On Shrove Tuesday a.k.a. Pancake day I had a sextuple decker pancake (6 layers) and even had two fruit in it.
Below is the topping for each layer of the sextuple decker pancake (top to bottom layer), mmm.
6 = Lemon Juice, Honey and Sugar
5 = Marmite and Brown Sauce
4 = Raisins and Dark Chocolate pieces (85% cocoa)
3 = Marmalade
2 = Sliced Banana and Honey
1 = Lemon Juice and Sugar
It took me a good while to eat this but I did finish it all. Mainly due to a large lunch plus I am not sure if the marmite was a good addition or not.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Weekly Weigh In
This week I gained 1/2 lb (0.25 Kg) with my % body fat increasing by 1.5% and my waist staying the same.
This was not a really a shock due to the lower amount of exercise this week plus the normal amount of food plus a large portion of chips for lunch while out on a course.
Next week my exercise will increase so hopefully I will not increase the food intake too much to counteract this.
This was not a really a shock due to the lower amount of exercise this week plus the normal amount of food plus a large portion of chips for lunch while out on a course.
Next week my exercise will increase so hopefully I will not increase the food intake too much to counteract this.
Last Week's training
Last week I did just under 7 weeks of training totalling 40.2 miles (64.7 km). This was a rest week for me after a race on the last three consecutive weeks.
The walk was slightly longer than running but more distance was run. The swim was one longer than usual session which felt a really good session.
Next week will be a more active week.
| Walk | 34.1% | |||
| Run | 33.7% | |||
| Bike | 15.5% | |||
| Swim | 9.6% | |||
| Cross | 7.2% |
The walk was slightly longer than running but more distance was run. The swim was one longer than usual session which felt a really good session.
Next week will be a more active week.
Thursday, March 03, 2011
Weekly Weigh In
This week I have lost 1 lb (0.45 Kg) with my % body fat increasing 0.5% and waist staying the same.
I was shocked by the weight loss due to being on a chip diet for a week but I did do more exercise including two races.
The next week may not be as good news due to less exercise due to allowing my muscles to recover.
I was shocked by the weight loss due to being on a chip diet for a week but I did do more exercise including two races.
The next week may not be as good news due to less exercise due to allowing my muscles to recover.
Last Week's training
Last week I did 12 hours of exercise which was made up the following by time.
Run 40%
Cross Train 20%
Cycle 15%
Walk 15%
Swim 10%
This week it included some swim session which had different stroke drills.
This included a couple of races up north over the weekend, a 5km and half marathon.
The total miles was the highest for 2 months and is the 3rd longest week by time this year.
So overall my training is ramping up for the marathon and split across multiple disciplines which is helping not overstraining and for the post marathon / triathlon training.
Run 40%
Cross Train 20%
Cycle 15%
Walk 15%
Swim 10%
This week it included some swim session which had different stroke drills.
This included a couple of races up north over the weekend, a 5km and half marathon.
The total miles was the highest for 2 months and is the 3rd longest week by time this year.
So overall my training is ramping up for the marathon and split across multiple disciplines which is helping not overstraining and for the post marathon / triathlon training.
Great North West Half Marathon 2011 Race Report
The Great North West Half Marathon is based in the north end of Blackpool. I was using the same nutrition plan that I used the previous two races and also trying a different flavour of drink that will be used on the marathon.
The race morning it was quite heavy rain on the way to the race venue however buy the time we reached their it had stopped but the strong winds remained. Everybody seemed to be waiting inside the warmth of the race HQ at the hotel (castle designed front) until the last minute, I think this made people start in the wrong positions even though their was RW Pacers there with their boards with minute mile and time on them.
After the start the promenade narrowed quite a lot and you had to watch out for seats or bins which you could easily run in to in the crowd and do yourself an injury. After 500m along the lower path we headed along the top path past the start/finish and the opposite the race HQ before running along the lower path still heading south towards Blackpool Tower which you could be seen in the distance.
Running along the lower promenade I was still maintaining the fast pace that I started with to get past the crowd of runners, so I thought I would see how long I could maintain the pace for. After about 3 miles we reached the turning point (about 1/2 mile away from the tower) which then surprised me with a few inclines into a strong head wind.
After about 1 mile the undulations along the top path stopped but there was still strong headwinds for about another 5 miles which was quite chilly in the cool wind. Once we reached the far point was reached and returned along the lower path.
We then ran passed the start/finish to start the smaller loop. With the wind to our backs and the sun out it was starting to get warm running. Although the photos look summery it was only 6c.
After reaching the same south turn point we still had the inclines and head wind but only for a few miles and about half the first loop. At this point I tried to pick my pace up a bit on my tired legs.
When then turned on to the middle path with a bit less than 1/2 mile to the finish, so I picked up the pace again not at all think about my post race chips :-)
By the time I reached the finish I had overtaking a few more people insight of the finish. At this point my heart rate was higher and I was breathing heavily.
From my GPS watch I finished in 1:48 which is 2 minutes quicker than the half marathon 2 weeks ago which I also had a 20 mile race in between these. This is also my quickest half marathon for years so a good days training.
For the first 12 miles I maintained a pace of 8:16/mile (+/- 16 seconds) so was fairly evenly paced miles despite the difference in wind and inclines going in each direction. The 13th mile was completed in 7:08 and the pace for the remainder of the race (0.1 miles) would have been at 4:56/mile pace.
