Great Club Swim last night up at Christs Hospital. Warm up was 4x 100m, then 4x 75m and 4x 50m, alternating between front crawl and individual medley / choice. The swim also involved a number of 5min blocks (continuous swimming) where the Coach blew his whistle to either confirm a change of stroke or pace. Finally we had some fast lengths and relay practice with full Swimming Gala rules. In total 1.5 hours in the bank.
I must say that I am very fortunate being a part of an active tri club in that I do not have to worry too much about swim training sessions - I just turn up on Wed and Sat (next year I will probably add another day - Mon) and listen to the Coach. I imagine it would be a lot harder if I tried to come up with some specific session myself. However, it would be a good time to mention that our Coach (Mark Tickner) has just written a swimming book - Ultimate Swim, which is a great resource for those lacking a decent swim programme. Details can be found on his website: http://www.coach4tri.com/
So on to my bike commute this morning. I was determined to get a ride to work this week but woke up to more strong winds. Not wanting to wimp out again I braved the elements only to find that the wind was really not that bad and actually probably was an advantage when I neared Brighton. Loving the new bike... The only thing I got to watch is that the slightly easy gearing meant that I struggled to reach zone 2 this morning. There is a danger that the ride ends up being too easy and those potential training miles turn in to junk commute miles. In future I will try to up the cadence or throw a few hills into the mix, both of which should push my heart rate up and result in more of a work-out.
It is the office party tonight. As I am staying in Brighton I plan to do the return bike journey tomorrow. Thereafter I have to fit in another Club swim on Saturday and ideally a short brick session, leaving a long run for Sunday morning - job done!
At this time of year it is hard to get the training hours in and I am already finding I need to be flexible with the plan. My ideal nutrition and weight plan is also being thrown a little off course. I am not worrying about it too much and intend to enjoy my family Christmas, however it will be something I need to monitor and will return to in future blogs.
Essential Winter Wear...
So during my successful ride to work this morning I was thinking that with the correct winter gear there is little excuse for not training in pretty much all conditions. For cycling I recommend some decent gloves and rubber overshoes, together with the normal lycra leggings and cycling jacket. I like the idea of layering and opt for a compression top or thin breathable vest under the jacket. My buff is great for colder conditions as is a under-helmet cycling cap (as shown - not attractive but very practical). I also normally wear a bright lightweight gillet for extra visibility in the dark, although this morning I was unable to find it - probably in the wash.
On the bike an investment in some decent lights (my preference is USE Exposure http://www.use1.com/product/000079/exposure-lights/) is key. Also my latest addition of some lightweight mudflaps saved me from a wet back-side this morning.
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