Just 18 days until the small matter of my first ever triathlon and I thought I’d better experience what it’s like to actually do one before the big day, something I did on Sunday but more on that in a moment…

After work on Wednesday it was down to the pool for another 3km session which involved sets of 200m, 100m and 50m on 4 minutes, 2 minutes and 1 minute respectively – pretty tiring but a good work out and I was particularly happy with my 200s…

Thursday was out on the roads again, running, running, running and followed my new long distance (for me) course. I have now measured it and know that it is 15.2km in length and I finished in 1hr 32 mins and felt pretty comfortable. Good news!

Friday I took the evening off as I was MCing the PHBGTUF event and time was of the essence and Saturday I took my bike up to Thalang bikes to get a new helmet – 40km round trip only to find out that the shop was shut – doh!

That night I attended a dinner at Tamarind restaurant at Banyan Tree where the guest of honour was Mirinda Carfrae, the 2010 Ironman World Champion. It was a great night and good to be able to pick her brains about a few things that had been on my mind for a while.

Then came Sunday. Sunday, Steve and I decided to do a half triathlon which we started at 9.45. The weather in the days leading up to Sunday had been cool, but Sunday was boiling! It was hard work but we got done in 2hrs 19mins with some pretty leisurely transitions. I also learned that I push the hills waaaaaaay too hard – knackered…

Monday was back in the pool and another 1.8km swim which didn’t feel too good but was still below 30mins and managed to do a total of 120 lengths in under an hour.

Last night I wanted to have anothe go at the Laguna Hills – nuts I know – and this time I paced myself. I got to the top of the final hill and wasn’t out of breath (miracle) and was able to power on after that (1hr25) and do an 8km run in some comfort when I finished for a total time for 2hr 14 min.

Only 18 days to go but I’m feeling more confident about it with every passing day and in pretty good shape.

More from me next week, ciao for now.

What Causes Muscle Pain and Muscle Soreness After Exercise?

What is DOMS?

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) describes a phenomenon of muscle pain, muscle soreness or muscle stiffness that is felt 12-48 hours after exercise, particularly at the beginning of a new an exercise program, after a change in sports activities, or after a dramatic increase in the duration or intensity of exercise. This muscle pain is a normal response to unusual exertion and is part of an adaptation process that leads to greater stamina and strength as the muscles recover and build (hypertrophy).  

 This sort of muscle pain is not quite the same as the muscle pain or fatigue you experience during exercise. This delayed pain is also very different than the acute, sudden pain of and injury such as amuscle strain or joint sprain which is marked by an abrupt, specific and sudden pain that occurs during activity and often causes swelling or bruising.  

 The delayed soreness of DOMS is generally at its worst within the first 2 days following the activity and subsides over the next few days. It is quite common and can be quite annoying, particularly for those beginning an exercise program or adding new activities such as weight training or running and especially down hill running.

 Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness – Causes
Delayed onset muscle soreness is thought to be a result of microscopic tearing of the muscle fibers. The amount of tearing (and soreness) depends on how hard and how long you exercise and what type of exercise you do. Any movement you aren’t used to can lead to DOMS, but eccentric muscle contractions (movements that cause muscle to forcefully contract while it lengthens) seem to cause the most soreness.  

 Examples of eccentric muscle contractions include going down stairs, running downhill, the lowering action in a weight training exercise such as the downward motion of squats or lunges and even the down phase of a bicep curl. In addition to small muscle tears there can be associated swelling in a muscle which may contribute to soreness.

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness – Treatment
There is no one simple way to treat delayed onset muscle soreness. In fact, there has been an ongoing debate about both the cause and treatment of DOMS. In the past, gentle stretching was one of the recommended ways to reduce exercise related muscle soreness, but a study published in 2007 found that stretching is not effective in avoiding muscle soreness.  So does anything work to reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness? Nothing is proven 100 percent effective, but some people have found the following advice helpful, but it’s best for an individual to try a few things to see what works for them. Ultimately, best advice for treating DOMS is to prevent it in the first place.

