End of an era.. but the start of a new one!

It was a tough night last night. I went to bed early because of my long run early alarm call, but Joanne was really poorly last and was in excruciating pain throughout the night. I was up with her a couple of times - every time she went off, she convulsed in pain again and woke herself up. The doctors appointment cant come soon enough!

We (the GB Bootcamps Massif) have just learned that it is no more (in its current format anyway). Its very sad news but the reasons behind it are totally understandable. I will miss it so much though as its been my "escape" for two and a half years now and literally saved my life. I will continue on though, with a renewed determination and with the help of my Bootcamp friends we will endeavour to still train together when we can.
Cheers GB, its been an amazing journey, you've given my the tools and the belief to continue onwards.

Running 30.33miles 10.13 / mile  5:09 hours
My alarm went off at 4:30am. I toyed with the idea of not going out, but I knew I couldn't fit the 5 hour run in any other time. So I got up and had a small breakfast and an espresso, got ready and headed out. Sunrise is gradually fading away as the year progresses and it was dark when I set off. I had to dig out some "flashers" for my kit, Ive got two LED flashing lamps for my bag, one red and one white.
With the lights steadily blinking away, I made my way across Jubilee Bridge. The lights of the DDH and town shimmered in the early morning tide. It looked amazing and peaceful, so I stopped for a quick pic:

View of Barrow and the DDH from Jubilee Bridge (5:10am)

 I carried on through town and out towards the coastal road to Ulverston. I passed a few revellers on the "walk of shame" from Saturday night out and remembered back many years when that used to be me! As I made my way beyond Roose the sky was beginning to lighten and heat the air up. I was only doing about 9:30/ mi but I was sweating after 3 miles. My cap went in my bag soon after. I made my way onto the coast road and cantered along at a nice easy pace. As I passed my good friend and training partners house, I felt a little sad as I miss Sunday morning runs with Michael and Ricky. We haven't run together for a few months as our goals separated in June - Both of them doing Ironman and myself the Ultra. I cant wait until we are back training for our next event together, probably the Grizedale Marathon in February.

The Sun was rising into the cloudy horizon directly ahead of me and I watched two hot air balloons ascend over the south Cumbrian and Lancashire hills in the distance. The sun poked its head out between the clouds and I stopped for a drink and to take a picture, overlooking Morecambe Bay Sands:

The Sands of Morecambe Bay

I descended through the dense and lush Sea Wood at Bardsea and came across a signposted path that led into the forest. This wasn't the day to explore but I would be back with my son to see what we can find in the future. The temperature was rising quickly so I continued to take on electrolytes and made sure my fuelling was spot on. The fuelling was really good today, I never felt lacking in energy throughout the run. I spotted the Hoad Hill Monument in the distance. I had envisioned myself having breakfast (a bag of nuts and seeds) at the top and nothing was going to change that today. Ulverston was quickly upon me and I made my way through to Ford Park at the foot of the Hill. I ascended up the path towards the top and only power hiked the last section. I sat down on the refreshingly dewy wet grass and tucked into my snack while I looked upon the amazing vista in front of me:

Breakfast on Hoad Hill

I packed up, took the quick way down (steep grassy bank on the Ford Park side) and made my way out of Ulverston onto the A590. From there it was a straight run through to Dalton so I put my headphones on and some classic rock accompanied me along side the busy road. I ran out of water just where I had planned to - Dalton. There are a couple of newsagents open early that I use to refill my water bottles. The very nice lady behind the counter took one look at me and asked if Id been running. When I told her 22miles with 8 to go she looked at me in disbelief and wished me good luck. Refuelled, I set back to it up and out of Dalton past Clarence house. From my route plan I knew if I ran through Askham Brick works it would take me well over 30 miles, so I cut off that leg of the run and descended St Helens Hill (a nice change as I usually run up it!). From there I cut across the dual carriageway and around Stroke one.

I was starting to feel heavy legged by that point. It had been a big mileage week and it was starting to tell. But that's the point of these runs, to get used to high mileage on tired legs. I ploughed forwards down Park Road all the way to KFC and turned towards Walney. I knew I had two more miles to do but it was only one to home. I ran straight up to Sandy Gap and along to Biggar Bank. My legs were nearly done by this point but I relentlessly cracked on with only 1/2 a mile to go. Then it was just an easy jog down the hill to home, clocking just over 30 miles. I felt really good after it and had a good
20 min stretch in the garden while drinking my protein shake.

Unfortunately my wife was still quite ill and exhausted from last night so she had to go back to bed on my return. The pain had taken so much out of her. It meant I had to keep going today and perhaps its a reason why I can run long distances. I have to keep going, looking after my family,washing, ironing, cooking etc even after a 30 mile run. My right ITB is tired now though (about 8pm) and needs some attention tonight. I reckon I will drop like a stone later!

An Epic but tiring run with some amazing views of the coast.

Food Diary:

Pre Run Breakfast:
2x Fuel Wheat Protein Bricks with Blueberries and Skimmed Milk

Run Fuelling:
3x Gels, 3x Asda GFY Oat Bars, Handful of Nuts and seeds, 3x electrolyte tablets, 2 ltrs water

Post Run Protein Shake:
Berry and Banana Blast: Frozen Berries, Banana, Hemp Protein, Coconut and Almond Milk, chia seeds

Breakfast:
Large bowl of Mini Shredded Wheat with loads of blueberries, honey and skimmed milk

Lunch
Wholemeal Wrap with Smoked Salmon and Goats Cheese, rocket salad with mango dressing

Dinner: (Recovery)
Homemade Chicken Tikka with Coconut Basmati Rice and half a naan bread and a dollop of Mango Chutney

Snacks:
2x Apples, Oatcakes and Humus

Planning for a 30 miler

Quite a busy day today. I let myself have a little sleep in today and woke about 8:50am feeling refreshed. I had a ten miler to do today as well as a "big shop" ready for next weeks self catering holiday in a caravan. Joannes Mum took her out for lunch today to cheer her up a bit and Oliver was at my Mums so after I had been shopping and put it all away, I had just enough time to run before everyone returned to make my life hell (only joking!!!). 

