the track.

Ziphead (a new and interesting character who has just returned from America with 13 staples in his head) was taking the test today at Warwick and let me know he passed. He probably took it at the same time as Mr H and J-C, but I didn't ask if they passed.

Anyway back to our training, before we could get started Zico's mum turned up. She says that her mum doesn't believe she trains with us. She probably still doesn't as every time we saw her, we were walking!

I decided that we should run one touchline and one goal line at 3/4 pace. It's a distance of around 150m and I was managing it in around 35-40 seconds. We then walked half the length of the second touchline before running the remainder, all along the goal line and then half the opposite touchline. A walk to the end of the touchline was followed by a 3/4 pace run to the bottom corner and then to finish we had a walk along the goal line. We repeated this circuit twice and took a 5 minute rest for recovery. We then repeated the whole exercise.

On the first three runs, I was just ahead of Titfer but I felt a little twinge on the fourth one and it was in my left hamstring. It's been tight for a few weeks but I have nursed it through by shortening my stride. I slowed over the next couple of runs but then after the rest it wasn't too bad. I beat Titfer on everyone one of the runs this time. On the last run into the corner I heard him coming behind me and upped my pace, he did the same, I upped mine again and he tried again, but I held him off to the end and we both virtually collapsed at the end.

I peaked out at 97% of max with a 78% average and burned off over 930 calories. Once the adrenaline faded away I was left with a sore left leg. It'll be ok by the time I've iced it and been in the bath, but it doesn't half hurt now!