I know. I know.
My week has been a nightmare for my training and just in general.
Sunday was an 11 hour shift, I weakened and called it a rest day. Didn’t train.
Monday I had nightmare. Supposed to be a 7 hour shift, at the last minute they changed my second drop to Didcot, (just past Oxford in deepest Darn Sarf). That bumped it up to an 11 hour shift. Then they shut the M40 on the way back up. I was going to run out of driving hours so I took another break to clear my clock on the A50. I went to start my truck back up, nothing. Had to call the repair guy out. By the time he’d got to me and repaired it I had enough time to get back to base with a spare half hour before I ran out of my legal maximum of 15 hours worked. If you run out you have to pull over and spend 9 hours on break. I set off, because it had gotten so late they’d put night roadworks closures in place. A50 shut. I had to divert. I made it to the M6 by luck, I didn’t know the diversion route, and started to relax. Then the signs came up “M6 J17- 18 long delays”. What? OK, I know that diversion. No probs, come back on at 18. Then next sign, “M6 J18- 19 closed”. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! I had to come off at J16 and work my way around. I got into the yard with 8 minutes to spare of my 15 hours. I just pulled over and dumped my truck. Didn’t train.
That put me on a reduced rest for Tuesday, so 9 hours later I was back in, minus the hour for commuting, the hour wind down/ eat/ shower etc. Knackered. Didn’t train.
Wednesday I had an easy run, then when I got back they stitched me up with a bad second run. The second drop takes ages to load you. I was there 4 hours 15 last time I went so I was fuming before I started. 3 hours 30 this time. a 13 hours 15 shift. Didn’t train.
On Thursday I had a day off as I had a hospital appointment. By this time I’d built up a mental resistance. I was fighting against training. Everything seemed too hard. I didn’t train.
Friday, today, I was struggling. Really struggling. I prevaricated for about 2 hours or so before I finally forced myself on to the bike. I TRAINED! Huzzah!
So glad I did. I decided to redo the 4DP fitness assessment. It’s an hour of beastly tests. I’ve only been on Sufferfest a month, you’re supposed to do it every three months, but I wanted to know if I had improved. Here’s the proof.
FTP is how much power you can maintain for 20 minutes (up 10 Watts) MAP is the 5 minute test (+17W) AC is the one minute (+43W) and NM is the 5 second burst (+348W!)
That’s what I call progress! For a month!
It looks more striking side by side.
Look at that! I’m well chuffed with that.
I had talked of doing the hour long test and then doing another Sufferfest workout. Not even. I got back on the bike and just couldn’t spin my legs up.
I went for a 10 mile run instead. Sub 8m/m on the way out, a negative split of sub 7.30 on the way back.
If I could maintain a 7.45 for this year’s Outlaw (big “if”) I’d be able to knock nearly an hour off last year’s time. Just for the run. I’m hoping for at least an hour on the bike. Really, really got to get over my swim aversion and batter it.
Tomorrow I’m going for a 20 mile pace run, try and keep it at 7.30. Then a Sufferfest. That’ll be fun.
Next week I start back fresh, un-phased, and determined to batter it.
Later,
Buck.
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