Running : 10.49 miles  7:51/mi  1:22 hours

Because Im running 30 miles tomorrow the 10 miler needed to be fairly easy so I opted to stay on the island. I used my usual 7 mile circuit + a 1.5 mile extension out and back towards South End of Walney. I noticed earlier that the sun was very hot when it wasn't covered in cloud, so I slapped on some factor 50 before I set out. If I ever go over 8 miles I always take my bottle belt with me. It has two 300ml bottles on it and I needed them today. It was a muggy run, even though there was a stiff breeze coming in from the sea and I was sweating after only a couple of miles. I felt really good throughout the run and noticed my pace had picked up a bit so I went with it, running to feel. When I got home and looked at my Garmin (I have it in watch mode when I run so I cant see the pace) I had been running at 7:51/mi pace which was a bit fast for todays run, I hope it doesn't bite me tomorrow.

Overall a good run teeing me up nicely for 30 tomorrow.

Planning for 30 miles:

I had an idea of a route in my head based on some other runs Ive done added together. I thought if I went from Walney to Rampside, then along the coastroad to Ulverston, have breakfast up by the Hoad Monument then come back via the main road, taking in Askam Brickworks should get me 30miles. I plotted it on Garmin Route Planner and it works out about 29.8 miles! Good guess or what! I also needed it to drop into Dalton so I can pick up some water to refuel. I got all my gear ready and Ive set my alarm for 4:30am. I plan to be out for 5am and back at 10am averaging a 10 min/mile easy pace. Heres my kit for tomorrow:

LSR Fuel: I fuel every 30mins after 90min  of running so Im looking at 7 or 8 fuel gels or bars. I prefer to alternate gel and solids every 1/2 hour and Ive found it works well for me. Ive got some nuts, seeds and dried fruit for my half way breakfast too!

Heres my planned route:

Garmin Connect - Ultra Training LSR 30 miles

Kit for the run:

Salomon Vest, Twin Skin Compression Shorts and Compresport Calf Guards

Ultimate Direction SJ race vest, 2x 500ml bottles, Cap with neck shade, Electrolytes,
Lipbalm, Flapjack, 3x oat bars, 5x gels, bag of nuts and seeds, sports cam, mobile phone,
first aid pack, waterproof jacket, £2 for water

Food Diary:

Pre Shopping Breakfast ;)
2x "Fuel" protein wheat bricks with honey, skimmed milk and blueberries

Post Run Lunch:
3 eggs scrambled on two sliced of wholemeal toast with a bit of smoked salmon on top!

Dinner:
Youngs Basa Fillet (using up the food in the freezer!) with Tomato Risotto Rice, chilli wilted spinach, asparagus and baby co

Basa Fillet with Risotto

Snacks:
Apple, banana, oat bar, Dark Chocolate Kinder Bueno (very naughty, I know), nuts and seeds

No Strength work on my back to back weekend long runs!

The Hills are Alive....

Its been a hard, dark day today. Oliver has been out with his carer this morning so I could get some jobs done, but Joanne has been in bed with excruciating pain again. It so difficult to watch her when shes having an "attack" (I don't know what else to call it!). The pain grips hold of her chest, takes all her breath away and cripples her for about a minute.  I just have to be there for her and hold her hand during these episodes. I feel utterly helpless and it brings me down so much. Im so worried about her physical and mental health at the moment, it seems to be getting worse and worse like her body is caught up in a feedback loop of pain. From the outside she looks fine and I think thats only what people see and it creates such a false façade of our lives.
Once I got her settled, made her some lunch and finished my jobs (cleaning, washing, making beds etc) I had about 1hr 30 min left before Oliver got home. I desperately needed a therapy session! My mood was really low and I know the minute he came home I wouldn't be able to get out. So I mustered up some energy and got ready to go out.

Running: 7.36 miles  10.41 /mi  Hill Reps Session

Todays session was a hill session, just the therapy I needed. I laced up my trainers and set out. I was headed for the Slag Banks - so named from the local prostitute trade that goes on at night there. Only joking, they are the remnants from Barrows illustrious Iron Ore trade from which the leftover slag from the process was dumped, and over the years created a massive hill seen from everywhere in the town.

The Slag Bank
 

I sped out, over Jubilee Bridge and onto Red Mans Way, which runs parallel along Walney Channel. The tide was in and it was blustery but I didn't care today, I just needed to run. I had my music on today, it helps me drift off into my own world. I pushed hard along the path and skipped up the set of steps that line the path. Its a great warm up, doing high knees, and fast feet on the steps, mobilizing my body ready for the hill work. I had taken my sports camera with me for a field test so I spent some of the run with it in front of me and panning across the landscape.
I got to the Slag Banks and my mood had lifted. Is such a good area for hill work with a sharp and steep banking on one side and a long track on the other for a longer run. I set my camera up at the bottom and powered up the slope. I suddenly felt amazing, the blood flowing through my body, coursing into my heart, pumping it harder and harder. A smile appeared on my face and I started to enjoy it. I recovered at the top for about 10 seconds and powered down again, bombing down the hill, brakes off, brain disengaged. I got to the bottom and laughed outloud, it was brilliant fun. I repeated the hill a few more times then moved onto the longer track. I moved the camera round and ran up the gravelly trail. At the top it gave me amazing views of the Duddon Estuary overlooked by the mighty Black Combe. I turned and flew back down, this time bouncing and leaping from rock to rock, vaulting the fence and indulging in some hill parkour.
I was buzzing, the kid in me pushed the adult into the channel and drove me up some more hills." Lets explore" he said, "follow me". With the camera in hand I went over the far side of the hill, dropping down the trail and running along the edge by the channel. It was exhilarating!
This is why I run.
Nothing felt like an effort, just really fluid and fun. I was having an absolute ball, my body felt strong and light as I powered up the hills and I had forgotten all about home. I finished off my hill repeats and started the 2 mile jog home. I made my way back along the path energized and happy, occasionally jumping on a bench and powering off or balancing on the small wall that runs along side the path - just like my 8 year old does.  I gently ambled across the bridge and back home. I felt as if the cloud had been lifted from me and I headed home with a clear head ready for round 2 when Oliver Got home!

