Then followed lots of physio for her and lots of time off from taking classes. Helen runs a class well. She shouts at you, gets you to laugh and smile and motivates you to work really hard. She’s brilliant at it. She has good tunes and fits constructive and varied workouts together.

I’d kind of fallen away from spin as the replacement instructors just weren’t Helen. They were good, font get me wrong but I just liked how good Helen was and how hard she got me to work, whilst really enjoying it. I’d breeze through a double session, working hard but with a smile on my face.

The poor wee thing was nervous tonight and I wanted to be there for her, cold or no cold.

6 minutes into the class and I was wondering if I’d be able to keep it up. When I breathed I felt like my throat was going to explode, and i would sometimes start a coughing fit.

I kept the resistance low and made sure I didn’t over do it. Cough I did. But manage through it I did too. I didn’t want to miss Helen’s first day back.

Spinfit: 40 minutes, 350 calories.

After spin, I’d have been quite happy to go home but Fit Girl (and my lift home) was staying for another spin session. So I toddled on upstairs to try out a wee easy run.

I wanted to see how my chest and cardio would be as I’d noticed when I was walking to work that I’d been getting breathless (a very odd feeling for me!)

I set the treadmill to 10kph and started running slowly. I felt ok. My chest was fine as was my breathing. I was sure to keep my heart rate below 80% (150) so as not to over do it. After 4k I felt ok and increased the speed to 10.5kph.

I managed 7k in around 42 minutes and felt fine when I came off. I wasn’t coughing as I ran, and didn’t cough when I came off either. Result I thought.

Run: 7k, 42 mins, 350 calories.

It’s been a week since I’ve had this cold and it’s fair to say I’m fed up of it. Sneezes, sniffles, sweats, sleeping lots, Streaming eyes, body aching and now a cough to go with it. A week is more than enough thank you very much so I’m about ready to get over it.

Over the last few days I’ve been continuing to take cold and flu remedies and have had intermittent relief from Otrivine, but I’ve stopped taking all the pills and Otrivine as they’re just bunging me up. I get a bit of relief from Otrivine, then when I stop using it my symptoms get even worse. So I’m off it for good now.

Then Wednesday morning I notice it’s gone into my chest. And everytime I cough it’s really sore. It’s REALLY annoying. So Drs it is this morning to see if he can help me get rid of it once and for all. Told you I wasn’t a good patient!!

It was good while it lasted, but now More it’s rest for me. :-/

It’s a good indoor workout and if you get the right motivational instructor, you can really get a lot from it. 

Pros

• An effective workout
• Allows you to train in the offseason
• Varied routines keep things fresh
• Great for all ability levels
• You don’t have to wear your helmet

Cons

• You’re not on a real bike
• Classes can become monotonous
• You have to push yourself for maximum effect

Description

• Spinning classes are done in a fitness studio, with various light and music settings to create an energised atmosphere.
• Instructors guide participants through workout phases. Warm-up, steady up tempo cadences, sprints, climbs, strength workouts, cool-downs.
• You control resistance on your bike to make the pedaling as easy or difficult as you choose. Constant adjustment is normal.
• All you’ll need is workout clothes, a towel (to wipe the sweat off) and a water bottle.
• Spinning bikes have toe clips so you can wear tennis shoes. But many pedals also work with Shimano-style SPD cleats.

What Happens in a Spin fit Class?

Imagine a whole bunch of exercise bikes lined up inside a health club studio. Riders are on each one, spinning the pedals at a rapid pace. The lights are turned down, pumped up music fills the air and an instructor with a headset sits atop a lead bike, calling out commands.

“Climb out of the saddle,” she barks at the class. “Get it on!” (resistance that is)

The riders rise as one, pedals spinning faster as they grimace with exertion, sweat dripping off their bodies.

