Friday and Sunday.

Internet diagnosis (which I appreciate is a flawed form of medicine) has identified the cause of my sore ankle as either under or over Pronating. My running gait is at fault but can be corrected with gait analysis and shoe inserts… It sounds costly though. It’s a good job all this training is for a canoe race, rather than a running race.

I have also come across a kayak that seems to tick all my want boxes. It’s also a fair bit cheaper than other boats I have seen. It is still the best part of £700 but is my preferred option at the moment, all I would need to do is find 14 people who are prepared to lend me £50 quid and we are on the water.

Anyway, Friday night saw both me and Nigel in the gym, the first time for a while for Nigel.

Rowing machine. We both went for 5 minutes. I was secretly having a race with Nigel, keeping an eye on his time and distance and when we were done I was quite public in “noticing” that I had rowed 110 more metres than Nigel. We did row the same number of reps though so we suspect it is down to my technique pulling more of the rope.

Nigel then set off around the gym doing the same exercises that he had been working on for the last 18 weeks.

I was working on my arm muscles so it was Concentrated curl on the cable machine, 3sets. 15reps. 2kgs. And seated dumbbell curls. 33 sets of 15 reps at 10kgs. I also did some (can’t remember how many) abdominal crunches, but it was Friday so I wasn’t wholly in the mood.

Onto the treadmill but 5 minutes in and the ankle let me know that it also wasn’t in the mood for running. Cardio was finished off in the swimming pool with 30 minutes.

Sunday we were back at the gym. Nigel was working but joined us eventually.

I had completed my warm up on the rowing machine and was messing around with the free weights when Nigel made his way in. After he had also warmed up Nigel wanted to play with the dumbbells too.

Seated curl with dumbbells. 3 sets of 15 reps at 10kgs. For both me and Nigel.

Shoulder press with dumbbells. 3 sets of 15reps. I used 12.5kgs and coped. Nigel used the 10kgs. He did struggle but it was the first time he was using these muscles with this exercise.

Chest press with dumbbells. 15kgs. 4 sets 15reps. I did an extra set as Nigel distracted me when I first started. Nigel had a go at this exercise too, opting for the 12.5kg weights. Again he struggled, this time with his balance rather than the weight.

Cable row. 10kgs. 3 sets of 15 reps. No problems now, and the gripping muscles in my forearm don’t seem to fatigue as quickly.

Concentrated curl with the cable machine. 3 sets of 15 reps 2kgs. Nigel had a go at this one too and quickly could see why I pull my constipated face by the time I am up to the last rep.

Weighted abs crunch. 8kgs. 3 sets off 20 reps.

Cardio. I joined Nigel over on the cross trainer (treadmill is off the menu for a while for me) and we set off for 20 minutes. Nigel was working intervals at a moderately tough level 7. I set off on manual setting increasing the level every five minutes up from a starting level 6. I have to be honest, I got bored towards the end and aborted with a couple of minutes to spare.

I wanted to swim lots but the pool was pretty packed so after only a few lengths I went off to the steam room. Nigel closed the top vent which was great and filled the room with a lot of steam but we all nearly cooked like cabbage.