Training

cycling, hiking, aqua jogging, pilates, baking

The Grinch, er, Coach

In the spirit of Christmas, and because I do so love caroling (much to Big Ring’s chagrin), and because, following my first aqua jogging session in nearly a year, I was inspired, I’ve decided to treat you all with a carol of my own. Here’s to you Coach NZ 😉 You’re an evil one, Mrs. Coach. You really are a boss, While your accent is cuddly as a bear, charming as a debonair, It doesn’t fool me, because I know You’re just a sweat-loving Kiwi with a stinky brown peel! You’re a monster, Mrs. Coach, Your heart’s an empty gear, Your brain is full of speed intervals, You’ve got killer pushups and nasty tricep dips in your soul, Mrs. Coach, I wouldn’t touch you with a thirty nine and a half foot pole! You’re a vile one, Mrs. Coach. You have pace bunnies in your smile. You have all the […]

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Basic my butt!

Well hello legs, meet jello. So you know that plan I told you about, about how I was gonna build some strength and abdominals into my running regime? Well, my dear, sweet, totally not evil, Coach NZ told me it was just “basic” stuff she was starting me on, nothing too strenuous, nothing huge, just a beginner’s session is all, strength-training for dummies really. Well, let me just say, she was either lying her pants off, or my body is completely out of shape. I’m going with the former 😉 My gawd, I kid you not, mere seconds after my first strength-training session, my legs were heavy and jello-like, even shaking to the point I nearly thumped all the way down the stairs on my butt. Totally not exaggerating, 100 per cent serious! And the next day, my calves felt as though they had a belt cinched around them, my

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The plan

“Remember it’s supposed to be challenging.” Those were the words I got in an email my first day of strength training, and my gawd, was it ever – it was freaking grueling! I was huffing and puffing through the lunges, holding my breath for the planks (so sure that would make them go faster), and cursing anything and everything around me while fighting gravity through pushups. For those of you who’ve been reading my blog for awhile, you know I’m not about core or strength. Every time I’ve embarked on an abdominal regime, I’ve quit practically seconds in; I absolutely hate the gym, pretty much refuse to go; and sure I did pilates twice a week for more than a year, but I grumbled throughout the entire experience. But, as I mentioned in my last post, this time (with regards to my running) is different. Meet Coach NZ (formerly known

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Trainer trials and tribulations

Good golly I can’t believe I used to do this for up to an hour, even an hour and a half, at a time! Little Ring: “Tall person with boobies, why are you riding your contraption inside???“ After more than 9 months off the bike, Big Ring pulled Zing out of storage, dusted off the cobwebs, polished her up a bit, and pumped up her tires in preparation for our long-awaited reunion. I’d love to say it was a good one, but as has always been the case, when Zing’s shackled to the bike trainer, it’s more a chore than anything. The bike trainer is nothing like those spring/summer/warm fall days spent in the elements, pedalling hard up the Camosunburg (which isn’t so burg anymore since its repaving this summer), feeling the warm wind whip at my face as I zoom down to Spanish Banks, taking in the scenic views

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