What you’re witnessing is a spin fit class, a workout option available at fitness clubs everywhere. Spin fit is a relatively recent phenomenon, where participants take part in a group workout on exercise bikes that typically lasts anywhere from 30-75 minutes. The classes are lead by instructors who normally guide participants through a series of phases, from warm-up to more challenging phases, to a period of peak effort followed by a cool down.

In spin fit classes, the intensity of the workout is influenced by a couple of things:

• cadence, or pedal rate
• resistance of the bike’s flywheel, which can be continually adjusted throughout the class to make pedaling easier or more difficult
• by the rider’s body position, as they either pedal from a seated position or rise from the saddle.

Ultimately participants determine their own levels of exertion, something that works better for some than others.  I know that I do better when I’m being pushed and motivated by an instructor, especially Helen.   

A good instructor can certainly encourage and motivate you to push yourself, and you’ll most likely find spin fit to be a vigorous workout. It’s a decent way to stay in shape when you don’t have a bike, or you can’t get outside on the bike.

You can do one session, or you can even build up to do two in a row! (I sometimes do 2 x 45 minute sessions – where I usually end up taking the second one a little bit easier than the first).  But beware… you will work hard and you will sweat!

I’ve got a bad cold.
I’ve been sleeping LOTS to try to get over it.
I’ve not been training to try and help me get over it.

I got a nice comment on my blog from Dave tonight:

I have been thinking about posting:

1. Stages/days of my cold, my symptoms: sniffles, sneezes, sweats, sore head, sore throat, coughing, etc, medication, sleep and how I felt, but I figured that’d be pretty boring and I’d rather think about getting better than complaining.

2. How to get over a cold. I’ve already written something about that last week. For me, it’s sleep, rest, paracetamol, decongestant (cold/flu pills). Otravine has been a bit if a life saver to clear my nose too.

3. And here’s one I’ll write about now: my new shorts:

I got a nice wee Valentines present, a cool pair of Nike shorts. They don’t have any pockets like my other Nike tempo shorts but they’re really nice. Can’t wait to wear them.

Last thing from me tonight, if you have a subject you’d like me to blog about, let me know and I’ll see what I can do x x

After 6 days I’m getting there, I won’t go into the gory details, but I’m nearly there. I’m taking this week really easy, I’ll see how I feel and take it easy to get back to training.

My niece and nephews were down from Wick and whilst I’d managed to avoid any weegie bugs this winter (something I was quite proud of), It seems I’m no match for the Wick bugs. :-/

I missed my run on Wednesday night, and my weights session on Thursday morning and got as much sleep as I could instead.

Thursday I took my running stuff to work with me, but went straight home and and slept. My running stuff is still sitting in the bag where I left it.

Then I got up for work on Friday, all achy and really not feeling like sitting at a computer all day. But I had a report I had to get out so I went in and did it.

Friday night I went to bed again, and now it’s Saturday and I’ve slept for about 18 hours. I’m taking my usual concoction of medication, cold and flu remedies to dry me up and night nurse at night to help me sleep.

Last night and today I’ve got the sweats. It’s unbelievable. I’m so roaring hot, still bunged up and have it a little but in my throat. My body is aching all over and I’m considering getting up to see of it might make me feel better.

I was meant to be doing a 5 hour run today, but I knew it was out the window yesterday when I felt so bad. I’ll just need to rest and recover and get back to it gently next week.

I’m not even going to write down what I plan to do as I’m waiting until I feel better before putting any training pressures on me. It’s odd sweating this much and I’m just lying here. Hopefully I fight it off soon.

The common cold strikes most adults two to four times a year, each bout lasting between five and 14 days. But can you run with a scratchy throat and runny nose?  Here’s a guide to help you prevent, survive and recover from your next cold.

You’re not sick yet…but everyone around you is

Get eight hours of sleep
Growth hormones that boost immunity are released during sleep. Scientists monitored people’s sleeping habits for two weeks, then exposed them to a cold virus. Those who clocked less than seven hours were three times more likely to get sick than those who slept for at least eight hours.