An absolutely amazing and fun session!!! I will post the video if I get chance to edit it!

Strength Workout - All done unbroken again with 3 min plank. I will up the reps by 5 next week and see how I go and GB Bootcamps will be starting again soon!

Food Diary:

Breakfast:
Oatso Simple Porridge with Chia Seeds, Cashew nuts and Linseeds

Snacks:
Homemade Banana Oat Bar, 3 apples, Oatcakes and Humus, Olives

Sticky Pork, Weird Horse Elephant Ginger?, treat, strange mix of stir fry veg

Post Run Lunch
3 Egg Spinach and Tomato Omelette, with a little grated cheese and rocket salad

Dinner:
Sticky Honey and Ginger Pork with Stir fried Vegetables and Wholemeal Noodles

The root ginger looked like a hybrid elephant, horse and a shrew??? Bizarre but fun.
The Vegetables were all I had left (big shop tomorrow) and bizarrely my wife said they were the nicest stir fry shed had in ages. It consisted of Parsnip, pepper, courgette, celery, fennel and sugar snap peas, fried in Rice Vinegar. Delicious!

Yoo Moo Frozen Yoghurt Lolly

A Bolt of inspiration

Ive had a fairly busy day today. Early morning run, then Oliver and I went for our holiday hair cut. I was so proud of Oliver, he did really well and only got a bit agitated towards the end. I then took him to trade in all his old Peppa Pig and Thomas DVDs for a new Xbox Game. Hes growing up so fast!  After lunch I got the ironing board out (I hate ironing.. have I ever told you?) and put all the name labels into his new school uniform.
To take my mind off it I watched the World Championships on the laptop and was totally blown away by some amazing performances. I wanted to go for a run there and then especially after watching Mr Bolt! Yes hes full of bravado but he was under pressure today at the 200m from Gaitlin. He stamped his authority on the race despite the season hes had. An amazing and inspirational performance. I was really impressed with the GB 200m sprinter Dena Asher-Smith. Shes only 19, ran perfectly and smashed her semi final. Tomorrows Womens 200m final is going to be a belter!

 After I finished the ironing I had a bit of time to do some cooking. I love cooking and I used to work in restaurants when I was younger so I know my way around a kitchen!

Today Ive been mostly hungry! On a serious note I need to watch my food intake especially after a hard session like yesterdays tempo. Im normally good at noticing if I need refuelling and will adjust my food intake accordingly.


Running: 7.20 miles  9:13/mi  1:03 hours Recovery Pace.

My alarm went off about 6am this morning. I got up, had an espresso to light the fire and set out for a recovery run. I definitely needed it after yesterdays tempo run, I was as stiff as hell this morning.

One good thing about my loop circuit is if I need to cut the run short Im only ever about a mile or two from home. I didn't need it today though as the stiffness passed about mile 3. I know my body well enough now to judge whether or not its an injury or just DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness after a hard workout or run). Because of the length of my next challenge I have to listen to my body and adjust training as required. There is nothing to be gained by training when your hurt or too tired.

It was quite blustery this morning (again) but living and training on a island in the Irish Sea you learn to deal with it, they don't call it "Windy Walney" for nothing! In fact Im sure its in the record books for being the windiest lowland in England. As I mentioned earlier, my right quad and glutes were really tight so I took it carefully, walking in parts to stretch my legs out. I carried on and as the blood started pumping I felt much better and got into a steady rhythm. I ran my usual route and made my way back home without any issues. Just as I crossed the last road, a ghost runner passed me from an echo of my run yesterday. I thought back to how quickly I had ran yesterday compared to today. Myself from yesterday, sped past, breathing hard. He shouted "morning" as he passed and
I chuckled and said "See Ya" in my mind.

A nice gentle run that was easier towards the end when I warmed up.

Once home, I had a gentle stretch and I was ravenous so I had some cereal and a slice of wholemeal toast with peanut butter.

Strength and Core work tonight and Ive got a hill reps set to do tomorrow.


Food Diary

Breakfast:
2x Protein Fuel bricks with skimmed milk, honey and berries, slice of wholemeal toast with peanut butter.

Lunch:
Mackerel and Quinoa salad, topped with chilli flavoured seed mix

Snacks:
Oliver and I shared a fruit platter, Asda Oat bar, 1x Peanut butter Oreo (which Ive never had before and it was bloody lovely), Homemade humus and a cracker, banana, Homemade Banana and apple oat bar.

Fruit Platter, Mackerel Salad, Banana Oat Bars, Stuffed Chicken

Dinner:
Chicken Breast, wrapped in Prosciutto ham and stuffed with basil and asparagus, brown rice, homemade tomato ragu, roast vegetables (peppers, aubergine, courgette, fennel bulb, asparagus, red onion, smoked paprika + olive oil)

Homemade Banana, Apple and Oat Bar

Drinks:
Espresso, a few coffees and lots of bottled water.

 

Raising the tempo...

A tempo session awaited me today. I woke early, but I wasn't running until lunch time. Oliver was going out with his carer until 1pm so,  a.I wanted to warm my body up before my hard tempo set and b. The house was a state and in serious need of a good blitz.
So with Oliver out, it was an idea opportunity for some housework.  Joanne was really unwell today. Im getting really worried about her mental health too, shes so down. Weve got another doctors appointment soon to see if we can get her some answers (weve already seen tons of specialists!!) .
 I finished cleaning around lunch time and just had enough time to go for my run before Oliver returned. I made Jo some lunch, got changed and headed out.

(Sorry the tempo run description has turned into an essay!!)

Running 6.1 mile tempo (10k) + 1/2 mile each warm up and warm down   6:29 / mi  39.37min

I set off and ran to Walney bridge to warm up for a tempo session. It had been a while since Id done a hard and fast run so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. The route, as ive mentioned before, is relatively flat so its a great test circuit for me. I can gauge my results and compare them to previous efforts to keep an eye on my fitness. I normally can knock a 40min 10k out on a good day when my fitness is good, so this was going to be my benchmark for todays run. I was expecting a 42 or 44 min 10k!

