Keir has now returned to University in Coleraine, Northern Ireland. We were a bit worried about him travelling alone through Belfast when there is quite lot of trouble there at the moment.
He was due to arrive at about 9.00pm and we had asked him to text us when he arrived. At 10.30pm we still hadn't had a message and we were, by now, starting to get concerned. Half an hour later we sent him a text knowing that he almost always replies within a couple of minutes. Another thirty minutes passed and we decided to not go to bed until we had heard from him ... or at least knew what had happened.
Within ten minutes of that decision he phoned to say that he had forgotten to send a text [teenager speak for 'stop worrying'].
Running continues to progress, and slowly improve, which is pleasing. Running non-stop for half an hour is quite tiring though !!! Even at 8:30 per mile (5:17 per km). I know that will soon get better though.
In the meantime Here's something I've recently found which addresses the issue of whether or not to eat/drink during training. Over the past few years I've read lots of evidence and anecdotes which have been contradictory and seem to be inconclusive as to which is the better protocol. For me this article by Andy DuBois clarifies everything nicely.
To finish this post I found something on the BBC news yesterday about a man who had recently received a hand transplant - the first in the UK. And the hospital where the surgery was performed is only 10 miles (16 km) from here. What caught my attention was that he needed a new hand because of complications arising from gout. I'll make sure I take my medication and be a good patient.
Showing posts with label nutrition. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nutrition. Show all posts
Saturday, 5 January 2013
Monday, 15 October 2012
inspiration, maths and rehab !!!
I love it when a plan comes to fruition. In this case though it's not my plan but that of Felix Baumgartner. Many years of planning and training went into his achievement earlier this week which I suppose could be described as 'ultra skydiving'.
In case you haven't seen any news recently here's what happened. Felix went up in a balloon to an altitude of 128, 100 feet (over 39 km). He then stepped out of the capsule and fell back to earth. Simple ... or not. Read this on the BBC news website
The videos here and here are truly remarkable and, I'm sure, inspirational to many people. ME INCLUDED - DEFINITELY.
OK .. now a couple of questions ... how many calories do you burn for every mile (or km) you run ? And does it matter how fast you run ?
For the mathematicians among us Graydon Snider has worked out that we burn approximately 1 kcal per kg bodyweight for every kilometre we run. And it doesn't matter how quickly we run either. The interesting stuff is on his blog.
Which means that in Poland, six weeks ago, my output was:
[actually it was probably a bit less because my weight fell slightly as the race progressed]
That works out at well over 500 kcal per hour. My input was just over 315 kcal per hour.
If we rearrange that formula we can decide how far I can run before beginning to get into 'fuel debt'
In case you haven't seen any news recently here's what happened. Felix went up in a balloon to an altitude of 128, 100 feet (over 39 km). He then stepped out of the capsule and fell back to earth. Simple ... or not. Read this on the BBC news website
The videos here and here are truly remarkable and, I'm sure, inspirational to many people. ME INCLUDED - DEFINITELY.
OK .. now a couple of questions ... how many calories do you burn for every mile (or km) you run ? And does it matter how fast you run ?
For the mathematicians among us Graydon Snider has worked out that we burn approximately 1 kcal per kg bodyweight for every kilometre we run. And it doesn't matter how quickly we run either. The interesting stuff is on his blog.
Which means that in Poland, six weeks ago, my output was:
0.97 x 57.4 x 231.339 = 12880 kcal
[actually it was probably a bit less because my weight fell slightly as the race progressed]
That works out at well over 500 kcal per hour. My input was just over 315 kcal per hour.
If we rearrange that formula we can decide how far I can run before beginning to get into 'fuel debt'
kcal burned per km x my weight x distance travelled = input during race
0.97 x 57.4 x distance travelled = 7625
therefore distance travelled = 7625 / (0.97 x 57.4)
distance travelled = 136.948 km
It took me about thirteen hours to run that distance. So, for the final 11 hours my body was in a state of 'fuel debt'. I was using more that I could take on board.
Another thing to note is that my calorific deficit for the race was
12880 - 7625 = 5255 kcal
To get that fuel my body burned some of it's stored reserves. One gram of carbohydrates has about 4 kcal, one gram of protein also has about 4 kcal, one gram of fat has about 9 kcal.
If my body used stored carbs, that would weigh 5255 / 4 = 1.314 kg
if my body used stored protein, that would also be 1.314 kg
but if my body used stored fat, that would weigh 5255 / 9 = 0.584 kg
In truth I used a mixture of the three but the point is that, in theory at least, if I started with a weight of 57.4 kg I should have finished with a weight not less than 56.1 kg
OK that's enough of that ... but it does illustrate that when people ask me (as they often do) how much weight do I lose during a 24 hour race, the answer is 'not as much as you might imagine'.
Now, the big day is Friday this week. On that day I take the next, important step on the road to recovery. I begin running again. For the first fortnight or so it will only be alternating running and walking but it's a step in the right direction. Although the ankle is no longer painful it does ache now and again. I'm confident though that 40 minutes running and walking on Friday morning will be OK.
Thursday, 4 October 2012
training thoughts
On planning my training for next year's races there are a few things which influence the choices I make:
- what are my strengths and weaknesses ?
- what do I enjoy doing ?
- what training has worked in the past and what hasn't ?
- how much available time do I have ?
- what are the key races ?
- I may have to prove my fitness prior to selection for UK and/or England teams
My training is mainly of four types ... running, strength work, cycling and stretching.
STRETCHING
At the moment I spend about 20 minutes a day stretching and feel that, although my general flexibility isn't brilliant it is adequate. To improve greatly would, I think, be too costly in terms of time spent. I will add a bit more specific stretching to address my recent ankle problem though.
