Training XXVI

Training on consecutive nights always seemed like a good idea and guaranteed to give me a hard work out before I disappear for a short break for my birthday, wedding anniversary and the Leeds Festival before the fun starts for real and I take on my first game (as Assistant) on August 27.

CE wasn't training and until early afternoon Fat Lad, Titfer and I had planned a track session to see how we are all doing on the 12m test. Mid afternoon Fat Lad decided that as this was my last session, maybe for a week, that we should have a high intensity session. CE e-mailed him with the normal warm up lap then we were to do six more laps, each one at least 5 seconds faster than the warm-up lap.

The distance of our "lap" is, according to Google Earth, around 695m. So when the warm-up lap came at around 4m10s it was disappointing as we have gotten around in 3m37s before (but I think we shaved a few corners). So on the first lap I managed 3m58s but the second went to around 4m10s and I was flagging. It was partially the pace but also last night and fact that my normal routine has been disrupted because I am on holiday from work.

As we finished the second lap, Titfer turned up and we realised that we hadn't told him about the change of plans made earlier in the evening ... oops! Sorry James! He did some recovery work while we continued doing the laps. The rest time was supposed to be a minute between laps but neither Fat Lad nor I could manage much before 1m45s so we cheated a little.

On lap 3 I got even worse hitting a wall as we started the home straight and I finished on 4m20s - disaster. Fat Lad had gotten inside 3m on his second lap but couldn't repeat it and then he started to slow down to cajole me around. Laps 4-6 went 3m57s, 3m57s and a killing 3m50s for the last one. I collapsed at the end and took nearly 2 minutes to get my breath back.

After the warm down the session was done and that's it for me, probably until next Wednesday and even that is looking doubtful because of pre-Festival childcare arrangements. Tonight's work out was 989 calories (for the first time ever, the Fat Lad did more!) with a max hr of 97% and an average of 75%. Now I think I have earned a quiet drink and then a lot of sleep ...