I pressed play on my Ipod and set off way too quickly, the adrenalin coursed through me as I pounded down the promenade to North Scale. I soon settled into a good pace of just over 6 min / mile. I was breathing hard at the end of the first mile but it gives me a massive buzz, pushing myself over the edge and seeing just how long I can sustain the pace.

Mile 2 was much the same, except I have to run down a winding country lane and switch from side to side a few times for an early view of any traffic. As I made my way onto the coastal path the wind picked up and the run started to become a struggle against the strong ocean gusts. Ive been here a thousand times before and you just have to work harder - submitting to the wind is not an option. I pushed hard as I made progress along the sandy trail section, head down, powering into the wind. I looked up and my bloody hat blew off into the gauze bushes. I spent a few valuable seconds retrieving it, tightened the strap and ploughed onwards. My breath was becoming laboured as I passed the 5k mark and my body started its usual grumble - "OK you've had your fun, now can we stop!". My mind, as resolute as ever told my body, in no uncertain terms, "stop being a baby, shut the f**k up and keep moving".
Mile 3 had been a slower 7:36 /mi pace because of the stop and the wind.

I absolutely love tempo sessions, 5k races (parkrun) and 10k races. They are short enough to really push yourself. The feeling within me is like Im letting go of all my hurt, anger and frustration that my life brings. Because Im a carer for both Joanne and Oliver I feel and think its unfair of me to discuss and let out my negative feelings in front of them. So like a typical bloke I store all these emotions way down deep in the well of my mind. Running has totally become my therapy and I can let it all out.  I use these very negative and powerful emotions to fuel my run, pushing it all to the forefront, letting it consume me as I push harder and harder. For this reason I run with music on my tempo sessions. But not any music will do, there is no Britney or Adele on my playlists. Its got to be angry, thumping music full of rage and breakneck beats. Some classic Sex Pistols or some Prodigy get my heart raging, ready to push my body to the extremes - Try running to "Anarchy in the UK" or " Fire Starter or Breathe" and you will see what I mean. Before you know it youll be firing on all cylinders, the wind blowing in your hair, your lungs burning and your heart beating in your throat (and a very technical term.. " Blowing out of your arse!")

It felt like I was running slower with a slight lean to my right to compensate the wind strength as I passed Biggar Bank but a quick check of my Garmin told me I was maintaining a steady 6:30/mi pace. Mile 4 was a 6.32 /mi and I stuck with this pace for the rest of the coastal path and turned off at Thorney Nook towards Biggar Village. It was if a switch had been flipped as the wind was instantly stopped by the trees and hedgerows on the lane. My body was burning from inside. Good, this is what I wanted, this is what its like to feel alive, on the edge of collapse, redlining it all the way. I pushed the pace a bit more, knowing there was only a mile and a half to go. Mile 5 was quicker at 6:21 / mi so I pushed even harder for the last mile, testing my body, my resilience and my will. There was no wind to halt my progress as I ran down the winding road, breathing really heavily and sweating under the midday sun. Nearly there, nearly finished, keep going, keep pushing, ignore the pain. I crossed over the road and 0.1miles remained of the 10k circuit. The hammer went down as I went beyond tiredness and exhaustion. I sprint finished the final 100 yards then slowed to a walk. Mile 6.1 had been a 6.12/ mi. I stopped my Garmin - 39:37 - I`ll have that!
All that remained was an easy jog round the corner to my house to lower my heart rate. I made a protein shake (see food diary) and had a good long stretch in the garden.

Overall:
An absolutely exhilarating run that I worked hard for and I now feel brilliant, re-energized and totally de-stressed!

PS - To put things into perspective, I thought that was quick and hard but Mo Farah did this distance last week 14 minutes quicker. Utterly ridiculous - WOW!

Sub 40min 10k - Very happy with that!

Food Diary:
Breakfast: Oatso Simple Porridge with chia seeds, raspberries, blueberries and a drizzle of honey

Snacks:
Banana, 2 "thins" Crackers with humus,

Post Run Protein Shake:
Berry Blitz: Frozen berries, coconut and almond milk, hemp protein, Linseeds,

Spinach Omelette, Moroccan Lamb with Couscous, Berry Blitz Parrot?, Fruit Salad

Lunch:
3 Egg spinach omelette with a little grated cheese, rocket side salad and tarragon dressing

A bowl of chopped fruit with fat free natural yoghurt, topped with a teaspoon of my mums homemade jam and a few seeds.

Dinner:
Moroccan Lamb with Pea and Sundried Tomato Couscous, steamed vegetables and roasted peppers. Topped with a dollop of homemade Humus.


I finished the evening with a strength session and I managed each set of reps totally unbroken! The fitness is definitely increasing. It will be interesting to see what its like come race day!
A few knots had appeared in my lower legs so a good roller session caused me great pleasure and great pain in equal measure! I also got the lacrosse ball out tonight and went in search of my piriformis as Id felt it tightening earlier. OOOH it hurts so good.......


PS. Class. the Eagles have just come on the radio as Im about to publish this blog. "Hotel California" - I could listen to its stirring melodies and eerie guitar riffs all day. What a way to end the day :)

Its all downhill from here...

Back into training again after yesterdays rest day. I ran 7 miles this morning, had a bit of time in the kitchen and made some humus then we went out for a gentle walk after lunch. We walked the Abbey path, past Parkhouse Dairies for a mile, turned around and walked back. Oliver doesn't like walking far and I had to motivate him quite a few times. On the return I took him up to the top of the Amphitheatre for a view of Furness Abbey and for a crash course in downhill technique. He was right on the edge of excitement and fear as I took his hand and started running (slowly) down the hill. He laughed his head off as we descended, saying he was going to fall all the way down but we didnt. I managed to control him and the descent just enough to keep it exciting for him. He loved it and so did I! Its great sharing little moments like that with him. I absolutely love being a dad!

