It’s all getting frighteningly close now and the time to sort out the finer details of the Kili trip is fast approaching. I feel as though now that I have put the miles in my legs and have trained as much as I can for the challenges. I don’t want to slack off the training over the next couple of weeks but equally I don’t see that any more big walks etc are going to do us much good at this stage and I don’t want to jeopardise the training I’ve already done. With this in mind I want to concentrate on preparing myself as well as possible and this is what the next couple of weeks is going to be all about.
Did my spinning session on Monday again which wasn’t too bad, I think I had a fairly easy bike! Tuesday’s walk took us from the start of the Parish Walk across to Marown church, down through Braaid and then back up to Mount Murray and back round to Quarterbridge, which must be approximately 10 miles but nothing too huge. Wednesday was a standard 7-a-side footy session and then Thursday as hockey training has now finished I headed to the NSC to get walloped at squash by Cooky and Corkey….all good fun! Finished the week with a gym session and the sauna/ice bath treatment. This has been recommended between Kili and the Parish Walk as a way to recover the muscles….10 minutes at a time! Will see how that goes…..
Had an early night Friday because on Saturday the first team had a few people who couldn’t make their final game of the season (including Bratty) so I managed to get a call up for cover! After the scorching weather we’ve had for the past 2 weeks, I couldn’t believe turning up in Peel it was absolutely throwing it down! Despite this we managed to finish the season with a convincing 3-0 win and it meant they went the entire season winning every game, the only hockey team on the island to do so! It was good fun to play at that level and I even surprised everyone (including myself!) by bagging myself the third goal at the end of the game! I don’t think anyone’s gonna hear the end of it! Still celebrating, I went to the MHA Karaoke for another crazy night on the J20s! Hilarious night and Pasty has to get a nod for his beautiful (…!) rendition of James Blunt’s ‘Goodbye My Lover’!
With James Blunt ringing in my head all day today, we decided to keep the training up but nothing too strenuous. We therefore went from the bottom of the Sloc up to the Round Table, back down through Ronague and then via Colby and Gansey round to Port Erin for another ice cream before heading back to the Sloc! I hope ice creams are as easy to get a hold of at the top of Kilimanjaro but I’m not holding out too much hope!
Definitely a more than decent week’s training, felt that it’s not as hardcore as a month or two ago but we’re staying in as peak condition as we’re likely to get to! Bring on the mountain and the long long roads!
Dave.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Championship performance....
With only three weeks to go I just wanted to put in another full week’s training before I can start to think about getting into peak performance for the events. On the walk talk with Roger Black we were advised that an important part of preparation is making sure you are fully fit for the day. E.g don’t do something stupid like walking over 30 miles less than a week before the event because you may still be feeling it! Therefore it was time to start winding down the training and making sure I give my best chance on the mountain. I figured though that I would at least try to get another full week of training under my belt before slacking it off.
Monday was again spinning and weights, something we’ve been pretty consistent on and definitely helps start off the week. For our Tuesday evening walk we just did a quick one around Marine Drive and then back along the Old Castletown Road back into town. Nothing too major but a good hour and a half walk and a chance to keep the legs ticking over. Wednesday footy and Thursday hockey as has become religion, as the hockey season is drawing to a close we tend to play matches in training now which is a good laugh but as there are only a couple more games this was the last training session! Looks like we timed Kili well as our training is dropping off!
Friday night was a bit of a surreal night, it was our end of accounting year work do and after nipping to the gym early for a session I went out to find all the drinks were being bought for us! Two non-alcoholic cocktails and a J20 later I was thinking maybe this whole training thing was a bad idea! However, as we have raised almost £800 for the charities now and there is definitely pressure on us to at least give it our best shot. With only three weeks to go the least I can do is have a few sober nights out!
Saturday I was given the great honour of being called up for the mighty Cosney (our fifth team) at hockey as they were short a couple of players and the captain Laurence Watterson took great delight in starting me on the bench. I managed to get on the pitch after a while though and even scored the scrappiest goal all season with my first touch! Really good game with a good bunch of guys, I was just gutted James ‘Diver’ Smith didn’t get himself on the scoresheet in the final game of the season! Saturday night was a similar story to Friday (I think I know too many alcoholics…) with our end of season hockey do at the curry house In Port St Mary. Putting the healthy diet to one side for the night, the curry was great and it was a good laugh. I figure if I can survive a free bar work do and an end of season night out without a drop of booze then anything is possible! And no hangover!
