Killer Chris and the PT session(s)

Training this week began with a MTB ride. Ron and I took our bikes around trails and fields in Astwood Bank. We hadn't been here for so, so long and it proved fun cycling tracks we had cycled in the past. Dog Butt Lane always brings a smile to my face. We didn't cycle long or far (I punctured) but it was nice to get the legs spinning all the same.


On Wednesday, SJ and I rocked up to meet Chris - the PT guy, at Morton Stanley Park. Within minutes, this dude nearly killed us both! Chris had us doing 'shuttles' after we had loosened up by jogging around a football pitch and stretching muscles I never knew existed. These shuttles involved running and sprinting back and forth with bonus exercises to do at certain points. These exercises included lifting weights (not heavy, but heavy enough), lunges, sit ups, squats etc. After these shuttles we had to do more and for longer. SJ and I were both seriously drained and sweating some! Later in our session we were to concentrate on core muscles and had more sit-ups and this thing called a plank to do. SJ beat me on both counts - she could hold a plank way longer than me and scored 19 sit-ups in her exhaustion test compared to my 14. To finish we ran around the football pitch again and loosened up again by doing more stretches. This was a good session but hard, hard work. We both liked Chris and look forward to seeing him again next week. In the meantime, we have sit-up exercises to do as homework. Groan!

Thursday was spent indoors on the rollers. This was also the last I cycled this week - think I had started to lose focus a wee bit. Or maybe it was the fact the the PT session had caused discomfort to my legs!

For the remainder of the week, I did little in the way of exercise. Shame on me, I didn't run even once and cycling was seriously limited. Chris sent me a photo of last weeks MTB adventure and someone (I think Chris Rimmel) had posted me some cycling books - were they trying to covertly motivate me? I require motivation as I have that whopping 400k audax coming up (next weekend). My only real saving grace was the fact that I adhered to my sit-ups schedule. This sit-ups schedule involved doing repetitions of these menace exercises and 'maxing out' on the last set. My max out results were 24, 22 and 16 respectively. SJ maxed out on 31, 51 and 40 clearly kicking my butt and was, can you believe it, disappointed at her results! She might have a 6 pack, but I have a fuel tank!

Weekly totals: Cycled 34 miles.