Interesting article on the house-of-cards economy in the U.S. and what issues may have the potential to trigger a collapse.

Felt much better in today’s swim, which bore a remarkable similarity to the one on Wednesday, probably because we had a new coach who I’d never seen before. No cramps, stroke felt pretty good and the session was much easier. Cycled in and out of work as well.

400 FS Warm Up
4 * {
    50 K on 1:10
    50 P on 50
    50 FS on 45}
6 * 100 FS on 1:40 (1:24)
4 * 100 IM on 1:55 (1:30)
4 * 100 Form on 1:55
4 * 50 FS on 45
200 FS warm down
Total: 2800m

S: 5200m – B: 30km – R: 7.5km – 3 core sessions

Got another core session in this morning and followed that up with a run this evening. I did 5 comfortable laps of the local park in a time of 22:51. I’d estimate that the distance was approximately 4km, but I suppose I’ll have to take the bike up and measure it some day soon.

S:2400m – B: 15km – R: 7.5km – 3 core

Got back in the pool at lunch, for the first time since before Christmas and I really noticed it. The pace was a bit slower, everything felt a little tougher and I ended up with both my legs cramping which finished my session a few hundred metres early. Hopefully it will only take two or three more sessions and all will be back to normal.

400 FS Warm Up
3 * 200 FS on 3:20
4 * {
    50 K on 1:15
    100 P on 1:45 }
2 * 100 FS on 1:40
2 * 100 FS on 1:35
3 * 100 FS on 1:30
100 IM
Total: 2400m

S: 2400m – B: 15km – R: 3.5km – 2 core sessions

Got a lot done in the last two days. I’ve been waking up with a sore lower back on and off for the last couple of months. Nothing serious, just a bit of an ache that goes away pretty soon after getting up. Nevertheless, I was wondering what was causing it, since I hadn’t done myself an injury that I could recall. After doing a bit of reading up on general training I’ve figured it out. Since I’m doing a fair bit of cycling and running, my hip flexors are getting a good workout. They tend to pull my pelvis/lower spine forward, and my abdominals would tend to pull it back. However, I can’t remember the last time I did a sit-up, so my abs are seriously weak and it’s most likely this imbalance which is causing the problem.

This week is the first week back training after the New Year, so I decided to incorporate some ‘core’ work, ie: exercises to strengthen the torso area, back and front. Did them on Monday, got up on Tuesday and did them again, then cycled into work and home again, then went for a 20min run last night. According to the scales this morning I’ve lost 2kg since Monday which gets me back to pre-Christmas weight, though it must be just a loss of water. Anyway, I’ll take it.

B: 15km – R: 3.5km – 2 core sessions

In a week where an Elvis re-release made No.1 in the UK selling only 30,000 copies, the Guardian bemoans the state of the UK Singles Chart.

According to Paul Williams of Music Week magazine, the excitement waned when singles began automatically to enter the chart at No 1 – landed there by advance radio play and mailshots to fans – rather than start low and gradually climb. Of the 156 No 1s this century, only three did not debut at the top. “It’s all about scheduling now. It’s much easier for the business to line up what’s going to be No 1 – you know from the schedules, ‘Oh, that’ll be No 1, and next week that’ll be No 1’. In the past, you could never predict – it was all up to the fans.”

I remember sitting down to watch Top Of The Pops, wondering who would be No.1 this week. Now it’s all manufactured & manipulated crap, like so much else.

Got back on the bike yesterday to cycle in to work, then got a few laps of Centennial Park in on the way home. I can feel the difference now that I’ve sat on my arse for a couple of week, and the fact that I’m almost 1.5kg heavier after Christmas excess doesn’t help either.

While working at home today, I got the call from Jacqui: “I’ve forgotten my lunch. Can you cycle in and bring it to me?”,1),
(

That’s another 10km training ride under my belt ;-)

B: 53.4km

Took the day off work yesterday as it was Bevin’s last day before flying back to NZ. She decided she wanted to do a bike safari around Olympic Park, so she got to wear my snowboard helmet in lieu of a real bike one, and ride my new mountain bike as it was the only one without clip pedals. As luck would have it, Bondi Junction train station was closed for track work, so we had to cycle to Edgecliff. Bevin wasn’t too impressed with the climb out of Double Bay! Got the train to Central, then ended up sitting there for ages waiting for the train to Olympic Park. The trip planner web site said there was one, but after 30mins of waiting I approached a station guard who told us we had to go to Lidcombe and change there! You’d expect the latest information to be on the web!

Got off at Lidcombe and decided to cycle to Olympic Park as it was only a couple of minutes. Once there we cycled around the place checking out the various venues – Aquatic Centre, Stadium Australia, the SuperDome etc. and then got out the mini map with the cycle routes marked on it and followed a few of those. I had brought the video camera so I did a few pans of Bevin cycling past various landmarks to document the trip. We spent about 90mins out there looking around, then had to get on the train before 3pm as there would be issues with having bikes on the train during peak time.

Cycled home from Edgecliff via Bellevue Hill and then up the hill on Old South Head Road. Bevin definitely wasn’t impressed with that one, but she kept going and made it to the top without stopping so she was pretty chuffed. After that it was a quick shower and off down to meet Nathan at Icebergs for some well-earned beers and a bit of food.

So, that’s the first bit of exercise for 2005. Bevin flew out today, so the holidays are officially over now and it’s back to the grindstone.

B: 20km

An account of a visit to Fallujah by an Iraqi doctor, pulished in The Guardian.

So, time to take stock of last year’s resolutions. They were:

1. Get back to my normal weight of approx. 80kg

2. Complete a sprint distance triathlon (or longer)

3. Complete a 2km+ ocean swim

4. Get my body fat under 14%

Missed out on 1, but managed to drop from 89kg to 84.7kg.

Missed out on 2 as well, but I’m doing one next weekend, so that’s close enough.

Did 3 (woo hoo!)

Missed out on 4, but dropped from 19% to 16.8%.

So, to this year’s resolutions. Well, the theme is the same, so I’ll keep 1 & 4 from last year and add a couple more exercise related ones.

1. Get under 80kg.

2. Get under 14% body fat.

3. Complete an Olympic Distance traithlon

4. Do either an adventure race or an MTB race.