well it's been three days since i finished with the 30 day primal challenge. i will write up a post about my thoughts and experiences over the 30 days but for now there is a lot happening in my life and i am far too busy. hopefully things will sort out soon and i will find some time to blog.
one thing i am finding is that i haven't been able to switch back to my eating habits prior to the challenge. breakfast is still pretty much what has become the standard - bacon, eggs with some veggies. even lunch where i am faced with a selection of food choices i have still been going for the meat/salad option. and what's on today's lunch menu? salmon and asparagus with last night's roast vegetable leftovers. what about dinners? dinners well they are still typically meat (chicken, kangaroo, ground beef) with veggies (roasted, steamed, etc).
i have eaten two meals which i would classify as good "compromises" - oatmeal with berries and greek yoghurt with berries. i think after the marathon last weekend i didn't take in enough carbohydrates following the race to allow my body to replenish and heal itself. i consumed the bowl of oatmeal and berries prior to going to bed on wednesday evening and when i woke the following day i felt 100% better. strangely my weight had also dropped.
i have slowly started running again but am being a little more cautious than last year. this time last year when i was training for a 100 mile race i ran back to back weekend long runs of 40 miles on saturday and the marathon the following day and during some intense running the following week i tore the meniscus in my knee. the result was that i was out for a few months and i missed my goal race. hopefully i am smarter this time around, although running 90km only 13 days after the marathon may not be considered altogether sane.
personal stats:
weight: 164lb (fluctuating between 164-165) - my new goal will be to get down to around 158 over the next month and hold that weight. for my goal races next year i might consider taking my weight down to the low 150s (race weight).
feeling: impatient (to get running again)
sleep: 5-6hr broken
legs: 80% normal (still some soreness/stiffness)
exercise:
running: wed- 15 min (felt like an hour), thu - 29 min (4 miles), fri -60 min
diet:
breakfast: bacon (or ham steaks), eggs w/ mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes etc
snacks: typically almonds, apples and/or carrots
lunch: canned fish (or chicken breast) w/ salad or veggies
snacks: same as am
dinner: chicken w/ roast veggies, chilli beef w/ steamed veggies, kangaroo steak w/ steamed veggies
primal compromises: 1 cup cooked oatmeal w/ berries and cinnamon, cooked berries w/ 1/2cup greek yoghurt
once i get into a routine i find it hard to break. i will start posting daily next week but i haven't decided on what information i will add to my posts. would anyone be interested in more details about my training, physical stats or diet breakdown?
all my running friends are asking me how i trained for and broke 3 hours for the marathon so i will try and put down a post outlining what i did differently this time round. considering i only did two runs over 2 hours (20 miles) in the 12 weeks leading up i think it worked better than expected. both long runs were run three weeks out and were really completed to boost my confidence, sneak in some last minutes fitness and for determining goal marathon pace.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
day 30: the last day...
is this my last day of the 30 day challenge? that came around fast. i am contemplating the big 'what next?' well instead of resuming life as it was before the primal challenge i am leaning towards continuing on with what i have learned about eating and endurance training over the last month. i have set some new running related goals and it will take a lot of effort (and energy) to be able to train my way towards achieving them. this blog will now act as a record documenting my ongoing quest to achieving what i hope is the next level in my athletic capability. to those readers who have followed my primal challenge progress please bookmark this blog and drop in from time to time. if anyone is interested and wants me to change format or detail about what i post here please leave some comments.
daily update:
two days after the marathon and i'm still very sore! the foot is much better but my calves are still tight and painful to the touch. i have been doing some light stretching and i even managed to make it to a spin class at lunch. took it relatively easy but it was good to be moving again.
personal stats:
weight: 164lb (-8)
feeling: great (mentally), sore (physically)
sleep: 6hr good
legs: argh...
today's exercise:
spin class: 45mins easy to moderate effort
today's diet:
breakfast: fried bacon, mushrooms, spinach, eggs + mandarin + black coffee
snack: apple, almonds
lunch: salmon, avocado, cherry tomatoes, carrots
snack: almonds
dinner: chili con carne on a bed of steamed broccoli and spinach
snack: blue cheese + raisins
results:
the way i feel now towards food is that i am much freer with my choices and selections. as someone who generally trains for a minimum of 1-3 hours of running and or x-training per day i felt like a slave to eating high carbohydrate foods in order to maintain my fluctuating energy levels. often my daily food choices while mostly healthy would also include selections made from the vending machine and the chocolate boxes. the end result was that i would often feel increasingly tired throughout the day while at work.
from day one of the challenge i changed my diet by eliminating processed sugars and foods and thus reducing my emphasis on carbohydrates while increasing both protein and fat content in my diet. by the end of the first day i was already amazed at how good i felt and i had an overwhelming feeling of being extremely mellow and energised. i was worried that my performance would suffer while in my last month of training for the marathon and it did. well it did until i started adding in some carbohydrates during exercise and in the post-exercise window to replace my lost glycogen. it worked great and i was able to get through the rest of my training. my run volume suffered a little but i could still achieve the intensity so i focused on that. i still managed a couple of really great long runs on nothing but a few dates, a couple of bananas and some sports drink.
the end result for me was a total weight loss of eight pounds (starting weight of 172 and end weight of 164). I achieved a lowest weight of 162 pounds right before i carb loaded for the marathon in which my weight finished up around 165 pounds on race day. my waist decrease from 33 inches down to 31 within the first three weeks. i also achieved my goal of running a sub 3 hour marathon.
time to chase the 2:4x marathon train!
thanks for reading and i will continue to keep you posted.
daily update:
two days after the marathon and i'm still very sore! the foot is much better but my calves are still tight and painful to the touch. i have been doing some light stretching and i even managed to make it to a spin class at lunch. took it relatively easy but it was good to be moving again.
personal stats:
weight: 164lb (-8)
feeling: great (mentally), sore (physically)
sleep: 6hr good
legs: argh...
today's exercise:
spin class: 45mins easy to moderate effort
today's diet:
breakfast: fried bacon, mushrooms, spinach, eggs + mandarin + black coffee
snack: apple, almonds
lunch: salmon, avocado, cherry tomatoes, carrots
snack: almonds
dinner: chili con carne on a bed of steamed broccoli and spinach
snack: blue cheese + raisins
results:
the way i feel now towards food is that i am much freer with my choices and selections. as someone who generally trains for a minimum of 1-3 hours of running and or x-training per day i felt like a slave to eating high carbohydrate foods in order to maintain my fluctuating energy levels. often my daily food choices while mostly healthy would also include selections made from the vending machine and the chocolate boxes. the end result was that i would often feel increasingly tired throughout the day while at work.
from day one of the challenge i changed my diet by eliminating processed sugars and foods and thus reducing my emphasis on carbohydrates while increasing both protein and fat content in my diet. by the end of the first day i was already amazed at how good i felt and i had an overwhelming feeling of being extremely mellow and energised. i was worried that my performance would suffer while in my last month of training for the marathon and it did. well it did until i started adding in some carbohydrates during exercise and in the post-exercise window to replace my lost glycogen. it worked great and i was able to get through the rest of my training. my run volume suffered a little but i could still achieve the intensity so i focused on that. i still managed a couple of really great long runs on nothing but a few dates, a couple of bananas and some sports drink.
the end result for me was a total weight loss of eight pounds (starting weight of 172 and end weight of 164). I achieved a lowest weight of 162 pounds right before i carb loaded for the marathon in which my weight finished up around 165 pounds on race day. my waist decrease from 33 inches down to 31 within the first three weeks. i also achieved my goal of running a sub 3 hour marathon.
time to chase the 2:4x marathon train!
thanks for reading and i will continue to keep you posted.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
day 29:
i'm sore!
well as expected the day after the running of a marathon soreness is to be expected. this time around is no exception. my calves are tight but worse is my left foot. it feels like a bone on the outside is a little bruised. i'm hoping recovery is swift and i can get back into it quickly as i have a 90km run in less than two weeks. while it's not a goal race i still want to be able to complete the run to my expectations.
personal stats:
weight: 164lb (-8)
feeling: on a high
sleep: 6-7hrs (broken)
legs: sore, sore, sore....
today's exercise:
cross-training: 25min eliptical + 5min treadmill
today's diet:
breakfast: ham steaks (2), scrambled eggs (3), sauteed mushrooms + black coffee
snack: apple, almonds
lunch: bananas (4), almonds
snack: sardines
dinner: butter chicken w/ steamed veggies
snack: walnuts, rainsins
weighing myself this morning for the first time in a few days i found that i am two pounds heavier than i was prior to adding the carbs three days out from the marathon yesterday. after eating quite a bit and making sure that i hydrated well i am thinking that i got it about right.
well as expected the day after the running of a marathon soreness is to be expected. this time around is no exception. my calves are tight but worse is my left foot. it feels like a bone on the outside is a little bruised. i'm hoping recovery is swift and i can get back into it quickly as i have a 90km run in less than two weeks. while it's not a goal race i still want to be able to complete the run to my expectations.