Tips for Dealing with Muscle Soreness After Exercise

• Use ‘Active Recovery’. This strategy is supported in research. Performing easy low-impact aerobic exercise such as walking or swimming increases blood flow and is linked with diminished muscle soreness. After an intense workout or competition, use this technique as a part of your cool down.
• Try a Sports Massage or Sweedish Massage. Some research has found that sports massage may help reduce reported muscle soreness and reduce swelling, although it had no effects on muscle function.
• Use R.I.C.E (Rest. Ice. Compression. and Elevation) It is the standard method of treating acute injuries, if your soreness is particularly painful.
• Yoga has some growing evidence that performing Yoga may reduce DOMS.
• ** If your pain persists longer than about 7 days or increases despite these measures, consult your physician.

The main point to realise is that DOMS only occurs if you are starting an exercise program….the best way to prevent it from happening….Never Ever Stop!!

Health Fitness Wellness…..Its a Lifestyle

Daz

woke at 6am,was on the road by 7.
a nice 5 k jog to start the day sweating buckets even though it was nice and cool,,,,think i added a few extra pounds whilst in scotland!
anyway all systems are go at present,joints a bit sore dont want to push too hard as raceday/jog-day is only a few weeks away.
stay tuned,,,,,,,,,,,,,

mr the doris has had a few weeks off work but in saying that the training regime has continued!
chasing haggis in the highlands,tossing telephone poles,think they are called cabers or something like that!was so chilly in scotland i had to wear thermals under my kilt!
running is going well,thanks to darren at rpm for the tips,im now running further but at a slower pace which suits me.
back on the road runs as was way too cold in the highlands for that,so had to be the gym for a few weeks.
im feeling good and hopefully will stay injury free until the 28th,,,,fingers crossed!
talk soon
any more hints darren?

We had a special guest in the 91.5 studio today as Garry Holden, 2010 Biggest Loser Asia contender paid us a visit to talk about his bid to do both the Laguna Phuket Triathlon and the 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship also at Laguna.

Last time we saw Garry here at 91.5FM he was crossing the finishing line at the end of the Laguna half marathon in June which he did with his wife Jackie and was looking for a new challenge.

There are few bigger challenges on the island than the Laguna Phuket Triathlon – described by many as the ironman of regular triathlons – but Garry decided that alone wasn’t enough and when he found out that Laguna were hosting the inaugural 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship race he wanted to be part of that too, despite both events being only a week apart.

For the half an hour he was in the studio, we spoke about our preparations for the big race and plans for the future.

We also spoke about the relay at the Laguna Phuket Triathlon which still has places available. If you’re a good runner, swimmer or cyclist but found the idea of the full triathlon a bit daunting, why not find two friends and sign up.

Information is available at www.lagunaphukettriathlon.com and registration details are there too. You can also sign up for the 91.5FM 6km Fun Run happening on the same day giving you two chances to be part of what’s sure to be a great day down at Laguna on November 28.

Another week gone and the Laguna Phuket Triathlon draws ever closer, its presence looming larger and larger like Mount Doom did for Frodo in Lord of the Rings….

It’s beena good week of training so I’m quite happy and I did pick up my new flying machine on Saturday complete with bells, whistles etc…

I got back in the pool on Wednesday for a 3km swim made up of varying distances at different speeds before rocking the mic at the Irish Times quiz down in Jungceylon as cover for Doris.

Thursday I embarked on the longest run I think I have ever done – in trainers that are too small for me – not fun. 15km and one bruised and battered big toe later I was home in 1:33 – happy with that. Took it steady all the way and felt comfy – apart from my toe – at the end.

Friday was a day away from exercising and it was time for a spot of indulgence as I enjoyed at gastronomic masterclass courtesy of 2* Michelin Chef – awesome.

I was excited on Saturday as my new bike had arrived so it was down to Thalang Bikes to pick it up. Had to buy all manner of bits and pieces but finally I was ready to rock and roll. Road it home and stood and admired it for a while before going to watch FC Phuket.

Sunday was time to take the bike for a true spin and see what she could do (and me!) so I embarked on a 55km bike (no hills) which I completed in 1hr 44mins. She flies! I’ll need to think of a name for the beast.

I was back in the pool on Monday and the swim was a touch disappointing although I lost count of how many laps I had done on several occasions and might have swum further than 1.8km….

Got back from work yesterday and decided to brave the rain and take the bike out again. This time I took on the dreaded hills as part of a 45km bike – 1hr 43mins followed by a 3.5-4km run for a total time of 2hr 3min.

Only 25 days to go but things are progressing nicely and I will put all three disciplines together on Sunday for the first time!!

Wish me luck and hopefully I’ll be able to tell you all about it next week!