Week 4 of training (I BOUGHT A BIKE!)

So the usual training has taken place this week - running, cycling, swimming, early mornings etc etc etc

BUT

the most exciting thing about this week is that I bought a bike and it was delivered! I had been into several bike shops and was met with surprise when I stated my budget - "Oh... you only want to spend £300-£400.... You won't get much for  that".  I think that is a lot of money to spend on a bike, but apparently people who are keen about triathlons happily spend thousands on a bike... Well I'm not - so I went rogue and went onto Ebay!

I don't know anything about bikes - but spoke to lots of people and decided to search for a few brands.  I was outbid on a carbon fibre bike that went for £500 - but eventually won a Specialized Allez bike, with upgraded wheels, racing handlebars with pads, a b'twin speedometre. 

It arrived at work in bits- a local bike shop built it and serviced for me and I was good to go!! 

I decided to cycle on Friday afternoon from Edinburgh to Linlithgow.... There is a canal side path that goes all the way. 

It started off so well- it was smooth and recently paved. I loved being outside by the canal - hearing the birds and zooming along! The bike is great and so speedy and light. However the track rapidly deteriorated and became really rough and muddy.... I struggled for miles and finally arrived at least 45 minutes after I should have done and in the dark... Not ideal. But I enjoyed it! 

Lovely views! 

The next day I lovingly cleaned all the mud and leaves off my bike! 

Yay for cycling! And yay for eBay purchases that are exactly what they said they were! 

The only bad thing was that I managed to fall off a few times because I kept forgetting that my feet were clipped to my pedals and when you stop you have to unclip them before you can steady yourself. So I had a few embarrassing slow motion falls- thankfully not into the canal 

Bruises aside- I LOVE MY NEW BIKE!!!!

My favourite breakfast

http://www.kaylaitsines.com/blogs/news/18717447-the-easiest-overnight-oats?utm_source=Master+List&utm_campaign=ed1bf50a96-Newsletter_71_should_Exercise_when_sick_2_2_15_US&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_bd2f136c59-ed1bf50a96-159484529&mc_cid=ed1bf50a96&mc_eid=fdd06aea28

This is Kayla Itsines recipe - she is such a babe.  Follow her on instagram!!

These oats are soooo good - I put in loads of random nuts and seeds.  But I hardly ever have fresh fruit on top because I'm poor. I make it the night before an early workout and put it in my bag and eat it at work after an early spin/swim - it is so yummy!

I also eat it out of a glass jar because I'm that edgy but I hear normal tuppaware does the trick too

(Disclaimer - this is my favourite HEALTHY breakfast.  My actual favourite breakfast is sausages, bacon, eggs, toast, pancakes, maple syrup, juice and coffee obvs)

Week 3 of training

This week has been a super sociable week of training

Monday - had a fun running and swimming session with Triathlon club.  We did sprints round the meadows and then some arm drills and races in the Commonwealth pool.  

Tuesday - PANCAKE DAY! My flatmate Gordon dragged me to running club 

I was feeling a bit ill and wasn't keen - but I got excited because I got to try out my new trainers! 

Also - I tried out Strava instead of Map My Run - I prefer it already.  It syncs quickly and easily and gives lots of information.  It will also be really good when I start cycling outside.

Wednesday - I got up early  to go to spinning at LifeCycle Edinburgh.  The session was tough with lots of hills but I felt great after.

Wednesday evening I met Millie to go and watch 50 shades! After the film we went to yoga 

On Thursday I went for a nice lunch time jog around work. I'm loving strava! It's so fab.

Friday! Early morning for Jess! 

I managed to wake up 5 mins before my alarm?! How??! 

Fridays swim is an hour and a half and at a horrendous time in the morning but it is my favourite session of the week! I love it. This week was particularly great! We did an hour of drills working on our arm action and kick and then we did a timed 400m. We started at 5 second intervals- the fastest starting first. I started in 4th position but managed to get the fastest time!!!! Yayyy! I was so happy! I should just say at this point that that there are two lanes and I was the quickest in the slow lane so I am by no means a super speedy swimmer yet- but I'm working on it! Here are my 400 m times to date: 

Massive improvements! 

