'Sleep'

I haven't really done many training sessions this week, but I have been pretty active. I have ridden to work and home every day, so that gives me 6 hours on the bike (120 miles). I trained in the gym on Monday putting in a steady free weights session (all upper body parts). On Wednesday I decided that the 1st XV needed a tough running fitness session. Out on the field I set up the Multi Stage Shuttle Run Test (Bleep Test). This is a running test where you run 20m, turn, run 20m, turn, and keep repeating. Roughly every 12 repetitions the pace increases. Level 1 is very, very slow, and level 21 is at an impossible speed. Apparently the higher levels are achievable by elite athlete's, however I have my doubts. At level 21 it is hard enough to cover the distance, let alone turn and accelerate back up to top speed. The progressive nature of the test and the turning and accelerating makes this a tough test. It gives a good indication of aerobic fitness, and gives a bench mark on which to assess fitness gains after a period of training. When I was in my early 20's (seems like years ago) and still playing a high level of football, I have 'maxed' out at level 13.8. I have seen very fast 800m runners get to level 15. Wanting to increase the motivation amongst the players I decided to take part in the test. I felt very comfortable through level 7, 8 and 9, and ok through 10, it is then that lactic acid flow resembles a river in spate, flooding every working muscle. I dug in, said good bye to a couple more players, and resisted the urge to stop. I went through level 11 with 2 very fit back row forwards, one of them a GB Judo player in with a chance of Olympic Representation in 2012. All three of us went past level 12 and we managed a couple more repetitions before succumbing to the pace. I then announced to the team that we would all repeat the test aiming to get to within 2 levels of our previous attempt. This was going to put me quite deep in the hurt box. Repeating the test was mentally tough, but this is what achieving in sport is all about. We pushed through level 10 and fought off the urge to stop until we could fight no more. Test 2, level 11. I was really pleased with my performance, my overall fitness is high, and my running fitness pretty solid, plus more importantly whilst I didn't win I wasn't beaten by any of them!!!!

On Friday the staff played 6 a'side football against the 6th form. In my footballing days, short sharp sprints, and explosive bursts of pace used to be second nature to me, I could do more midfield running than anybody I ever played with. However years of triathlon and cycling have changed my fitness dynamics, I'm now efficient at a steady pace for hours, but 20 minutes of high intensity football leaves me out of breath and looking like a couch potato!!! Despite making it incredibly hard for ourselves we won 4 -0, and after a string of horrible shots on goal, I did eventually get one in. 2 wins from 2, top of the league.

It's been a tough week just "starting and finishing each day", thanks to Evie. Once again she has had both me and Sarah up on more than one occasion each night. It's really not Evie's fault, she is just hungry, and cutting some more teeth! Each day ends for her just after 6pm, she is usually beside herself, and after a quick bath and a bottle of milk she very quickly falls asleep. The trouble is she is going through a growth spurt, and needs more food, but it is impossible to top her up with solid food before bed time. The worst night included a 2.30am bottle of milk, a 4.30am shot of medicine, a cuddle and a walk around the lounge, and a 6am bottle of milk!!!! Disrupted nights sleep are not great. This week I have woken up each morning at 6.30am tired. The day I had planned to run into work coincided with the worst night of disruption. A 6am wake up, running by 6.20am had as much appeal as eating the white of a boiled egg (never, ever, ever liked that part of the egg, "yuk") so I canned that idea, swapping it for a leisurely cycle in. The other end of the day has been just as tough. I had planned to run my interval session on Monday night, and complete a weights session on Wednesday, I achieved neither. Come 7.30pm when the girls are in bed, I've sorted some food out, and started to relax, waiting for Sarah to finish work I am beat and ready to hit the sack. This week I've been awful in the evenings, falling asleep during our midweek film, and falling asleep on the sofa on Friday, retiring to bed early. So what can I do?

1) Accept the disrupted sleep patterns, and push on with training sessions and planned activities.

2) Search out a natural stimulant to take at 7.30pm each night.

3) Resist the urge to sit down and crash out in the early evening.

4) Try to condition my body to need only 6 hours of sleep, thus creating more time in the evening.

I'm not sure what the answer is, but I do know that it's the time of year when the darkness is setting in. Dark morning's and dark evening's, its tough to resist the urge to SLEEP or slip into a state of LETHARGY. I quite like the idea of 4), is it actually possible to do that? Let's see how this week goes.

Ellie is coming out with some fabulous quotes, and saying some funny stuff at the moment, yesterday whilst playing in the garden she said;

"Shall I show you how to be a really fast horsey"

She's great. I love my girls, Evie has learnt how to kiss. So this week she's been walking around kissing everybody and everything, beautiful, all she needs to do now is SLEEP!!!!

Sleep tight