Tuesday 9th March 2010

(Quick catch up post for the record...)

40 minute session at new Lanark Gym :

2.7km on treadmill (0.5km warm up, 2km run, 0.2km cool down)
4.3km on bike
1.02km on rowing machine (I remember that this took 5 minutes)
1.2km on cross trainer

Sadly haven't got a note as to how long each of these took or what resistance level was used, but those were the distances anyway.

Tuesday 16th March 2010

There have been a few gym visits and games of football between the last blog entry and now, but nowhere near enough, sadly... Interesting news that the old gym in Lanark closed in January, and was replaced by a nice new fancy gym setup. Had to get a mini-induction done, and will have to revisit a couple of bits of that, but the main thing is the loss of the abdominal abominator - there is no equivalent machine in the new gym, so will have to work out some replacement for that. Anyway...

30 minute session in the new gym, as follows :

14 minutes on treadmill, starting with 3 mins at 6.0km/h+3.0%, moving to 5 minutes at 8.5km/h+1.0%, then the rest at 9.5km/h. Managed 2.11km in total.
5.11 minutes on the bike, doing 2.5km in total at level 9.
6 minutes on the cross trainer, 2 forwards at level 11, 2 backwards at level 11, 2 forwards at level 7, for a total of 1.08km.

Was pretty knackered after that - got home late from work so didn't have time to build up to speed, or do any time on the rowing machine either, so just ploughed on into serious exercise as quickly as possible !

Thursday 26th November 2009

Hour of five-a-sides at lunchtime today. Worst game for a while - the cough's been coming back and I really didn't seem to have much puff. Not helped by a few interruptions that were just long enough for the lungs to have a quick hack to themselves. Probably shouldn't really have played, but hey - you don't know until you try it ! Game was first loss of this round of games, and I was nowhere near scoring either. Ho hum !

Monday 23rd November 2009

(finally up to date !)

Short-ish session in the gym in Lanark tonight.

Treadmill - 14 minutes, starting off with 3 at 7km/h+2.0%, moving on to 9km/h and building up to 9.3km/h for the last minute or two - covered 2km exactly

Abdominal abominator - 1 set of 30 reps at 20lbs, 1 set of 30 reps at 30lbs

Exercise bike - 5 minutes at resistance level 6, covered 2km

Cross trainer - 1 min forwards at level 17, then alternating 1 minute back then forward at level 13 for another 4 minutes

Didn't feel too bad after that - worked a sweat up, and didn't have any major reaction from my lungs afterwards, so although the damn irritating cough is still hanging around the lungs themselves might be ok by now. I'm going to ache tomorrow though... :(

Thursday 19th November 2009

(playing catchup)

Hour of 5-a-sides in pi$$ing rain at lunchtime in Glasgow. Got through it ok, the team won and I kept up my Sanatogen tag by scoring my usual one goal a game. Lungs needed another kick-start after the game though, with a real hack in the changing rooms afterwards :(

Monday 16th November 2009

(playing catch up)

First tentative trip back to the gym after my flu/cold/throat irritations. Still coughing, but still managed 15 minutes on the treadmill and 5 minutes on the exercise bike. Lungs needed a good kick-start afterwards though.

Friday 30th October 2009

Tonight should have been a gym night ...

Have been running for the train for the last few mornings. Yesterday (Thursday) felt like very hard work, and I was breathing pretty heavily on the train. About halfway to Glasgow, started to get a sore throat and a bit of pain on deep breaths. Over the course of Thursday & Friday it turned into a typical man-flu (headaches, sore throat, runny nose, light headedness, every ache & pain for the last 5 years re-emerging) so a gym session on Friday night was never really an option !

Wednesday 28th October 2009

(Playing catch up...)

20:30 - 21:10 Session at Lanark Gym

Quite busy again this evening, but went for it on the treadmill !

Treadmill : 5 mins @ 6.5 km/h+2.0%, 9 mins @ 8.5 km/h, 4 mins @ 9.0 km/h, 2 mins @ 7.0 km/h+2.0% (13 mins to do 2km in the middle section - just over 2.7km overall)

Stepping machine : 5 mins at 5 flights per minute

30 reps @ 25lbs + 30 reps @ 30lbs on the abdominal abominator

2 sets of 15 reps @ 15lbs on the weights machine

Cross trainer : 5 minutes alternating between forwards and backwards @ level 16

Good fun workout really !

Monday 26th October 2009

(Playing catch up...)

20:30 - 21:10 Session at Lanark Gym

No serious treadmill time, as the gym was pretty busy this evening. Most time (16 minutes) spent on the cross trainer, with some time on the exercise bike and the stepping machine (usual 5 mins at 5 flights per minute). Had a quick burst on the treadmill (4 minutes at 10km/h) right at the end though.