Drink on the run
That healthy boost from exercise drops when you run for longer than 90 minutes at a time because of a surge in the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. Sip a sports drink during high-intensity workouts. The sugar helps maintain blood glucose, lowering stress hormone response and preventing immune system damage.

Keep to yourself
Cold sufferers can spread germs before they know they’re sick. Limit germ exposure (more waving, less handshaking) and, if weather allows, exercise outside instead of indoors. At a gym, you could breathe in air that has viruses in it, and touch machines that infected people may have used.

Clean up
Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water throughout the day, and don’t put your hands on your face. This helps keep the virulent germs away from your eyes, nose and mouth, where they can quickly infect you.

You wake up with symptoms…a sniffle or a scratchy throat means a cold is imminent.

Don’t skip your run
Exercise temporarily reduces congestion symptoms.  Feeling under the weather doesn’t have to have an impact on running performance. After a run your body produces adrenaline which helps combat your cold.  Plus, a workout won’t worsen your symptoms.  Just make sure you take it easy and don’t over do it – even go for a walk instead of a run if you don’t feel up to the run.

Tend to your nose
It’s annoying to exercise with a nose that’s running as fast as your feet. Using a nasal wash (available from pharmacies) before a run can provide relief from congestion, as can over-the-counter nasal sprays and oral decongestants.  I always take cold and flu medication which contains: paracetamol, caffeine & phenylephrine hydrochloride.  The only thing is that the decongestant (ph hydrochloride) usually dries you up so you need to make sure you hydrate well when you take it.

You have a full-blown cold: Your nose is very stuffy and you’re coughing so much that you haven’t been able to get a good night’s rest.

Back off
Swap all tough workouts for moderate activity, like a 30-minute slow jog. You may want to exercise inside; cold air can irritate a sensitive throat and nose. And if you have a fever or symptoms below the neck (gastrointestinal problems, body aches or joint soreness), don’t work out. Running with a fever can make the illness worse and there’s a risk of passing the virus to the heart.

Sip hot liquids
A study found that people who drank hot beverages rated cold symptoms as less severe than those who had room-temperature drinks. Because tests showed nasal air flow did not improve in the hot liquid group, experts suspect the relief came from the psychologically soothing effects of a warm drink.

Here’s what I usually go by:

You can still train if it’s only above your shoulders (ie: head cold: sore throat, runny nose), but take it easy and don’t push it.  But if it’s below your neck (ie chest cold: cough, nausea, fever),then you shouldn’t train or exercise

We’ll see what happens with my cold – I might run tonight, or I might miss it in favour of sleep.  I might need to consider this weekends long run plans, but we’ll see. Hopefully it won’t last that long.

• Why I don’t drink Diet Coke or Coffee anymore…
• Water & Hydration

However I came across this the other day in the Metro:

It’s common sense really… but I thought I’d share it with you anyway. 

I used to know someone who used to (and probably still does) drink 8 litres of full fat Irn Bru, and she wondered why she was fat.  Duh?!

Anyway, drinking water is especially important if you are run down, dehyrated or training.    So top up your glass or water bottle and drink water.

Why snow??!!

On Saturday morning I’m meant to be:

Driving to Tyndrum (55 miles / 1 hour 15).
Running south from Tyndrum for about 2:30… then running back to my car.
(Early in the morning so I’m back for lunchtime.)

Then, after two weeks of kind of reasonable pleasant weather… tonight I see this on the BBC weather…

Snow, 4-5′C for Saturday.  :-(

Why?  Why Christopher Blanchett, why??!!  I know it’s February, and I know it’s meant to be cold, but come on!

The last two long runs I’ve done the weather has been horrible, then the last two weeks the weather has been ok, or even mild!  Now snow is f&*%ing well forecast!!?!  Not happy!

Snotters and bugs from Wick

For the last fortnight, Fit Girl has been struck down by a horrible coughing bug which nearly made her go off sick from work and has led to a few sleepless nights for us both.  I was touching wood in the fact that I had managed to refrain from catching it, and I was honestly thinking I must be made of strong stuff to be avoiding the (weegie) bugs.