It was the junior golf championships on Sunday and my little brother Rich had got into the semi final so I was caddying for him, a good excuse for a 5 mile walk! He was playing the favourite and scratch golfer Tom Harris and the omens were not looking too healthy when he went 2 down after 3 holes. However, an absolutely brilliant run followed and Rich didn’t then drop a hole until the 12th, including back to back birdies to lead 2 up with 4 holes to play. A brilliant putt from Tom on the 16th closed the gap to all square after he took the 15th and it remained all square with each getting a birdie on the 17th. Unfortunately for Rich, Tom’s extra experience just told down the 18th but it was an unbelievable performance and made me very jealous I just never had the temperament for golf! No doubt I would have blown up on the 4th at 2 down but Rich has definitely got the head for the game!
Finished off the week by going up and over Fleshwick like the start of training, over to Milner’s Tower, having an ice-cream on Port Erin beach then around the Sound to Port St Mary back up the sloc and back down Fleshwick! Absolutely shattered but a decent bit of uphill and I was glad to get the week over and done with!
Dave,
Monday was again spinning and weights, something we’ve been pretty consistent on and definitely helps start off the week. For our Tuesday evening walk we just did a quick one around Marine Drive and then back along the Old Castletown Road back into town. Nothing too major but a good hour and a half walk and a chance to keep the legs ticking over. Wednesday footy and Thursday hockey as has become religion, as the hockey season is drawing to a close we tend to play matches in training now which is a good laugh but as there are only a couple more games this was the last training session! Looks like we timed Kili well as our training is dropping off!
Friday night was a bit of a surreal night, it was our end of accounting year work do and after nipping to the gym early for a session I went out to find all the drinks were being bought for us! Two non-alcoholic cocktails and a J20 later I was thinking maybe this whole training thing was a bad idea! However, as we have raised almost £800 for the charities now and there is definitely pressure on us to at least give it our best shot. With only three weeks to go the least I can do is have a few sober nights out!
Saturday I was given the great honour of being called up for the mighty Cosney (our fifth team) at hockey as they were short a couple of players and the captain Laurence Watterson took great delight in starting me on the bench. I managed to get on the pitch after a while though and even scored the scrappiest goal all season with my first touch! Really good game with a good bunch of guys, I was just gutted James ‘Diver’ Smith didn’t get himself on the scoresheet in the final game of the season! Saturday night was a similar story to Friday (I think I know too many alcoholics…) with our end of season hockey do at the curry house In Port St Mary. Putting the healthy diet to one side for the night, the curry was great and it was a good laugh. I figure if I can survive a free bar work do and an end of season night out without a drop of booze then anything is possible! And no hangover!
It was the junior golf championships on Sunday and my little brother Rich had got into the semi final so I was caddying for him, a good excuse for a 5 mile walk! He was playing the favourite and scratch golfer Tom Harris and the omens were not looking too healthy when he went 2 down after 3 holes. However, an absolutely brilliant run followed and Rich didn’t then drop a hole until the 12th, including back to back birdies to lead 2 up with 4 holes to play. A brilliant putt from Tom on the 16th closed the gap to all square after he took the 15th and it remained all square with each getting a birdie on the 17th. Unfortunately for Rich, Tom’s extra experience just told down the 18th but it was an unbelievable performance and made me very jealous I just never had the temperament for golf! No doubt I would have blown up on the 4th at 2 down but Rich has definitely got the head for the game!
Finished off the week by going up and over Fleshwick like the start of training, over to Milner’s Tower, having an ice-cream on Port Erin beach then around the Sound to Port St Mary back up the sloc and back down Fleshwick! Absolutely shattered but a decent bit of uphill and I was glad to get the week over and done with!
Dave,
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Shaking the bug
Standard spinning session on the Monday, followed by a weight session kept everything ticking over after the walk. Still not feeling 100% after the weekend so it was a bit of a killer and I was pleased to get it out of the way. Tuesday we decided a bit more uphill was needed before Kilimanjaro so we headed out again to the highest point of the Island and walked up to the top of Snaefell from Laxey. To be honest it was a real struggle, I was really hating it getting to the top. I’ve never had a problem with my breathing etc. but after the bug I was really panting away to make it to the top. It’s made me realise how much I need to be in peak condition for Kili and the Parish, and one little thing can make things exponentially harder!
Started to put the crap weekend behind me by Wednesday and didn’t feel too bad playing footy on Wednesday or at hockey training on Thursday, where we had another good game against the first team. They had a big game against the second placed team on Saturday so they were trying to get a bit of match practice as there hasn’t been a game for a couple of weeks.
