Another gym session.

It's with the new machines and they're not too bad to be honest. The inner thigh one will takes some getting used to (although you get a stretch as well as a workout at the same time!!) and the calf thing was ok and the rotary core thing wasn't as bad as I'd feared - I probably wasn't using it right.

It's like starting over again though - and I want results I can feel quite soon and my worry is I'm getting off course by bringing in new stuff... but I know I have to view this whole gym thing as a long-term project, not one that ends after my 12-week programme finishes. (I have yet to decide what to do at that point - do I sign up for another 12 weeks, or become a regular member and pay for extra 1 to 1s? I just don't know - I would think they'd chat through the options when the time comes)

But generally things are OK. I'm eyeing up new kit for when I'm back out running - but it's so hard to buy online when you can't try things on - but it's so nice getting stuff sent to you through the post... but then you have to return it if it's wrong - but it's like getting presents... hmmm)

Haven't been running this week - but am on road to recovery (apparantly)

The gym people say I'm wonky when I run which is making one leg take all the pressure and hurting my calf. Well, I know I'm wonky cos when I run in the mud my right calf has mud kicked up it and my left one doesn't - something wrong there.
So now I"m changing tack on the weights machines and I'm being strapped into some medieval things - core strengtheners mainly which are tough - and one which specifically does your calves - very, very painful as your calf muscles are really quite small. The worst aspect though is that the main core one, a twisting one, is the machine which faces incoming people. Always hoped I would never have to get strapped into that one...

I'm almost 1/2 way through this 12-week programme - what do I do after it? The temptation is to sit back and enjoy the fruits of my labours - but those fruits will last about 4 weeks and I'll be back to square one. So I have to sign up to the place for a good while longer I reckon - and I'm getting on, I mean I don't want to be the oldest person there (which I'm not yet)

Hey ho - it feels good to be doing something positive about it rather than moaning about it!

Getting bored of this now.

Went for another run yesterday - just around the downs so nothing excessive. But I only got 1/2 way and my calf muscle went again. It's so frustrating to be limping across the grass while everyone else is running past. Today it's still painful and it's the day I have to keep going up and down stairs of course. And cycling up to the gym in an hour as well. Grr.

So what can I do? I have to wait until it's better before I can run again of course but beyond that I don't know how I can prevent it happening again. I've been investigating Chi Running - which is American I think and no one's doing it over here - but it uses gravity to propel you along rather than the power of your muscles. It guarantees pain-free running for miles and miles - what's not to like? Thing is I can't even have a go yet cos my bloody leg hurts so much.

Congratulations to Jenson Butten btw - what a star and he throughly deserves the title.

Nothing much to report really. Other than I've done no more running (in case my poor calves explode, but they're feeling better now so I have no excuse) and I have twigged what the gym is all about.

It's all very well saying 'you have to go to muscle failure' but the fact is, you only know when you get there what that feels like - and it was nothing like what I had been doing before.

Oh no.

You pass through the 'bit wobbly and it might hurt a bit tomorrow' period and do a couple more reps - and then you go for the last one which is where you cannot move the bar any further no matter how hard you try. And then you hold it there for 10 seconds.

It goes against your instincts for survival at the basest level - as in, there is no way you should put yourself in a situation where you can't escape from a sabre-toothed tiger, but there you are, doing doing just that.
The other downside is afterwards when your wobbly arms and legs are wondering what the hell's happened to them, getting onto a bike or into a car is just the strangest feeling. Add to that last night and a cretin had just about boxed me in and I was manouvring the car, parked on a steep hill I might add, with uncontrollable arms and legs...
Interesting

Am I starting to feel the benefit? Not sure. It's not dramatic, but I think I feel a little mroe confident and less flabby - or that could be me trying to justify all the effort that's going in to the gym.

OK I've been back to the gym for my 1-to-1 and it was ok. I still haven't really got the hang of the ab crunches though - I can't breathe, apparantly that's a technique thing I will need to work on.

So he's putting up the weights on most of the things - hmm, not sure how that will feel other than impossible. But the idea is that you don't work longer than 2 mins on each machine - which means you have to get to the point of muscle failure in that time, and I have been going for too long on some of them. Apparantly the look of distress on my face isn't enough to allow me to stop working and maintaining a calm face is also quite important.

I mentioned about the excrutiating pain I experienced in my mashed up calves and it would seem (as I kind of suspected cos I'm good like that) it's because as one lot of muscles is strengthened the others have to work harder/differently to compensate and it's not surprising there are pressures here and there.

He also said it meant that the effect of the exercise might take longer than for most people to happen. Hmmm. Too old, too feeble to begin with - but perhaps a more dramatic outcome? By Christmas I will be happy with the way I look? (It would have to be most extreme for that to happen)

Well, the pain of the workouts is acceptable - but that probably means I'm not working hard enough. Apparently you have to go until you really really cannot move anymore - not just a bit wobbly and can't do the slow speed, but truly cannot move a muscle.

But that pain is nothing compared with the pain I've suffered this morning.
A 6-mile trot from home, nothing dramatic, but towards the end, my calves started aching. Odd, they've never done that before. But it was bad enough for me to have a walk and then they clamped up. Couldn't believe it. Tried to run a bit further and it was like all the bounce had gone from my legs. And walking was soo painful.

I've stretched them out but it hasn't really made much difference. I will just have to rest for the rest of the day, you know, watch a film, perhaps some light blogging, that sort of thing.

It's a worry though, I mean, running is my main exercise - the walking and cycling to work is just enough to tick over, the running is the real effort. I'm not exactly going for anything right now, but this is something else I have to worry about. Perhaps I should ask Moti and see what they suggest in terms of stretching... but I did buy trainers from them so I hold them entirely responsible, nothing at all to do with my ageing physiology