personal stats:
weight: 164lb (-8)
feeling: on a high
sleep: 6-7hrs (broken)
legs: sore, sore, sore....
today's exercise:
cross-training: 25min eliptical + 5min treadmill
today's diet:
breakfast: ham steaks (2), scrambled eggs (3), sauteed mushrooms + black coffee
snack: apple, almonds
lunch: bananas (4), almonds
snack: sardines
dinner: butter chicken w/ steamed veggies
snack: walnuts, rainsins
weighing myself this morning for the first time in a few days i found that i am two pounds heavier than i was prior to adding the carbs three days out from the marathon yesterday. after eating quite a bit and making sure that i hydrated well i am thinking that i got it about right.
day 28: marathon day
race day! day started at 3am (t-3.5 hours from race start).
personal stats:
weight: not recorded
feeling: good/tired
sleep: <3>
legs: loose
today's exercise:
run: marathon race - 2:57 (26.2 miles)
today's diet:
t-3 hours: 1.5 cups oatmeal, 1 cup apple juice, 1 banana + black coffee
t-2 hours: 1 gatorade (600ml), 2 s-caps
t-10 mins: gu + water
during race: 4 gus (2 x standard, 2 x double caffeine shots), gatorade and water from aid stations
post-race: 2 hard-boiled eggs, 2 bananas, 1/2 orange, slice watermelon, gatorade (600ml), 1 cup raisins + large mocha
post-race+2hrs: 1 cup oatmeal w/ berries + black coffee
lunch: scambled bacon, mushroom and eggs
snack: walnuts, raisins
dinner: bolognaise (ground beef) w/ steamed veggies
personal stats:
weight: not recorded
feeling: good/tired
sleep: <3>
legs: loose
today's exercise:
run: marathon race - 2:57 (26.2 miles)
today's diet:
t-3 hours: 1.5 cups oatmeal, 1 cup apple juice, 1 banana + black coffee
t-2 hours: 1 gatorade (600ml), 2 s-caps
t-10 mins: gu + water
during race: 4 gus (2 x standard, 2 x double caffeine shots), gatorade and water from aid stations
post-race: 2 hard-boiled eggs, 2 bananas, 1/2 orange, slice watermelon, gatorade (600ml), 1 cup raisins + large mocha
post-race+2hrs: 1 cup oatmeal w/ berries + black coffee
lunch: scambled bacon, mushroom and eggs
snack: walnuts, raisins
dinner: bolognaise (ground beef) w/ steamed veggies
day 27:
after a short run with a few strides at faster than race pace i got home and started out with the plan to consume about 8-10g per kilogram of bodyweight of carbohydrates throughout the day. my main source of carbohydrates came from fruit and veggies but i also added in some oatmeal and sweet potato to reach my target.
personal stats:
weight: 164lb (guess as not recorded)
feeling: good
sleep: 6hr
legs: rested
today's exercise:
run: 15-20min easy w/ 3-4 x fast strides @ quicker than race pace
today's diet:
pre-run: black coffee
breakfast: 1.5 cups oatmeal (cooked) w/ dates, blueberries, strawberries, honey + banana
snack: banana, orange, apple juice
lunch: sweet potato, tuna mixed w/ greek yoghurt and avocado
snack: banana, apple juice
dinner: sweet potato, scambled eggs w/ steamed veggies
snack: banana, apple juice
might have eaten more but i have forgotten. might have been some more fruit consumed.
race day tomorrow!
personal stats:
weight: 164lb (guess as not recorded)
feeling: good
sleep: 6hr
legs: rested
today's exercise:
run: 15-20min easy w/ 3-4 x fast strides @ quicker than race pace
today's diet:
pre-run: black coffee
breakfast: 1.5 cups oatmeal (cooked) w/ dates, blueberries, strawberries, honey + banana
snack: banana, orange, apple juice
lunch: sweet potato, tuna mixed w/ greek yoghurt and avocado
snack: banana, apple juice
dinner: sweet potato, scambled eggs w/ steamed veggies
snack: banana, apple juice
might have eaten more but i have forgotten. might have been some more fruit consumed.
race day tomorrow!
day 26:
only two days out from the marathon and i wasn't really thinking about things too much! i starting adding in some carbs yesterday on what was going to be a three day carbo load but after a day of adding carbs i couldn't really face it today so i went back to what i have been eating over the previous weeks. as today was a planned day of rest i only ate some extra fruit (a little apple juice) and veggies to get in some carbs to continue to load my glycogen stores.
the plan is for a 24 hour carbo load following a short intense running session in the morning based on research i had read about.
personal stats:
weight: didn't bother as i expected with the loading and reduce exercise to add a little
feeling: tired and lethargic
sleep: not enough
legs: heavy (typical taper feeling)
today's exercise:
run: day off
today's diet:
breakfast: fried eggs, bacon, mushrooms
snack: almonds, fruit
lunch: salad w/ tuna, avocado + apple juice
snack: almonds, fruit
dinner: chilli con carne (ground beef) w/ steamed veggies
snack: fruit (?)
the plan is for a 24 hour carbo load following a short intense running session in the morning based on research i had read about.
personal stats:
weight: didn't bother as i expected with the loading and reduce exercise to add a little
feeling: tired and lethargic
sleep: not enough
legs: heavy (typical taper feeling)
today's exercise:
run: day off
today's diet:
breakfast: fried eggs, bacon, mushrooms
snack: almonds, fruit
lunch: salad w/ tuna, avocado + apple juice
snack: almonds, fruit
dinner: chilli con carne (ground beef) w/ steamed veggies
snack: fruit (?)
Saturday, July 26, 2008
the marathon update
i haven't posted for a few days but will get around to it on monday.
see you monday!
i just finished the marathon and am stoked to report a new pr of 2:57:10. i had a good run but died a little towards the end but it wasn't the result of nutrition, more a result of carrying a little too much training fatigue going into it. i started feeling deep fatigue (almost pain) in my quads at around the 9 mile mark and new that i hadn't rested enough in my taper. perhaps the couple of long runs a few weeks out were the main culprit. this is something i will address before my next race.
i'm also happy to report that after a big post-run glycogen replacement feed of oatmeal and lots of fruit (watermelon, bananas, raisins, blueberries, strawberries) i am back onto the program. i am starting to think i will keep going beyond the 30 day challenge and see how i can refine things. i don't think i need to consume the daily carbohydrate eating frenzy that is typical of the endurance athletes diet. perhaps a single post-exercise carb feed and a few carbs during the activity is all that is needed to top the tanks off.
see you monday!
Thursday, July 24, 2008
day 25:
to help loosen up the legs, back and hips before the marathon this weekend i decided to head to yoga with my wife this morning. it has been a while but it felt great to activate some of the muscles that i have neglected while being in heavy marathon training. i will definitely be trying to add more yoga to my weekly exercise program. it not only helps the body but frees the mind but removing some of the stress that is built up within.
i left my run till early evening so that i could take advantage of having some carbs in my body. i noticed an immediate difference in pace related to heart rate and i found it a struggle to bring up my heart rate to what i am planning on racing at over the marathon on the weekend. at about 10 beats below my marathon heart rate effort i was needing to run quicker than 6 minute mile pace to sustain that level of intensity. it felt good but i think i will be racing significantly slower than that on sunday.
personal stats:
weight: 162lb (-10)
feeling: tired
sleep: poor
legs: loose but lethargic
today's exercise:
yoga (am): 60 minutes
run: 32 minutes - 4.5 miles w/ 2 miles @ mp (6:00-6:20 pace) + 2 x 30-40" @ 5:00 mpm
today's diet:
breakfast: oatmeal w/ dates, banana + black coffee
snack: raisins
lunch: chicken mediterranean salad, apple juice + coffee
snack: bananas (2) + dried fruit + black coffee
dinner: pork vegetable stirfry
snack: raisins, cantaloupe
i left my run till early evening so that i could take advantage of having some carbs in my body. i noticed an immediate difference in pace related to heart rate and i found it a struggle to bring up my heart rate to what i am planning on racing at over the marathon on the weekend. at about 10 beats below my marathon heart rate effort i was needing to run quicker than 6 minute mile pace to sustain that level of intensity. it felt good but i think i will be racing significantly slower than that on sunday.
personal stats:
weight: 162lb (-10)
feeling: tired
sleep: poor
legs: loose but lethargic
today's exercise:
yoga (am): 60 minutes
run: 32 minutes - 4.5 miles w/ 2 miles @ mp (6:00-6:20 pace) + 2 x 30-40" @ 5:00 mpm
today's diet:
breakfast: oatmeal w/ dates, banana + black coffee
snack: raisins
lunch: chicken mediterranean salad, apple juice + coffee
snack: bananas (2) + dried fruit + black coffee
dinner: pork vegetable stirfry
snack: raisins, cantaloupe
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
day 24:
starting to get a little impatient now. this is pretty typical in the last stages of the marathon taper. as an endurance athlete who enjoys long training sessions often on my own on the trails not far from home all this short easy stuff is killing me mentally.
