Variety serves many purposes, both culinary and sporting

This week has been an interesting reminder for me of the value of variety and also the value of listening to the messages your body is giving you.

In August, in preparation for my HM I was running my “long runs” up to 14-15 miles on mixed terrain just following the farm tracks and footpaths round here, sometimes getting lost but generally enjoying myself.  Since lat August/early September however, I’ve been mainly up in Aberdeen in the week and running on roads, and then getting on the bike when I get back here. 

So Sunday, when I went out for a mixed trail and road ten or eleven miles I was quite surprised at what I found.  Compared to running on the roads, my HR was higher for the same pace and, to be honest I was struggling a bit.  It was also tempered by the howling gale that had sprung up between the morning and the afternoon when I ran, but still, it was definitely hard work.  I also found that on the Tuesday morning I was feeling it my calves and Achilles.  One bright spot though was the wildlife around, plenty of rabbist adn pheasants and a few chirpy birds, but the best thing was spotting a  fox track which I then followed for about a mile and a half down a farm track.

I’m throwing that in the bucket with Tuesday in general, when I had a very busy day in London getting to the office before 8:30 to get my laptop in to be swapped, then getting to Oxford circus for ten o’clock for a conference, back to the office to pick up the new laptop and home for about 6:45 pm.  It was a very hot, humid, sweaty day, I was wearing suit and tie, drinking too much coffee and felt bloody knackered by the time I got home.  I thought about jumping on the erg for 40 minutes or so, once.  Then I thought again and decided that while I could, that didn’t mean that I should.  In my own mind I knew that it would probably be a mediocre session in the circumstances and was pointless doing it.  Quality over quantity.

So that leaves a choice.  Looking at those that are getting so specific in one area that they can do that and only that i.e. top level rowers, jumpers, throwers, weight lifters etc and knowing that they will generally be relatively poor at other things I think is this a receipe for health?  that was questioned this week as well with a conversation on another forum where an ex rower realised that he’d become so specific that his body was basically screwed for anything else.  If you are going to excel at that one thing, maybe it’s a worthwhile approach, but I’m not going to.  Personally I’m going for health and fitness, but I need a reminder of that every now and then.

So this week

Sunday – Run

1) 07:57 / A139 / M149 

2) 08:05 / A145 / M150

3) 08:43 / A144 / M150

4) 08:51 / A147 / M152

5) 09:15 / A147 / M152 

6) 08:59 / A145 / M149

7) 08:59 / A145 / M148

8) 09:15 / A144 / M147

9) 08:57 / A142 / M146

10) 08:47 / A142 / M148

11) 6:39 / 0.73 mi / 09:04 / A145 / M147

Total -  01:34:28 / 10.73 / 08:48 / A144 / M152 / cad ave 87

You can see where the wind starts playing havoc with me.  About 4-5 miles of this was offroad.

Monday – planned rest day

Tuesday – extra rest day in preference to a mediocre session

Wednesday – evening turbo trainer session.  Forgot to open the garage door and nearly steamed myself as a consequence

Tacx - 721 cals / M239W / ave 209W

Garmin 1hr / 18.19mi / AHR 142 / MHR 150 / cad 92

Yesterday, Thursday – Went to my first Jivamukti Yoga class in what I counted back as 8 weeks. Some of that is due to just not being here mid week, and some due to a neck/shoulder pain I developed after sleeping in a dodgy hotel bed. 

I’m glad I went, even if I was dripping onto my mat after less than 15 minutes.  My hip flexors are thanking me already.

This weekend – Rugby of course, plus maybe a little variety of exercise.