With the way I was feeling at the weekend, and with only a month to go until we leave for Kili, we’ve both decided to concentrate a little more on our diets and nutrition which means the inevitable knocking the booze on the head. Although I have been conscious not to drink too much to affect my training until now, we’ve decided to completely cut out alcohol until we’ve finished the events. The only exception is I might have a cold beer if I make it to the top of Kili! Therefore, Friday night was spent having a game of cards with a few mates after out gym session. What a professional!
The weekend was good although not too much exercise on Saturday. I went down to the NSC and watched our first team effectively win the league 2-1 against the second placed team. It put them 4 points ahead with 2 games to go (and a win is worth 2 points). It was a deserved victory after a great season for them and now there is just the small matter of winning every game in a season, 2 to go! Quiet one Saturday night with a housewarming in Castletown, which was a bit of a bizarre experience watching everyone getting slightly worse for wear while I was avoiding the booze.
Finally, we finished off the week today by going out for a walk with Rich Corke, who has just signed up for the Parish too. Walked from Colby out to Castletown and then round Scarlett and back round the coast all the way to Port St Mary, and then back into Port Erin via the Sound. It must have been probably 19/20 miles or so and wasn’t too bad because finished in the pub to watch the cricket (with a lemonade!!!).
A good full week of training and I am just thankful I seem to have shaken off the bug and can hit the training hard before tapering it down!
Dave.
Started to put the crap weekend behind me by Wednesday and didn’t feel too bad playing footy on Wednesday or at hockey training on Thursday, where we had another good game against the first team. They had a big game against the second placed team on Saturday so they were trying to get a bit of match practice as there hasn’t been a game for a couple of weeks.
With the way I was feeling at the weekend, and with only a month to go until we leave for Kili, we’ve both decided to concentrate a little more on our diets and nutrition which means the inevitable knocking the booze on the head. Although I have been conscious not to drink too much to affect my training until now, we’ve decided to completely cut out alcohol until we’ve finished the events. The only exception is I might have a cold beer if I make it to the top of Kili! Therefore, Friday night was spent having a game of cards with a few mates after out gym session. What a professional!
The weekend was good although not too much exercise on Saturday. I went down to the NSC and watched our first team effectively win the league 2-1 against the second placed team. It put them 4 points ahead with 2 games to go (and a win is worth 2 points). It was a deserved victory after a great season for them and now there is just the small matter of winning every game in a season, 2 to go! Quiet one Saturday night with a housewarming in Castletown, which was a bit of a bizarre experience watching everyone getting slightly worse for wear while I was avoiding the booze.
Finally, we finished off the week today by going out for a walk with Rich Corke, who has just signed up for the Parish too. Walked from Colby out to Castletown and then round Scarlett and back round the coast all the way to Port St Mary, and then back into Port Erin via the Sound. It must have been probably 19/20 miles or so and wasn’t too bad because finished in the pub to watch the cricket (with a lemonade!!!).
A good full week of training and I am just thankful I seem to have shaken off the bug and can hit the training hard before tapering it down!
Dave.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Crashin' and burnin'
No big walk last week and as it was a bank holiday weekend and I was still playing hockey on Monday no spinning session wasn’t the ideal start to the week. We therefore decided to head up to Mount Murray on the Tuesday instead to do our standard Monday gym session. Footy again on Wednesday, followed by a hockey session on Thursday. Although there was no hockey scheduled for the weekend following Whit, we took the opportunity to have a game against the first team to keep them “on the ball” as they have the title decider next week, which was a good laugh.
Towards the end of the working week was feeling the pace a bit and I think I’m coming down with something at the worst possible time. Tried to push through the crap I was feeling in the gym on Friday and put it all in to the session and promptly nearly collapsed afterwards! Went around to mate’s house on Friday night and a late night the way I was feeling was probably a bit of a mistake.
Saturday was a complete write-off! As there was no hockey on it wouldn’t have been the most active day anyways I had intended to make the most of the day, get stuff sorted and keep the training going. As it turned out I spent almost the whole day on the sofa shaking, trying to fight off a fever and generally feeling absolutely awful. White as a sheet I decided that there are just some days I will have to put behind me and you physically can’t train every day. I was just hoping it isn’t something that would hold me back and make me miss too much training.
Today was a bit better, although I still felt rough I decided to “man up” and went to do the Ramsey to Douglas Parish Walk route with Mark & Pasty, our official Parish Walk Guide! To be honest the walk must have been 22 miles odd and it’s probably the best I’ve felt after a decent walk. Still not feeling too hot healthwise but my legs weren’t too bad. Even though I was worried the whole week would be a write-off, today’s walk at least made me feel that all wasn’t completely lost.
