Sunday 17 March 2013
Thursday 14 March 2013
The Art of Extreme Tapering #2
A retrospective "food diary" capturing today's intake gives me an additional reason to look forward to the impending end of my sabbatical from running (ONE WEEK TO GO!)
Today was a little unusual - I went on a training course where there was - Hallelujah! - an endless supply of pastries, biscuits plus a buffet lunch. Fortunately the novelty of bike commutes continues so some concerted pedalling made its contribution, but I probably needed to do an Ironman to burn off today's carbo (and junk food) loading orgy.
Eating well, carbo loading and staying hydrated, the extreme approach:
Today was a little unusual - I went on a training course where there was - Hallelujah! - an endless supply of pastries, biscuits plus a buffet lunch. Fortunately the novelty of bike commutes continues so some concerted pedalling made its contribution, but I probably needed to do an Ironman to burn off today's carbo (and junk food) loading orgy.
Eating well, carbo loading and staying hydrated, the extreme approach:
- Bowl of Nestlé Clusters
- Cup of tea
- Chocolate croissant
- Almond croissant
- Cup of coffee
- Chocolate cookie
- Custard pastry
- One round on the gratis buffet
- Another round on the gratis buffet
- Cup of tea
- "Tasting menu" (one of each of the puddings from the gratis buffet)
- Cheeky extra flapjack
- Cup of tea
- 2-3 extra biscuits
- Home made latte
- Tuna, courgette and tomato risotto
- 2 glasses of Cabernet Sauvignon
Wednesday 13 March 2013
Not in the slightest bit contrived race photos #1
Running Free magazine felt this was the ideal picture to illustrate an article charting the struggle for women to be allowed to compete in long distance races. 46 years after Kathrine Switzer snuck her way into the Boston Marathon leading to a major altercation, apparently there aren't yet any photos of women really completing a marathon acceptable enough to publish.
Monday 11 March 2013
The Art of Extreme Tapering
As the Spring marathon forums start to prepare their disciples for the art of the pre-race taper, it struck me that the Don't Run regime provided a great opportunity for the ultimate in taper opportunities. In other words, I haven't really just stopped running for 6 weeks plus. I'm actually making some reductions to the volume and intensity of my training so, come the big day of the race (that I just so happen to have pulled out of), I'll feel sharp but relaxed and ready for the challenges of the long road ahead.
So with this new, admittedly twisted way of viewing my predicament, I thought I'd review my current programme and see how I fared against the key criteria for successful tapering some of which were captured by Runner's World in 2007.
1. Drop your volume and intensity
Excellent performance here - after a 110 mile January, apart from running for a bus (but pulling up as the bus pulled away) and the aforementioned race for a train, the volume and intensity levels from early February to date have been exactly zero. Take that, you "slightly shorter long runs/slightly slower/fewer intervals" runners with your feeble, half hearted approaches to the taper.
2. Cross Training
Yes, there has been some very cross training. Despite that, last week I told myself I 'd got the cycling bug again, gazing wistfully out of the office window, longing for the charms of the long cycle home in the dark. I'm planning on a couple of commutes a week from now on, although the -6 temperatures that are forecast for tomorrow might lead to that bike rusting up in the garden for the next few months. And the preparation! The painstaking bag packing process looms over me for hours before I finally hop on the saddle in the morning, ruining the relaxation that I'd planned for the night before. Oh for the days when I'd be out of bed and out the front door ready to run in less than 5 minutes (followed by 20 minutes shivering in my shorts, waiting for the Garmin to fire up).
Meanwhile I haven't quite got my swimming mojo back - a couple of sessions where I was left standing/treading water by my 9 year old daughter haven't really done the trick. Maybe British Summer Time, which is allegedly imminent will help to lure me back?
Finally I've been fairly committed to a bit of strength training but have maintained my lifetime avoidance of going to any gym. I bought some decidedly kinky looking rubber straps in various colours and sizes to make even walking up and down the living room into a bit of a workout. I definitely need novelty in this area so have probably tried upwards of 50 different drills, but I still can't say, hand on heart/abdomen that I really know what my core is or how to engage it.
Next time: Eating well, carbo loading and staying hydrated, the extreme approach.
So with this new, admittedly twisted way of viewing my predicament, I thought I'd review my current programme and see how I fared against the key criteria for successful tapering some of which were captured by Runner's World in 2007.
1. Drop your volume and intensity
Excellent performance here - after a 110 mile January, apart from running for a bus (but pulling up as the bus pulled away) and the aforementioned race for a train, the volume and intensity levels from early February to date have been exactly zero. Take that, you "slightly shorter long runs/slightly slower/fewer intervals" runners with your feeble, half hearted approaches to the taper.
2. Cross Training
Yes, there has been some very cross training. Despite that, last week I told myself I 'd got the cycling bug again, gazing wistfully out of the office window, longing for the charms of the long cycle home in the dark. I'm planning on a couple of commutes a week from now on, although the -6 temperatures that are forecast for tomorrow might lead to that bike rusting up in the garden for the next few months. And the preparation! The painstaking bag packing process looms over me for hours before I finally hop on the saddle in the morning, ruining the relaxation that I'd planned for the night before. Oh for the days when I'd be out of bed and out the front door ready to run in less than 5 minutes (followed by 20 minutes shivering in my shorts, waiting for the Garmin to fire up).
Meanwhile I haven't quite got my swimming mojo back - a couple of sessions where I was left standing/treading water by my 9 year old daughter haven't really done the trick. Maybe British Summer Time, which is allegedly imminent will help to lure me back?