i struggled waking up to the alarm this morning after a very sleepless night with my 18 month old son who had a high fever and a vomiting session from our bed halfway through the night. when i finally got out of bed i felt dizzy and was a little disoriented. seems after two days of eliminating nearly all carbs including fruit and most of my veggies i am seriously depleted. well that was the plan all the time and from the onset of my morning struggle to get ready for work i was not too concerned. after a coffee and what is slowly becoming my usual breakfast i was feeling ok but very tired on the drive in.
during today's run at lunch i was considering going to town on the carbs and fuel up ready for my last run tomorrow morning after the run but i compromised and ate only a banana and a small apple juice before my main lunch meal ... pork ribs with small salad.
personal stats:
weight: 162lb (-10)
feeling: impatient, dizzy, depleted
sleep: less than 4hr (broken)
legs: great - loose but lethargic
today's exercise:
run - 30' easy - 15' easy, 10' marathon effort (~6:30 pace), 5' easy
today's diet:
breakfast: ham steaks (2), eggs (2) w/ sauteed spinach and mushrooms + black coffee
snack: apple, almonds
post-run: apple juice + banana
lunch: pork ribs w/ small salad
snack: almonds + black coffee
dinner:
after today i am looking forward to slowly adding some carbs back into my diet tomorrow and will only carbo load for one day prior to the race rather than my usual two to three days as recommended by the normal crowd. not entirely sure how i am going to carbo load and try and keep as close to my primal nutrition plan as possible. if anyone is reading this and has any thoughts please add them to the comments.
i struggled waking up to the alarm this morning after a very sleepless night with my 18 month old son who had a high fever and a vomiting session from our bed halfway through the night. when i finally got out of bed i felt dizzy and was a little disoriented. seems after two days of eliminating nearly all carbs including fruit and most of my veggies i am seriously depleted. well that was the plan all the time and from the onset of my morning struggle to get ready for work i was not too concerned. after a coffee and what is slowly becoming my usual breakfast i was feeling ok but very tired on the drive in.
during today's run at lunch i was considering going to town on the carbs and fuel up ready for my last run tomorrow morning after the run but i compromised and ate only a banana and a small apple juice before my main lunch meal ... pork ribs with small salad.
personal stats:
weight: 162lb (-10)
feeling: impatient, dizzy, depleted
sleep: less than 4hr (broken)
legs: great - loose but lethargic
today's exercise:
run - 30' easy - 15' easy, 10' marathon effort (~6:30 pace), 5' easy
today's diet:
breakfast: ham steaks (2), eggs (2) w/ sauteed spinach and mushrooms + black coffee
snack: apple, almonds
post-run: apple juice + banana
lunch: pork ribs w/ small salad
snack: almonds + black coffee
dinner:
after today i am looking forward to slowly adding some carbs back into my diet tomorrow and will only carbo load for one day prior to the race rather than my usual two to three days as recommended by the normal crowd. not entirely sure how i am going to carbo load and try and keep as close to my primal nutrition plan as possible. if anyone is reading this and has any thoughts please add them to the comments.
Monday, July 21, 2008
day 23:
personal stats:
weight: 163lb (-9)
feeling: good
sleep: 6hr
legs: good (some niggles but ok)
today's exercise:
run: 47' - 6.2 miles 10' warmup + 4x30" fast strides, 4x1200m (4:30, 4:23, 4:14, 4:13) w/ 2-3' easy + 5' cooldown
today's diet:
breakfast: ham steaks (2), eggs (2), avocado (1/2), olive oil (1tbs) (47g protein (29%), 45g fat (63%), 18g carb (8%)) + black coffee (2)
snack: blue cheese, walnuts
lunch: green salad w/ chicken breast, olives and blue cheese
snack: walnuts, avocado (1/2)
dinner: salmon steak w/ roasted veggies
last run workout has been completed. it went well and now all that's left is to take the next few days to rest up, let the legs heal and freshen up and get ready to run the race of my life. i'm hoping that i can find the zone and embrace the pain in the later stages to keep pushing through to the end.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
day 22:
taper thoughts:
going into the final days before the marathon thoughts of what to do are flooding my mind. do i lower the volume, increase the intensity, rest, take it easy, sharpen up with short fast runs or run marathon paced sessions, carb deplete, carb load...etc, etc. in the past when preparing for an event i usually keep the volume up until the last week before the event and then give myself a short 5 day of reduced volume and the usual rest day two days out. i generally only carb load 1-2 days before the event because i think this can be over-emphasised by many runners.
coming into the marathon my training has been very different this time around. instead of the usual high volume with a twice weekly track session plan i have been tailoring my workouts towards more marathon specific preparatory sessions hoping that i can become more comfortable running marathon pace while increasing my functional threshold. over the last 2-3 months i have also only completed 1-2 longer runs (20+ miles) which is typical in most runners build-ups.... but i've completed some great sessions running between 14-16 miles of volume at marathon pace and faster.
i have also completed three weeks (21 days) of following an un-typical low carbohydrate, high protein-high fat based nutrition plan. over the next few days i am going to be even stricter with the diet and eliminate the excess fruit and hidden carb sources that i have included in the primal challenge to continue to deplete my muscles of their glycogen stores before short 2 day carb replacement/load. the plan is to start eating carbs while reducing the protein and fat content slowly into the diet on day -2 and then on the day before i will try and continue to increase my carbs being careful not to take in too many.
still a little undecided on what i will eat on the morning of the race but i have a few days left to think about that. in the past the good old english muffin with honey or PB&J has served me well but i am still planning on staying away from the grains. i had some success with eating bananas and dates before a long run a few weeks back so i might go with some of the same. taper nerves are starting!
personal stats:
weight: 163lb (-9)
feeling: good
sleep: 6hr (interrupted, tired)
legs: good
today's exercise:
run: 33' - 5 miles w/ 4 miles mp (hr effort) - averaged 6:25 pace
today's diet:
breakfast: fried bacons, eggs, mushrooms, salmon + black coffee
snack: walnuts, carrot
pre-run: black coffee
lunch: tuna, egg, avocado, tomato, carrot + apple
snack: egg + black coffee
dinner: kangaroo steak (300g) on a bed of spinach and mushrooms + green salad w/ balsamic vinegar
snack: blue cheese, black olives
going into the final days before the marathon thoughts of what to do are flooding my mind. do i lower the volume, increase the intensity, rest, take it easy, sharpen up with short fast runs or run marathon paced sessions, carb deplete, carb load...etc, etc. in the past when preparing for an event i usually keep the volume up until the last week before the event and then give myself a short 5 day of reduced volume and the usual rest day two days out. i generally only carb load 1-2 days before the event because i think this can be over-emphasised by many runners.
coming into the marathon my training has been very different this time around. instead of the usual high volume with a twice weekly track session plan i have been tailoring my workouts towards more marathon specific preparatory sessions hoping that i can become more comfortable running marathon pace while increasing my functional threshold. over the last 2-3 months i have also only completed 1-2 longer runs (20+ miles) which is typical in most runners build-ups.... but i've completed some great sessions running between 14-16 miles of volume at marathon pace and faster.
i have also completed three weeks (21 days) of following an un-typical low carbohydrate, high protein-high fat based nutrition plan. over the next few days i am going to be even stricter with the diet and eliminate the excess fruit and hidden carb sources that i have included in the primal challenge to continue to deplete my muscles of their glycogen stores before short 2 day carb replacement/load. the plan is to start eating carbs while reducing the protein and fat content slowly into the diet on day -2 and then on the day before i will try and continue to increase my carbs being careful not to take in too many.
still a little undecided on what i will eat on the morning of the race but i have a few days left to think about that. in the past the good old english muffin with honey or PB&J has served me well but i am still planning on staying away from the grains. i had some success with eating bananas and dates before a long run a few weeks back so i might go with some of the same. taper nerves are starting!
personal stats:
weight: 163lb (-9)
feeling: good
sleep: 6hr (interrupted, tired)
legs: good
today's exercise:
run: 33' - 5 miles w/ 4 miles mp (hr effort) - averaged 6:25 pace
today's diet:
breakfast: fried bacons, eggs, mushrooms, salmon + black coffee
snack: walnuts, carrot
pre-run: black coffee
lunch: tuna, egg, avocado, tomato, carrot + apple
snack: egg + black coffee
dinner: kangaroo steak (300g) on a bed of spinach and mushrooms + green salad w/ balsamic vinegar
snack: blue cheese, black olives
day 21:
i was planning on getting out of bed and running my last long run prior to next weeks marathon but i slept in. sleep was what was needed and i appreciated the extra time i got to spend with my wife. as i was only planning to go out for 90 minutes i thought i would be able to squeeze my run in some time during the day. time flew and before i knew it my window of opportunity got smaller and i was only able to get out for 70 minutes before cooking dinner.
