Hi Blog followers and welcome to my weekly blog under Coach Ray’s Website of www.coachray.nz Well as mentioned last week I am back in NZ and back into training in NZ conditions, yeah it’s spring so many will be loving the warmer weather, friggen freezing for this kid, but time to dust of my bike, check out the swimming pool, and take the running shoes for some refresher training…
Whilst deployed, or just prior to rather, Coach Ray left me to my own devices to allow me to focus on what we call Pre-Deployment Training and time with my family before I commenced my journey. Once I arrived in location I advised Coach Ray what I had available and I simply came up with a training schedule of what I would complete based on resources and time available. My schedule would become training every day of the 7 day week but only once a day. I was used to training twice a day for at least a couple of days a week and having long sessions and a brick session (two activities one after the other like a bike then straight into the running shoes) when Coach Ray allocated the training in Training Peaks. Clearly this wasn’t going to work on a busy deployment, so I came up with the following routine: Sunday Treadmill Run (60 to 90 mins on average); Monday Road Run (10 to 15 Km’s on average); Tuesday On-Base Bike Ride (30 Km’s on average); Wednesday Treadmill Run again (60 to 90 Mins on average); Thursday Road Run again (10 to 15 Km’s on average); Friday Off-Base Bike Ride (45 Km’s on average); Saturday Desert Track Bike Ride (40 to 50 Km’s on average).
So the cycling was achievable as was the running, although as mentioned in previous blogs it was more walking for the majority of my time overseas due to an over-pronation injury in my left foot, but would cover the same distances, just have to start even earlier. Swimming was when able in the evenings after work, I would jump into the 6 x 2 metre swimming pool with bungee chords tied around my ankles and go hell for leather, after 15-20 minutes I would have to get out with a beetroot coloured face and sweat pouring off me, it was like swimming in a hot bath, much to the amusement of the team.
So now that I have arrived back in NZ, Coach Ray suggested I continue with what I can come up with to allow me to have time with my family whilst on Leave, then Training Peaks will dictate my training. A good call for more than just the family reason. After a couple of runs in Aussie, in between flights, helped to adjust my body clock, and with the lower temperatures to acclimatise, then the NZ temperature smacked me, telling me the lack of sun in the Southern Hemisphere was now my boss. Once in NZ I spent a couple of days going for walks with Mel then gave myself a day off training before I got into it. Then for the last 3 days I have been for a 10 Km Run, a 1 Km Swim and a 15 Km Bike in that order. The run no problems, and it poured down with rain, nothing like a hot shower straight away to make sure I don’t get a cold. The swim, in a 25 metre pool and man did I struggle with being out of a decent sized pool for 7-8 months, every couple of lengths I had to have a quick breather. The cycle, I spent the day before cleaning up my garage and refilling my bikes tyres with air and a dust off, etc, but I took Mels bike for a ride to rip the cobwebs off it (hope she doesn’t read this), which is completely the wrong fit for me, the wind smacked me also to let me know it is NZ training, but finished with a smile although a bit strained with the bike fit, so back to my bikes from now on.
From here, Coach Ray has his work cut out for him or for me rather. No doubt the first thing he will do is smack me with his infamous speed tests for the Swim, Bike and Run once I get back into his Training Peaks schedule. I always cringe when I see them, particularly the swim speed test. Coach Ray will be rolling his eyes back thinking…can’t wait!
Stay tuned team as I continue my journey back into major events. Regards John Humphries (Aka Humps, Aka UltraHumps)!
UltraHumps will be writing weekly blogs as he continues his journey and raising funds for Charitable causes.
Read Humps article from last week here:
All his previous articles are stored here: