They've done it!! Business Finished!!

'Unfinished Business' finished the 2007 Atlantic Rowing Race 2007 (The Worlds Toughest Rowing Race ) on 04:31GMT January 23rd 2008 the fourth boat to cross the finish line.

They started on the 3rd December 2007 and completed in a time of 51 days, 16 hours and 31 minutes making them the new fours female record holders.

Their website includes the celebration pictures as well as a link to the Meningitis Trust (their charity reason for taking on the ocean). Their JustGiving website for donations is http://www.justgiving.com/unfinishedbusiness.

Last weeks 'log' - well almost a log!

Its hardly really a training log with this little in it, but last week was really about continuing to ease back into things. I don't have a column marked microwavable heat pack, the one I spent an awful lot of time heating, heating and re-heating. Hope to be a boat again by the end of this new week.

Training Log	Row	Stretch	Run	Ergo	Circuit	Weights	Cycle
Mon/21/1/08	.	Y	Xtrainer	.	.	light	.
Tue/22/1/08	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Wed/23/1/08	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Thu/24/1/08	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Fri/25/1/08	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Sat/26/1/08	.	Y	Xtrainer	.	.	medium	.
Sun/27/1/08	.	.	.	.	.	.	.

Cardiff PPUK 10k Love Run 2008 - my first big run after injury

Tonight should see my first run of the New Year (almost a month into it!!). I am a bit concerned about how my groin injury will hold up, so much so that it has been playing up all day (too many stress hormones thanks to the thought of the run and of course work).

It will be a short light run so it should be just fine. The interesting challenge will be the forthcoming Cardiff PPUK 10k Love Run on February 9th, for which I will have been able to complete no training. Needless to say I have absolutely no ambitions for time and will be happy to complete, even if that means walking some portion. I'd rather support the event than not, so if its walking then its walking.

The run is in aid of 'Action Duchenne', their website is http://www.actionduchenne.org/. I pinched this quote from their website to explain their mission...

"Action Duchenne (Formerly PPUK) exclusively funds research for a cure and promotes campaigns for better medical care for Duchenne and Becker Muscular Dystrophy. Duchenne is so severe that young men are totally paralysed by late teens and die young from respiratory or heart failure. Your donations and support will help us end this tragic waste of young lives."

1,000,000m challenge

A rowing club member is having a crack at quite the feat of indoor rowing endeavour, all in the name of charity - namely the Ataxia UK charity.

The message from Niall inviting support read...

Hi All,

As some will know, I recently started a challenge to row a million metres (on an ergo) in 100 days or less. I did a similar challenge a couple of years ago and managed to complete the million metres in 114 days (averaging 8.7Km per day) so decided this year I would up the ante and complete it in an average of 10K or more per day. I started the challenge on January 11th and so far have completed 188,000m

(averaging 13.7Km per day). This has been as a result of a mix of 10K, 12K and 3x6K (90secs rest) sessions. Blisters on my hands and heels are my main concern and if I have to put any more strapping on I'm going to start looking like an Egyptian mummy!!

I am doing the challenge for the Ataxia UK charity as one of my rowing friends has the Friedreich's Ataxia condition and has been wheelchair-bound since her teens. Despite her condition she lives a full life competing nationally and internationally at Indoor Rowing events and also enjoys horse riding. If you would like to sponsor me

then please go to my JustGiving page:

http://www.justgiving.com/millionmetrerowing

If you'd like to know more about the challenge, I have set up a website to provide:

- details of the challenge

- how far is 1,000,000m in tangible terms?

- progress chart

- diary of ergo sessions

- useful web links

Here's the link:

http://mmr2008.niallwilliams.co.uk/

If I haven't bored you silly and you've got this far in my note,

then thank you for your time and I look forward to your support.

Many thanks,

Niall

I really wish him all the best with his efforts, the blisters sound pretty nasty.

Weekend wasted...

I fell foul of my own ambition this weekend, I really wanted to do far more than I have... there just aren't enough hours in a weekend. Popping into work twice didn't exactly help, but a lack of energy wouldn't let me by as busy as I wanted to be. At least I managed to train injury free again on the Saturday and caught up with my pair partner (happily he's keen on pursuing the season in the pair or double, yippee!!).

The really sad bit was that the scales showed no new news... still 15st 10lbs!!! As my wife pointed out, as heavy as I was when I met her... I have been as much as a stone lighter during our relationship when I was running and rowing, I hope this summer will see a return of the exercise double act, the two R's if you like ;o)

Post number 260

Ah, so this is post number 260, that magical number that everyone trumpets and heralds as an awesome landmark.... oh, hang on, no 260 isn't really one of those numbers... ah, just shot my lyrical bolt somewhat there, hahaha

I often wonder why people read other peoples blogs, why are often filled with the type of random guff I demonstrate above (although it is my 260th entry, honest). Yesterday I found some blog entries through a search engine relating to my work, there was quite an argument going on between two long term bloggers, each on opposite sides of a workplace divide. Then I realised when it is that most people read someones blog... when they've said / posted something that inspires debate and gets tagged by a search engine or three. In that regard my blog is not a hotbed of controversy (tempting though spouting mildly insulting guff might be).