with that 70 minutes i tried to push the pace and run around marathon effort trying to get my mind and body used to it before next sunday. but i was fully energy depleted. while i could pick it up and run as fast as usual i struggled to maintain a hard effort for anything longer than a few minutes before the monkey would jump on my back to slow me down. when this happened i backed off and allowed myself to recover as i didn't want to push myself into a whole only a week out from my goal race.
my wife was also a little concerned about my weight loss so i made sure that i ate a little more today to keep my bodyweight up rather than lose any more. i plan on dropping a little during the next few days prior to a short carb load starting two days out from race day.
personal stats:
weight: 163lb (-9)
sleep: 8hrs (good)
feeling: good
legs: a little tight
today's exercise:
run: 70' easy w/ surges - 9 miles
today's diet:
breakfast: fried bacon, mushrooms, pepper, tomato, GF sausage w/ eggs + orange
snack: almonds, cheese
lunch: spicy sausage, olives w/ cheese on a bed of fried spinach and mushrooms + "winter warmer" (chili soy chocolate drink)
snack: almond, raisins, cheese
dinner: red thai curry chicken w/ veggies (carrot, sweet potato, broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant)
with that 70 minutes i tried to push the pace and run around marathon effort trying to get my mind and body used to it before next sunday. but i was fully energy depleted. while i could pick it up and run as fast as usual i struggled to maintain a hard effort for anything longer than a few minutes before the monkey would jump on my back to slow me down. when this happened i backed off and allowed myself to recover as i didn't want to push myself into a whole only a week out from my goal race.
my wife was also a little concerned about my weight loss so i made sure that i ate a little more today to keep my bodyweight up rather than lose any more. i plan on dropping a little during the next few days prior to a short carb load starting two days out from race day.
personal stats:
weight: 163lb (-9)
sleep: 8hrs (good)
feeling: good
legs: a little tight
today's exercise:
run: 70' easy w/ surges - 9 miles
today's diet:
breakfast: fried bacon, mushrooms, pepper, tomato, GF sausage w/ eggs + orange
snack: almonds, cheese
lunch: spicy sausage, olives w/ cheese on a bed of fried spinach and mushrooms + "winter warmer" (chili soy chocolate drink)
snack: almond, raisins, cheese
dinner: red thai curry chicken w/ veggies (carrot, sweet potato, broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant)
day 20:
although it was only two days ago I have forgotten most of the details....
personal stats:
weight: 163lb (-9)
sleep: ?
feeling: good
legs: good (lacking energy but springy)
today's exercise:
run: 53' moderate - 8 miles w/ 7 miles @ marathon pace effort
today's diet:
breakfast: eggs, bacon + banana + black coffee
snack: apple, almonds
lunch: large salad, cold meat and salmon w/ balsamic vinegar
snack: almonds, cheese
post-run: juice (apple and vegetable) + banana
dinner: grilled chicken, gluten-free sausage, roast veggies (egg plant, red onion, pepper, tomato)
personal stats:
weight: 163lb (-9)
sleep: ?
feeling: good
legs: good (lacking energy but springy)
today's exercise:
run: 53' moderate - 8 miles w/ 7 miles @ marathon pace effort
today's diet:
breakfast: eggs, bacon + banana + black coffee
snack: apple, almonds
lunch: large salad, cold meat and salmon w/ balsamic vinegar
snack: almonds, cheese
post-run: juice (apple and vegetable) + banana
dinner: grilled chicken, gluten-free sausage, roast veggies (egg plant, red onion, pepper, tomato)
day 19:
personal stats:
weight: 162lb (-10)
feeling: good
sleep: 5hr (good)
legs: good
today's exercise:
run: 40' easy - 5.5 miles
today's diet:
pre-run: black coffee
breakfast: scrambled eggs w/ bacon, mushrooms, tomato
snack: almonds
lunch: large green salad w/ chicken breast and avocado
snack: apple, almonds
dinner: ground beef w/ veggies
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
day 18:
today i woke to the alarm and discovered i am feeling quite refreshed. allowing myself a little extra sleep by skipping my usual morning run session in favour of a lunch session did the trick. unfortunately getting out of bed this morning i made the discovery that my legs are feeling a little beat up. not to worry yet still 10 days out but hopefully after an easy run today (instead of the planned workout) they should feel better.
it is amazing how quickly weight drops off when i take in no carbohydrates and exercise. i ate what i thought was quite a lot of food and i hydrated throughout the day but when i stepped on the scales i found that i am the lightest i have been for years. dropped two pounds in a single day - yes i know glycogen depletion is responsible for this. after my run at lunch i might need to add a few carbs just to restore some lost glycogen to my muscles.
personal stats:
weight: 163lb (-9)
feeling: good
sleep: 6hr (good/refreshed)
legs: average
today's exercise:
run: 60' - (8 mile total) workout: 1.5mile LT, 1mile LT, 2x3/4mile @ 10k, 1x1/4mile hard, 1x 3/4mile @ mp (2-3' jog/walk).
today's diet:
breakfast: fried bacon (diced), eggplant, chilli beef, turmeric, carrot
snack: almonds
pre-run (10' before): banana + sports drink (also during)
lunch: salad (lettuce, tomatoes, avocado) w/ sardines + apple and orange + black coffee
snack: carrots, almonds
dinner:
today's summary:
i had a good run session considering how depleted i was feeling earlier in the day. my legs were a little sore but i decided to give the session a go and use the next two days to get in the recover that i need to run a reduced long run of 13-15 miles on sunday morning. as i wanted to have a good session i took in some pre-run carbs 10 minutes prior and finished off a sports drink throughout the session. the session went well and i managed to push myself out of my comfort zone with some longer intervals. i pushed the pace progressively faster from threshold to 10k and faster before settling down for a cool down which also include 4 minutes at marathon pace.
My pace for the session averaged out to around LT pace ~6:00 per mile, 10k ~5:55, MP ~6:30-40 with some faster running (30 second striders) at closer to 4:40 per mile pace. they felt good and helped get the legs turning over. i love the feeling i get in my legs after a hard interval session. all i need now is to focus on recovery with the last longer workout completed successfully.
it is amazing how quickly weight drops off when i take in no carbohydrates and exercise. i ate what i thought was quite a lot of food and i hydrated throughout the day but when i stepped on the scales i found that i am the lightest i have been for years. dropped two pounds in a single day - yes i know glycogen depletion is responsible for this. after my run at lunch i might need to add a few carbs just to restore some lost glycogen to my muscles.
personal stats:
weight: 163lb (-9)
feeling: good
sleep: 6hr (good/refreshed)
legs: average
today's exercise:
run: 60' - (8 mile total) workout: 1.5mile LT, 1mile LT, 2x3/4mile @ 10k, 1x1/4mile hard, 1x 3/4mile @ mp (2-3' jog/walk).
today's diet:
breakfast: fried bacon (diced), eggplant, chilli beef, turmeric, carrot
snack: almonds
pre-run (10' before): banana + sports drink (also during)
lunch: salad (lettuce, tomatoes, avocado) w/ sardines + apple and orange + black coffee
snack: carrots, almonds
dinner:
today's summary:
i had a good run session considering how depleted i was feeling earlier in the day. my legs were a little sore but i decided to give the session a go and use the next two days to get in the recover that i need to run a reduced long run of 13-15 miles on sunday morning. as i wanted to have a good session i took in some pre-run carbs 10 minutes prior and finished off a sports drink throughout the session. the session went well and i managed to push myself out of my comfort zone with some longer intervals. i pushed the pace progressively faster from threshold to 10k and faster before settling down for a cool down which also include 4 minutes at marathon pace.
