An Unhealthy and Unsafe Week

I'm typing whilst plugged in to a TENS machine attached to my hamstring and sniffling away with a cold.

I spent Halloween at my mothers. She'd done a good job of decorating the house with skeletons, skull candles and such like. It was rather a damp night so that would explain the lack of Trick or Treaters. Had a nice homemade stew.

On Friday, whilst I was having the van fitted with a new exhaust and ball joint arm, I wandered in to town. I bought  a pocket fm radio for 99p and sat listening to that whilst having a coffee and reading the Swimming Times. Interesting article in it about the Rother Valley Open Water weekend that I attended.

Yesterday I took part in the Virgin Active Indoor Triathlon. I'd suffered a bad cramp episode in my hamstring in the pool earlier in the week which had left me with a pulled muscle sensation. I was a little wary of going back to strenuous activity so soon after but nevertheless I headed off to Richard Branson's parlour of track suited women in makeup sat chatting whilst sipping lattes.

I hate gyms, especially private membership ones. I view them as posy palaces for Nikeheads and Diadora dolly birds that are too stupid to realise that you don't need a gym to get fit or be healthy. On the Tribesports website I am a proud member of the Get Fit Without Joining a Gym Tribe.

I did the 2.5k treadmill run in 12.44 followed by 10k on the bike spinning thingy in 18.30. I am rubbish on the bike and it didn't help that I damaged my hamstring further because the saddle was too low for my leg extension yet the console was too high for my reach. Being a now quasi-serious triathlete, things like saddle and handlebar height are important to me. The angle and degree of leg extension when pedalling is unique to each individual and paramount when determining maximum effort and power if not to cause injury. My leg is now paying the price for those stupid spinning machines.

To quite literally add further insult to injury, the swim leg took place last instead of first. It was a triathlon where all the events were in reverse order. This was because (and yes, this really is advertised on the Virgin Active website) "to avoid our nice dry clubs getting wet"!

I completed the 400m in a very steady 8.46 giving me an overall time of 40 mins. Out of the 3000 or so competitors I came 1600ish. Fairly pleased with that given that I was full of cold and one-legged in effort.

I went back to my usual pool this morning to do some strength work on my arms using hand paddles.I'd been using them for half an hour when the shift change life guard told me that because I was in the splash session and that there was too many children around I couldn't use them on grounds of health and safety.

I stomped/hobbled off back to the changing room ranting about being hit on the head by a beach ball and what about my health and safety and right to swim blah blah blah! Ordinarily I would have been in the lane swim session earlier in the morning but I was up late after marshalling at the community Guy Fawkes bonfire the night before. Yes, I volunteered and did my bit for the community and made sure that the kids had a safe and pleasant evening yet I was repaid with a health and safety lecture in the pool the following morning for using a swimming training aid.

Paradoxical in the extreme.

Feel For The Water! Advice & Tips to Improve Your Swimming.

Feel For The Water! Advice & Tips to Improve Your Swimming.

Farewell Nina

Tokyo Witch Hunt ….

Izzie sound checking pre- Barnsley Polish Club gig

Following a good gig at The Polish Club in Barnsley, Izzie and I said goodbye to Nina this week. Her tenure was short due to her workload but we wish her well for the future.  

Does anyone out there know someone who can sing backing vocals and share synth duties? Yes, that includes you!

Email: izzie@izzievoodoo.com

On stage with Tokyo Witch Hunt at the Barnsley Polish Club

Thanks to Mia for the above pic which is surprisingly in focus!

Peachy!….

I have neither gigged nor rehearsed with Sarah and Ant in about 18 months. It’s just been impossible to match diaries. However, we met up for a rehearsal session a few days ago and it was a nice change to play some of the old stuff sat down with just an acoustic guitar and keyboard. I must admit I wasn’t exactly enthused at the prospect after all this time but I did actually enjoy the morning.

Peachy! -Gigging 2^nd December in Coal Aston.

Training….

It’s been a tiring week and I adjusted my training schedule to avoid burning out. I did some interval training in the pool and still managed to equal last week’s personal best on the 5k Park Run. I’m a little nervous about pushing hard on the bike at the minute though because of the wet and frosty road conditions.

Next week, an indoor triathlon at a local gym. I hate treadmills (knee killers) and spinning (going nowhere). In fact I hate gyms full stop but  I will reserve judgement on the pool until I get there.

Should be warmer at least though!

Crash v The Pink Stick Insect

This week I played a gig at The Red House in Sheffield.

The night was a bit nostalgic for me because the venue is opposite my old primary school, St Vincent's. It's sad to see the buildings decayed and left to crumble by the diocese in what must be a prime site for business in the city. That aside, it was the first outing for us as the re-branded Eyes/Lips. We are now called Tokyo Witch Hunt. It's Izzie's band so I'm not going to question it!

Thanks to our good friend and fervent supporter of the local music, Derek, for the video above.
.............

More good results and progress on the physical activity front this week. Busted personal bests in both the pool (1 km) and in the Park Run ( mile, 3km and 5km).