Furness Abbey from the top of the Amphitheatre

Running: 7.2miles     9.15/mil  Recovery pace

Im not at work this week so I don't have to get up earlier. The alarm went off at 6am. I still have to get out before Oliver gets up, as he gets upset if I try and go out when hes awake.
I set off and if Im honest it was a bloody slog for the first 2 miles. Considering how good I felt yesterday, this morning I felt lethargic and my lower back was very stiff (probably from sleeping prone last night). However after the first couple of miles I warmed into the run and started to enjoy it. The tide was nearly in as I ran along the coastal path and it had brought a light breeze with it which made it feel cool. Further along the beach I heard the familiar screeching of a massive flock of Oyster catchers as they waded in the shallow water. Its such an amazing sight seeing so many of the black and white birds on the shore and they would be really well camouflaged against the pebbles if they didn't make such a racket! I warmed up a bit on the return leg of the run and stripped off my tshirt to my vest and enjoyed the breezes cooling effect as I made my way along the prom.
What started out as a crappy run finished as a nice morning jog around Walney.

Strength, core and mobility workout


Food Diary:

Breakfast:
Nutribullet Veggie Smoothie: Banana, Almonds, Kale, strawberries, apple, blueberries and pineapple.

Lunch:
Wholemeal Wrap with homemade humus, smoked salmon pieces, spinach and asparagus tips with a small side salad and some amazing Orange and Mustard dressing which came with the salmon (from aldi £1.99!!)

Salmon Wraps, homemade humus, breakfast smoothie ingredients.

Snacks:
Asda GFY fruit bar, 2x apples, banana, 2 "thins" crackers with humus.

Dinner:
Gammon with Spelt grains, Peppercorn mushrooms and leeks, orange carrots and maple mustard sprouts (sprouts sound weird but they are a taste sensation!!)

1 scoop of homemade raspberry, honey and coconut sorbet

Drinks:
My usual pre run espresso, lots of bottled water and a few coffees, topped off with a ginger and honey tea.

 

Rest day

Well its been one week since I started my challenge. I feel really good and Ive had some good runs through the week. Im off work now so I will hopefully be less tired in the mornings. Today is a rest day, so its time to refuel, rest and relax. Im feeling really good after yesterdays marathon. No aches, pains or even stiffness, hopefully thats a good sign of things to come!

The relaxing part is hard today as Oliver has been very anxious and has had a few meltdowns. It always leaves him totally drained, confused and feeling very down and sorry. Its really confusing for him to have all these emotions condensed into one outburst. Bless him, I wish I could take it for him!

Nobody wanted to do anything today, so we didn't, just a lazy pyjama type of day (although I still have to cook, clean and do the washing etc) I think we all needed it.

Ive had a good look at last weeks blogs and other than them being mind numbingly boring to anyone but me, they have been a good record of my training plan and food intake.

Exercise:
Week 1 : totals : ran : 63.20 miles  walked: 13.15 miles.
3x strength sessions

Nutrition : Not a bad start, but Ive noticed I had a lot of gluten in the back end of the week. I must be careful not to over do it, however it was all wholemeal. Its been good doing the plan but I do also need to watch my portion sizes.

Every main meal I had, my family had too and they both enjoyed them. You might notice my lunches sort of repeated as the week went on. I try to use up everything and minimise wastage so there will always be duplicate meals. 90% of my food comes from Aldi.

Food Diary:

Breakfast:
Mini Shredded Wheat with Blueberries and Skimmed Milk

Lunch:
Mackerel Salad with boiled egg and Quinoa

Fat Free Greek Yoghurt with Blueberries

Snacks:
Salted cashews, apple, pear, grapes

Dinner:
Venison burger in a wholemeal bun with a few potato wedges, couple of slices of cheese, spinach side salad

A small (but very nice) Banana Angel Delight with chopped banana on top.

Drinks:
a Few coffees, lots of bottled water, Malted Chocolate Horlicks

I hate ironing!

A great run today and I feel surprisingly good after it. I had a quick dip in a bath of mineral salts after my run and it was lovely and relaxing. My wife hasn't been feeling too good today, shes coming off some strong medication (the side effects were too bad) and its made her dizzy and nauseous. She was in and out of bed for most of the day. Oliver and I had some fun making a massive Hotwheels track in the garden after lunch and he was VERY excited at the prospect of making pizza for Dinner. He got a bit over stimulated a few times and I just averted meltdowns on a couple of occasions (coping strategies!). A massive basket of ironing had been staring at me all day so I cracked into it after dinner. I absolutely, utterly hate ironing. Im no good at it and it takes me forever, but we don't get a lot of help so I don't have a choice. Did I tell you I hate ironing? After all that, Oliver and I killed the Ender dragon in minecraft and he went to bed happy. My body, although Im tired, feels fine and Im hopeful it will tomorrow too. PS.. I hate ironing.

Running - 26.44 miles - 9:27/mi    4:09:56 hrs

Alarm 5am. Got straight up and got ready downstairs. I knew what I had to do today so I was up for it. I set off about 5:40 and caught a great sunrise from the top of the slag banks:


Sunrise from the top of the Slag Banks

I carried on and felt amazingly fluid this morning. The hills came and went and I still felt good. I was amazed at this after a long week of running. I got to the half way point in under two hours and stopped for a few minutes to refuel and take in the view from Roa Island:

Then it was a flat second half and I felt like my pace increased slightly, I still felt surprisingly, really good. The sun was getting higher in the sky and the heat and humidity rose with it. As I made my way onto Walney for the final 6 miles it was really hot and sticky. Luckily the toilets on West shore have decent drinking water and I topped both my bottles up. The last two miles became a slog as the sun beat down and if I was out any longer I reckon I would have burned. I had nearly polished off a litre of water in the last 3 miles. I got home, had a protein drink and stretched for about 25 minutes in the back garden.

An epic run and its given me confidence for the longer runs to come. I hope its a sign of my fitness increasing. Time will tell. Rest day tomorrow and I need it!!!