My pace for the session averaged out to around LT pace ~6:00 per mile, 10k ~5:55, MP ~6:30-40 with some faster running (30 second striders) at closer to 4:40 per mile pace. they felt good and helped get the legs turning over. i love the feeling i get in my legs after a hard interval session. all i need now is to focus on recovery with the last longer workout completed successfully.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
day 17:
personal stats:
weight: 165 (-7)
feeling: good
sleep: 6hr
legs: good (recovered)
today's exercise:
run: 50' - 7.5 miles w/ 4.5 miles @ marathon heart rate effort
second run: 12pm) 48' - 6.5 miles easy (legs felt great)
today's diet:
pre-run: black coffee
breakfast: kangaroo steak, carrots, blue cheese + banana + black coffee
snack: almonds
lunch: kangaroo steak, carrot, cucumber, 1/2 avocado + apple
snack: carrot, almonds
dinner: scrambled eggs w/ diced bacon, eggplant, broccoli
snack: almonds
day 16:
personal stats:
weight: 164lb (-8)
feeling: good
sleep: 5hr (dead tired)
legs: tired
today's exercise:
run: 50' - 7 miles w/ 3.5 miles @ faster than marathon race pace
today's diet:
pre-run: black coffee
breakfast: poached eggs, bacon, spinach
snack: apple
lunch: smoked salmon salad
snack: almonds, apple
dinner: kangaroo steak + steamed veggies
snack: cheeses, cold meats, apple
Sunday, July 13, 2008
day 15:
the taper continues....day 2
personal stats:
weight: 164lb (-8) - well hydrated
feeling: still on a high
sleep: 6hr (tired)
legs: good (achilles & calves a little tight)
today's exercise:
run: 40' easy (5.5 miles)
today's diet:
breakfast: 3 eggs, spinach, prosciutto + black coffee
snack: carrot, almonds
per-run: handful sultanas + black coffee
lunch (post-run): chicken breast w/ mediterranean style roast veg
snack: almonds, apple
dinner: chilli con carne w/ steamed veggies
personal stats:
weight: 164lb (-8) - well hydrated
feeling: still on a high
sleep: 6hr (tired)
legs: good (achilles & calves a little tight)
today's exercise:
run: 40' easy (5.5 miles)
today's diet:
breakfast: 3 eggs, spinach, prosciutto + black coffee
snack: carrot, almonds
per-run: handful sultanas + black coffee
lunch (post-run): chicken breast w/ mediterranean style roast veg
snack: almonds, apple
dinner: chilli con carne w/ steamed veggies
Saturday, July 12, 2008
week 2 results
Starting weight: 172 pounds. Count down to marathon: 2 weeks (from end of week)
Nutrition:
After suffering through a few workouts last week as my glycogen levels in my muscles quickly depleted I decided I needed to add in some additional carbohydrates to fuel my workouts. With exercise a high priority for me this week (3 weeks out from goal marathon race) the post on primal athlete compromises for athletes came none too soon. To handle the increase in volume and intensity this week I increased the amount of fruits (raw and dried) and also added a cup of oatmeal to some of my post-recovery meals. Allowing myself to consume carbohydrates during exercise and in the hour immediately after only allowed me to be able to back up for the next day's run workouts.
My typical week while training for the marathon includes many sessions which are either intensive and/or long (up to 2.5 hours) which requires the increase of carbohydrate intake during the period of exercise and in the critical period for glycogen refuelling (first hour).
Doing a quick search on the internet and calculating my energy expenditure I settled on a post-run carbohydrate intake strategy of around 0.8-1g C per pound of bodyweight (about 130-165g). Also during my longer, more intensive sessions (e.g. 2.5 hour long run with the last 50 minutes at marathon pace) I consumed sports drink at 15-30 minute intervals for the duration of the run.
After my long Sunday effort (which went phenomonly well and helped redefine my marathon goal race pace) I ate a variety of fruits only (dried and fresh) and felt fantastic all day. The high lasted all the way into bed that night.
Exercise:
Total 78 miles
Monday: 10 miles w/ 3-4 miles @ marathon pace (mp)
Tuesday: 25 miles (3:05)
Wednesday: rest
Thursday: 6 miles w/ 3x3min hard + 6x20 sec sprints
Friday: 8 miles w/ 4 miles @ mp // 3.1 miles hard
Saturday: 6 miles easy
Sunday: 21 miles w/ 7 miles @ mp (marathon pace test run)
Results:
Before sunday's long run I had a lowest weight of 163 pounds but after the long run and post-run food and drink consumption my weight climbed back up to 164 pounds (2 pounds down from last week/8 pounds lighter than starting weight).
Diet and energy wise I feel like I have hit the right pattern at the moment with my endurance and activity requirements. After my marathon race in two weeks I am really looking forward to seeing how I can improve my diet in this area to only take in what I need. I have some epic long mountain runs (40-60 miles) coming up and I am going to experiment with taking in higher quantities of protein and fat and only rely on carbohydrates from natural sources like friut.
Nutrition:
After suffering through a few workouts last week as my glycogen levels in my muscles quickly depleted I decided I needed to add in some additional carbohydrates to fuel my workouts. With exercise a high priority for me this week (3 weeks out from goal marathon race) the post on primal athlete compromises for athletes came none too soon. To handle the increase in volume and intensity this week I increased the amount of fruits (raw and dried) and also added a cup of oatmeal to some of my post-recovery meals. Allowing myself to consume carbohydrates during exercise and in the hour immediately after only allowed me to be able to back up for the next day's run workouts.
My typical week while training for the marathon includes many sessions which are either intensive and/or long (up to 2.5 hours) which requires the increase of carbohydrate intake during the period of exercise and in the critical period for glycogen refuelling (first hour).
Doing a quick search on the internet and calculating my energy expenditure I settled on a post-run carbohydrate intake strategy of around 0.8-1g C per pound of bodyweight (about 130-165g). Also during my longer, more intensive sessions (e.g. 2.5 hour long run with the last 50 minutes at marathon pace) I consumed sports drink at 15-30 minute intervals for the duration of the run.
After my long Sunday effort (which went phenomonly well and helped redefine my marathon goal race pace) I ate a variety of fruits only (dried and fresh) and felt fantastic all day. The high lasted all the way into bed that night.
Exercise:
Total 78 miles
Monday: 10 miles w/ 3-4 miles @ marathon pace (mp)
Tuesday: 25 miles (3:05)
Wednesday: rest
Thursday: 6 miles w/ 3x3min hard + 6x20 sec sprints
Friday: 8 miles w/ 4 miles @ mp // 3.1 miles hard
Saturday: 6 miles easy
Sunday: 21 miles w/ 7 miles @ mp (marathon pace test run)
Results:
Before sunday's long run I had a lowest weight of 163 pounds but after the long run and post-run food and drink consumption my weight climbed back up to 164 pounds (2 pounds down from last week/8 pounds lighter than starting weight).
Diet and energy wise I feel like I have hit the right pattern at the moment with my endurance and activity requirements. After my marathon race in two weeks I am really looking forward to seeing how I can improve my diet in this area to only take in what I need. I have some epic long mountain runs (40-60 miles) coming up and I am going to experiment with taking in higher quantities of protein and fat and only rely on carbohydrates from natural sources like friut.
day 14:
last long run today....
personal stats:
weight: ?
feeling: great
sleep: 4hr (poor)
legs: great
today's exercise:
run: 2h30' long (21 miles w/ last 7.5 miles at marathon pace ~6:30mpm) - awesome run!
today's diet:
pre-run: banana, dates, sports drink + black coffee
during run: 800ml sports drink
post-run: 2 bananas, apple, orange, sultanas
breakfast: eggs, bacon, blue cheese + berries + black coffee
lunch: roast pork w/ salad and blue cheese
snack: walnuts, raisins
dinner: chicken vindaloo w/ veggies
snack: apple
today's summary:
one of the best runs i have ever head! just a banana, a couple of dates and a black coffee 90 minutes before starting and i was ready to go. i planned on running with a friend through the first 14 miles and then try and pick it up to marathon pace over the final 7+ miles. starting the run i immediately felt good. the legs felt loose and the effort felt easy. i only carried 800ml of sports drink in my fuel belt so i was expecting some trouble later in the run (but it never came).
after running an easy 14 miles in about 1:40 i could feel myself chomping at the bit to put the hammer down and when we finally hit a flat stretch i told my mate i would meet him back at the car and took off. i ran well over the final 7.5 miles (sub 50min) averaging a pace slightly quicker than goal race pace which really built up the confidence. think i will need to re-evaluate my goals in line with today's outcome.
the last long run is safely in the bank and with only two weeks left to taper i'm feeling ready to go.
over the next two weeks i plan on following the primal diet as closely as possible eliminating all excess carbohydrates until the final day or two when i will try and increase my carb intake with additional fruits and veggies. i've never followed a tradional depletion/carb reload phase popular amongst marathon runners in the past so i will be interested to see how it goes come race day. basically this means that i won't be worried about focusing on post-run nutrition and glycogen replacement but will instead allow my muscles to deplete their glycogen reserves over the next 10-12 days before refuleing them prior to the race. trying to maintain the intensity will prove more difficult as the week progresses.
yesterday was a real eye opener for me and it made me realise how little emphasis i need to place on carbohydrates to provide the energy i need to be able to train hard and maintain the volume that i would like to be able to put in when training for ultra endurance. after this 30 day challenge i plan on taking it even further and see what i can achieve at the longer distances (40-100+ miles).
personal stats:
weight: ?
feeling: great
sleep: 4hr (poor)
legs: great
today's exercise:
run: 2h30' long (21 miles w/ last 7.5 miles at marathon pace ~6:30mpm) - awesome run!
