So many machines.

Nigel was at the gym with me last night. This was the first time since before Christmas that we were both there and it was good motivation again. Hopefully his workload will give more nights off now.

Anyway, I have a new plan. I saw Fitness Stu yesterday to revise my training regime to keep me progressing in the right direction last night.

We had a bit of a chat first so that he could get an idea if the goals I am aiming for have changed and to get an idea of how well things have progressed to date. The only new things are that I am now also training for a couple of half marathons this year and that I am planning on hitting the gym every day.

The new plan has been broken down into 3 separate days of exercises, to ensure that muscle groups get a rest and last night basically comprised of Fitness Stu showing me how to use lots of machines. The gym was packed (with new year resolutions) so there are still some things Fitness Stu wants to show me becuase we couldn't get on the weights benches, I will be seeing him again on Saturday to finish off the program.

I would love to be able to tell you what I get to do in the gym now but I have to be honest I can’t really remember everything, there were so many different exercises, so after the plan is finished on Saturday I will nab my card so I can give a full rundown here.

Basically though, a gym session is going to be broken down into the warm up, various upper body exercises, and then a cardio stint. The warm up will be 5 – 8 minutes on the rower. The upper body exercises I can’t remember at the moment but it involves quite a lot on the cable machine, and then cardio is 30 minutes at 7.2mph on the treadmill set to manual and I am to increase the incline every 10 minutes.

That cardio bit will be hard, but I need it to be because today I have put my name down for two different half marathons. Spurred on by my dads training to run the Ironbridge half marathon I have sent off my application form for that event, and then as I was that way inclined I filled out the ballot for the Great North half marathon too.

Marathon running goals are simple. For the Ironbridge half I intend to finish the thing. I’m not aiming for any particular time or place other than to get round the course before the marshals go home. And they go home after 2 hours and 45 minutes. So as long as I am able to maintain a little over 5mph for the duration I am good.

For the Great North I have declared that I will complete the race in under 2 and a half hours. As my starting position in the melee at the beginning of the race is determined by my guestimated time, my goal for the Great North is to finish sub 2 and a half hours. Easy.

There will be no gym today due to other things planned but will be back at it on Friday.