Determination trumps motivation – But Coffee Helps

This past week of training has been really tough. My energy levels feel low and as a result I’m not feeling very motivated… It’s been quite the contrast over the past 2 weeks actually. Two weeks ago I was feeling strong, excited and I felt like my half ironman training was really coming along. This week the weather has cooled off and with it, so has my motivation.

Now this is going to sound silly… but I honestly think that getting through the past few early morning training sessions comes down to two things 1) determination and 2) Nespresso (mainly Nespresso).

My morning ritual: 5:15, the alarm goes off. 5:16, Zombie walk to the Nespresso machine. 5:17, the Nespresso machine is on. 5:18, two Lungo’s made and brought back to bed (one mine, one Dan’s). 5:19, debate going back to sleep. 5:25, we finish our drinks, we get up and go.

I recommend Nespresso for anyone who drinks coffee and has early morning commitments. It’s quick, it’s good coffee and give your sleepy eyes less than 10 minutes, you’ll be up and ready to take on the day. The worst part is getting up to grab your cup… in extreme circumstances I’ve debated putting our Nespesso machine at the bedside table even!

As you can see… I’m pretty dependent on coffee; so lets talk about the benefits coffee when training.

Posted by allisonloosley

Bean Stir Fry

This is my ‘go-to’ dinner after an evening workout.

Scenario

You’ve just finished your workout and it’s now 8:30PM. You’re home by nine and you’re seriously starving. You’re tired so basically right after you eat, you’re planning to sleep. You’ll be craving a high cal meal but you don’t want to eat something too heavy right before bed… WHAT DO YOU DO?!

Bean stir fry to the rescue.

This recipe is high in protein and fibre. It is filling but doesn’t make you feel bloated or sluggish the next day. Oh, and did I mention how delicious it is?

Prep: 10 minutes
Simmer: 15 minutes
Result: 4 servings, bean stir fry

Posted by allisonloosley

Electric Muscle Stimulation Training

Have you ever heard of EMS (Electric Muscle Stimulation) training?

Well the guys over at Exerceo Training got me suited up for an EMS workout and taught me all about it.

Posted by allisonloosley

British 10k – Running for Charity

This Sunday my colleagues and I will be racing the British 10k in support of Macmillan Cancer Support. A group of us at work have been training since May in preparation for the event.

In previous years, we’d often sign up for 5k charity runs. This year we decided to double our distance! For many in the group, this will be the longest distance they’ve ever run.

I felt slightly responsible for convincing my colleagues to race a 10k so I started a run club at work to get everyone trained up for the race! We train every Monday and it has been amazing seeing individuals improve. I used to coach novice and corporate rowers in University and I forgot how good it feels to pass on knowledge and help others work towards their fitness goals.

We train in a park near work where we are surrounded by green – a good reminder of why we’re doing all this hard work: Macmillan.

With work, training, the blog and MBA Run Club my time often feels stretched… I created the run club as my contribution to the 10k challenge.

If you’d like to support all our efforts and donate towards Macmillan Cancer Support, you can do so at our Just Giving page. All donations gratefully received.

Posted by allisonloosley

Toronto Triathlon Festival

The Toronto Triathlon Festival is a qualifier for Age Group World Championships. To qualify you need to finish top 3 of your age group (mine being F25-29). Even though I knew I’d be punching above my weight trying to qualify, I really wanted to give it an honest effort.

I raced the Hyde Park Sprint Triathlon three weeks prior to the Toronto Triathlon to benchmark my progress, and didn’t get a huge amount of confidence… I finished the race in 1:27 – 2 minutes slower than my first triathlon at Crystal Palace, 10 minutes slower than I was hoping for and I managed to come off my bike at one point.

When I looked at last year’s Toronto Triathlon finish times… the top three times were 1:11, 1:14 and 1:17. My aim became a) finishing in sub 1:17 and b) praying that faster athletes don’t show up to the race – if that happened, I might just qualify!

Well I certainly gave the race a good honest effort. I finished in 1:16, which was my exact target but I ended up 5th in my age group… this year the top three times were 1:09, 1:10. 1:10. I had no chance! Motivation to train train train train – need to get my swim and bike times a few minutes quicker.

Posted by allisonloosley

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