RNLI Reindeer Run

Finished the RNLI 10k Reindeer run at Knowsley today braving biting cold temperatures of -5'c! A great course around Knowsley Hall but a dissapointing time of 56 minutes... Legs and chest gave up around 7k :-(

Probably my worst 10k time... Need to get more miles under my legs before next years Edinburgh Marathon! :-)

Half mile swim

Managed to grab a half a mile swim at Total Fitness this evening, could have been more as I lost count a few times so aired on the side of caution (pool swimming is so boring!). Done in 25 mins. Felt quite good :-)

Swim & Gym

Invested in a new pair of ASICS running shoes today and a winter wind proof running top. However, as my ankle is giving a bit of a niggle at the moment skipped a run and went to the gym instead!

Half a mile of good front crawl in 21 minutes which felt comfortable for a change (32 x 25mtr lengths) followed by 45 minutes weight training in the gym :-)

Think I've earned a Saturday night beer now :-)

Running in the dark :-(

First evening run since the clocks changed so there I was this evening braving 5'c and darkness to get a run in. Always difficult near home to find a big run on street lit paths but managed 4.5 miles out to the outskirts of Elworth towards Middlewhich and back. Didn't get a note of the exact time... About 35 minutes but felt pretty good!

Trying to get a couple of runs in before the RNLI reindeer 10k run on Sun 28th November

Swim and Gym

Swam half a mile in just under 24 minutes this evening, thought it might be easier swimming before weight training but not sure it was! Mostly front crawl but a few lengths of breastroke thrown in to get a breather. Followed up with 45 minutes weight training

Gym

Did a spot of weight training at the gym this evening... 45 minutes in all. Have been somewhat disapointed with the switch from Bannatynes to Total Fitness and had taken for granted clean changing rooms and machines that work ;-)

Have entered what I guess will be our final event for this year, the RNLI 10k Reindeer run at Knowsley on Sunday 28th November. Antlers shall be worn ;-)

Half a mile pool swim

Finding the training really hard work with no target to train for at the moment... Managed 32 x 25 metre lengths of front crawl at sub-aqua club this evening. Felt tough at the time but feel good for having pushed it.

A run around Pwllheli Marina at sunset

A lovely Autumnal day today on the Llyn! Clear blue skies, sunshine but only 10'c at best. Went for a run along the sea front and around the Marina covering just short of 6 miles (5.7 to be precise) in a respectable 49 mins and 28 seconds... And that was after having had a wakeboarding lesson with Off Axis! Aching all over now! :-)

Gym and swim

Did 40 minutes weight training this evening at Total Fitness followed by a very untidy 16 length front crawl swim!

A rubbish run :-)

A day off today so went out for a run in the Autumn 'Indian Summer' sunshine. Up to the Romping Donkey in Hassall and back along the Canal and Wheelock rail trail covering the 6 miles in nearly 58 minutes! The route and weather were lovely but felt hard and rubbish! Having entered next years Edinburgh marathon with Karen last week I guess I need to brush up a bit! :-)

Half a mile pool swim

Since the Salford swim and having trained so much in open water in a wetsuit, I'd been finding it quite difficult swimming any distance in the pool without a wetsuit! Managed quite a comfortable 32 x 25metre lengths of front crawl though this evening though after taking care to pace myself at the start!

Tri Training

An hour at Total Fitness gym this evening... 10 minutes Cycling, 10 minutes running on the treadmill and 16 x 25 metre lengths swimming. Oh and 5 minutes in the Hot tub :-)

Big swim and run

Had a swim this morning at Uswim's last open water training session for the year at Salford Quays. Water was 14.4'c but didn't really feel that cold. Had a fairly gentle swim, focussing on trying to improve technique rather than speed, swam a mile in 43 minutes. The whole Uswim crowd have been fab this year in helping me get ready for my RNLI swim and also helping me discover just how much I enjoy open water swimming!