CYCLING
I always feel that I'm not making the most of my time in the saddle. I find it impossible to get my heart rate up to anywhere near what other runners report. I do find it relaxing though and it does increase my aerobic fitness (but probably not by much) so I will keep the cycling. Maybe I'll cycle less when other training takes up a lot of the available time.
STRENGTH WORK
My last training schedule included 12 different strength exercises for arms and shoulders, 17 for upper torso and core, 9 for legs. Some of those I have found to show minimal or no strength gains at all so I will drop those and add a few others which I have found in various books recently. I'm also going to add a few specifically to address my relative weak areas of shoulders and, now, ankle. So I now have 9 strength exercises for arms and shoulders, 26 for upper core and torso, 19 for legs. I do find strength work quite enjoyable and cost effective in terms of time spent. Of course, for those exercises I'm keeping I'll be progressing by using heavier weights.
RUNNING
Overall this aspect of my training has gone very well over the past twelve months and I feel I have done the right amount of the right type at the right time. The problem now is how to progress over the next twelve months. One obvious answer is to increase the overall volume (distance run per week) but that comes with an increased risk of injury and tiredness which will impact on all my training. I could progress by doing an extra rep or two when doing speedwork but also ... at my age if I can do the running at the same pace as last year that is an improvement in itself because I should be slowing due the effects of getting older.
OTHER STUFF
I am well aware that my other weaknesses are footcare and nutrition and I will be doing my best to address both of those over the coming months. Need to cut down on the croissants ... found some wonderful ones in Northern Ireland recently.
So, lots to work on then. That'll keep me busy for a while. At the moment it looks extremely likely that I'll venture out for my first run somewhere between 12 and 21 October. Something to look forward to.
- what are my strengths and weaknesses ?
- what do I enjoy doing ?
- what training has worked in the past and what hasn't ?
- how much available time do I have ?
- what are the key races ?
- I may have to prove my fitness prior to selection for UK and/or England teams
My training is mainly of four types ... running, strength work, cycling and stretching.
STRETCHING
At the moment I spend about 20 minutes a day stretching and feel that, although my general flexibility isn't brilliant it is adequate. To improve greatly would, I think, be too costly in terms of time spent. I will add a bit more specific stretching to address my recent ankle problem though.
CYCLING
I always feel that I'm not making the most of my time in the saddle. I find it impossible to get my heart rate up to anywhere near what other runners report. I do find it relaxing though and it does increase my aerobic fitness (but probably not by much) so I will keep the cycling. Maybe I'll cycle less when other training takes up a lot of the available time.
STRENGTH WORK
My last training schedule included 12 different strength exercises for arms and shoulders, 17 for upper torso and core, 9 for legs. Some of those I have found to show minimal or no strength gains at all so I will drop those and add a few others which I have found in various books recently. I'm also going to add a few specifically to address my relative weak areas of shoulders and, now, ankle. So I now have 9 strength exercises for arms and shoulders, 26 for upper core and torso, 19 for legs. I do find strength work quite enjoyable and cost effective in terms of time spent. Of course, for those exercises I'm keeping I'll be progressing by using heavier weights.
RUNNING
Overall this aspect of my training has gone very well over the past twelve months and I feel I have done the right amount of the right type at the right time. The problem now is how to progress over the next twelve months. One obvious answer is to increase the overall volume (distance run per week) but that comes with an increased risk of injury and tiredness which will impact on all my training. I could progress by doing an extra rep or two when doing speedwork but also ... at my age if I can do the running at the same pace as last year that is an improvement in itself because I should be slowing due the effects of getting older.
OTHER STUFF
I am well aware that my other weaknesses are footcare and nutrition and I will be doing my best to address both of those over the coming months. Need to cut down on the croissants ... found some wonderful ones in Northern Ireland recently.
So, lots to work on then. That'll keep me busy for a while. At the moment it looks extremely likely that I'll venture out for my first run somewhere between 12 and 21 October. Something to look forward to.
Thursday, 3 May 2012
very long run completed
As most of you will know I spent much of yesterday running a hilly 43.8 miles (70.5 km) in the Yorkshire Dales with Hugh Pearson crewing for me for the first time.
It went exceptionally well and I'm very pleased at how things worked out. I think Hugh learned a lot about how this crewing thing works but he was also very happy about how it all went. He did a fair bit of running himself too :)
The new nutrition strategy worked wonders too - giving me plenty of energy for running up a few big hills such as the one south of Bewerley which took me past Yorke's Folly [OS 1:25000 map - Explorer26 - ref 157643 to 156634].
Overall the route took us from the car park just north of Timble to Fewston, Wydra then via Penny Pot Lane to Hampsthwaite where Hugh managed to squeeze a 7' 6" wide vehicle (2.29m) across a bridge which was just 6' 6" in width (1.98m). Don't know how he did that :)
From there we went via Clint, Shaw Mills and Bishop Thornton to Markington where we turned north towards Fountains Abbey. Here Hugh performed his second miracle of the day by getting his heavy motor home across a bridge with a weight restriction of 3 tonnes and then around a few sharp twists and turns in the road while avoiding two cars and a lorry coming in the opposite direction.
From there we continued north through Winksley to Laverton and shortly after this we encountered another problem - the road over the moors towards Pateley Bridge was closed to traffic because of re-surfacing works. I knew I could manage for well over an hour without the need for more food and drink but at this point I half expected Hugh's inexperience to show ... there was none of that, and with no more than a 30 second conversation we decided I should continue and he should just take the suggested detour and meet me further along our planned route.