Food Diary:

Pre Run Breakfast:
2x Protein "Fuel" bricks (Weetabix with added protein), skimmed milk and Blueberries. Espresso

Run Nutrition:
3x Sports Gels, 2x Asda Oat Bars, 2x Electrolyte Tablets, 2 litres water (it was very warm today)

Protein Shake:
Pina Colada Protein Shake : Fresh Pineapple, Coconut and Almond milk, lime, hemp powder.

Post Run:
Mini Shredded Wheat with skimmed milk and Blueberries

Lunch
Chicken and Mango Wrap with salad leaves and Levi Roots BBQ Sauce mmmm!!!

Snacks:
2x apples, rice crackers with houmous, salted cashews

Dinner:
Homemade pizza made with wholemeal flour, homemade tomato and basil sauce, peppers, tomato, chicken, ham, chorizo, left over goats cheese and gorgonzola, sprinkling of low fat grated cheddar. Oliver made these with me this afternoon and he loved them!

 I hate ironing!

Sunrise

Its my first back to back long runs for a while. My plan has me down for a 14 miles Sat and 26 miles Sun. It might sound a lot but I will be running a lot further in one day than them both accumulated come race day. The theory behind it is for it to simulate running on tired legs so you get used to the feeling. If I were to run 40 miles, my body would get hammered and the recovery would take too long (at least a week or two) so its much better to be constant with the mileage.
Ive been a busy boy today; running, shopping, cooking and house working. Hopefully I can sit down later for 5 minutes!! Im getting tired now so I definitely need an early night!

Running - 13.98miles   9:04/mi  Easy pace

Alarm 5am. I woke straight away and laid there considering what to do (or fighting the part of me that didn't want to get up!!). After a few minutes I didn't think give in to the voices and got out of bed. I got ready and headed out. As I ran towards Jubilee Bridge, the sun crept up behind the DDH and lit up Walney channel. I had my sports camera with me (I got it for my birthday - a Chinese cheap go-pro rip off!!) and snapped the sunrise:

Sunrise across Walney Channel

I carried on, running a route Ive not done for a while. Its an out and back from Walney to Lindal and is exactly 7 miles from my house the Lindal boundary sign. I really like this route, its uphill all the way out so its perfect for a negative split run, it also passes a public toilet and plenty of shops en route. It was a good run out and I was back in plenty of time as I had a lot to do.


Food Diary

Nutribullet Post run protein shake:
Peanut butter, pineapple, skimmed milk, honey, rolled oats, hemp protein, chia seeds

Post Run Breakfast
2 Slices of wholemeal toast with 2 poached eggs and a spoonful of baked beans

Lunch:
Chicken and Mango Fajitas: Wholemeal Tortilla wrap, Chicken breast, peppers, avocado, fresh mango, herbs and spices, a little crème fraise, mango dressing, rocket side salad

Snacks:
Handful of nuts and seeds, 1x apple,  1 x fruit and oats bar (A new range in asda, Ive bought them for fuelling on my long run and wanted to try them first!!)

Dinner:
Steamed Salmon and Pak Choi with Wholemeal Noodles and Vegetable stir fry.
Fat Free Greek Youghurt with Blueberries and milled linseed topping.

Im not doing any strength work on my back to back weekends, that's just a bit too much!

Last day of work for 2 weeks

I finally have got to the end of a busy week. I'm really looking forward to spending some time with the family over the next two weeks. Ive logged a good week of miles so far. Its been a good, easy week of running to build my mileage and endurance base up. Next week I will incorporate a tempo session and a hill session to my workouts and push the miles up a bit.

Exercise:

Running: 7.14 miles  9:09/mi  Easy pace

5am alarm.. off. 5.05 alarm went off and I made myself get up. Im quite tired after a busy week, but I got up and had an espresso and headed out about 5.40am. After a minutes warm up I forgot about the tiredness and drifted off into my mind to sort the world out. The miles ticked by this morning relatively easily as I was just thinking about everything I had to do today.
As I ran along the coastal path the tide was just coming In. It made that fantastic roaring noise as it powered over the shale and shingle bringing with it the unmistakable salty air, so strong I could taste it. I love running along by the sea, its uplifting and really sets me up for the coming day.

What started out as a tired slog quickly became a lovely mornings run.

Walking:
Work and back approx. 3.5 miles total

Strength and Core Workout



Food Diary:

Drinks:
Lots of bottled water, a few coffees, 1 espresso,  Horlicks malted hot chocolate.

Breakfast
Mini Shredded Wheat with Blueberries, skimmed milk and a drizzle of honey.

Lunch
Tuna Nicoise, Can of tuna, boiled egg, rocket leaves, fresh garden herbs (parsley, basil and thyme), cucumber, radish, cherry tomatoes, celery, olives, Quinoa, little bit of gorgonzola I found in the fridge..mmmm.

Tuna Nicoise Salad

Fat free Greek Yoghurt with a handful of fruit.

Snacks:
Handful of nuts and seeds, 2x apples

Dinner:
Mediterranean Pork steak with risotto, tomato ragu and a corn on the cob
Fat Free Greek Yoghurt with Nuts and seeds

Busy Day....

Thursday
Its been a busy one today. My wifes cousins were up from Nottingham so we went to visit them straight after work and didn't get home until nearly 10pm. Housework and washing greeted me on my return and getting food ready for tomorrow. So my strength works out of the window for tonight, but I don't mind as my plan is quite flexible. I might even change Saturdays run and do a tempo Parkrun instead. I might see what the weather is doing and make my mind up then (Parkrun is quite slippy when wet).

Running: 7.2 miles   8:44/mi  steady pace

A cloudy miserable start to the day. My mind drifted on this mornings run. Ive only got two days at work left then 2 weeks off, so I was going through everything I needed to sort out. Also I was thinking a lot about my Wife, shes been very poorly the last few months and Ive been trying to come up with a master plan to get her back on her feet, with gentle walks, the same food I eat and some gentle stretches. I was also thinking about where to take my attempt at writing a book next.  If you didn't know, Im trying to write a book about my journey from an overweight, depressed carer to an Ultra Marathon runner.

A nice easy pace this morning and I felt ok throughout it.