My nutrition plan worked well for the third race I had used it with my other watch used for when to eat and drink. I had learnt from previous races to start both watches at the same time and switch this watch then to actual time and ignore the first couple of nutrition beeps. This prevents the watch from being stopped as can be done by pressing (touching) the watch display.
I also learnt for races near the coast if the weather is changeable and/or prevailing in one direction your race kit may need to be able changeable when going in opposite directions to allow for different conditions.
Below are some photos at some of the local Blackpool landmarks on the way to the post race chips and freshly made seafront doughnuts.
Taken opposite Blackpool FC towards the tower.
Taken on the Golden Mile with the tower in the background.
The race morning it was quite heavy rain on the way to the race venue however buy the time we reached their it had stopped but the strong winds remained. Everybody seemed to be waiting inside the warmth of the race HQ at the hotel (castle designed front) until the last minute, I think this made people start in the wrong positions even though their was RW Pacers there with their boards with minute mile and time on them.
After the start the promenade narrowed quite a lot and you had to watch out for seats or bins which you could easily run in to in the crowd and do yourself an injury. After 500m along the lower path we headed along the top path past the start/finish and the opposite the race HQ before running along the lower path still heading south towards Blackpool Tower which you could be seen in the distance.
Running along the lower promenade I was still maintaining the fast pace that I started with to get past the crowd of runners, so I thought I would see how long I could maintain the pace for. After about 3 miles we reached the turning point (about 1/2 mile away from the tower) which then surprised me with a few inclines into a strong head wind.
After about 1 mile the undulations along the top path stopped but there was still strong headwinds for about another 5 miles which was quite chilly in the cool wind. Once we reached the far point was reached and returned along the lower path.
We then ran passed the start/finish to start the smaller loop. With the wind to our backs and the sun out it was starting to get warm running. Although the photos look summery it was only 6c.
After reaching the same south turn point we still had the inclines and head wind but only for a few miles and about half the first loop. At this point I tried to pick my pace up a bit on my tired legs.
When then turned on to the middle path with a bit less than 1/2 mile to the finish, so I picked up the pace again not at all think about my post race chips :-)
By the time I reached the finish I had overtaking a few more people insight of the finish. At this point my heart rate was higher and I was breathing heavily.
From my GPS watch I finished in 1:48 which is 2 minutes quicker than the half marathon 2 weeks ago which I also had a 20 mile race in between these. This is also my quickest half marathon for years so a good days training.
For the first 12 miles I maintained a pace of 8:16/mile (+/- 16 seconds) so was fairly evenly paced miles despite the difference in wind and inclines going in each direction. The 13th mile was completed in 7:08 and the pace for the remainder of the race (0.1 miles) would have been at 4:56/mile pace.
My nutrition plan worked well for the third race I had used it with my other watch used for when to eat and drink. I had learnt from previous races to start both watches at the same time and switch this watch then to actual time and ignore the first couple of nutrition beeps. This prevents the watch from being stopped as can be done by pressing (touching) the watch display.
I also learnt for races near the coast if the weather is changeable and/or prevailing in one direction your race kit may need to be able changeable when going in opposite directions to allow for different conditions.
Below are some photos at some of the local Blackpool landmarks on the way to the post race chips and freshly made seafront doughnuts.
Taken opposite Blackpool FC towards the tower.
Taken on the Golden Mile with the tower in the background.
Parkrun Stockport
The Woodbank Parkrun 5km in Stockport in the War Memorial Park (same park different town) I would say is the best and most difficult parkrun that I have done.
There was a nice 1/4 mile walk from the car park to the start which was a bit chilly in the rain but I did not bring extra long sleeve tops even though I was up north, foolish.
The start was about 500m on an athletics track before doing laps in the park. After about 300m in the park there was a nice muddy cross country section which then joined a pathway. This point it was a step downhill were my heart rate was increasing going down hill!! There was a few bends at the bottom of the incline where you had to lean to one side to stay on the path if not you would hit a decent size tree.What goes down must go up, so there was a nice uphill section then with the recovery at the top being over 10m uneven wet cobbled section, nice. Then the rest of the lap was on pathway a bit outside the park. So when starting the second lap of the park I knew what was coming which I am not sure was a good thing but I managed to keep my high pace up. To finish there was a nice 100m on the athletics track.
I ended up 12th man to finish out of 36 and a total of 58 finishers. My time was good compared to my current times but as this is a tougher course I would need to a few more runs here to see how good it was. I will be back to run this parkrun.
There was a nice 1/4 mile walk from the car park to the start which was a bit chilly in the rain but I did not bring extra long sleeve tops even though I was up north, foolish.
The start was about 500m on an athletics track before doing laps in the park. After about 300m in the park there was a nice muddy cross country section which then joined a pathway. This point it was a step downhill were my heart rate was increasing going down hill!! There was a few bends at the bottom of the incline where you had to lean to one side to stay on the path if not you would hit a decent size tree.What goes down must go up, so there was a nice uphill section then with the recovery at the top being over 10m uneven wet cobbled section, nice. Then the rest of the lap was on pathway a bit outside the park. So when starting the second lap of the park I knew what was coming which I am not sure was a good thing but I managed to keep my high pace up. To finish there was a nice 100m on the athletics track.
I ended up 12th man to finish out of 36 and a total of 58 finishers. My time was good compared to my current times but as this is a tougher course I would need to a few more runs here to see how good it was. I will be back to run this parkrun.
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