My Training - November

 182km  96km  18km  8 hours

November was full of running to a point then I injured my ribs and literally limped into December. Your thigh bone may well be connected to your hip bone, but your ribs…jeez they’re connected to every bloody thing! Running, swimming, lifting weights and worst of all sneezing, all come with teeth-gritting pain. Rolling out of bed of a morning requires some momentum and as I’ve recently learnt, grating a carrot is a nigh on impossibility.

I knew I had clattered into a wall whilst running the Men’s Health Survival Of The Fittest event, but powered through regardless (I was leading). My wall climbing was far from textbook, with an untested sprint-leap-crash-pull technique seeing me through. I’m unsure whether I’ve fractured a rib or bruised the muscle, but the diagnosis seems to be the same – painkillers and rest (yeah right).

I officially joined Victoria Park Harriers & Tower Hamlets Athletic Club (payment pending) and attended a Tuesday night speed work session – something I need to do more of. An incredibly chirpy bunch who conversed freely and positively, making the intro less nerve racking. One assured me that I’d be running half marathons in no time! That’s good to know…

Not quite got the race vest yet

Being part of a running club and training with faster guys will have an incredibly positive effect on my performances next year. It’d be great to buddy up with cyclists and swimmers too for similar progression. I swim long but I don’t work on technique. I turbo my ass off (in the warmth of my living room) but I don’t get out on the road as much as I should. This needs to change and whether I join a triathlon club or just smile at men in the changing rooms (could land me in trouble) I need to call on others somehow.

The dark nights may well dampen our mood, but personally I prefer training in the winter months for the solitude it grants. The lack of tourists and pavement traffic is also welcomed. My run routes are usually one of two – loops of Victoria Park and Hackney or commuting home along the River Thames from Soho. It was a pleasure passing by the poppies at the Tower Of London of an evening and I also found the delights of running aimlessly around the Olympic Park. 

Poppies from above

I worked out that my run commute is only 2 minutes off my tube commute (showering, changing and GPS-connection-waiting aside) but any attempts to beat public transport powered travel may result in my death. If you want high adrenaline on the cheap, run through Central London in rush hour. The nipping in between pedestrians and leaping over the boxes and bin bags is fun sure, but risky, especially in this head-down-social-media-checking world we now live. I’ve upped my Day-Glo wardrobe as appropriate.

Commuting through the city

My bike(s) are still in the shed. Note to self; Get your bike out and go for a ride! I really must. 

With the uber convenience of having a gym across the road from work, the majority of my swims are now taken in Soho. 'Media types' equal 'triathlon types' and whereas elsewhere I'm continually pi**ed at schmohawks clogging up the fast lane, here I'm being owned by torpedo-people in club branded trunks and caps. Technique is everything with swimming. I need to improve mine dramatically.

As far as the weights are concerned, my torso is looking increasing post-pubescent and I'm certainly feeling stronger. Aside, for people-watching alone it's well worth attending the weights room. 

For now, pray for my ribs so that I can once again grate carrot.