Weeks 14 and 15 - running up that hill

The fact I was out running at all shows just how weird all this training malarkey is. I wouldn't say I was overly committed - I have friends who train more than me without the pressure of a blog or fundraising to get them out of the armchair.
And yet it has already started to overtake my life.
Now when I look at my work rota at the start of the week it's to plan what training sessions I do on what days; when I look at the weather forecast for the weekend I want to know whether I can get a long ride in without getting rained on; when I out the washing on it's often because I've got no clean gym gear.
I even had to buy a new weekend bag so I can take running stuff away when I stop with friends.

For my recent birthday weekend away in a village on the North Yorkshire coast I went to the lengths of downloading a bus timetable to the nearest pool in Whitby, although I didn't actually make it.
Instead I went out running on the evening of my birthday despite sinking far too many pints on the previous two nights - it wasn't pretty.
Now I even have to start becoming obsessed about my food intake. So far in my training I've taken the view that I can eat normally because of the amount of exercise I'm doing.
But after a slightly disappointing measuring session at the Northumbria Uni lab I'm going to have to reassess things.
So far in my training I have actually out on weight. Admittedly, it's muscle mass, but I'm still carrying too much lard.

My coach Kev thinks I can shift 10kg of fat. I dunno what the ratio is for reducing body weight compared to running performance is, but if losing an eighth of my body weight translates directly to times it would mean knocking five minutes off my PB for 10km - that's a massive incentive.
And so it was with heavy heart and ruddy cheek I ventured into Holland and Barrett to buy the protein shake stuff beloved of the grunting brigade in the gym. Kev assures me it will help. It better had.

TRAINING WEEK 14
Monday - 49.45 bike - 2hr21mins
Tuesday - 2,000m swim - 35mins
Wednesday - 9.99km run - 47.05mins
Thursday - 20min cross trainer + 35min weights session
Friday - 10.20km run - 48.22mins
Saturday - No training
Sunday - No training

TRAINING WEEK 15
Monday - Uni fitness running test - 45min treadmill running
Tuesday - 9.94km run - 44.31
Wednesday - 2,500m swim - 43mins
Thursday - 1hr spin class
Friday - No training
Saturday - 9.84(very hilly)km run - 48.32mins
Sunday - 6.64km run - 31.51mins