today's diet:
pre-run: banana, dates, sports drink + black coffee
during run: 800ml sports drink
post-run: 2 bananas, apple, orange, sultanas
breakfast: eggs, bacon, blue cheese + berries + black coffee
lunch: roast pork w/ salad and blue cheese
snack: walnuts, raisins
dinner: chicken vindaloo w/ veggies
snack: apple
today's summary:
one of the best runs i have ever head! just a banana, a couple of dates and a black coffee 90 minutes before starting and i was ready to go. i planned on running with a friend through the first 14 miles and then try and pick it up to marathon pace over the final 7+ miles. starting the run i immediately felt good. the legs felt loose and the effort felt easy. i only carried 800ml of sports drink in my fuel belt so i was expecting some trouble later in the run (but it never came).
after running an easy 14 miles in about 1:40 i could feel myself chomping at the bit to put the hammer down and when we finally hit a flat stretch i told my mate i would meet him back at the car and took off. i ran well over the final 7.5 miles (sub 50min) averaging a pace slightly quicker than goal race pace which really built up the confidence. think i will need to re-evaluate my goals in line with today's outcome.
the last long run is safely in the bank and with only two weeks left to taper i'm feeling ready to go.
over the next two weeks i plan on following the primal diet as closely as possible eliminating all excess carbohydrates until the final day or two when i will try and increase my carb intake with additional fruits and veggies. i've never followed a tradional depletion/carb reload phase popular amongst marathon runners in the past so i will be interested to see how it goes come race day. basically this means that i won't be worried about focusing on post-run nutrition and glycogen replacement but will instead allow my muscles to deplete their glycogen reserves over the next 10-12 days before refuleing them prior to the race. trying to maintain the intensity will prove more difficult as the week progresses.
yesterday was a real eye opener for me and it made me realise how little emphasis i need to place on carbohydrates to provide the energy i need to be able to train hard and maintain the volume that i would like to be able to put in when training for ultra endurance. after this 30 day challenge i plan on taking it even further and see what i can achieve at the longer distances (40-100+ miles).
day 13:
personal stats:
weight: 163lb (-9)
feeling: good
sleep: 5hrs (good)
legs: tired
today's exercise:
run: 45' easy (6 miles)
today's diet:
pre-run: black coffee
breakfast: oats w/ honey, dates, nuts, cinnamon
snack: walnuts, apple
lunch: scrambled eggs w/ spinach, mushrooms, tomato, smoked salmon + berries
snack: walnuts, raisins
dinner: salmon, avocado, chilli + green salad
Thursday, July 10, 2008
day 12:
a very sleepless night has left me feeling extremely tired this morning. my intentions of getting up early for an easy run were put to rest when the two young boys were up and down. the final time i had to get up to them was 30 minutes before the alarm was scheduled to go off and i'd had enough. reset it to get some extra rest before getting up for work.
no stiffness or soreness from yesterday's run is providing me with the confidence that my change in nutrition is directly behind it. i'll be interested to see how my run goes at lunch - hoping for an hour at marathon pace effort.
personal stats:
weight: 164lb (-8)
feeling: great
sleep: 4-5h (poor)
legs: great (buzzing of energy)
resting heart rate: 37bpm
today's exercise:
run: 56' - 8 miles w/ 4 miles @ marathon effort progression (6:30-6:00/mile), 1087cal, 161HR
second run (with dog): 21' - 3.1 miles
today's diet:
breakfast: sauteed spinach, mushrooms, tomato w/ turmeric + hard-boiled eggs + black coffee
snack: carrot, 4 dates, almonds, apple
pre-run: black coffee
during run: sports drink 600mL
post-run: fruit - orange, 1/2 cantaloupe, apple
lunch: pink salmon 200g, avacado, carrots, tomato
snack: almonds
dinner:
today's summary:
today's run went quite well. legs felt really good and i was feeling quite comfortable at marathon pace until i got a little distracted and upped the pace to around 6min/mile pace. the heart rate quickly jumped up and i backed off but i had already burnt myself. had a second run later that night with the dog. he needed some exercise and was excited to get out.
so far today the diet has been good. i was planning on having some carbs after the run but decided to just eat some fruit to top up the glycogen stores. i may pay for it later but i just didn't feel like eating all that much.
no stiffness or soreness from yesterday's run is providing me with the confidence that my change in nutrition is directly behind it. i'll be interested to see how my run goes at lunch - hoping for an hour at marathon pace effort.
personal stats:
weight: 164lb (-8)
feeling: great
sleep: 4-5h (poor)
legs: great (buzzing of energy)
resting heart rate: 37bpm
today's exercise:
run: 56' - 8 miles w/ 4 miles @ marathon effort progression (6:30-6:00/mile), 1087cal, 161HR
second run (with dog): 21' - 3.1 miles
today's diet:
breakfast: sauteed spinach, mushrooms, tomato w/ turmeric + hard-boiled eggs + black coffee
snack: carrot, 4 dates, almonds, apple
pre-run: black coffee
during run: sports drink 600mL
post-run: fruit - orange, 1/2 cantaloupe, apple
lunch: pink salmon 200g, avacado, carrots, tomato
snack: almonds
dinner:
today's summary:
today's run went quite well. legs felt really good and i was feeling quite comfortable at marathon pace until i got a little distracted and upped the pace to around 6min/mile pace. the heart rate quickly jumped up and i backed off but i had already burnt myself. had a second run later that night with the dog. he needed some exercise and was excited to get out.
so far today the diet has been good. i was planning on having some carbs after the run but decided to just eat some fruit to top up the glycogen stores. i may pay for it later but i just didn't feel like eating all that much.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
day 11:
started off the day feeling great. the long run two days ago marked the start of my final phase of marathon training and the beginning of the dreaded taper (...i like volume). i don't usually taper for this long leading into an event but i have had some great sessions over the last few months so i thought i would try something new. hopefully i can consolodate my fitness gains from the previous two months and have the race of my life.
time to increase the intensity and reduce the volume. still have a few key sessions that i will do over the next few weeks. this sunday will be my last longer run. meeting up with a friend to pace them through the first 10 miles and then i plan on running the next 10 miles at my goal marathon pace. this will be done on the marathon course covering the last section of the run so hopefully it will serve me well (mentally) on race day.
personal stats:
weight: 165lb (-7)
feeling: awesome
sleep: 7hr
legs: awesome
today's exercise:
run: 40' w/ 3 x 3' steady (850-900m)/3' jog + 6 x 20" sprints (~150m)/40" jog
today's diet:
breakfast: scrambled eggs w/ spinach
snack: apple, carrot, almonds
pre-run: black coffee
lunch: fruit (honeydew & rock melon, banana) + kippers, tomato, avocado salad
snack: almonds, raisins
dinner: bolognaise w/ steamed veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, spinach)
today's summary:
my legs felt springy at the start of the run due to yesterday's rest day and in an unusual turn of events i ran without the garmin so was unsure of pace and distance but i was feeling pretty good. the wind was blowing during the intervals and after the third one i decided that was enough. don't want to blow it now this close to the marathon. finished up with half a dozen sprints to end the session. nice and quick and to the point!
time to increase the intensity and reduce the volume. still have a few key sessions that i will do over the next few weeks. this sunday will be my last longer run. meeting up with a friend to pace them through the first 10 miles and then i plan on running the next 10 miles at my goal marathon pace. this will be done on the marathon course covering the last section of the run so hopefully it will serve me well (mentally) on race day.
personal stats:
weight: 165lb (-7)
feeling: awesome
sleep: 7hr
legs: awesome
today's exercise:
run: 40' w/ 3 x 3' steady (850-900m)/3' jog + 6 x 20" sprints (~150m)/40" jog
today's diet:
breakfast: scrambled eggs w/ spinach
snack: apple, carrot, almonds
pre-run: black coffee
lunch: fruit (honeydew & rock melon, banana) + kippers, tomato, avocado salad
snack: almonds, raisins
dinner: bolognaise w/ steamed veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, spinach)
today's summary:
my legs felt springy at the start of the run due to yesterday's rest day and in an unusual turn of events i ran without the garmin so was unsure of pace and distance but i was feeling pretty good. the wind was blowing during the intervals and after the third one i decided that was enough. don't want to blow it now this close to the marathon. finished up with half a dozen sprints to end the session. nice and quick and to the point!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
day 10:
i am amazed how good i am feeling this morning. my legs are feeling great and they are without any soreness or stiffness.
my post-run recovery yesterday seems to have worked a treat. shower, skins (compression pants) worn under my work pants all day, 1lt of water, hi-GI food (mainly fruit and oats), higher protein intake remainder of day, legs elevated at lunch for 5mins, hot bath at night.
personal stats:
weight: 167lb (-5) - well hydrated
feeling: great
sleep: 5.5 hrs (not so good)
legs: great
today's exercise:
rest day
today's diet:
breakfast: scrambled eggs w/ spinach and mushrooms
snack: carrots, almonds
lunch: thai beef salad + coffee
snack: banana, almonds + coffee
dinner: kippers w/ large salad (lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, avacado, cheese)
my post-run recovery yesterday seems to have worked a treat. shower, skins (compression pants) worn under my work pants all day, 1lt of water, hi-GI food (mainly fruit and oats), higher protein intake remainder of day, legs elevated at lunch for 5mins, hot bath at night.