From there it was down to Blazefield and Bewerley followed by the large hill mentioned earlier. Then south to Thruscross Reservoir and back to Otley via Blubberhouses (and a couple more large hills).
So, a very good 7 hours out on the roads in which we both learned a lot which will be good for the ULTRArace 100 which is now less than eight weeks away. Really looking forward to that.
And so to today ... woke at 4.00am this morning as Keir was going on a school trip to Auschwitz - for the day !!! He had to be at the airport for 5.00am and we're glad it's only 3 miles away (5 km). His flight home arrives at 10.30pm so today will be a long one with not much sleep :(
Already feeling a bit sleepy ...
zzzzzzz
It went exceptionally well and I'm very pleased at how things worked out. I think Hugh learned a lot about how this crewing thing works but he was also very happy about how it all went. He did a fair bit of running himself too :)
The new nutrition strategy worked wonders too - giving me plenty of energy for running up a few big hills such as the one south of Bewerley which took me past Yorke's Folly [OS 1:25000 map - Explorer26 - ref 157643 to 156634].
Overall the route took us from the car park just north of Timble to Fewston, Wydra then via Penny Pot Lane to Hampsthwaite where Hugh managed to squeeze a 7' 6" wide vehicle (2.29m) across a bridge which was just 6' 6" in width (1.98m). Don't know how he did that :)
From there we went via Clint, Shaw Mills and Bishop Thornton to Markington where we turned north towards Fountains Abbey. Here Hugh performed his second miracle of the day by getting his heavy motor home across a bridge with a weight restriction of 3 tonnes and then around a few sharp twists and turns in the road while avoiding two cars and a lorry coming in the opposite direction.
From there we continued north through Winksley to Laverton and shortly after this we encountered another problem - the road over the moors towards Pateley Bridge was closed to traffic because of re-surfacing works. I knew I could manage for well over an hour without the need for more food and drink but at this point I half expected Hugh's inexperience to show ... there was none of that, and with no more than a 30 second conversation we decided I should continue and he should just take the suggested detour and meet me further along our planned route.
From there it was down to Blazefield and Bewerley followed by the large hill mentioned earlier. Then south to Thruscross Reservoir and back to Otley via Blubberhouses (and a couple more large hills).
So, a very good 7 hours out on the roads in which we both learned a lot which will be good for the ULTRArace 100 which is now less than eight weeks away. Really looking forward to that.
And so to today ... woke at 4.00am this morning as Keir was going on a school trip to Auschwitz - for the day !!! He had to be at the airport for 5.00am and we're glad it's only 3 miles away (5 km). His flight home arrives at 10.30pm so today will be a long one with not much sleep :(
Already feeling a bit sleepy ...
zzzzzzz
Thursday, 15 March 2012
recent training ... and this year's first race.
Well, after a couple of long runs this week followed by this morning's hill reps I can feel my fitness improving almost daily - or so it seems.
The long runs were especially enjoyable in the sunshine (still not too warm though) and I'm beginning to take more seriously the need to experiment with types and quantities of food/drink whilst running.
I'm sure the recent sunny weather has a lot to do with it as it makes everything seem so much ... easier, more fun, worth doing.
Still, I know my speed and endurance is returning but the first real test will be on Saturday 31 March in Liverpool when I'll be running for the club's B team in the annual North of England 12 stage road relays. It's only 4.9 miles (7.9 km) but at least I'll have a good idea about my level of fitness. After that it's time to enter an ultra race and get serious with the training.
The long runs were especially enjoyable in the sunshine (still not too warm though) and I'm beginning to take more seriously the need to experiment with types and quantities of food/drink whilst running.
I'm sure the recent sunny weather has a lot to do with it as it makes everything seem so much ... easier, more fun, worth doing.
Still, I know my speed and endurance is returning but the first real test will be on Saturday 31 March in Liverpool when I'll be running for the club's B team in the annual North of England 12 stage road relays. It's only 4.9 miles (7.9 km) but at least I'll have a good idea about my level of fitness. After that it's time to enter an ultra race and get serious with the training.
Thursday, 1 March 2012
training, races, retiring ... and questions about drinks
Recent training has been good in the warm winter sunshine - the temperature here has regularly been over 11 C (52 F) whereas the average is only about 7 or 8 C (45.5 F). It's all starting to come together and I've added hill reps to the training schedule. In fact I find myself choosing the hilly route almost every time I go running at the moment - it's good for strength though so I'm not complaining. It will also come in handy if I choose to do a hilly ultra in June.
Early next week I'll be doing my first 20 miler (32 km) since late August last year and I'm really looking forward to it. I've no idea yet where I'll be running but those three hours will be fun if the weather stays as it is.
Sad to read about William, Anth and Torill all having bad races recently for various reasons in Espoo and Evreux. I'm sure they'll all bounce back, learn from the experience and have some good performances later this year.
Received news yesterday that it's extremely likely that I'll be taking part in a 24 hour race in eastern Europe in early September. Nothing definite yet (the wheels of officialdom are turning slowly this year) so I can't say any more than that.
On a similar note many of you will be aware that the IAU is pushing very hard to have a 24 hour race included in the 2018 Commonwealth Games which will be held in Australia. If that does happen it will be a fantastic opportunity and experience for all the athletes. Not just for ultra runners but for all the other sports and media people who will get an chance to see first hand what we do and the extreme levels of fitness, endurance and camaraderie involved. Fay said recently that I'll be retired by then ... don't tell her but even though I'll be 54 when the Games take place I'll be trying my best during 2017 to make the team.
Retire ... don't be silly.