Right well I'm off to have a v relaxed weekend- no swimming/running/cycling until Monday! Wooohooooo xxxx

Week 2 of training

Monday and Tuesday- NOTHING!! Rest days 

Running- 3 runs this week totalling 17.6 kilometres. Two runs were lunch time 5ks. One was a triathlon club run and it was a brutal set of 10 mins, 4 mins, 10 mins with a 1 minute rest in the middle- we had to run at above 10k pace. By the last 10 minutes I was really struggling. 

Swimming- this week I have done 2.5 hours. Friday morning at 6am was fun because we did a swimming yo-yo test Arghhhhhh- for those who haven't done a yo-yo test or a bleep test they are horrible! We had to do 4x50 metres in 65 seconds each and then 4x50 in 60 seconds each and then 55 seconds then 50 etc etc. we got to 45 and I couldn't breathe any more! 

We also did pool push ups (like you're lifting yourself out of the pool and lowering back in) - to 'activate the shoulders'. It just really hurt 😭

Cycling- I have done two spins this week. One with a super intense instructor where a lot of Nero angst was played (you tube it and imagine someone shouting at you to PUSH IT, WORK HARDER, COME ON and you can imagine the pain!).

On Sunday I went to a much more relaxed hippie spin session with Rachel! We worked hard and pushed our legs and had lots of fun doing it. Here is a photo of sweaty Rachel and me! 

Now I'm having a massive roast and stack of pancakes 

What is Jess's weekend of pain?

I decided this year I wanted fundraise to fundraise for Macmillan nurses to commemorate 10 years since my step dad Trevor died.

I had recently joined the Edinburgh Triathlon Club so I thought that some sort of triathlon weekend would be a good challenge for me. I decided to enter a triathlon in the Forest of Dean and base my challenge around that. That triathlon is on a Sunday so I looked for events near then. I stumbled on the Great North Swim…. Swimming is the weakest of my three triathlon events so I though that a two mile open water swim would terrify me into training hard.

At this point in January I definitely cannot swim for two miles let alone in open water! So my swim training will have to go from 2 times a week to 3 in a few weeks. Also if anyone wants to lend me a wetsuit that would be awesome!

The final event the day after the Great North Swim and the day before the triathlon is a 10k around Wimbledon common. 7k is about my most comfortable distance to run- so 10k will be enough to hurt my legs and challenge me mentally when I want to give up after 7k. Hopefully some nice people will run the 10k with me?

I hope that these three days of pain, fear and exhaustion will raise some money for Macmillan nurses- and I know that whatever struggles I am going through someone has been through something worse.

Davina's swim in Lake Windermere

This is what happened when Davina swam 1.5 miles around Windermere…. Struggle! Hopefully I’ll fare better… She had run and cycled a long way before and she was swimming the cold. I’ll be swimming in June so it should be a bit warmer

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-26117940

Week one of training

Monday evening- in the cold and rain I dragged myself off the sofa and to the bottom of Arthur’s seat and the commonwealth pool for triathlon club. We went for a sprint session in the TUNNEL! See the photo! It’s a spooky old train tunnel that we run up and down! Sprints done and with my thighs aching I headed to the commonwealth pool for an hours swim! 1000 metres later I went home to watch Broadchurch with my ace flatmate Gordon

Tuesday I went to Leith Victoria Swimming pool with two babes from work Kat and Steph - I did a mixture of pyramid swimming (200m, 300m, 400m, 300m, 200m etc etc) and chatting with the girls! Still managed a tidy 1800mWednesday I set an alarm at the horrible time of 0615 and jogged to the Edinburgh Life Cycle centre. Did an intense 45 min spin session showered and got to work all before 8! 

I had such a great spin on Wednesday that I went on Thursday night too! 

Friday morning I forced myself out of bed at 0530 and hopped on a bus to Leith Victoria pool for a 90 min swim session. We managed to get through 3500 metres. Going so early in the morning means that I am still in a bit of a daze while I swim- I don’t really realise how far I have swum or how long I’ve been in the pool until
I’m in the shower afterwards- ideal! Friday night I went for a fab burns night supper with work- ate and drank zillions of calories but it was guilt free because of all that swimming!

Yay for a whole weekend off!! Might do a bit of stretching and gentle yoga