Twenty four hours in bed

After a whole day in bed, dosed up on magic tablets
I'm feeling much better, but still not fabulous
I debate whether to run tonight, it's probably with a try
See if I can burn this cold out, make the virus die

I think that it's because I'm feeling so very restless
That I decide to give it a shot, get up and get dressed
Outside its windy and cold and as miserable as sin
But the weather kind of suits the mood that I'm in

My legs are pretty heavy and my head still feels stuffy
At least it's not leaving me huffing and puffing
To loosen up the pistons I jog into the night
I have no intention of running far so the end is in sight

I plod on for three kilometers slow and steady
But before I know it I'm definately ready
To head back and hide from this cold in the head
Hopefully it won't be another twenty four hours in bed

Not so fun day

On Sunday morning the weather's nice and bright, but a cold has crept up on me over night
With extra layers on I head for the canal, I use a different route to stop my run feeling banal
After five munites my legs feel like lead, and I swear that there's only sand in my head
I head back to home and lemsip and sudafed, grab a quick shower then back to bed

I forget to blog and drift off to sleep, I'm out for there's count no counting sheep
In the evening I wake up and go stuff my face, then straight back to bed, what a disgrace
I guess thats me out of the runnings for Janathon, but for fitness sake I think I'll carry on
On a beautiful day, it's a shame to waste Sunday, but stuffed with cold It wasn't a fun day

Twenty five percent finished

After yesterday's tri I decided to rest, a quick five K run and some upper body for the best Headed down to the track at around mid-day, where plenty of runners had come out to play
Doing hurdles, high knees, sprinting and lunges, looking on I thought: Wish I was younger!
I settled into my run avoiding their training, pleased with the world, today it's not raining

They go past like the clappers I feel pretty rough, one hundred m on they're all out of puff
I decided it's a fair swap for not being young, I get to be constant and last twice as long
As I get home and I get to the stairs, my neighbour and friend are piano moving as a pair
Hang on a minute lads I'll give you a hand, and I think to myself thank God it's not a grand

We push and we pull and lift and fiddle, and fifteen minutes later the piano's in his livingroom
Right, done, I decide to head to the gym, for that upper body workout, to keep me trim
Once I am there I can't resist the bike, I do a power ten kilometers, now thats what I like
Then round the weights circuit for half an hour, pop back to mine for a hot bath and shower

I eat and lie down just whilst my food settles, and drift off to nod, it couldn't be better
An hour and a half power nap and now I'm awake, tidy room, wash pots, dress for the day
I'm late and tonight there are parties to go to, I change my glad rags and head to the tube
At least eight days in I'm still very in it, not too far to go now, twenty five percent finished

Checking the stats

A fine day for a triathlon I thought as I woke, a quick sprint at the gym to see how it goes
A small bowl of porridge and then let it settle, time to go test myself find out my mettle
If I ride, run then swim, I can use the same clothes, so I pack my sports kit and hit the road
Some stretches for warmup then set-up the bike, I'm straight into ryhthm quick as you like

Forty minutes flies by pedalling like hell, I feel pretty good but soaked to the bone as well
I've used half my water and one pack of gel, I'm pleased at the efficiency but boy do I smell
Next up it's "transition" as I pop to my locker, I grab knee supports so I don't come a cropper
Onto the treadmill, man these things are boring, if I didn't have music I think I'd be snoring

I fiddle with the cruise controls for the first half of the run, more gradient, speed and fun
Until, Damn! look what I've done, feeling pretty "darwinian" as my knees start to feel it
The best bet's cool it down to a nice simple jog, finish the discipline, on with the slog
Thirty five minutes thirty for my running five K, I've done much better, just not today

Off the treadmill and on to the pool, I've forgotten my goggles and feel like a fool
Rather than bail out and not do the swim I use sidestrokes and breaststroke once I get in
Seventeen minutes later I'm out of the pool, one hr thirty four sixteen all in, thats pretty cool
Home for a feast with a pat on the back, pleased with myself after checking the stats

Rain and Promises

I popped into the kitchen thinking about eating, looked out of the window to see rain sheeting
Damn rain falling in buckets and I've promised myself I'll ride today to all of my meetings
It's not that little rain, like yesterday's drizzle it's sloshing and soaking with big heavy drops
Its constant, heavy, cold, relentless and uninviting, it seems endless, never wanting to stop

So I procrastinate with style, by washing the pots, and making my bed, the list never stops
I put on a wash of clothes and shower then shave and begin to dread my promise a lot
That's it I have things to do, best get on the bike, but first some prep to make it alright
I'm sure I have sallopettes hidden in the wardrobe, and small sealable bags that are airtight

My precious stuff protected, wallet, watch, mobile phone, I'm nearly ready to abandon home
Slip on thermals and warm extra layers, my clear cycle glasses the really dull dayer's
Then it's off like an idiot, into the rain, it freezes my fingers, numbs my nose and my brain
There's nothing like a puncture to let you down, seven K from a repair kit you left at home

I still rode fifteen K which will do me fine, can't wait to get warm and dry back at mine
The rain stops as I get home it's always the way, my mind has defrosted and pops up to say
"Quick running kit on, as the rain has now gone, a very good reason to get this run done"
Five K on the track then back for a bath, its days like today, guess you just have to laugh

A day to feel good

I felt great this morning and have all day, I think the endorphins are kicking in
I put in a swift little trio of training, that would be my run, ride and swim
The run came first it was quick little burst another four K on the track
Then a quick cycle for fifteen minutes, nailed seven point five K at that

Next was my swim in a busy pool and despite getting stuck in a queue
A respectable fourteen minutes thirty, for seven fifty meters will do
My knees felt great and my muscles weren't tired, the protein is hard at work
Repairing the damage that each session does leaving me feeling quite alert

I think tomorrow I'll run and swim and rely on the journeys around town
For all my cycling requirements, I don't want my mileage to drop down
I'm out of electrolytes so I best pick some up, as dehydration really sucks
They make it much easier when I train, today's water intake has been twenty cups

With gizmo's and gadgets and trackers galore even I'm amazed at my calorie score
In four days the readings tell me I've used twenty thousand calories or more
All in all its been a good start to this competition I'm running in, Janathon
Its a pretty good thing because to stay in the game I need to keep running on and on

The fastest man alive

Today for a very short while I was the fastest man alive
I ran one hundred meters in three seconds, why would my gps lie?
I also ran through buildings and leapt many times over the canal
Went back and forth like a mad thing, like a dog chasing his tail

Thankfully nike plus was being sensible and recorded my time on pat
Although I did lose fifteen meters for every four hundred meters of track
A recalibration is due I beleive, I think my running gait must be changing
Developing better stride technique as the strength in my knees is improving

It was my favourite weather for running today, mizerable, cloudy and drizzly
It's the perfect combination I find, to allow me to balance my body heat
I can't run too slow as I start to get too cold so a steady pace is a must
There are less people out so I settle in rhythm, and the drizzle keeps down the dust

I decided that I would just run today and have a rest from my other disciplines
There's still twenty seven days left and plenty of time to make sure I fit them in
I think that today whilst it was nice to pretend I was the fastest man alive
The lesson I've learned is that heavy cloud cover might just make my gps lie