Friday 23rd October 2009

20:30 - 21:10 Session at Lanark Gym

Treadmill - 5 mins @ 6.5 km/h + 2.0%, 5 mins @ 9.0 km/h, 4 mins @ 8.5 km/h, 1 min @ 9.0 km/h

Stepping machine - 5 mins @ 5 floors per minute

Cycling machine - 5 mins at level 5

Rowing machine - 5 mins - 1.01 km

Treadmill - 3 mins @ 10 km/h

No weights tonight - getting a feeling that I'm missing out on my long distance runs, 'cos it seems to be getting a little bit harder rather than easier :( Weight still seems to be coming down a bit at a time though (hovering around the 96kg mark tonight...

Friday 16th October 2009

20:35 - 21:10 - Session at Lanark Gym

Treadmill - 5 mins @ 6.5 km/h + 2.0%, 10 mins @ 8.5 km/h

Cross-trainer - 2 mins forwards @ level 15, 2 mins backwards @ l 15, 2 mins forwards @ l 15

Stepping machine - 5 mins @ 5 floors per minute

Cycling machine - 7 mins @ varying between level 6 & 8

Short-ish session at the gym - think I've pushed it a wee bit too far, as my knees are pretty achy tonight. However, not sure I'll be able to get back to the gym before Tuesday, so thought I ought to make an effort tonight ! Recovery time was pretty good - back to normal, apart from the achy knees, within a few minutes of starting to walk home afterwards.

Thursday 15th October 2009

12:30 - 13:30 Five-a-Sides

Full hour of fives, with only a couple of brief sojourns in goal during the hour. Two goals and an unexpectedly comfortable win for our team (by 5). More "runners" in the other team, but we built up a decent lead early on and maintained it (I expected us to build up a lead and get overtaken in the last 10 - 15 minutes, but it didn't turn out that way). Really threw myself into it, and for the last 10 minutes or so was pretty much playing statues, but at least my shins and knees aren't too bad - no pain in the shins at all, and my knees are just a bit achy. Result all round - at least for the football :s

Wednesday 14th October 2009

20:30 - 21:10 Session at Lanark Gym

Treadmill - 5 mins @ 6.5 km/h+2.0%, 6 mins @ 8.5 km/h, 4 mins @ 8.7 km/h, 1 min @ 6.5 km/h

Stepping machine - 5 mins @ 5 floors/minute

Cross trainer - 3 mins forwards @ level 15, 2 mins backwards @ l 12, 2 mins forwards @ l 12

Treadmill - 3 mins @ 10 km/h

Abbreviated session tonight - too slow getting myself into gear and out for the walk down to the gym (that's an extra 1260 paces each way, down and up hill :) Felt a bit incomplete because I only used 3 machines rather than the usual 4 or more, and I didn't do any weights as my lower back still feels a little twinge-y and I've got football tomorrow. Excuses excuses, eh ?? And that's after eating *four* pieces of chocolate cake today...

Monday 12th October 2009

20:20 - 21:10 Session at Lanark Gym

Treadmill - 5 mins at 6.5 km/h+2.0% gradient, 4 mins at 8.2 km/h, 11 mins at 8.5 km/h

Stepping machine - 5 mins at 5 floors per minute

1 set of 30 at 25lbs, 1 set of 30 at 30lbs on abdominal abominator (+ spare 10 at 25lbs as I forgot to change the weight setting !)

2 sets of 15 at 15lbs on the weights machine

Cross trainer - 2 mins forwards, 2 mins backwards, 2 mins forwards all at level 13

Recumbent bicycle - 5 mins at resistance levels between 8 and 11

Treadmill - 3 mins at 9 km/h

No rowing tonight, tried to do as much running as I could as I'm getting concerned that I can't keep myself going in the "real world" beyond the 300+300 combo I got to a little while back.

Also... scales now read somewhere between 96 and 97 kg, so still some weight coming off :)

Tuesday 6th October 2009

20:20 - 21:10 Session at Lanark Gym

Cross trainer - 2 mins @ level 8, 2 mins @ level 12, 5 mins @ level 15, 2 mins backwards @ level 15, 5 mins @ level 12

Treadmill - 2 mins @ 7 km/h + 2% gradient, 5m47s @ 8.2 km/h @ 0.5% gradient = 1km, pause and stretch, 7m13s @ 8.5km/h (+0.5% for first 4 mins) for second 1km

1 set of 30 at 25lbs, 1 set of 30 at 30lbs on abdominal abominator

2 sets of 15 at 20lbs on weights machine

Stepping machine - 5 minutes at 5 floors per minute

Rowing machine - 1km in 4m30s

Really didn't feel like I could be bothered going for this session, but forced myself to do it and came away feeling a lot better for it. Felt like pretty hard work though...