I must thank the Pink Stick Insect who I have been keeping a close eye on for use as a pacemaker these past few weeks. I am always worried that because she is so thin that she will snap going around a bend on the course. She needs a slap up meal in my opinion and the fact she helped me go sub 25 mins for the first time deserves a chip butty. I've no idea who she is other than she can run fast and gives me something to chase each week.

Thank you Pink Stick Insect.

At The Milestone..

Overheard in the Milestone

Matt uses Alberto Balsalm and Nick’s wife has bought him a new toothbrush. It’s a medium fibre Colgate to stop him getting sore.

Joanne’s Hen Party in Manchester means buying expensive toiletries.

Wendy (Nick’s wife) has text Pam who is looking forward to it. She’s taking her credit card with her and is going to have a stash of crisps and nibbles in her room.

Pam is pissed off with Donna though. Something to do with Kerry it seems.

 .......  cue Eastenders drum beats......

The Milestone at Crystal Peaks

High Speed Crash

It’s been a good training week.

With a hiatus on races, I’d made a decision to concentrate mainly on my swimming over the next month. My ASA membership card had dropped through the letterbox and I received email confirmation of membership of Trafford Metro Swimming Club. This meant I could complete entry forms for upcoming Masters events, something that I’m really looking forward to competing in.

With the entry forms I have to submit my anticipated race times for each distance and stroke event that I intend to compete in. Having concentrated on stamina and endurance latterly, I haven’t done any real work on speed for months. Therefore, it was time to dig out the Speedo Aquacoach to find out how I’ve been getting along. The Aquacoach is worn like a wrist watch in the pool and measures, time, speed, stroke count, laps (lengths) and calories burnt. I took measurements over various distances using breast stroke and front crawl.

Speedo Aquacoach

 

Using my Finis Tempo Trainer to pace myself, I was very pleased with the improvement in my times. Bearing in mind I was using a slow in-water start as opposed to a dive start, the times were vastly improved compared to my last measurements about 6 months ago. In fact, I am now swimming faster than my competitive school days. I managed to smash my 100m breakstroke time by 10 secs. Either I am much fitter than I ever have been (probable) or the pools are getting shorter (less probable).

Finis Tempo Trainer

 After recording my measurements, I dug out the results of last year’s Etwall Masters meeting (Etwall will be my first Masters event next month) and noted that I would have come top five in most of my events, including a winning time for the 100m Breast stroke.

Seems I’m doing ok at the minute but no room for complacency.

Faster yet Slower!

In Solihull with the Olympic Torch

Extract from conversation last week…

Colleague to Me: X wants to know if she can remotely access our server to update software.

Me: No!

Colleague on telephone to software supplier: He says, “No!” He’s just a grump. Look him up on the internet.

Me to Colleague: Insubordinate!

…………

In the Hollin Bush….

How to clear an afternoon funeral wake for the Friday night regulars. Put music on, select Abba track, collect plates up.

 ……………….

I don’t know where the burst of energy came from, but I busted my personal

best on the latest 5km Park Run without really trying. When I looked at my time splits, I’d done the same for the mile and 3km in the same run. Very pleased with that. I’m really enjoying these Saturday mornings. Well organised and very friendly – and free! However, the next day it all came crashing down…

The Tudor Grange Aquathlon in Solihull was my first shot at the dual discipline event. An Olympic Legacy event, it was a 400m pool swim followed by 5km run. As usual, I arrived at the venue early to familiarise myself with the run and transition areas. Transition had been moved from the coach parking bays outside the Leisure Centre to the disabled parking bays. This made me quite angry seeing a load of able-bodied and mostly-fit athletes using it as a changing area because it was next to the pool exit. There must have been a reason for doing so I guess, but the less-able need closer access to the leisure centre for parking than we do. Anyway, back to the race.

I was numbered in the last wave of swimmers, the third last athlete to commence of the day. Unfortunately the two after me were like lightning and I exited the pool last. After quick transition to put on socks and running shoes I was off to join the others on the run.  I had one guy in my sight, about 200m in front and clawed my way up to him. I was just about to overtake him when he turned in to the finishing area which left me the last out on the course. He had been a lap in front of me having started earlier but he had been my motivation to run harder. Last out of the pool and last across the finishing line isn’t a good feeling but of course if you start one of the last of the day, the finish will probably be one of the last. It would all come down to my time splits to see if I would be bottom of the pile on the results board.

Fortunately I wasn’t.

9 mins dead for my swim was a really poor time. I can swim 400m nearly 2 mins faster in training. But my run saved me. Done in 27 mins 39 secs. Looking at the splits, I had manage to claw back a 2 mins deficit against some 7-minute swimmers and turn it in to a 2 mins lead over them on the run. I ended up 17^th  out of 21 very good competitors, mostly triathlon club members.

On analysis, I know I’ve not put as many lengths in to my swimming training as I should have lately. Fortunately, the vastly improved running fitness has compensated and reaped benefits. I have a month before my next competitive event, another aquathlon, to do some serious swimming miles against the clock.