For the first time in what is coming up to two years, I’ve got some structure to my training. I’ve always had an idea of what to do and have read every book you can possibly think of but having someone else put the plan together makes a massive difference.

I understand the science, I’m a spreadsheet geek but this is another level. I’ve got workouts scheduled. I know, to the minute, what I should be doing and rewardingly what my performance and fitness gains look like. Tagging a series of ‘greens’ on the calendar is habit forming, tagging them red because I’ve done too much is infuriating. Just the kind of behaviour that ticks my personality type.

With a structure in place, I now feel like it’s not just me that I’m letting down if I slip up, it’s publicly admitting I’ve not got the commitment to get it done.

This morning’s little jaunt was supposed to be a 50-minute e-pace jog with a minute walk every 10 minutes. I fully trust my coaching plan and the science makes sense but damn it’s difficult. I felt pretty good and just running with a podcast in my ears and watching the scenery slip by was far too easy. The focus for the coming week is hit the workouts bang on. Let’s see how structured I can be. In the meantime, this week’s reads and listens are below if you have some time to kill.

Podcasts I’m hooked on

  • Team Oxygen Addict – http://www.oxygenaddict.com/podcast/
    • Great listening, laid back and sensible advice, quality interviews with proper athletes – and a huge back catalogue of timeless listens if you have som hours to kill (whilst swim, bike, running!)

Books I’m Reading

  • Swim, Bike, Run – The Brownlee brothers
    • Half way through and if you want to learn something about dedication to a goal, read it.
  • American Gods – Neil Gaiman
    • I’ve been putting this one off for years, but it’s drifting by effortlessly.
  • Tools of Titans – Tim Ferriss
    • I can’t decide whether I’m a Ferris fan or not, I’ve listened to his podcast selectively for years and he has some failry high power friends (Schwarzenegger, Robbins) so he’s doing something right. Eminently scannable and some good stuff in it if you can get past some of the rambling.