Then at the weekend my lovely niece (10) and nephews (5 & 7) were down from Wick.  I spent around 3-4 hours with them… and I really enjoyed seeing them. Nice pleasant well mannered kids, nice family, good times.

Now… around 72 hours later… I appear to have started to show cold / flu symptoms.  :-/ I noticed the start of a runny nose just after lunchtime today.  Ba$%&rd!!  Lemsip (paracetamol, caffeine & phenylephrine hydrochloride) and Kleenex Balsam tissues for me it is, and maybe even a swig of Night Nurse last night for me.  :-P

I’m not a very good patient, although I will try and take the pills/medication not moan too much.  ;-)  And as for my training… what is it they say?:

We’ll see how it goes.  Fingers crossed my temple of a body fights it off.

 Poor Whitney Houston

I won’t go on about it, but I thought it was a bit sad about Whitney Houston at the weekend.  Bodyguard was the first album I ever bought… aged about 12 or something… and I used the words from ‘Run to you’ in my first ever valentines card to a boy. lol

I just think she was an amazing talent and it’s a shame she died so young.  The only good thing I can think of coming from her death is that her music is on the radio a lot more, and that I bought her Ultimate Collection Album this morning.  In fact, since her death, her record sales have seen a major boost in the US and the UK.

Several of her songs are on course to re-enter the UK singles top 40 on Sunday with a greatest hits compilation heading for the top 10.  Houston’s cover of the Dolly Parton single, I Will Always Love You, is likely to reach the top 10 on Sunday.

I also bought Emeli Sande‘s album too:

That’s about it from me.

I’ve been recording my weight and body fat stats weekly since then, and noticed that my weight has remained very steady for the last year.    Fluctuating up or down within a 4lb / 2kg weight range.

I’m thinking this is the weight I’m meant to be.   
125lbs (BMI: 20.1, body fat 20.9%).

I noticed how steady my weight has been when I was entering my stats into my Garmin Connect account, here’s the graph from it:

I find it quite interesting to see.    I can link my weight to the events I’ve trained for which is cool for me.  In January / February last year, I was in the middle of my long distance training for the Lochaber Marathon, and the history of my events vs weight can be seen in this graph I’ve put on here before:

Not only have I reduced my weight by 22lbs, I’ve also reduced my body fat from 29.5% down to around about 20-21%. 

And this year I’ve noticed that whilst my weight has stayed pretty steady, it increased a little after I started my Winter Strength Workout Challenge (more strength/weights work in my weekly routine)… but not by all that much (+1-2lbs).

Personally, I think I can  put my weight being this steady down to me training a lot, eating the same things (not restricting what I eat much, but trying to eat healthily whilst still fuelling my training) and not drinking alcohol.   

My weight was lowest (122lbs) after I came back from my holidays to America, just before I started doing weights in September.

My weight dropped slightly for the last two years in late September after I’ve come back from America.  I’m guessing it’s because I’m donig less training whilst I’m over there… although I always eat regular (and American sized portions) and walk and cycle lots over there.

I like how there’s been a bit of a blip (increase) over Christmas over the last few years (not that I reduced my training or increased my eating that much).  Too many Christmas puds or something? 

I have to say I’m very happy where I am right now, and am pleased with how far I’ve come (especially as I haven’t really been trying to lose weight after January 2009).

So how do you lose weight or maintain a healthy weight?

For me, I have to say it’s just come off and stayed off with my mixture of:

• Plenty of exercise.
  (I burn around 5,000 calories a week, training 5-6 days a week)
• A balanced varied diet.
  (I try not to restrict foods, but try to fuel my training and aim to eat healthily).
• No alcohol. 
  (This one I’ve just got used to, and it can make a huge difference to your weight).

It can be a fine balance, but I think I might just be lucky enough to have that balance right.    (See here for more info on how I’ve done it)