Andy's Training Diary

Current programme: Winter base: build up swim distance to 2k, runs to 10k, do one long ride a week and introduce olympic weightlifting in a light, explosive way to get some plyometric power.

Best Times:
Half-marathon 2:12.
10k run 59:00
10 mile bike time trial 27:47.
400m swim 9:13
Best Lifts:
Squat 140kg (308lb)
Deadlift 170kg (374lb).
Triathlons:
May 2006: Wellington Novice (200m swim / 13k bike / 3k run). Popped my cherry and did it on a fixed-wheel bike to boot. Swim: 6:26; Bike: 34:52; Run 14:47. Total: 56:05.

June 2006: Burnham Tri - 1:32:56 - 15:00 swim; 42:30 bike; 35:26 run.

June 2006: Bude - My first OW event. Swim: 00:26:30, Bike: [/i] 00:38:47, Run: 00:31:21; Total: 01:36:38

September 2006: Cotswold - 40th in age group G (35-40) out of 53. Swim 09:12, Bike 38:32; Run 23:19; Overall 01:11:04

Training Diary

February 25, 2003 -

Supposed to be a back day today but it ended up as pure deadlifts. Started with 50kg x12, 80kg x10 for the warmup, then aimed for 100kg x8. And got it. Got all excited and put another 10kg on, got 4. And again, at 120, and got two. Hell, at 130 I managed one - on the second try. So that's a new personal best of 350lbs for one. And I tore a callous off my left hand so it really, really hurts and I had to stop. Big grin though. Huge grin.

February 24, 2003 -

Off all week with a bout of evil guts and then some hairy deadlines at work. It didn't suit me; got all cranky. Managed some home training today (note: I don't know the weight of my home barbell but it's probably less than the gym one):

Clean and press 15kg x8, 25kg x8, 8. Go for 10 next time.

Gripper 4p, 4p, 4p (1 closure L! Yay!).

Lateral raise 10kg x8, 8, 6. Going for end of 8. 10 in the first set.

Dangles x3. These are *hard*.

Crunch 20x3. Blimey. Ab work!

Weekly mileage was 29.0, odometer 6821.

February 12, 2003 -

Legs and abs, yay!

Squats 65kg x 12, 85kg x10, 95kg x8. Target is 95x10. Superset with:

Standing calf raise 220kg x17, 270kg x17, 320kg x17. That was *hard* in more supple boots than usual.

Incline crunch, bench at point #3, x15, 10, 4. Going to do three sets for a while, to max or 15.

Finished with two scoops of EAS Simply Protein in water (yum).

February 11, 2003 -

Yesterday: Back and biceps. On the back of very little sleep and dreadful hunger pangs, this was a lot better than I expected, but pretty horrible nevertheless. Putting the chins first works well but I reckon a bit of a warmup is also indicated.

Chins at #18 assist x8, x8, x4.

Deadlift 50kg x12, 80kg x10, 100kg x5. Bad performance for the obvious reasons. Stick with this weight for now.

Seated cable row #6 x12, #7 x11, #8 x10. Goal reached. Increase the weights one plate to #7, 8 and 9 and see what happens.

Barbell curl 15kg x8, x6, x6. Stick with that weight next time.

Dumbbell shrug 35kg x12, x12, x12 (cheating). Bugger it, let's play with the 40's next time!

This was the first day taking EAS Simply Protein (vanilla-flavoured whey isolate/concentrate made up with skim milk) after training. Dear gods and tax collectors, that was farty. Will try it made with water next. Might be the milk, might be an acclimatisation thing. Taking protein is definitely worth the faff though - no deadlift sniffles the next day.

February 07, 2003 -

Bench day. It seems that all the serius people train at lunchtime - today was the delight of both yikes-arms girl and New Squat Girl, along with the obligatory Steroid Bore, who didn't quite seem to understand the difference between free weights and a Smith. I did:

Bench press 20kg x 12, 25kg x8, 6.

Incline bench press 12.5kg x 8, 4, 3.

Dumbbell shoulder press 10kg x10, 12kg x5, 10kg x8.

Dumbbell shrugs 35kg x 12, 12, 8 (griptastic).

Dips @ 76lb assist x10, 9, 4.

I'm not terribly happy with the way my shoulders aren't improving at all. May have to change this around.

February 05, 2003 -

Squats! I do love squats, make me feel good, they do. Was feeling pretty dreadful today - worked really late yesterday, not much sleep, dehydrated to Hell and back. Guts were being iffy so I skipped the ab work (any excuse, eh?).

Squats 65kg x12, 85kg x10, 95kg x10. Consolidate this next time.

Standing calf raise 220kg x16, 270kg x16, 320kg x16. Consolidated nicely, go to 17 next.

At my age (32, blimey) I can't just pile on the weight session after session. I get much more tangible, solid, non-reversible gains if I increment, then consolidate that increment with one or two sessions before upping the weight any more.

February 04, 2003 -

A little grip and arm work:

Fat man hangs x3

Hammer curls, 9kg x14, 10, 10, 7

#1 Gripper x4, x4.

Mileage for last week was 63.9.

Got to the end and not found the entry you're looking for? Check the archive for older stuff. This blog started on May 1st 2002, so don't expect to find anything before then.