A couple of thoughts recently came to me when reading the label and website of a well known brand of isotonic sports drink:
100ml contains 6.4g carbohydrate (of which 3.5g are sugars). What is the remaining 2.9g ? and
if I aim to take on board 60g glucose per hour during a 24 hr race will 100ml provide 6.4g or 3.5g of that ? and
500ml bottles of liquid and 390g tubs of powder have slightly different ingredients and nutritional data, why ?
Hope someone has an answer or two (or three maybe) - for ultra runners nutrition is important ... everyone else thinks we're bonkers !!!
Thanks to everyone recently for the birthday greetings via Facebook or otherwise ... much appreciated.
Early next week I'll be doing my first 20 miler (32 km) since late August last year and I'm really looking forward to it. I've no idea yet where I'll be running but those three hours will be fun if the weather stays as it is.
Sad to read about William, Anth and Torill all having bad races recently for various reasons in Espoo and Evreux. I'm sure they'll all bounce back, learn from the experience and have some good performances later this year.
Received news yesterday that it's extremely likely that I'll be taking part in a 24 hour race in eastern Europe in early September. Nothing definite yet (the wheels of officialdom are turning slowly this year) so I can't say any more than that.
On a similar note many of you will be aware that the IAU is pushing very hard to have a 24 hour race included in the 2018 Commonwealth Games which will be held in Australia. If that does happen it will be a fantastic opportunity and experience for all the athletes. Not just for ultra runners but for all the other sports and media people who will get an chance to see first hand what we do and the extreme levels of fitness, endurance and camaraderie involved. Fay said recently that I'll be retired by then ... don't tell her but even though I'll be 54 when the Games take place I'll be trying my best during 2017 to make the team.
Retire ... don't be silly.
A couple of thoughts recently came to me when reading the label and website of a well known brand of isotonic sports drink:
100ml contains 6.4g carbohydrate (of which 3.5g are sugars). What is the remaining 2.9g ? and
if I aim to take on board 60g glucose per hour during a 24 hr race will 100ml provide 6.4g or 3.5g of that ? and
500ml bottles of liquid and 390g tubs of powder have slightly different ingredients and nutritional data, why ?
Hope someone has an answer or two (or three maybe) - for ultra runners nutrition is important ... everyone else thinks we're bonkers !!!
Thanks to everyone recently for the birthday greetings via Facebook or otherwise ... much appreciated.
Thursday, 4 August 2011
Nutrition planning
Spent the last few days planning my nutrition for the race in Llandudno. I'm sure I've explained before how I go about doing this but for newer followers I'll go through it again ...
First of all I consider the hydration aspect. I've been weighing myself before and after every training run for a number of years now and combined with my training speed and the temperature/humidity I now have a very good idea of how much I will sweat at any given speed, temperature, humidity. That liquid needs replacing but in a long ultra it's impossible to replace all of it ... the digestive system couldn't cope with that volume over a long time period whilst running. Trial and error have shown that I can cope with 40%.
With a bit of research it's easy nowadays to find out what the mean temperature and humidity is for almost any location in the world (the data for my next race can be found here). So, with that knowledge, I know how much liquid to take on board.
Secondly, that liquid, if not water, will contain calories, carbohydrates, etc. I know that I can take on board about 250 calories per hour during a race but most of that needs to be carbohydrates and the rest mainly proteins. I know that running uses a lot more than 250 calories per hour but the human body finds it difficult to digest food and run at the same time so, for me, about 250 calories per hour is the limit. I know that other runners struggle with that amount and can only manage less than 200 whereas a lucky few can get away with 300. Trial and error again.
Thirdly, the food has to be palatable because the most nutritionally perfect food in the world is useless if it tastes rubbish. We all like different stuff and it's just a case of trying things out in less important races and long training runs. Be aware though that eating near the end of a 4 or 5 hour training run is not the same as eating after 20 hours of racing. Somehow things taste different and may be less easy to chew or swallow. It's down to trial and error again.
Lastly, but possibly more important, are the electrolytes. Particularly sodium and potassium but also calcium and magnesium. These are lost through sweat and urine and need to be replaced but, again, too much all at once can cause the body distress. As with the liquids I aim for 40%.
I learned quite a bit from my last race - ULTRArace 100 - about what works for me (and when) and now I aim to use all the knowledge gained over the past five years or so to put together a sound nutrition plan for 24 hours.
I like to have a plan so that I know in advance what food and drink I'm having and when. I also know in advance that I'm getting all the correct amounts of liquid, carbohydrates, proteins, electrolytes, etc. All the crew has to do is hand me the stuff at the correct time ... although sometimes a bit of preparation is needed. I feel that this means that I don't have to think about what to eat and /or drink so I can just concentrate on running. I don't carry a copy of the plan with me - I just let the crew follow the written instructions.
My drinks will be an isotonic sports drink and For Goodness Shakes sports recovery drinks. The food will include jaffa cakes, protein bars, energy gels, Turkish Delight, grapes, dried apricots, breadsticks and baby food.
Of course sometimes things come unstuck, for example in Brive last year the temperature was about 10 C (18 F) lower than usual for the time of year. That wasn't the main reason for my bad race that day but it did require some quick thinking and this is another area where a good crew can help.
Hope there's something here that you can use in your own racing. Whenever I'm doing this planning I'm always reminded of a quote from ChristopherMcDougall's book (Born to Run) in which Sunny Blende describes an ultramarathon as “an eating and drinking contest, with a little exercise and scenery thrown in.”
PS thanks to Matt for posting details of the New Zealand runners at the upcoming Commonwealth Championships - see the comments after my last post. See you all there. Of course it'll be fun.
