I ain't no Silverback

Years ago, as an early 20-something, every Friday evening I used to go to the gym in Stopsley Sports Centre for some weight training, followed by a nice relaxing sauna, then all washed down with a curry at the local curry house in Luton. I never really enjoyed the weight training, however, and really only did it all for the sauna and curry.

Later, when I first started triathlon, I followed a computer-based training plan devised by Mike Pigg which linked in with my Polar watch. I specifically remember Pigg saying that weight training is not an essential part of a training plan. Just what I wanted to hear.

Recently, I read an interview with Queen Chrissie who said that she doesn’t bother with strength training either, apart from 50 press-ups daily. More justfication for me to stay away from the press-bench.

A silverback I ain’t, and I’m happy with that. I suspect, however, that many fellow triathletes disagree with the notion that weight training is of no use, but until I have proof that it does help then I am going to avoid the weights room.

I am, however, becoming increasingly more interested in the science behind exercise, which is why this week I volunteered to be a guinea pig for a friend of a friend who is undertaking a Masters in Sports Science. As part of this, he is writing a paper on ‘Nutrition in Endurance Events’ and my role will be to attend weekly sessions over a four week period which will involve cycling on a turbo trainer for 6 hours at a time, half at easy pace and half flat out. 6 hours on a turbo trainer! It all starts soon, and is actually timed at a perfect stage of my training schedule, so hopefully it will help me in the long term.

This week I also happened to come across a BBC programme entitled ‘The Secret Life of Your Body Clock’ and there were some very interesting points which I picked up on. The notion of 'Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dinner like a pauper' was endorsed, but also significantly was the suggestion that the human body benefits most from physical exercise between the hours of 4pm and 6pm. This seems to bear out in my own experience of training whereby sessions always seem more effective when carried out early evening. Also, we shouldn't eat less than 3 hours before going to bed, and must try to get 8 hours sleep per night to enable the body to recover from training. Consumption of plenty of water is advisable too.

So, now that I am head-long into my spring training schedule I am taking on much of the advice given on the programme. I am trying to get to bed before 10pm, eating no later than 7pm, am drinking 2 litres of water per day and no coffee in the evenings. Together with a more balanced diet, I am hoping that all this will add great benefits to my overall training.

Dusted down the road bike this week and started up the interval sessions. I can’t wait to get the Planet X out of hibernation. Oh how I have missed her over the winter months.

More specifically, here's what I did in a very busy and great week of training.....

Monday – swim - club swim, in include intervals and drills
Tuesday – run - hard 5K time-trial - 21:44, second fastest ever (so the running plan must be doing some good!), 50 press-ups and 38 sit-ups
Wednesday – bike - gym spin (fixed wheel), run - treadmill - easy 30 minutes at zero gradient, swim - 400m time-trial - 6:55 (happy to do sub 7 minutes given my lack of swim training)
Thursday – run - hard 7.65 Ashridge XC time-trial with Alex - 76 minutes (have done faster, but very windy and muddy, so very happy with time), 50 press-ups and 39 sit-ups
Friday - run/mountain bike/run brick session with Alex at Brickhill Woods, done as a race as hard as possible
Saturday – bike - hard interval session, run - 400 metre intervals
Sunday - rest

Next week sees the beginning of the end, and by that I mean the final 4 week segment of my 10K running plan. I also need to pick up again on the press-ups and sit-ups.

Congratulations last week to Mitten from my tri club who ran a very fast half-marathon PB of 1:44:44 at the Milton Keynes half. Her third PB of the year which must have something to do with the fact that she ALWAYS seems to be training! Well done Mitts.

It's about time that the Gold Coast World Championships appeared as the *WEBSITE OF THE WEEK*, so take a look at why I am doing all this silly triathlon stuff.

Am off to the gym now. That’s NOT David Lloyd, of course, but the gym next door in the garage. Going to do a turbo session – certainly not a 6 hour session though. Am not going to be pushing any weights, either, that’s for sure. Unless I can be convinced that it will benefit me – suggestions on a postcard please…..