personal stats:
weight: 167lb (-5) - well hydrated
feeling: great
sleep: 5.5 hrs (not so good)
legs: great
today's exercise:
rest day
today's diet:
breakfast: scrambled eggs w/ spinach and mushrooms
snack: carrots, almonds
lunch: thai beef salad + coffee
snack: banana, almonds + coffee
dinner: kippers w/ large salad (lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, avacado, cheese)
Monday, July 7, 2008
day 9:
to appease my sanity during this marathon struggle i needed to go long this morning.
during my drive home last night i decided with the cost of fuel at an all time high i need to start making some greener choices. my decision? i need to ride or run more as a way of commuting between work and home. not the easiest thing to do when work is a solid 30+ miles away. while i have run the full way to work i decided to take it a little easier on myself this morning by driving down the hill to make the run a short 25 miles. the trip home will only include an additional 6 or so miles as i will catch the train back to the car.
diet wise i am still planning on maintaining a primal selection of sorts but am allowing a window of carb consumption during the run and in the hour or two immediately following to allow some glycogen resplenishment to my heavily depleted muscles. i expect this is similar to what friel recommends in his book on the paleo diet for athletes. i will have to get my hands on it.
personal stats:
weight: 166lb (-6)
feeling: good
sleep: 4 hrs
legs: good
today's exercise:
run: 25 miles (3:05)
today's diet:
pre-run: black coffee + hornet juice
during run: 2 litres sports drink (watered down), 2 honey stingers
post-run: oats soaked in apple juice w/ mashed banana, dates, almonds, orange + black coffee
lunch: chicken w/ roast veggies (egg plant, peppers, olives) + green salad
snack: almonds, carrots
dinner: steak casserole w/ veggies
during my drive home last night i decided with the cost of fuel at an all time high i need to start making some greener choices. my decision? i need to ride or run more as a way of commuting between work and home. not the easiest thing to do when work is a solid 30+ miles away. while i have run the full way to work i decided to take it a little easier on myself this morning by driving down the hill to make the run a short 25 miles. the trip home will only include an additional 6 or so miles as i will catch the train back to the car.
diet wise i am still planning on maintaining a primal selection of sorts but am allowing a window of carb consumption during the run and in the hour or two immediately following to allow some glycogen resplenishment to my heavily depleted muscles. i expect this is similar to what friel recommends in his book on the paleo diet for athletes. i will have to get my hands on it.
personal stats:
weight: 166lb (-6)
feeling: good
sleep: 4 hrs
legs: good
today's exercise:
run: 25 miles (3:05)
today's diet:
pre-run: black coffee + hornet juice
during run: 2 litres sports drink (watered down), 2 honey stingers
post-run: oats soaked in apple juice w/ mashed banana, dates, almonds, orange + black coffee
lunch: chicken w/ roast veggies (egg plant, peppers, olives) + green salad
snack: almonds, carrots
dinner: steak casserole w/ veggies
Sunday, July 6, 2008
day 8:
after seven days on the primal challenge i can say it has been interesting. while i eat quite well generally i have noticed that i am eating more fruits and veggies due to the removal of those little extras that invade my daily diet. that piece of banana cake or muffin with my morning coffee and a late afternoon vending machine raid when i am in slide of the post-lunch carb crash have gone.
while the scales revealed that i replaced a little weight from my low on friday i think that was mainly from my muscles refilling their depleted energy stores. i made an effort to increase my carb intake after my intense and longer runs so that i didn't inhibit my run training effort. looking in the mirror i can definitely see some changes as i am starting to lean out a little mainly in the upper body.
personal stats:
weight: 166lb (-5)
feeling: tired
sleep: 6hr
legs: good
exercise:
run: 70' moderate (10 miles)
diet:
breakfast: bacon, spinach, egg, chilli beef + black coffee
snack: almonds, apple
lunch (post-run): oats, banana, apple, almonds
snack: raisins
dinner: red chilli chicken w/ vegetables (egg plant, broccoli, sweet potato)
snack (late): dates, banana
while the scales revealed that i replaced a little weight from my low on friday i think that was mainly from my muscles refilling their depleted energy stores. i made an effort to increase my carb intake after my intense and longer runs so that i didn't inhibit my run training effort. looking in the mirror i can definitely see some changes as i am starting to lean out a little mainly in the upper body.
personal stats:
weight: 166lb (-5)
feeling: tired
sleep: 6hr
legs: good
exercise:
run: 70' moderate (10 miles)
diet:
breakfast: bacon, spinach, egg, chilli beef + black coffee
snack: almonds, apple
lunch (post-run): oats, banana, apple, almonds
snack: raisins
dinner: red chilli chicken w/ vegetables (egg plant, broccoli, sweet potato)
snack (late): dates, banana
day 7:
long day yesterday.
personal stats:
weight: ?
feeling: low
sleep: poor (4-5hr broken)
legs: good
exercise:
run: 1:00 hr w/ sprints
diet:
pre-run: black coffee
breakfast: oats w/ raisins, nuts, honey + banana + black coffee
snack: walnuts, mandarine
lunch: marinated beef, turkey, ham w/ tomato, avocado + berries
snack: walnuts, dried apricots, currants + black coffee
dinner: steamed veggies (broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, carrots) w/ chilli con carne (ground beef, chillies, tomatoes, etc)
today's summary:
not the best day all round. mental and emotional energy low after yesterday's incident which saw an emergency dental visit for one of my boys followed by a long night. i think i have made good food choices this week but over the last two days i have felt i have eaten a little too much. i think i eat more when the family is around as that is what is expected. that would be ok if the training volume was up where it should be but at the moment i think i am lucky to be hitting over 7-10 hours a week. need to make it up next week. with three weeks to go to marathon day maybe a little forced overtraining (crash training), consisting of high volume-medium intensity will be in order. followed by a high volume-low intensity week and a short low volume taper.
personal stats:
weight: ?
feeling: low
sleep: poor (4-5hr broken)
legs: good
exercise:
run: 1:00 hr w/ sprints
diet:
pre-run: black coffee
breakfast: oats w/ raisins, nuts, honey + banana + black coffee
snack: walnuts, mandarine
lunch: marinated beef, turkey, ham w/ tomato, avocado + berries
snack: walnuts, dried apricots, currants + black coffee
dinner: steamed veggies (broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, carrots) w/ chilli con carne (ground beef, chillies, tomatoes, etc)
today's summary:
not the best day all round. mental and emotional energy low after yesterday's incident which saw an emergency dental visit for one of my boys followed by a long night. i think i have made good food choices this week but over the last two days i have felt i have eaten a little too much. i think i eat more when the family is around as that is what is expected. that would be ok if the training volume was up where it should be but at the moment i think i am lucky to be hitting over 7-10 hours a week. need to make it up next week. with three weeks to go to marathon day maybe a little forced overtraining (crash training), consisting of high volume-medium intensity will be in order. followed by a high volume-low intensity week and a short low volume taper.
Friday, July 4, 2008
day 6:
personal stats:
weight: 164lb (-7)
feeling: great
sleep: good (7-8hrs)
legs: good
exercise:
rest day
diet:
breakfast: eggs, bacon, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes + banana + black coffee
snack: walnuts
lunch: marinated beef, turkey, ham w/ tomato, avocado + berries
snack: walnuts, mandarin
dinner: salad w/ spiced chicken and avocado
snack: raisins, banana
today's summary:
decided to take a rest day and see if it helped remove some of the accumalated fatigue from my legs.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
day 5:
each day i am learning something new or remembering something old!
stepping on the scales this morning i wasn't expecting to see a change but I am down another 500g (1 pound). while my goal is not weight loss (well not in terms of bodyweight) but rather i am more focused on life change, wellness and of course setting and overcoming a personal challenge.
i was feeling like i was stuck in the groove of everyday life and was neglecting myself - physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. i am discovering while on this journey we don't need to find time to make changes in our lives we just need to commit to making and sticking to small every day improvements. as a husband and father of many, worker and marathon/ultra runner that is a good thing. time is not something i have a lot of and i need to make work the time i have available.
personal stats:
weight: 164lb (-7)
feeling: great
sleep: not enough
legs: good (but a little sore)
exercise:
run: 1:40' moderately-hard
diet:
breakfast: 3 eggs w/ turmeric, tomato, carrot + banana + black coffee
snack: almonds
pre-run: apple, banana (2h prior) + black coffee (1h prior)
during run: 100ml sports drink every 15mins (48g C)
lunch: chicken snitzel w/ garden salad, carrot (2), 50g sultanas (32g C) + organic weetbix (20g C) + 250ml sports drink (15g C)
snack: dip (tuna, avocado, chilli)
dinner: large green salad w/ sun-dried tomatoes, salami, cheeses
snack: raisins, banana
summary:
ran 14.3 miles out and back run along the marathon course. out in 51' average pace 7:08 min/mile and back in 47' average pace 6:34. absolutely spent! even my arm and chest muscles are sore post-run. wonder what's going on there. i am assuming it has something to do with glycogen depletion and supplying energy i need during the run. i didn't bring in enough food for an adequate post-run recovery meal and as there will be no vending machine raid to grab something full of simple sugars we'll see how things go.
