Well, it’s been four months since I last posted something on here. That was an account of the 80km Pedal for Scotland cycle ride from Glasgow to Edinburgh I took part in last September. Since then…I’ll be honest. I have perhaps let the fitness regime slide a little. In my defence, winter arrived, completely unexpectedly…
Following a festive period where I took a couple of weeks off from watching what I ate and exercising, I put on a little weight (around a stone, or 5kg). However, as I’d signed up for my friend Graham’s 28-day personal training course, I wasn’t too concerned. And while, after 11 circuit training classes and 3 personal training sessions, I’ve only lost a little weight (currently I’m at 88kgs, ish), I am slimmer and empirically fitter.
The fitness goals for the next few months are fairly simple; I’ve entered the Edinburgh Marathon Festival half-marathon in May, and I want to develop a more nutritious and varied diet. Both represent fairly large challenges for me though. I’m still not brilliant at running long distances, although I think improvement there is simply a matter of perseverance. I’ve got three Parkruns under my belt already this year, and I’m looking to add a second running session per week to my training schedule, where I may concentrate on speed work.
As far as eating goes, I’ve been concerned about my diet for many years, and it first came to a head when I hit 17 and a quarter stones a couple of years ago. However, I’m also acutely aware that I completely ran out of energy towards the end of Pedal for Scotland, and that was most likely due to my poor understanding of nutrition. I have come to broadly understand how calories work, but the finer points of sports nutrition escape me, so that’s something I have to work on. I have been experimenting with protein shakes, and trying to eat a lot more clean than I ever have before, but I’m wary about making wholesale changes to my diet at any one time. It’s more difficult to sustain.
As far as other sports go, I’ve decided to stop playing five-a-side football for a while; not because of injury thankfully, but because I simply wasn’t enjoying it very much, for reasons I can’t delineate. I’d also planned on entering a triathlon this year, but that notion has been stymied for various reasons, not least because of the fact that I can’t swim very well. I’ve read a book on swimming techniques, but I think I need some advice from a coach. As for cycling, the bike is in hibernation, and will be until the clocks go forward again. I just don’t feel safe cycling on the local streets in this light and this weather.
And the knee, the main reason I started this blog? It’s okay. I don’t think it’ll ever be 100% again, but apart from a slight pain when I climb stairs, it’s as good as I could expect it to be. How it will feel after a half-marathon is another story…
