Elite Performers

Heyas

This week was a loooong week.  Got some really good exercise sessions in including a couple of intense spinning sessions (see previous post).  The practice session I did with James Moffatt was great and then the main event with the Swim Trafford Elite Performance Squad (http://www.swimtrafford.co.uk/ ) went down a treat on Friday morning.  The kids really put a lot of effort in and that made the session fulfilling.  They also got a lot out of it I think and provided great variety to their training sessions.  We even got the coach doing some press ups for going to the loo mid session what a mistaka to maka.  I did the session voluntarily and had not done a lot of volunteer work in the past.  I can now see a little bit more clearly why people do it it was very rewarding mentally and it was nice that they all appreciated the session.  I intend to do a session when asked but am going to put a regular session on at Stretford Leisure Centre every week if I can just for anyone to come along to.  I have set up a group on Facebook called Impromptu Spinning at Stretford LC if you poke me I will invite you to it!  I really enjoyed planning the session out and putting the music to the set it was very nice and a break from the norm!  The kids where also given a presentation I prepared on basic nutrition on Monday to try and help their preperation for the major events this year.  I will try and post that mid week as soon as I have worked out how to put a powerpoint presentation on here!

I did three high quality gym sessions working hard this week.  The routine was as follows;

Ø      1000 metre row to warm up

Ø      Full body stretching session 15minutes

Ø      23minutes Crosstrainer – Random setting level 11 keeping rpm into the 80’s.

Ø      3 sets of 12 reps  - Freeweights – Lateral Raises, Push Presses, bicep curls (Toning)

(http://www.dumbbell-exercises.com/exercises/shoulders/index.html#8)

Ø      3 x 12 – Chest press, lat pull downs, inside and outside thighs (Toning weight)

Ø      15min hill walk (Knee is still a little dodgy for running)

Ø      Full body stretch down

The gym sessions I am mostly working on upper body toning to make sure that I have underlying muscle that is burning fat whilst at rest.  I don’t want to put to much muscle on as I want to lose the weight to make the cycling easier especially the hill climbing.  I have commuted on the bike again this week and accumulated approximately 50km done over the week.   No swimming this week unfortunately.  I will have to start habit forming with that it seems to be the one item that is getting dropped all the time.

I have recently purchased two books with the purpose of having a plan for next year cycling wise.  I know that my good friend Rich at www.pedalprecision.com is planning some things for next year so will be looking forward to what he has planned to.  The books I have bought are;

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0711231206 - 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs: A Road Cyclist's Guide to Britain's Hills

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0857386247 - Mountain High: Europe's 50 Greatest Cycle Climbs

They are both really nice books.  The European climbs is a nice work its got pictures (important for me!) and has good descriptive on the climb including a contour of the climb itself.  The plan is for me to pull together a list of rides and just start crossing them off next year!!

So food hasn’t been a problem this week apart from a Subway on Friday.  It was a long day so please let me off!

Have a good week and thanks for reading.  Please feel free to leave a comment!