A week in the life

A lot of people I know rightly can't understand why or how I train so much so here's a week in a day of me with some commentary on the side. Now in a perfect world this week's routine would replicate week after week but anything from being ill, closing times, bank holidays to a missed train can throw a schedule out of whack. Which throws me out of whack, not to mention, partner, step son, life rountine and so on.

Monday: a rest day. You'll see why I need it at the end of the week. It usually involves catching up at work (I don't have time for overtime) by starting early and then pilates in the evening in a local church. To make pilates, I have to race from work, to home, (remembering to eat something on the train), spend 15 mins with Jon and Jnr then scoot off. An hour of relaxation and elongation and my stomach makes sure I’m home for bedtime where I’ll sit on the floor during reading time, scoffing leftovers. Then it’s plan the week ahead, printing training schedules, meals, transport and time to cross over with the family!

Tuesday - take the first train into Salford at 6:54 to swim for 1:15hr. At the moment I am swimming 3km including warm up, cool down and drills. Scurry to work ravenous and with goggle marks on my head. Leave work at 430pm for a train back to Mossley and a session on a spin bike in a former power station. Pedal to a set program from my coach for one hour watching the same video over and over for motivation. Remove clothing, grimace like an animal, drop sweat on floor. Repeat. Wipe gym floor clean of sweat, stretch and return home for food around 730pm.

Weds - first train into town again, then a tram to another gym that does early opening for 45mins to an hour of strength and conditioning, vital weights, plyometrics and other such marvellous stuff to hold the body together. This again is given by my coach so it’s vital on Monday I check the program and learn any new exercises that I need to do on these days. Then after a relaxing day at work eating over my keyboard, it’s home as usual to run up to 8 miles at 8-9min mile pace. If I am lucky, Jon runs with me. If not I whimper alone. Though I’ve recently tested the excellent Saddleworth Runners group.

It’s Thursday so it must be swimming, as above. One day is usually slower and another has more faster sets. A set is like a description of what you’re going to swim, written in a sort of mathematical short hand. If you’re a novice like me, then it’s important to sit down and make sure you understand the swim set, know how many laps of the pool is in 400m and what 10 seconds rest for every 100 means. I usually do this over breakfast.

Friday - more strength and conditioning in the early morning. By the evening I am starting to fall apart so it’s rest and eat time before the big weekend...

Saturday - a medium ride of about two hours. Medium as in, not too much huffing and puffing. Two hours should be about 40kms. Around Mossley it never is...  A longer run follows if I have not had the presence of mind to do it on Friday. I usually play around based on how awful I feel doing sessions after work.

Sunday - a long hard ride of 4 to 6 hours either alone or with a group. Followed by a thirty minute run straight off the bike. Then an afternoon nap. Unless we have to visit the inlaws, go shopping or do something else, then I have been trying to fit training around that. Not now though as it's making me lose my mind...

And then I start getting ready for Monday all over again. Mondays are good though because I don’t have to pack and carry a massive back pack full of kit for all these training sessions. I didn’t mention how important carrying kit and doing laundry on the right day is did I? It’s not the sport that’ll kill you, it’s the logistics!

Disclaimer: This post was scheduled to publish when I'm away training in Mallorca, so if the world ends in between, or a Dictator dies, or your cat runs away and this post hasn't taken that into consideration then apologies. No animals were harmed in the writing of this post. May contain nuts.