Food Diary
Drinks:
Espresso, lots of bottled water, few coffees, Malted Chocolate Horlicks.

Breakfast:
Small bowl of mini shredded wheat with blueberries and skimmed milk.

Nutribullet: Spinach, celery, pineapple, melon, blackberries, blueberries, kiwi fruit, avocado, linseeds, chia seeds

Lunch
Spicy Mackerel, bacon and Couscous salad, Rocket leaves, cucumber, radish, mange tout, cherry tomatoes, celery, beetroot,

Fat free Greek yoghurt with handful of fruit

Snacks
2x apples, handful of nuts and seeds

Dinner:
Chicken Pesto, with whole wheat pasta, peppers and olives.

Its coming together nicely.

Wednesday


Running: 7.23miles. Steady Pace - 8.29m/mile avg

Alarm at 5am. I didn't get too good a nights sleep last night. My wifes been really poorly lately and her new medication is giving her a very restless night. Shes still in a lot of pain and its quite a worry.

Anyway, I left her in bed asleep, remembered to check my stats on the weighing scales (see vitals) and had my usual espresso. I had all of my run gear ready downstairs so I didn't disturb anyone. I headed out about 5:30am for a steady run. It was quite blustery as I made my way around the Walney coastline. It was cloudy again so there wasn't much to see. I decided to have a few miles monitoring my running form. So I concentrated on keeping my core engaged, my foot strikes very light (Like a Ninja!!), my shoulders relaxed and my gaze ahead. I felt really good doing this for a few miles.
The reverse loop I did today gives me some good views of the West Lancashire coastline and Blackpool tower was just visible as I ran down the coastal path.
A nice run although I did feel a little tired perhaps from a poor nights sleep. I was also very hungry when I returned so I had a bowl of cereal and fruit. I might have to up my food intake I will keep an eye on it over the next few days.

Training plans:

About my plan.
Ive based the plan on Hal Koerners plans in his book. They worked well for my last ultra and Ive tweaked them to suit my fitness, pace and busy life. My core exercises and strength work will probably change over the weeks but its fine for me now.

The master plan!

Starting Vitals:

Weight - 11 stone 9 (Im not too bothered about this, Im happy around this weight)
BMI - 24 (In my opinion BMI is total bullshit!!. A BMI of 24 puts me 1 below obese!! It doesn't take into account muscle density and some pro athletes have way above 25!)
BF- 22.4 (THIS is my objective. Im strong and rock solid around my stomach but its covered in a thin layer of fat. Its coming off if it likes it or not!!)
Water content - 57% (must mean I'm full of pee!!)

Walking:
1.74 mile walk to work and back.


Food Diary

Breakfast:
Small bowl of mini shredded wheat with blueberries.

Nutribullet Veggie Smoothie: Spinach, Avocado, Pineapple, pepper, blueberries almonds, banana.

Lunch:
Roasted vegetable and Sweet Potato Frittata with Spinach salad, cucumber, olives, crumbled goats cheese, pepper, mange tout and Beetroot.

Fat free Greek Yoghurt with handful of fruit.

Dinner:
Homemade chicken and chick pea curry with Brown whole wheat rice and quinoa topped with a dollop of low fat crème fraise and basil.

Chicken and Chick Pea Curry

Snacks:
Handful of nuts dried fruit and seed mix.
Banana, 2x apples, Small square of 85% dark chocolate.

Strength and core workout followed by stretch session.

"Daddy....Whats a Beaver?"



"Nice Beaver"

That was the the first thing Oliver said to me this morning! My mind went straight to this picture:
I then explained it was a small furry creature that lives under a bush and eats wood!! ;) haha, He made me smile and it lasted for the rest of the day.





Running: 7 miles


Biggar Bank coastal path this morning

My alarm went off at 5am and I got straight up, feeling really focussed and driven. Im really relishing the challenge of the next few weeks and it brings a very different feel to proceedings by blogging about it.
After an espresso I headed out for a 7 mile loop of Walney Island where I live. Its a really flat route and good for building mileage, recovery runs etc. I was hoping for an explosion of colour as the sun rose, but the clouds over the Lancashire hills absorbed all of the bright rays and it was a bit of a non event. The beach trail was deserted and a lovely cool breeze was blowing in from the north, cooling my skin. I dropped down the gears into my ultra pace - about 9 or 9.30 min miles, sat back and let the few miles slip by. It was a lovely run and I felt great.



Food Diary

Liquid Breakfast

Drinks:
Pre run Espresso, lots of bottled water and a couple of coffees.

Breakfast:
Nutribullet Veggis smoothie: Spinach, avocado, lime, kiwi fruit, pear, linseeds and almonds


Lunch:
Piri Piri Smoked Mackerel (from Aldi and its amazing!) salad with new potatoes, boiled egg, cucumber, beetroot, radish, raw kale and spinach leaves,  baby tomatoes, mange tout, olives, mango salad dressing.


Piri Piri Mackerel Salad

Snacks:
Houmous and oatcakes. Handful of nuts and seed mix, 2x apples, pear

Dinner:
Homemade Beef Bolognese with Wholemeal Spaghetti and fresh Basil.

Suppliments:
2x Amino Acid Tablets

Stretch and Strength:
A strength and core work out await me tonight, followed by a delicious foam roller and stretch session. I might even treat myself to a Malted Chocolate Horlicks before bed, you never know...

Just spotted this little beauty...

Kale Tabbouleh with Walnuts, Apples, and Pomegranate

Kale Tabbouleh with Walnuts, Apples, and Pomegranate

What you’ll need

• 2 cups of kale leaves, minced, with the stems removed
• ½ cup of red onions, finely diced
• 2 granny smith apples, diced with the skin on
• 1 cup of walnuts, lightly toasted and ground fine
• The seeds of 2 pomegranates
• 2 tbsp of lemon juice
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• ½ tsp of coarsely ground black pepper
• Kosher salt to taste

How to make it

In a large stainless steel bowl, mix all ingredients thoroughly and season to taste with salt.
Divide onto 4 plates and serve immediately. Goes really well with hearty fish such as salmon or tuna.