I just want to shake off this bug as quick as possible and it’s made me worry that if I picked something up on the mountain or the Parish then this may compromise my performance. I’ve just got to prepare as well as I can and keep my fingers crossed!
Dave.
Towards the end of the working week was feeling the pace a bit and I think I’m coming down with something at the worst possible time. Tried to push through the crap I was feeling in the gym on Friday and put it all in to the session and promptly nearly collapsed afterwards! Went around to mate’s house on Friday night and a late night the way I was feeling was probably a bit of a mistake.
Saturday was a complete write-off! As there was no hockey on it wouldn’t have been the most active day anyways I had intended to make the most of the day, get stuff sorted and keep the training going. As it turned out I spent almost the whole day on the sofa shaking, trying to fight off a fever and generally feeling absolutely awful. White as a sheet I decided that there are just some days I will have to put behind me and you physically can’t train every day. I was just hoping it isn’t something that would hold me back and make me miss too much training.
Today was a bit better, although I still felt rough I decided to “man up” and went to do the Ramsey to Douglas Parish Walk route with Mark & Pasty, our official Parish Walk Guide! To be honest the walk must have been 22 miles odd and it’s probably the best I’ve felt after a decent walk. Still not feeling too hot healthwise but my legs weren’t too bad. Even though I was worried the whole week would be a write-off, today’s walk at least made me feel that all wasn’t completely lost.
I just want to shake off this bug as quick as possible and it’s made me worry that if I picked something up on the mountain or the Parish then this may compromise my performance. I’ve just got to prepare as well as I can and keep my fingers crossed!
Dave.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Whit!
Weirdly enough, despite how tough I found the fireman’s walk, my legs weren’t feeling too bad the next day, especially in comparison to the state they’d been in the week before doing the 32 miles from the start up the sloc! Maybe there is a case that we are getting more used to road or maybe we’re actually getting fitter! Still, spinning on Monday was another relief , followed by a pretty decent gym session.
Tuesday was my final kayaking course and we concentrated on rolls, e.g. capsizing and then the technique of pushing the paddle out of the water twisting it and using it to pull yourself back up! Not an easy skill to master as I was proving! I am also desperate to get out on the sea but until I’ve done these events I think this is going to go on the backburner along with the diving, I just don’t have the time (or finances!) to sort it out. Definitely a plan for July though!
Standard footy on Wednesday, unfortunately the mighty Reds were playing Atletico Madrid in the Europa league semi final on Thursday so I couldn’t manage to make it down to hockey training; I watched my team get beat instead!! Friday was the start of another hockey festival (Whit) over on the Isle of Man, so after the gym I went into town and met the hockey team for the start of a long weekend...
Although we didn’t manage to get a walk in on Sunday I was playing a lot of hockey all weekend, for my hockey club Castletown and also for Saracens. There’s a great atmosphere at Whit and it’s a great opportunity to meet other hockey teams and generally have a laugh, anyone plays for anyone and it’s not taken too seriously, tour hockey is definitely the way forward! After a weekend (and bank holiday Monday) of loads of hockey, Laxey Blues festival and laughs, I think we both decided that it’s time to step the training up.
We’re on the home straight now, it’s only 5 weeks until we go and we’ve got to get some more miles on the clock!
Dave.
Tuesday was my final kayaking course and we concentrated on rolls, e.g. capsizing and then the technique of pushing the paddle out of the water twisting it and using it to pull yourself back up! Not an easy skill to master as I was proving! I am also desperate to get out on the sea but until I’ve done these events I think this is going to go on the backburner along with the diving, I just don’t have the time (or finances!) to sort it out. Definitely a plan for July though!
Standard footy on Wednesday, unfortunately the mighty Reds were playing Atletico Madrid in the Europa league semi final on Thursday so I couldn’t manage to make it down to hockey training; I watched my team get beat instead!! Friday was the start of another hockey festival (Whit) over on the Isle of Man, so after the gym I went into town and met the hockey team for the start of a long weekend...
Although we didn’t manage to get a walk in on Sunday I was playing a lot of hockey all weekend, for my hockey club Castletown and also for Saracens. There’s a great atmosphere at Whit and it’s a great opportunity to meet other hockey teams and generally have a laugh, anyone plays for anyone and it’s not taken too seriously, tour hockey is definitely the way forward! After a weekend (and bank holiday Monday) of loads of hockey, Laxey Blues festival and laughs, I think we both decided that it’s time to step the training up.
We’re on the home straight now, it’s only 5 weeks until we go and we’ve got to get some more miles on the clock!
Dave.
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