No fuel, no go, no way!

1 week, 2 days since my last post.  Can't believe it is such a short space of time because so much has happened.......

I've managed to drop 4lbs in weight during this time.  As you may recall, last post focused on me getting my preparations back in line as results were slacking.  Key areas were mental prep (the 'why' in 'why am I doing this'!) and my fuelling - i.e. eating properly.

Terrible habit of skipping meals and surviving on caffeine until tea time.

Well no more - last week I started making sure my fuel intake was a measured 3.5:1 Carb/Protein at breakfast and lunch with a balanced evening meal.  Even dropped caffeine too!

Results:

• 10k PB (1min off) -17th April.
• 5k Interval session -18th April.
• 8k hill run -19th April.
• Half Marathon PB (4mins off) - 21st April.
• 10k PB (another 1 min off) - 24th April.

Obviously these improvements won't continue at this rate, but I'm kicking myself for not making the change sooner as I could have made my training so much more effective to this point!

The other big contributory factor is that our first Scout meeting took place last Friday night and I got to spend two and a half hours of fun, quality time with my Daughters.  For the first time in such a long while, my life felt balanced between work, family and me.

It's true what is said about physical performance being linked to both nutritional state and mental state - the 3 are inextricably linked.  Neglect one and the others will suffer - achieve balance and the combination of all 3 working in harmony is potent!

I'm off to visit Erskine Hospital tomorrow to discuss fundraising and generate some PR.  

Also got my first corporate sponsor - Personal Wellness Xperience (PWX) who are helping me with nutrition and supplements.  Contact them on PWXHerbalife@gmail.com if you'd like to know more ;-)

Best 'Before' Date - no preservatives or additives!

From what I have read and heard, everyone who trains for anything at some stage finds themselves feeling 'stale'.


I don't mean getting a little hard around the edges and a bit dry like a loaf of bread.  It's that feeling that you are past your 'best' and on the downward slope.


Knowing yourself and your body well enables you to identify the 'plateauing' of performance early and taking steps to keep the upward momentum.


However, for the likes of myself, it was a bit of a surprise when I looked back over recent training outputs and didn't see continued improving results. This cannot be the best I can be!  There is more I can do I know it! Please let there be something I can do to change things round!


So, some serious internalising this week to dig deep and find a pathway upwards.  Conclusions:

1. It's not my training plan or equipment.
2. My mental preparation has taken a back seat - the feel good factor has dropped!
3. My nutritional preparation is awful!

Time for action!


I've been so focused on myself for last few weeks I had lost sight of what motivates me and pushes me on - helping others to make a difference and to help them become the best they can be.  Trying to be a role model for others gives a much stronger sense of responsibility that drives me to remain consistent and to push myself hard.

www.erskine.org.uk

As a result, I've got a visit to Erskine Hospital (veterans charity I am fundraising for) planned for 25th April to discuss fundraising and my role as General Council member.

I've also signed up to be our local Cub Scout Leader as they had no volunteers!  This way I get to work with young boys and girls to shape their values and beliefs to be good citizens!  Mental preparations back on track!!!




So what about nutrition?  I don't eat breakfast, I don't eat lunch, drink too much coffee and only consider my body fuel the week before a big event. 


Yeah, that strategy will do me for the 105mile adventure race in September this year!


I spent 5 hours this morning at a seminar and training session on nutrition and wellness.  I went with the intention of seeing what I could learn and then bring back to my training.


4 hours after getting home, I'm on the phone and signing up to be a Personal Wellness Coach!  How did that happen?  Well, its the fact that this fits so much into my mental preparation AS WELL AS giving me a much needed boost and discipline for my physical preparation - what have I got to lose?  Nothing!


Training this week - 36km covered in 4 runs, including a 10k hill run, 7k tempo session and today after my nutrition session, a 12k cycle/6k run duathlon!


I've learnt this week that:

• It's too late to keep upward progress if you aren't listening to your body and adapting training!
• Don't let your mental preparation slip - its as important as your physical preparation!
• You can prepare mentally and physically, but if you don't fuel your mind and body the right way and at the right time, there is no point in doing anything!

Am looking forward to sharing the progress over coming month as I get these changes embedded into my routine.  Who knows, I might even inflict one of those 'before' and 'after' photos!  Don't all stop reading this blog now............

If you want to know more, leave a message below and I'll be in touch!

In memory of Micah True - in death he gave me two great runs!

It's been a few weeks since my last post, but that doesn't mean nothing has been happening!  Quite the contrary, it's been possibly two of the most eventful running weeks.

Readers of the Chris McDougall book, Born To Run, will no doubt be saddened at the news of the death of Micah True aka Caballo Blanco.

Caballo was and still is my inspiration to run.  "If you aren't enjoying your running, you're doing it wrong!"

On 4th April after several days missing, he found dead on a trail after going out for a run. Despite not knowing him personally, I still felt a sense of loss.  Strange as I'm not renowned for being emotionally sensitive!






But such was the impact his philosophy has had on me that to not mourn his passing would be to be entirely contradictory to his way of life - give everything and take nothing!

I was on holiday with my family in the far north west of Scotland.  The barest of mobile phone signals and no WIFI - how could I honour the person who gave me so much and we never met?  Simple - go for a run in the outdoors!

Gairloch in Wester Ross, Scotland was the backdrop.  Caballo Blanco the motivation.  Fantastic 7.5k run along the coast and to be true to Micah, who cared about the time!

In between this run and the second 'tribute' to Caballo, I managed various treadmill runs and sessions - none worthy of note here but in line with half marathon training seeing as it is now only 8 weeks away!

Today saw my wife and I heading 'south of the border' (Scotland to England!) for our annual handover of our girls to my parents for a week during Easter holidays.

Great opportunity to get in another trail run in the outdoors in spectacular scenery, the Lake District.

Keswick is a gorgeous town and you can't help but want to be physcially active here as every other store is either mountain gear, running gear or hill walking.  There's even a New Balance factory outlet!

Derwentwater is the lake closest to Keswick and a convenient 14 to 15km circuit with good trail paths for the majority of the way.

Weather was okay - bit fresh and drizzly but still the views were awesome and at the back of my mind was the intention to 'just enjoy it'!

Lots of families and walkers out so needed some nifty footwork and not just over the tree roots!  Some minor events, such as being chased by 2 dogs, getting wolf whistled at by a group of female campers and even being physically assaulted (got a smack on my arse!) but nothing was going to stop me having a good time.

So, to you Micah True, thank you for giving me the 'get up and go' to get outside and enjoy the countries I am blessed to live in or visit.  Without you I would have missed this!  Run free, run light, run smooth, run easy and while you are up there, see if you can get the 'Big Man' to lose his sandals and go barefoot as well!

RIP (Run In Peace) Caballo Blanco!