Sunday 4th October 2009

Lunchtime - Circuit around Duncrub in 18m16s or so - apparently a fairly decent time... Last did this run back in early August (2nd), where I've recorded it as 1.8 miles/2.9 km, and run in about 21 minutes - so I could claim to be getting faster at the rate of 1 minute per month ... think that would be pushing the bounds of credibility though !

Friday 2nd October 2009

20:25 - 21:10 Session at Lanark Gym

Treadmill : 5 mins @ 6km/h+2% gradient, 5 mins @ 8.2km/h, 3 mins @ 8.5km/h, 3 mins @ 7km/h+1% gradient

Cross trainer : 2 mins forwards at level 15; 2 mins backwards at level 15; 3 mins forwards at level 11

2 sets of 30 at 25lbs on the abdominal abominator

2 sets of 15 at 15lbs on the weights machine

20 flights (200 feet !) at 4 flights per minute on the stepping machine

1018 metres in 4m37s on the rowing machine

Before going, felt like I really couldn't be bothered with a session tonight - had a 45 minute hike around Glasgow city centre after work (pointlessly, in the end - grr), and was feeling a bit achy after football yesterday. But went anyway, and to be honest feel all the better for it (whisper it quietly !) Level 15 might be a bit much on the cross trainer for me at the moment though. Also, today I tightened my belt another notch (from first notch at the start of the year to the fourth notch now), and the scales read a definite 98kg. So feeling a bit better after a completely crappy week at work. Oh, and pacing out the walk to the gym, it turns out it's 1,265 steps downhill beforehand and the same distance uphill after finishing. So it's all good, really :)

Thursday 1st October 2009

Another hour of 5-a-sides today, on a pitch we don't use too often - astroturf wasn't as easy to run on and the boards not as "bouncy" as usual, but we got on with it. Scored, and my team won - even managed a few sprints the length of the pitch. Did manage to tweak my knee a bit with a too-rapid tackle-start-stop-start-stop sequence, but had walked it back off again by the end of the afternoon. Ankles are a bit clunk-y tonight, and knees ache a bit - but shins are fine.

Finished the day with a mile's worth of hike around Glasgow city centre, with two mile walks around Lanark to finish the day off - wasn't planned but wound up being needed !!

Wednesday 30th September 2009

20:35 - 21:10 Session at Lanark Gym

Cross trainer - 11 minutes (split between levels 8 and 12, including two minutes backwards)

Stepper - 5 minutes at four floors per minute (but managed to beat that time !)

1 set of 30 at 20lbs, 1 set of 30 at 25lbs on the abominable abdominal wotsit

2 sets of 15 at 20lbs on the weights machine

Treadmill - 10 minutes, 2 at 6km/h, 6 at 8.5km/h, 2 at 7km/h - all at a 2% gradient

Gym pretty busy tonight - three or four people in for inductions by the sound of it - but managed to get a reasonably varied set of exercises in. First time experimenting with gradients on the treadmill - certainly made a difference ! Also tried to keep the training to keep my heart rate level maxing at about 150bpm - didn't manage it though - peaked out over 160bpm :(

Monday 28th September 2009

20:10 - 21:05 Session at Lanark Gym

Treadmill: 5 mins @ 6km/h, 10 mins @ 8.5 km/h, 1 min @ 9km/h

Cross trainer : 3 mins forwards/2 mins backwards/3 mins forwards at level 13

Stepping machine : 17 floors at 3.5 floors per minute pace

2 sets of 30 @ 25lbs on the abominable abdominal machine

2 sets of 15 @ 20lbs on the weights machine

Rowing machine : 5 minutes (digital readout broken, so no idea how far I went !!)

Because the car is out of action, started with a 0.6 mile walk from home to the gym (downhill !), stopped early to shower at the gym rather than at home then walked the 0.6 mile back up (uphill). Not a bad workout all round, but while my shirt was soaked through it still didn't *feel* like I'd worked that hard ?

I was talking about how, when I run outdoors, I don't seem able to keep going for the amount of time I can in the gym because my legs just got too sore to keep going, and it was commented that I might be hitting anaerobic levels of exercise very quickly. Watching the monitor in the gym, even restraining myself to 8.4 km/h the heart rate went up to about 160, so I was getting close - and I have a bad tendency to run faster than that when outdoors - oh well, best get a non-hard disk iPod and subscribe to to running podcasts that help control your BPM !