First of all I consider the hydration aspect. I've been weighing myself before and after every training run for a number of years now and combined with my training speed and the temperature/humidity I now have a very good idea of how much I will sweat at any given speed, temperature, humidity. That liquid needs replacing but in a long ultra it's impossible to replace all of it ... the digestive system couldn't cope with that volume over a long time period whilst running. Trial and error have shown that I can cope with 40%.
With a bit of research it's easy nowadays to find out what the mean temperature and humidity is for almost any location in the world (the data for my next race can be found here). So, with that knowledge, I know how much liquid to take on board.
Secondly, that liquid, if not water, will contain calories, carbohydrates, etc. I know that I can take on board about 250 calories per hour during a race but most of that needs to be carbohydrates and the rest mainly proteins. I know that running uses a lot more than 250 calories per hour but the human body finds it difficult to digest food and run at the same time so, for me, about 250 calories per hour is the limit. I know that other runners struggle with that amount and can only manage less than 200 whereas a lucky few can get away with 300. Trial and error again.
Thirdly, the food has to be palatable because the most nutritionally perfect food in the world is useless if it tastes rubbish. We all like different stuff and it's just a case of trying things out in less important races and long training runs. Be aware though that eating near the end of a 4 or 5 hour training run is not the same as eating after 20 hours of racing. Somehow things taste different and may be less easy to chew or swallow. It's down to trial and error again.
Lastly, but possibly more important, are the electrolytes. Particularly sodium and potassium but also calcium and magnesium. These are lost through sweat and urine and need to be replaced but, again, too much all at once can cause the body distress. As with the liquids I aim for 40%.
I learned quite a bit from my last race - ULTRArace 100 - about what works for me (and when) and now I aim to use all the knowledge gained over the past five years or so to put together a sound nutrition plan for 24 hours.
I like to have a plan so that I know in advance what food and drink I'm having and when. I also know in advance that I'm getting all the correct amounts of liquid, carbohydrates, proteins, electrolytes, etc. All the crew has to do is hand me the stuff at the correct time ... although sometimes a bit of preparation is needed. I feel that this means that I don't have to think about what to eat and /or drink so I can just concentrate on running. I don't carry a copy of the plan with me - I just let the crew follow the written instructions.
My drinks will be an isotonic sports drink and For Goodness Shakes sports recovery drinks. The food will include jaffa cakes, protein bars, energy gels, Turkish Delight, grapes, dried apricots, breadsticks and baby food.
Of course sometimes things come unstuck, for example in Brive last year the temperature was about 10 C (18 F) lower than usual for the time of year. That wasn't the main reason for my bad race that day but it did require some quick thinking and this is another area where a good crew can help.
Hope there's something here that you can use in your own racing. Whenever I'm doing this planning I'm always reminded of a quote from ChristopherMcDougall's book (Born to Run) in which Sunny Blende describes an ultramarathon as “an eating and drinking contest, with a little exercise and scenery thrown in.”
PS thanks to Matt for posting details of the New Zealand runners at the upcoming Commonwealth Championships - see the comments after my last post. See you all there. Of course it'll be fun.
Friday, 18 March 2011
the long and the short ...
Starting to seriously think about my first ultra of 2011 - a 100 miler in June. Plans need to be made: travel, nutrition, pacing, etc.
I know that race will only be a warm up for the Commonwealth Championships in September so I'm using it to try out one or two new ideas -
(1) pacing ... I still feel that on the whole I need to slow down less during my 24 hour races. Maybe start a bit slower and finish a bit quicker than usual,
(2) food and drink ... this will be a good opportunity to try new foods, different protein drinks, etc. I have been using some protein bars as well as protein drinks but the bars become difficult to chew in the latter half of a long race. A combination of my tired jaw muscles and the bars becoming harder during the cold night.
Of course, I'm still looking to win the race with a decent time, but I think a personal best is out of the question on such a hilly course.
Before all that though there's a (much) shorter race on Sunday. It's the North of England 12 stage relay and I'll be running a measly 4k. I've no idea what time to expect as I can't say I've done a lot of speedwork so far this year. I do know that, in training, I can comfortably run 4k in 16:10. But that was a flattish route and I don't know anything about the course in Catterick. Hilly or not ?
For me though it's all about turning out for my club, having a bit of fun and doing some speedwork at the same time.
See you there perhaps ...
I know that race will only be a warm up for the Commonwealth Championships in September so I'm using it to try out one or two new ideas -
(1) pacing ... I still feel that on the whole I need to slow down less during my 24 hour races. Maybe start a bit slower and finish a bit quicker than usual,
(2) food and drink ... this will be a good opportunity to try new foods, different protein drinks, etc. I have been using some protein bars as well as protein drinks but the bars become difficult to chew in the latter half of a long race. A combination of my tired jaw muscles and the bars becoming harder during the cold night.
Of course, I'm still looking to win the race with a decent time, but I think a personal best is out of the question on such a hilly course.
Before all that though there's a (much) shorter race on Sunday. It's the North of England 12 stage relay and I'll be running a measly 4k. I've no idea what time to expect as I can't say I've done a lot of speedwork so far this year. I do know that, in training, I can comfortably run 4k in 16:10. But that was a flattish route and I don't know anything about the course in Catterick. Hilly or not ?
For me though it's all about turning out for my club, having a bit of fun and doing some speedwork at the same time.
See you there perhaps ...
Monday, 14 March 2011
long run
This morning I went for a long run. Only about 19.3 miles but the main significance was that it was by far the longest run since my injury. In fact it was my longest training run since 6 December last year.