found myself a little depleted after the run and it took some extra carbs to feel better. not the best choices for a post-recovery meal and i will need to plan my meals a little better before i leave home in the morning. finished up the day with a great dinner and followed it up with a few extra carbs in the form of a banana and raisins. feel i need a bit of extra energy going into the weekend with two days renovation work and a planned longer run on the trails and hills on sunday.
stepping on the scales this morning i wasn't expecting to see a change but I am down another 500g (1 pound). while my goal is not weight loss (well not in terms of bodyweight) but rather i am more focused on life change, wellness and of course setting and overcoming a personal challenge.
i was feeling like i was stuck in the groove of everyday life and was neglecting myself - physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. i am discovering while on this journey we don't need to find time to make changes in our lives we just need to commit to making and sticking to small every day improvements. as a husband and father of many, worker and marathon/ultra runner that is a good thing. time is not something i have a lot of and i need to make work the time i have available.
personal stats:
weight: 164lb (-7)
feeling: great
sleep: not enough
legs: good (but a little sore)
exercise:
run: 1:40' moderately-hard
diet:
breakfast: 3 eggs w/ turmeric, tomato, carrot + banana + black coffee
snack: almonds
pre-run: apple, banana (2h prior) + black coffee (1h prior)
during run: 100ml sports drink every 15mins (48g C)
lunch: chicken snitzel w/ garden salad, carrot (2), 50g sultanas (32g C) + organic weetbix (20g C) + 250ml sports drink (15g C)
snack: dip (tuna, avocado, chilli)
dinner: large green salad w/ sun-dried tomatoes, salami, cheeses
snack: raisins, banana
summary:
ran 14.3 miles out and back run along the marathon course. out in 51' average pace 7:08 min/mile and back in 47' average pace 6:34. absolutely spent! even my arm and chest muscles are sore post-run. wonder what's going on there. i am assuming it has something to do with glycogen depletion and supplying energy i need during the run. i didn't bring in enough food for an adequate post-run recovery meal and as there will be no vending machine raid to grab something full of simple sugars we'll see how things go.
found myself a little depleted after the run and it took some extra carbs to feel better. not the best choices for a post-recovery meal and i will need to plan my meals a little better before i leave home in the morning. finished up the day with a great dinner and followed it up with a few extra carbs in the form of a banana and raisins. feel i need a bit of extra energy going into the weekend with two days renovation work and a planned longer run on the trails and hills on sunday.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
day 4:
last night before going to be i emailed aaron from mark's daily apple about some concerns i had trying to undertake the 30 day primal challenge whilst in my last month of hard marathon training trying for that elusive sub 3 hour marathon (i also have a 90k ultra trail run 2 weeks later). he responded quickly and provided some useful information that i will take into consideration. i will post a more detailed synopsis on how i will apply my take on the primal blueprint whilst training hard with some modifications in the details of course.
personal stats:
weight: 165lb (-6)
feeling: good
sleep: 4hrs (not good)
legs: good
exercise:
run: 1h35' w/ last 20' on trails
diet:
pre-run: black coffee
breakfast: porridge (1cup oats, sultanas, crushed walnuts, honey, cinnamon), apple + black coffee
lunch: pork spare ribs, steamed veggies, small green salad + black coffee
snack: almonds, carrot
dinner: corned beef, cabbage, steamed veggies (carrots, broccoli, cauliflower)
snack: sultanas, apple + black coffee
today's summary:
headed out for an early morning 10k run before meeting friends back at the house to add another hour or so to the run. about 30mins into it my quads starting aching, which concerned me somewhat but it only lasted for a short 5-10mins. i was feeling quite tired when i got back to the house so grabbed a banana and washed it down with some water before heading back out. finished up the run with time on the fire trails and along some nice technical single track as the sun was coming up.
personal stats:
weight: 165lb (-6)
feeling: good
sleep: 4hrs (not good)
legs: good
exercise:
run: 1h35' w/ last 20' on trails
diet:
pre-run: black coffee
breakfast: porridge (1cup oats, sultanas, crushed walnuts, honey, cinnamon), apple + black coffee
lunch: pork spare ribs, steamed veggies, small green salad + black coffee
snack: almonds, carrot
dinner: corned beef, cabbage, steamed veggies (carrots, broccoli, cauliflower)
snack: sultanas, apple + black coffee
today's summary:
headed out for an early morning 10k run before meeting friends back at the house to add another hour or so to the run. about 30mins into it my quads starting aching, which concerned me somewhat but it only lasted for a short 5-10mins. i was feeling quite tired when i got back to the house so grabbed a banana and washed it down with some water before heading back out. finished up the run with time on the fire trails and along some nice technical single track as the sun was coming up.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
day 3:
today marks the third day of the nutrition cycle in which i will switch from eating a high protein/low-carb diet to a high carb/low-fat diet in anticipation of the hard run workout at lunch and long run tomorrow morning before work.
the last two days have gone well and i was surprised how good i was feeling throughout the previous days. while eating low-carb i am noticing that i am free of the energy fluctuations and mood swings that i usually experience throughout the day and there has been no post-lunch crash which is typically experienced around 3pm. feeling pretty mellow.
personal stats:
weight: 166lb (-5)
feeling: great, relaxed
sleep: 6.5 hours
legs: good
exercise:
run: 45' hard w/ 6k of VO2 intervals
diet:
breakfast: 1 cup oats, 1/2 cup milk, sultanas, cinnamon, 1 wholemeal toast w/ jam + black coffee
snack: banana
lunch: tuna sandwich w/ tomato, dujon, mayo on wholemeal, apple + black coffee
snack: 2 organic weetbix, handful almonds
dinner: tuna w/ avocado, lemon juice, red chili, pepper + steamed veggies (zucchini, cauliflower, carrots) + green tea
today's summary:
averaged better than 6min/mile for the main part of the session but didn't feel comfortable - had to push through the last two intervals. ended up cutting the session short before i continued to grind myself into the ground trying to complete the workout. long run tomorrow morning which is where i need to emphasise my training at the moment. the surprise was how great and loose my legs felt immediately after the shower.
as for the diet. well.... i don't feel as good as i did over the last two days and my energy, concenration and awareness levels seem to be fluctuating. i am also noticing that i am craving food more between meals and i don't feel as satisfied after i have eaten. i have a feeling i have in the past reached for the quick-fix simple sugar snack in search of a quick pick me due to a lack of sleep and the energy slump which follows on from a high carbohydrate main meal. i think i will eat some carbs immediately following the long run and then transition to low-carb for the next 2-3 days.
the last two days have gone well and i was surprised how good i was feeling throughout the previous days. while eating low-carb i am noticing that i am free of the energy fluctuations and mood swings that i usually experience throughout the day and there has been no post-lunch crash which is typically experienced around 3pm. feeling pretty mellow.
personal stats:
weight: 166lb (-5)
feeling: great, relaxed
sleep: 6.5 hours
legs: good
exercise:
run: 45' hard w/ 6k of VO2 intervals
diet:
breakfast: 1 cup oats, 1/2 cup milk, sultanas, cinnamon, 1 wholemeal toast w/ jam + black coffee
snack: banana
lunch: tuna sandwich w/ tomato, dujon, mayo on wholemeal, apple + black coffee
snack: 2 organic weetbix, handful almonds
dinner: tuna w/ avocado, lemon juice, red chili, pepper + steamed veggies (zucchini, cauliflower, carrots) + green tea
today's summary:
averaged better than 6min/mile for the main part of the session but didn't feel comfortable - had to push through the last two intervals. ended up cutting the session short before i continued to grind myself into the ground trying to complete the workout. long run tomorrow morning which is where i need to emphasise my training at the moment. the surprise was how great and loose my legs felt immediately after the shower.
as for the diet. well.... i don't feel as good as i did over the last two days and my energy, concenration and awareness levels seem to be fluctuating. i am also noticing that i am craving food more between meals and i don't feel as satisfied after i have eaten. i have a feeling i have in the past reached for the quick-fix simple sugar snack in search of a quick pick me due to a lack of sleep and the energy slump which follows on from a high carbohydrate main meal. i think i will eat some carbs immediately following the long run and then transition to low-carb for the next 2-3 days.
after reading the primal challenge post again before leaving work i decided when i got home to start eating low-carb again but this time more closely following the blueprint guidelines. i will be interested to see how my long run goes in the morning.
came across this while reading the latest post from conditioning research on athletic performance and low carb - very interesting!
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