It is really that this blog of mine is a brilliant record of some goings on in my world over an ever increasing time frame. Like my weight chart (that despite large gaps covers 6-7 years of my life), the blog gives me a chance to review bits of my life over time. I was never a diary keeper, but this is really one; so now I am a diarist of a kind.

I was hearing a friend telling a story of a guy that had kept records of all of his spending in detail over many years (keeping and cataloging till receipts, etc.), and despite the fact my friend was telling the story to poke fun at the guy I found myself envious of that kind of record... how many memories would a life's shopping list hold? Those fun things you bought on a whim long forgotten, but listed in this case a financial diary - brilliant!

I often wish I remember more of the specifics of my varied childhood, okay not that a financial spreadsheet would help me remember the names of the mates I ran around the playground with.... what I am getting at is that records of the seemingly abstract can truly trigger fond memories. When I read back through 260 posts I get a great feeling from recognising my motivations, thoughts and feelings from particular sporting, training, or random events... it doesn't matter that anyone else ever reads them - a blog is very much like a diary you often don't brag about keeping one, and when someone finds it you get a little neurotic, but then remember that it all makes much more sense to you than it ever will to the random finder / browser... wonderful :o)

Clear, calm, cloudless and cold - awesome sunset. (I miss you Grandad).

Follow the boucing dot...

Just updated my Weight loss trend line link for the first time in quite some time. Sadly it shows my recent increase in weight, it is still within the range of other such 'wobbles' over recent years. Stuff New Years resolutions, its time for me to think harder about keeping fitter. Sadly I notice when I am heavier, it rapidly translates into a sluggish lack of energy.... I suppose they go hand in hand really.

Now that I am getting over the injury that slowed me up during Christmas I hope that the bounce back will be a swift one.

If you follow the link you can enjoy following the bouncing dots that are my weight loss trend line since 2001.... frankly I am very impressed that I have managed to maintain such a document over such a long time period. Hopefully sometime soon the weight will find a plateau with such longevity.

Counting the cost

The recent weeks have seen a major dip in my fitness and a bulge in my weight. The full extent of which has left me at 15st 10lbs... my heaviest for some considerable time. I am deeply unhappy about it but there has been a combination of circumstances, not least of which has been the groin injury. The long road back to fitness has started, two one hour sessions on the elliptical trainer with masses of stretches thrown in to keep my groin loose. Its gone well, but I am tired now, suggesting my fitness is worse than I thought. Happily my groin has come through the weekends working out very well. I am I hope firmly back on the move :o)

Found using a google search, image can be removed if necessary

Above a pic of my new best friend the cross trainer, I may well be spending a lot of time with a beast that looks a lot like this specimen!!

Magic physio

Crikey oh Riley!! Or some such exclamation, I have experienced magic physio. Yesterday I was put through the fourth session of physio in two weeks in my quest to get my groin injury sorted out. The physio put the various gadgets on my leg to improve blood flow to the area and so on, then came the magic bit - ultrasound. I left the place near enough jigging. It of course it didn't last and it got stiffer again through the rest of the day. However, it encourage me to know that with the right treatment and eventually with time I will once again be pain free, yippee!

It will still be several weeks before I attack a run or rowing session properly, but I am happy to report movement in the right direction.

Oh, come on!!

I am really stuck on the sidelines watching all the New Years runners and exercisers glow and perspire... my groin injury has put me out for a few weeks. I am seeing the physio still, and luckily for me it seems to be responding to numerous stretching and heat pack applications. I had a session in the gym on the weekend that did it the power of good... sadly, as soon as I let up with the stretching and heating yesterday because of a course I had to attend it got a bit worse again. It is going to be a long slow road back to fitness. I just have my fingers crossed that I don't have to go down the road of medical specialists and surgeons knives.

The whole thing is simply frustrating, but at least for anow my rowing buddy is keeping the faith (not to quote Bon Jovi there perhaps I have to point out). I only hope that I can find my way back to full strength work on the water in whatever boat.

Groin strain - f***ing pain

I am having to face the New Year and new training with the pain of a serious groin / abdominal muscle tear.

Wikipedia describes it in an article titled "Osteitis pubis"

Symptoms

The symptoms of osteitis pubis can include loss of flexibility in the groin region, a dull aching pain in the groin, or in more severe cases a sharp stabbing pain when running, kicking, changing directions, or even during routine activities such as standing up or getting out of a car.

I am finding it very uncomfortable and am very worried about my ability to train over the coming few weeks. It seems to have at least part of its root in turning over my ankle whilst road running in the dark a few weeks back. Since then I have really not trained properly and I can feel the difference, its really quite depressing!!