Anyway the run, quite hilly, went without a hitch at all. Easy in fact. I also tried out a couple of ideas picked up from the discussion about nutrition earlier this year on blogs by John Kynaston and one or two others. Basically I took on board no carbs until about 2h 20 into the run ... again, no problems at all.
Next Sunday will be my first race this year. It's the North of England 12 stage relay and I'll be running stage 8 for Otley AC. The event is being held in Catterick this year and I'm really looking forward to it - even though I'll only be running 4k. Good speedwork.
Thanks to Thomas for his comment on my last post ... his suggested worked a treat and everything seems much clearer.
Anyway the run, quite hilly, went without a hitch at all. Easy in fact. I also tried out a couple of ideas picked up from the discussion about nutrition earlier this year on blogs by John Kynaston and one or two others. Basically I took on board no carbs until about 2h 20 into the run ... again, no problems at all.
Next Sunday will be my first race this year. It's the North of England 12 stage relay and I'll be running stage 8 for Otley AC. The event is being held in Catterick this year and I'm really looking forward to it - even though I'll only be running 4k. Good speedwork.
Thanks to Thomas for his comment on my last post ... his suggested worked a treat and everything seems much clearer.
Tuesday, 11 January 2011
rehab stage 2
Today I began stage 2 of the rehab process. Alternating walking and running for 40 minutes - went very well indeed, no problems whatsoever. I will now gradually increase the time from 40 to 70 minutes over the course of the next 18 days or so and if all goes well (which I expect it will) I can move onto stage 3 on 28 January.
Before this morning's 'run' I weighed myself (as I do before all my runs) and found that I now weigh 133.4 lb (60.5kg). That's at least 7 pounds (3.2kg) too much!!!
I was very surprised as I'm still doing lots of cycling, strength work and stretching to maintain fitness as much as possible. Now I know I've got something else to work on besides running fitness.
I'd like to thank Gary B for the link on his comment to my last post. I read the article on Peak Performance Online and found it very helpful indeed. One thing mentioned is the need to maintain a good nutritional regime, especially post training in terms of protein (to help muscle recovery) and vitamin C & zinc to help fight off infections of the upper respiratory tract. When this is combined with sensible training which includes hard days and easy days I personally don't think Gary need worry about "muscle tissue breakdown leading to loss of muscle mass and strength losses."
One last thing - I came across this brilliantly researched article recently which attempts to answer the question "why do men run ultras?"
Before this morning's 'run' I weighed myself (as I do before all my runs) and found that I now weigh 133.4 lb (60.5kg). That's at least 7 pounds (3.2kg) too much!!!
I was very surprised as I'm still doing lots of cycling, strength work and stretching to maintain fitness as much as possible. Now I know I've got something else to work on besides running fitness.
I'd like to thank Gary B for the link on his comment to my last post. I read the article on Peak Performance Online and found it very helpful indeed. One thing mentioned is the need to maintain a good nutritional regime, especially post training in terms of protein (to help muscle recovery) and vitamin C & zinc to help fight off infections of the upper respiratory tract. When this is combined with sensible training which includes hard days and easy days I personally don't think Gary need worry about "muscle tissue breakdown leading to loss of muscle mass and strength losses."
One last thing - I came across this brilliantly researched article recently which attempts to answer the question "why do men run ultras?"
Saturday, 8 January 2011
nutritional ranking !!!!
In my last post I mentioned the official IAU World Rankings and the fact that if every race was included (not just those with an IAU label) the list would be slightly different.
This German website included all those other races and shows that for 2010 my unofficial ranking rose to 37 from 44 in 2009. Very pleased with that but I know there's still a lot more to come.
Also ... there's a very good post on Andy DuBois blog about nutrition and ultra running. I'm not sure where my thoughts lie regarding this one. I recognise the need to metabolise fats efficiently during a race ... but how to train the body to do that, and is it worth the effort anyway ?
This German website included all those other races and shows that for 2010 my unofficial ranking rose to 37 from 44 in 2009. Very pleased with that but I know there's still a lot more to come.
Also ... there's a very good post on Andy DuBois blog about nutrition and ultra running. I'm not sure where my thoughts lie regarding this one. I recognise the need to metabolise fats efficiently during a race ... but how to train the body to do that, and is it worth the effort anyway ?
Saturday, 11 December 2010
I can't think of a suitable title for this one
I've recently been reading a fascinating article about nutrition for ultra distance training on John Kynaston's blog [see link in the right hand column]. The correspondents Andy DuBois and Marc Laithwaite both have some very good ideas but after reading it all the best I can suggest is ...
... be sensible and use a few long runs and ultra races (not important ones) to experiment and see what works for you.
This morning I ran 7.2 miles fartlek on a route that took me past Stephen Smith's Garden Centre on Pool Road, Otley. As I approached the garden centre I saw a woman running in a red top about 200m ahead of me, I wondered who she was but thought no more of it when she turned into the car park. When I ran past the car park I realised there was only one car in it and the red topped runner was nowhere to be seen.
The car park is completely open with no place to hide. She wasn't in the solitary car nor had she time to run into the shop (it was closed anyway, at 8.15am). Very strange.
Apart from that ghostly beginning I had a good run. Especially as all the snow has gone and this made it much easier - and safer - to run quickly.
Many of you will have noticed one or two changes on my blog in the last week or two. Well there are also minor changes to the FUTURE RACES page and to the HELP AND ADVICE page. If you know of any interesting websites or articles that would be of interest to the wider community please let me know and I'll consider adding them to the latter page.
... be sensible and use a few long runs and ultra races (not important ones) to experiment and see what works for you.
