Catching up...

Saturday dawned, another trip to the gym was in prospect.

Off I trotted, did my routine as laid out in the program drawn up for me. This consists of work on four cardio machines, six weight machines and a little mat work.

I've been at this for about ten weeks now, and I have found each trip to be a little easier than the last. I have been tempted to push myself further to reach the same heart rate that I experienced the first few visits, I know that this is daft as this could lead to injury, but have once or twice succumbed to it.

I must admit that I have been more enthusiastic about gym work than road work. There are several reasons for this, not least that my bed is warm and dry at 6.30am and the streets are not. Another reason is that several weeks ago, I experienced my first attack - if that is the right word, of cervical spondylosis, this led to very frequent electrical impulses down my arms and occasionally to my feet. I took about a week off all training until I had a chance to see a doctor and get a diagnosis and treatment. After this I found it easier to get back into gym work than running. I am getting there though and tomorrow night brings my first visit and assessment/induction at Reading Roadrunners. I was supposed to attend two weeks ago, and then last week, but work got in the way.

With under a month until the 5K fun run that I have signed up for, I need to get more serious about my road work.

In a normal week I will visit the gym three times, on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday morning, run three times, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings, shoot twice (yeah right!) Monday and Friday evenings and potentially visit RRR on a Wednesday.

I went to the gym on Saturday - yay!, ran Sunday - yay!, overslept Tuesday morning - boo! and went to the gym tonight - yay! again. In an attempt to ensure I can make it to RRR tomorrow, I have taken the afternoon off work and will be there for the 6.30 assessment come what may. I know Jumile took advice from his assessor regarding his regime and has opted out of one of the gym visits, and I will probably do the same if it is felt I am pushing too hard.

We both have a re-assessment at the gym on Saturday morning, it will allow me to gauge my progress and have my program changed a little - I have always had problems with my lower back, I'd like to see if anything can be done to strengthen this without losing my focus which is to tone the muscles used for archery.

As far as the road work is concerned I am currently doing 3K, I have seen an improvement recently, in that I am able to run/walk my 3K in about 20-25 minutes, and have noticed that my first and last kilometre are done at a higher pace. I am not going to force myself to run faster over the 1-2 kilometre stage, this will come naturally as I become accustomed to running again.

I have the rest of my life, I don't need to achieve everything in the next three weeks, or die trying.

Anyway...time I was away, sorry if I bored you.