Tell me Why, I dont like..

Mondays...

Not much going on today. Its a scheduled rest day so Im not running until the morning. I don't get frustrated anymore, rest days used to drive me crazy, but I now understand their importance. I did my usual walk to work but got a lift home as the Mrs had me looking at kitchens after work!!

For the first time today I walked with my Garmin on and it was interesting as I thought the distance was further. Its just 1.74 miles and I thought it was over 2! Im going to try and remember to log all my walking throughout my "experiment" and see what the net result is.

Tonight Im going to put together my strength workout and I will post it when Ive finalised it. Its probably going to be lots of core with some leg  and upper body strength work.


DIET!!!
A note about my food diary's. Im NOT on a diet, I don't count calories and I don't measure anything out. Im just trying to eat as healthily as I can and Im more interested in the nutrient contents of my food than anything else. My outlook on food since Ive started running has changed massively, I think more of it as fuel now.
 I like the idea of eating food that the human body was "designed" for: ie nuts, seeds, fruit, vegetables, pulses and some meat, but nothing processes ( although everything in moderation - Ive got a week away on holiday at the end of the month so my choices may be limited ;) )

Monday Food Diary

Breakfast
Nutribullet veggie smoothie: 
Spinach, avocado, blackberries, blueberries, ginger, pineapple, melon, lime.

Lunch:
Goats cheese and walnut salad.
Baby leaves and pea shoots (aldi salad bag), cucumber, radish, celery, walnuts, baby tomatoes, beetroot, goats cheese and quinoa. Small amount of dressing.

Fat free Greek yoghurt with a handful of blueberries

Snacks
Cherries, grapes, apple, pear, banana, handful or nuts and seed mix.

Dinner:
Roast Chicken (last nights leftover) with rice, broccoli, carrots, parsnips and a homemade tomato ragu sauce.

Food for thought...

Sunday Food Diary:

Recovery:
I made a recovery protein shake after this mornings LSR. I don't like the "milkshake flavour" protein shakes from health food shops so I make my own:

Hemp protein, BaoBab Powder ( some superfruit stuff I found in the cupboard), Honey, Milk, Blueberries, Blackberries, Lime, Strawberries and Chia Seeds. Blitzed in a Nutribullet!!

Post Run Breakfast:
Slice of Wholemeal toast with poached egg and a few beans.

Lunch:
Leftover Homemade Chilli and Rice

Snacks
Handful of nuts and seeds, 1 apple, pieces of melon, small square of 85% Dark Choc.

Dinner:
Roast Chicken with Sweet Potato Cajun Wedges, Roast Parsnips, Orange basted Carrots and Gorgonzola Broccoli.

A very naughty slice of fruit flan with elmlea ( well I had run 20miles today!!)

Drinks:
Lots of water to rehydrate after my LSR ( I use pee colour to judge levels of dehydration - Brown = Bad,  Clear/ Straw colour = Good)
A few coffees.

Supplement:
Amino Acid Tablet x 2

Sunday Morning LSR

Garmin Connect

Great to get out this morning. A good route round Barrow and Dalton. Slag Banks then up to Rakesmore lane, over Park Road and up St Helens Hill. From there its through Dalton and up Cemetery hill, over Long lane and up Stank Hill. Then up to Rampside road right through to the Lifeboat Station. Final leg down the Old Line Grene way, through the Docks and over to Walney. 20 miles.

The weather was ok this morning. A nice cool breeze but still very humid and sticky, I was glad I wore a vest.

That was my first run back after last Sundays Marathon and I felt really good for most of it. The last few miles the top of my right quad was aching. I think a good rub and roller session tonight will sort that.

I have a cunning plan.....

Right then. Ive had a good think about my goals for my next Ultra. Here they are.

1. Compete and finish in the top ten.
I finished 11th in my last ultra, so I would really like to get into the top ten and even one day get on the podium, but its a bit to early in my career for that. Top ten is a bit subjective though as you never know who enters. I might be unlucky and the GB Ultra squad use it for a training session or 20 elites enter. Unless they are all big names I will never know, so I always look at last years times for an Idea of placing's.

2. Be as Physically ready as I can be.
Im fairly fit already but could be better. Follow a training plan 100%, fuel clean, stretch and core workouts. My weekly GB Bootcamps isn't on until September so I will have to supplement my strength work.

3.Be prepared for anything.
After the random disasters of my last ultra (broken watch, tripping up and missing a turning) I need to be ready for  the unknown. This means training without a watch ( I will still carry my garmin but in my bag) and running to feel.

4. Be prepared for the hills and mountains.
Just to get more training in the hills.

5. Learn to navigate properly.
I can do the basics but I need to brush up and improve. I also need to do it on the run so I don't lose time.

We all know what training we should do, what we should eat, when we should sleep and rest.

 BUT..

What happens if, for the next 7 weeks, I do exactly that. Sleep, eat and train like an athlete?

Well Im gonna find out. This is a personal experiment to see how hard I can push myself, mentally and physically. Starting tomorrow Im going to log everything I eat, every training session and every walk I do.

Lets see what happens.

This is "Lakes In a Day", I cant wait!!!

Its got to start somewhere

HES NOT MENTAL ...HES AN ULTRARUNNER

A little bit about me.
This is me running my first Ultra. I'm a 42 year old loving father and husband. I care for my disabled wife and Autistic son, work full time and before you ask, no I'm not mental....I'm an Ultra Runner!
I started running 2 and a half years ago for health reasons but it also deeply affected my mental health too. I used suffer from depression because of my situation and could not see a future for myself. Running became and still is my therapy and has changed my life completely.

This is my first post of a new blog. I ran an Ultra Marathon back in June 2015 and I loved it. So much Ive signed up for another one.

I wanted somewhere to keep all my training plans, nutrition, ideas and thoughts so I thought I would try a blog.

My next Ultra is "Lakes in A Day" in October and its a 50mile route across the English Lake District. Its in about 7 weeks time. I ran a marathon race last week so my fitness is still ok but I need to improve it over the next few months.

Im just putting the final touches to my plan and will post it when its done.