Once home, went out for a run with Karen who wanted to get a big run in for her half marathon training... I ran about 8 miles in 1 hour 25 minutes. Not the fastest time ever but the longest run I've done in months so not too dissapointed. Was absolutely spent at the end of it! Karen however ran on from about 7 miles continuing to cover 13.6 miles!!! Nice one Karen!!! xx

Last training swim for the year at Boundary Water Park

The title says it all really! Uswim are shutting up shop for the season at Boundary Water Park so went along this evening for a last open water swim there for the year. Water was a very very chilly 14'c! and quite dark with the sun having already set. Hands, feet and ears felt cold all the way round but was entranced by the flashing lights on the marker buoys to help them stand out in the dark!

Having looked at some video of my Salford swim last Sunday and seeing my windmill arms and head too far out of the water when breathing, I tried to focus a bit more on the technique this evening. Felt better but turned out to be a lot slower, covering the mile in a surprising 44minutes! Gonna miss these sessions! Roll on Spring! :-)

Great Salford Swim... Done :-)

Had a fantastic day today at the inaugural Great Salford Swim with not a spot of Blue Green Algae in sight!

Home ground for me having trained here with Uswim and a great venue for spectators. Karen and the girls followed me around the course shouting encouragement which was fantastic although I couldn't really wave back to show how much it was appreciated!

At the begining of this year I struggled to swim more than a few lengths of front crawl. I can't believe I managed to complete the course today let alone in a new personal best of 37 minutes and 20 seconds (I'd been hoping to get under 40 mins)!

Most importantly though, another £1,365 has been raised for the RNLI!

Thanks everyone for both the moral and financial support! Both have equally been important and I couldn't have done it without you!

The donation page will remain open for a couple of months so not too late to make a donation if you would like to... http://www.justgiving.com/daves-rnli-swim

Cheers!

D :-)

Three days to my RNLI Great Salford Swim!

Completed my last training session this evening prior to my RNLI Great Salford Swim this Sunday, swimming a mile at the Uswim training session at Boundary water park in 39 minutes. Really pleased with the swimming which feels a lot smoother now than a few months ago!

Got an e-mail from the organisers today too confirming all is still on! The water was last tested on Wed 22nd Sep and is clear for swimming (No Blue-Green Algae) but dropped in temperature to a chilly 15'c!

Fundraising total stands just short of £1,350 which is fantastic and worth getting cold and wet for!... Thanks to everyone who has contributed so far and if anyone hasn't but would still like to it's not too late! ~ http://www.justgiving.com/daves-rnli-swim :-)

Lunchtime swim

Only 6 days until the Great Salford Swim so wanted to get some training in early this week and taper towards the end of the week. So, went for a swim this lunchtime at the leisure centre near work... 32 x 25 metre lengths (so half a mile) in just over 21 minutes. Got an e-mail today from the Great Swim organisers who are 'pleased to announce that currently blue-green algae is not present at Salford Quays'... Fingers crossed!!!

Out on our Anniversary!

Went out for a run mid morning with Karen, dodging the rain but in quite a strong wind around Pwllheli marina. 4.5 miles in 40 minutes. Not the quickest run ever but not bad after the champagne the night before! 23 years deserves at least a couple of bottles :-)

Snook under 40 minutes!

Another open water swim this evening with Uswim at Boundary Water Park... These sessions have not only been invaluable training but also really enjoyable. Much prefer open water swimming to pacing up and down a pool! A colleague sent me a link to 'Swim Smooth http://www.swimsmooth.com/ ' which has also helped improve the swimming technique somewhat... Took heed of the advice to breath in the bow wake made by my head and keeping my head lower in the water, also rolling my body more in the process... Managed to squeeze just under 40 minutes for a 1 mile swim which I'm really pleased with. The nights are drawing in now and for the last 400 metre lap it was getting ditinctly darker, punctuated by swimmers leaving with car headlights brushing over me in the lake!

A mile at Salford Quays

Another openwater training swim this morning at the Uswim session at Salford Quays. Swam a mile in just under 42 minutes. Once again the coaches couldn't have been more helpful! Jane who swims marathon distance (26 mile!) swims and has swam the channel gave me some pointers on stroke and leg kick. Makes my mile attempt seem a bit puny! :0)