This morning I ran 7.2 miles fartlek on a route that took me past Stephen Smith's Garden Centre on Pool Road, Otley. As I approached the garden centre I saw a woman running in a red top about 200m ahead of me, I wondered who she was but thought no more of it when she turned into the car park. When I ran past the car park I realised there was only one car in it and the red topped runner was nowhere to be seen.
The car park is completely open with no place to hide. She wasn't in the solitary car nor had she time to run into the shop (it was closed anyway, at 8.15am). Very strange.
Apart from that ghostly beginning I had a good run. Especially as all the snow has gone and this made it much easier - and safer - to run quickly.
Many of you will have noticed one or two changes on my blog in the last week or two. Well there are also minor changes to the FUTURE RACES page and to the HELP AND ADVICE page. If you know of any interesting websites or articles that would be of interest to the wider community please let me know and I'll consider adding them to the latter page.
Wednesday, 1 September 2010
last minute changes
Earlier this week I learnt that my nutrition plan had a hitch. As well as the usual sports drink I planned to eat a mixture of grapes, Turkish Delight, rice pudding, baby food, sultanas, energy bars, protein bars, apple puree, custard, jaffa cakes and energy gels.
There's quite a wide range of stuff there but I think that problems can easily occur if, for example, I existed on sports drink and energy gels for the entire 24 hours.
Anyway, when I put it all together in a schedule I noticed that the ratio of sodium to potassium was a measly 1.95:1 whereas it should be between 3 and 5:1 The problem seems to be too much potassium rather than not enough sodium which makes it more difficult to correct.
Some of the science behind this can be read here.
Looking into this in more detail I realised that simple things can make a big difference so what I've done is:
- cut down on the number of Carbo Shotz energy gels as they have a high potassium content
- exchanged some of the high potassium sultanas for lower potassium apple puree
- changed my brand of energy bar and protein bars
- added some salt when making the apple puree
The calcium content is still a bit high but I'm willing to leave that be as it's less important than the potassium and sodium content.
Small changes can make a big difference.
Tomorrow will be spent packing and resting before travelling north on Friday and racing on Saturday and Sunday. The weather here is getting better daily and these two forecasts for Perth indicate good weather for the race.
weather forecast from the BBC
weather forecast from Metcheck
Overall I've been very lucky with weather during my ultra races. I have heard horrendous tales of 23 hours of rain during a 24 hour race a few years ago. That must have been so demoralising. It was the same for all the runners though and I guess in those conditions it comes down to who copes best.
I could do without that though ... running 140+ miles is difficult enough without bad weather.
There's quite a wide range of stuff there but I think that problems can easily occur if, for example, I existed on sports drink and energy gels for the entire 24 hours.
Anyway, when I put it all together in a schedule I noticed that the ratio of sodium to potassium was a measly 1.95:1 whereas it should be between 3 and 5:1 The problem seems to be too much potassium rather than not enough sodium which makes it more difficult to correct.
Some of the science behind this can be read here.
Looking into this in more detail I realised that simple things can make a big difference so what I've done is:
- cut down on the number of Carbo Shotz energy gels as they have a high potassium content
- exchanged some of the high potassium sultanas for lower potassium apple puree
- changed my brand of energy bar and protein bars
- added some salt when making the apple puree
The calcium content is still a bit high but I'm willing to leave that be as it's less important than the potassium and sodium content.
Small changes can make a big difference.
Tomorrow will be spent packing and resting before travelling north on Friday and racing on Saturday and Sunday. The weather here is getting better daily and these two forecasts for Perth indicate good weather for the race.
weather forecast from the BBC
weather forecast from Metcheck
Overall I've been very lucky with weather during my ultra races. I have heard horrendous tales of 23 hours of rain during a 24 hour race a few years ago. That must have been so demoralising. It was the same for all the runners though and I guess in those conditions it comes down to who copes best.
I could do without that though ... running 140+ miles is difficult enough without bad weather.
Tuesday, 3 August 2010
planning
Only eleven training days left before I go into 'tapering mode' for the three weeks before the 24 hr race in Perth. Of those eleven days, the last seven (ie all next week - Sunday to Saturday) will be crash training. Regular readers will know that I've used a seven day crash training period twice in the past with very good results, the first time was just before the Tooting Bec 24 hr race in 2008 and the second time was in the lead up to last year's Commonwealth Championships.
This is what I've got planned ... very hard work: 160+ miles of running, seven cycle rides of about 50 mins each, strength and conditioning exercises every day, stretching every day ... and lots of sleep !!! The running includes two speed sessions, a 9 mile tempo run and a 5k race on the last morning. Something to look forward to then.
I'll try find the time every day to briefly post with details of what I've done and how I'm feeling, etc.
In the meantime I've got a 25 mile run tomorrow and a 25 mile fartlek on Thursday morning leaving home at about 7.30am. Probably run along the canal between Apperley Bridge and Kirkstall (or vice versa) for the second one. See you there perhaps ...
Also, at the moment I'm putting together a hydration and nutrition plan for the race. Hydration is partly based on the temperature of course and it appears that in Perth (Scotland) in early September the temperature ranges from about 20.6 C (69.1 F) to about 11.7 C (53.1 F) on average.
In my last few 24 hr races I've been experimenting with caffeine, usually not having any in the three weeks before a race. However, I'm not convinced that caffeine during the race has been beneficial so I may well try my normal caffeine intake right up to the race itself. If anyone out there knows of any articles relating to caffeine and ultra distance races please let me know - I'm always interested in ultra running research. Leave a comment or email me using the address on this page.