Finally I've been fairly committed to a bit of strength training but have maintained my lifetime avoidance of going to any gym. I bought some decidedly kinky looking rubber straps in various colours and sizes to make even walking up and down the living room into a bit of a workout. I definitely need novelty in this area so have probably tried upwards of 50 different drills, but I still can't say, hand on heart/abdomen that I really know what my core is or how to engage it.
Next time: Eating well, carbo loading and staying hydrated, the extreme approach.
Sunday 3 March 2013
Very Cross Training
Halfway into my six week exile from running, I'm not doing too badly on keeping active, aiming to have bundles of new found strength when I finally get to lace up those running shoes again.
One of the most convenient rediscoveries has been the bike, a neat zippy hybrid that I'm embarrassed to admit has been abandoned under a sheet of tarpaulin for most of the past year. As well as improving your running, there's a strong belief that cycling can preserve some running fitness during a period of enforced inactivity. So the new regime has forced me into cycling my commute to a workplace that has the previously ignored luxury of secure indoor bike storage and showers. Having no confidence in my bike-fitness, I aimed for just one attempt a week for starters.
The commute is just over 13 miles, much of it through the centre of London and on my first couple of attempts I managed it in 1:13, not bad considering the leaden legs and numerous traffic light stops. On Monday this week I felt I was flying, knocking 7 minutes off my "PB" and enthusing me to go for a bonus commute on Friday. This time I thought I'd try a different route, tapping into what's left of the 2012 legacy by riding down the River Lea. Just as I passed the eerie silence of the Olympic Park, the ride became unnaturally bumpy - the back tyre was showing signs of distress. After pumping it up, it quickly gave up the ghost yet again and as I pumped it up again I could hear and then actually see the air escaping through a very obvious hole in the rubber.
Five miles from home, seven miles from my destination with the most basic of puncture repair kits I was stranded in a desolate bit of London I now know to be called Fish Island, desperately considering my options:
1. Chain my bike up outside Hackney Wick station and collect it after dark. Suddenly feel particularly helpless and clueless, I phoned a friend who reminded me that Hackney had a bit of a reputation when it came to bike thefts. This advice along with the lightweight bike lock I was carrying (which I noticed someone had already tried to saw through) put paid to this option.
2. Wheel the bike to the nearest bike store. This was the sensible option although would pretty much write-off my morning's work plans.I'm fairly confident London Fields Cycles was the nearest possibility so after some Google-mapping I started to wheel the bike in the right general direction. However the tyre was so flat it wouldn't rotate properly so I had to carry the bike for 1.5 miles over my shoulder, cursing and sweating.
2.5 hours after enthusiastically setting out, I arrived at work, helmet and high-viz jacket still on, bike 8 miles away. My right shoulder strengthened (glass half full conclusion) or with a newly acquired rotator cuff injury (glass half empty). I do now have a brand new rock hard rear tyre fitted and am not too dejected to have cancelled my future bike commutes. However, for a few hours on Friday, the grief caused by bike mishaps seemed a whole lot worse than the personal malfunction that's kept me off running for weeks on end.
One of the most convenient rediscoveries has been the bike, a neat zippy hybrid that I'm embarrassed to admit has been abandoned under a sheet of tarpaulin for most of the past year. As well as improving your running, there's a strong belief that cycling can preserve some running fitness during a period of enforced inactivity. So the new regime has forced me into cycling my commute to a workplace that has the previously ignored luxury of secure indoor bike storage and showers. Having no confidence in my bike-fitness, I aimed for just one attempt a week for starters.
The commute is just over 13 miles, much of it through the centre of London and on my first couple of attempts I managed it in 1:13, not bad considering the leaden legs and numerous traffic light stops. On Monday this week I felt I was flying, knocking 7 minutes off my "PB" and enthusing me to go for a bonus commute on Friday. This time I thought I'd try a different route, tapping into what's left of the 2012 legacy by riding down the River Lea. Just as I passed the eerie silence of the Olympic Park, the ride became unnaturally bumpy - the back tyre was showing signs of distress. After pumping it up, it quickly gave up the ghost yet again and as I pumped it up again I could hear and then actually see the air escaping through a very obvious hole in the rubber.
Five miles from home, seven miles from my destination with the most basic of puncture repair kits I was stranded in a desolate bit of London I now know to be called Fish Island, desperately considering my options:
1. Chain my bike up outside Hackney Wick station and collect it after dark. Suddenly feel particularly helpless and clueless, I phoned a friend who reminded me that Hackney had a bit of a reputation when it came to bike thefts. This advice along with the lightweight bike lock I was carrying (which I noticed someone had already tried to saw through) put paid to this option.
2. Wheel the bike to the nearest bike store. This was the sensible option although would pretty much write-off my morning's work plans.I'm fairly confident London Fields Cycles was the nearest possibility so after some Google-mapping I started to wheel the bike in the right general direction. However the tyre was so flat it wouldn't rotate properly so I had to carry the bike for 1.5 miles over my shoulder, cursing and sweating.
2.5 hours after enthusiastically setting out, I arrived at work, helmet and high-viz jacket still on, bike 8 miles away. My right shoulder strengthened (glass half full conclusion) or with a newly acquired rotator cuff injury (glass half empty). I do now have a brand new rock hard rear tyre fitted and am not too dejected to have cancelled my future bike commutes. However, for a few hours on Friday, the grief caused by bike mishaps seemed a whole lot worse than the personal malfunction that's kept me off running for weeks on end.
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