Waking Up in Wintry Wellfield

 Not a bad view to wake up to. Now to dig out those trail shoes and get some exhilarating miles done in the snow before it all gets turned to mush.

Greece is the word...

is the word that you heard, its got groove , its got feeling. So says Frankie Valli.

Well, summat like that. This Saturday night is 'Come Dine with Me' with a Gerek theme round ours. (Apologies to 'Grease' the movie, and Frankie Valli.)  I know it's a bit off-topic, but hey, it's the weekend.

Why is Greek food so hard to find when it tastes so good? I would challenge anyone to try Simply Greek tavern in Newcastle's Bigg Market and not be blown away (or at least be quite chuffed) by the diverse and wonderfully flavoursome food and wines. 

Hopefully, what we rustle up will be somewhere near the mark, and the cheesy Zorba dancing will be 'enhanced' by the authentic Greek wines and beers.

 

Winter Wonderland...

...or shortcut to A&E?

It is winter, so really nobody should be surprised that it is snowing. As with getting around in a car in poor conditions, I think sensible precautions can be taken so that running can still be enjoyed with snow on the ground. Unlike driving, it is preferable to seek out untrodden, snow-covered paths for mid-winter running. Well-worn slush / ice on top of smooth pavement doesn't make for good ankle / knee health, but those off-road trails and tracks where fewer people have walked can make for an enjoyable run, especially when you can feel the fresh snow compressing under your suitably-attired feet. Even after a few days of melt and freeze, these paths can often be easily and safely navigated if you pick your foot placement carefully, i.e. plan where you are going for every step. Trail shoes with their improved grip and water-resistance are a good choice for this time of year, combined with lots of technical kit to keep you warm and dry. 

Merino sheep

Merino wool is my choice for base-layers and socks every time, it keeps me warm even when you get wet, and although it is often (always) more expensive than man-made technical kit, I think it is a sound investment. 

Must try harder.

Four days of exercise out of six isn't the target I had set but it is an improvement on many previous weeks. So the target for the coming week is to raise that bar a little higher and aim for 5 days of training, with fewer days of pie and beer consumption.

That 'lightweight rower' target weight of 72.5kg is not getting much closer, so I think a target date needs to be set, and as 2011 is approaching then a target date of 31st December seems sensible. That gives me a little less than 6 weeks to lose 9kg, so 1.5kg per week is my new and entirely achievable goal.

Regime change...

...or should that be regimen?

My latest bright idea (it isn't a long line) is to do more exercise and eat fewer pies. 'Pies' in this instance is a very broad umbrella term for any and all foodstuffs and beverages that are calorie dense or are laden with fat. I reckon if I set it out here, i've got greater incentive to stick to it. Might even get to use my new SealSkinz waterproof beanie:

So, exercise 6 days per week and no midweek beers. Or wine. I have no particular targets on which to build a training plan for running, rowing, cycling etc., as long as I get a minimum of 30mins in every day with one longer session at the weekend. This weeks rough plan is as follows:

• monday - 45mins tempo on water-rower DONE
• tuesday - 30mins interval on water-rower - DONE
• wednesday - short hill session NOT DONE
• thursday - 30mins easy on water-rower - DONE or 9mile run home
• friday - REST - DONE
• saturday - 15mile base pace run BAILED OUT
• sunday - 40mins interval on water-rower - DONE

Beer and curry (and more beer) for effective weight loss...

...it's probably not going to happen to be honest.

However, a conversation with a knowledgeable friend over the aforementioned curry has given me a new target to aim for in my battle to recapture my 'racing snake' physique. When I say 'recapture', I really mean 'approach it for the first time'. It turns out that in competitive rowing, in order to qualify as a lightweight rower, you need to weigh in at or under 72.5kg, and whilst i'm not planning to take up competitive rowing, it is a handy target to aim for and can only be beneficial when i get back to road races.

So, the plan is, less curry, less beer, less wine, more long runs, more long rides, more long rows. Might even try two-a-days with the water-rower, wake the neighbours up to the sound of sloshing water as I do a 5km interval session under the stairs.

This week I have mostly...

...been taking it easy. 

A nine mile run home from work on Monday evening meant deploying the head-torch for the two sections of unlit single-track 'road'. I managed to navigate these without too much drama, and without seeing another person or any traffic. I guess most people have more sense than to be running around dark and desolate country lanes. Anyway, that was 9 miles in 70 minutes, which i'm happy about considering it was only a steady-effort run, and mainly in the dark.

A minor tweak of my right ankle (probably from the uneven and barely lit surface) has kept me indoors since then, but a session on the rowing machine on Wednesday has meant i've not been entirely rested. A deliberately 'base-paced' effort saw 5km come up after 27 mins. An interval session planned for this evening should perk up any sleepy muscles, and hopefully burn up plenty of calories.

Still carrying at least 5kg too much.