Pre-Race Week, 09th January, 2007

All I can think about is the damn race. I'm in turn excited or terrified. I've still got a bit of a cold but I don't feel too bad. I had a 30min coughing session today (which has mysteriously vanished) and I was almost in tears as a bad cough is the only thing (apart from broken bones/muscles) which could seriously hamper me. It takes all my effort to run up the hill and control my breathing (I mean heavy panting) - without the added pressure of a cough.

The plan for this week was:

1 x gym

1x hill session

1 x 4-5 miles easy (not that I've ever managed this ... every session is race pace to me)

Managed to do 1mile on sand today with the dogs as a warm up then into the gym. Really pushed myself to do every machine heavier than before and concentrate on doing 3 sets of between 15-20 reps. TheOther managed to make me crazy with fury as they niggled away and kept telling me I wasn't trying hard enough. Then they told me to turn the anger on the machine, not them.... arhhhgggg. I knew that what they were doing was ultimately helpful but it was sooo frustrating. It did make for a brilliant gym session though.

Very dull summary follows. But I've never written down my gym session before so I thought this would make a good record.

All machines are Precor and the number in brackets refers to the number of holes down I put the weight stick in. (I can't always read the numbers or get the alignment right so I remember it this way.) Also random listing, not in this order.


Leg Press (6) 3x20 (turning knees out further with each 20)

Shoulder Press (1) 3x20

Lateral Pull (4) 3x20

Lateral Pull for triceps (1) 3x20 (Standing and pulling bar from waist down to full arm extension then back to waist again.)

Hip Flexor knee up x 20 each leg (2); inner and outer thigh 20 of each for each leg (4)

Pectoral Push (4) 3 x15

Hamstring push (4) 2 x 20 (5) 1 x 20

Bicep Curl (2) 3 x 15

Two armed standing cross pull thing (4) 2 x 12 (3) 1 x 12

Tummy Curl Machine (7) 2 x 20, 2 x 20 alternating side obliques, 1 x 20 (8), 1x 20 (9)



Now I know that doing that many on the Tummy machine is madness and only helps me psychologically, not physialogically but I don't care. One day, when there isn't a layer of flab covering them I am going to have RIPPED stomach muscles! (That's the aim anyway.)



Ah, maybe tomorrow the hills and a gentler rest for the remainder of the week.