This is what I've got planned ... very hard work: 160+ miles of running, seven cycle rides of about 50 mins each, strength and conditioning exercises every day, stretching every day ... and lots of sleep !!! The running includes two speed sessions, a 9 mile tempo run and a 5k race on the last morning. Something to look forward to then.
I'll try find the time every day to briefly post with details of what I've done and how I'm feeling, etc.
In the meantime I've got a 25 mile run tomorrow and a 25 mile fartlek on Thursday morning leaving home at about 7.30am. Probably run along the canal between Apperley Bridge and Kirkstall (or vice versa) for the second one. See you there perhaps ...
Also, at the moment I'm putting together a hydration and nutrition plan for the race. Hydration is partly based on the temperature of course and it appears that in Perth (Scotland) in early September the temperature ranges from about 20.6 C (69.1 F) to about 11.7 C (53.1 F) on average.
In my last few 24 hr races I've been experimenting with caffeine, usually not having any in the three weeks before a race. However, I'm not convinced that caffeine during the race has been beneficial so I may well try my normal caffeine intake right up to the race itself. If anyone out there knows of any articles relating to caffeine and ultra distance races please let me know - I'm always interested in ultra running research. Leave a comment or email me using the address on this page.
Wednesday, 5 May 2010
a couple of things ...
Getting a bit worried again by the volcano in Iceland whose name I cannot pronounce !!! I can spell it though - Eyjafjallajokull. Airports in Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland were closed yesterday and this morning because of a fresh cloud of volcanic ash from that volcano. I hope that isn't extended south to Heathrow over the next few days.
Also in the news is this item about an Indian man who claims to have spent the last 70 years without food and water. But why would he want to do that when almost everything I eat is nutritious, provides me with the energy I need ... and tastes good.
Friday, 6 June 2008
busy, busy, busy
Had lots of PC/internet connection problems recently ... I think they're all sorted out now and normal service can be resumed.
The full length sorbothane inner soles I bought in London recently don't seem to stop the balls of my feet from being painful on long runs ... in fact, I would say they make it worse. A couple of days ago I had to change my shoes twice during a 23 miler.
The instructions say to use them over the top of the inner soles provided with the shoes. Perhaps I'll try them "instead of" as opposed to "as well as".
Still using the sorbothane heel raises though but the long standing achilles injury is now officially no more ... ie I'm injury free for the first time since October last year.
Ran a Harrogate League race in Thirsk last night, approx 5 miles (probably a bit more). I came away with my best time ever on that course, which I'm very pleased about. One of our team, Gilly, came away with an injury to the back of her left knee though which doesn't look good - she couldn't straighten her leg or put any weight on her left foot. She seemed a bit sad, which is only natural as she's been running well recently. I hope she's OK.
Seriously beginning to think now about exactly what food, drink, painkillers, suntan lotion, kit I'll need to take to the Hull 24 hr race - gels, rice pudding, custard, jaffa cakes, grapes, Turkish Delight, electrolyte sports drinks, salt, sun glasses, the list goes on and on ...
Also been busy allocating tasks for this Wednesday's Otley 10. I have to find at least 50 volunteers and allocate tasks such as marshalling, car park attendants, timekeepers, lead car driver, sweep car driver, finish recorders, people to give out mementoes and drinks after the race. Also have to liaise with local police and councils, scouts, town mayor, other sports clubs who share our car park, etc. Very busy at the moment.
The full length sorbothane inner soles I bought in London recently don't seem to stop the balls of my feet from being painful on long runs ... in fact, I would say they make it worse. A couple of days ago I had to change my shoes twice during a 23 miler.
The instructions say to use them over the top of the inner soles provided with the shoes. Perhaps I'll try them "instead of" as opposed to "as well as".
Still using the sorbothane heel raises though but the long standing achilles injury is now officially no more ... ie I'm injury free for the first time since October last year.
Ran a Harrogate League race in Thirsk last night, approx 5 miles (probably a bit more). I came away with my best time ever on that course, which I'm very pleased about. One of our team, Gilly, came away with an injury to the back of her left knee though which doesn't look good - she couldn't straighten her leg or put any weight on her left foot. She seemed a bit sad, which is only natural as she's been running well recently. I hope she's OK.
Seriously beginning to think now about exactly what food, drink, painkillers, suntan lotion, kit I'll need to take to the Hull 24 hr race - gels, rice pudding, custard, jaffa cakes, grapes, Turkish Delight, electrolyte sports drinks, salt, sun glasses, the list goes on and on ...
Also been busy allocating tasks for this Wednesday's Otley 10. I have to find at least 50 volunteers and allocate tasks such as marshalling, car park attendants, timekeepers, lead car driver, sweep car driver, finish recorders, people to give out mementoes and drinks after the race. Also have to liaise with local police and councils, scouts, town mayor, other sports clubs who share our car park, etc. Very busy at the moment.
Friday, 4 April 2008
Another Milestone
Just found out that my cheque for the Hull 24 hour race has been cashed. I guess this means my entry has been accepted. I was beginning to worry about my entry being lost in the post or rejected or ... Anyway, it's one less thing to worry about.
Today I ran, for the first time this year, without icing my achilles beforehand. Not far - only 5 or 6 miles - but another milestone nonetheless.
Yesterday William Sichel put me in the direction of an article about racing nutrition he's recently written. I've not had time to read it properly yet but at first glance it seems very good indeed.
Today I ran, for the first time this year, without icing my achilles beforehand. Not far - only 5 or 6 miles - but another milestone nonetheless.
Yesterday William Sichel put me in the direction of an article about racing nutrition he's recently written. I've not had time to read it properly yet but at first glance it seems very good indeed.
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