Mid year review & Grasmere Gingerbread

Training weeks 26-14, planned Vs actual

Training update

So how have I been progressing in training?

Honestly? Not quite as well as I’d have liked…

I’ve achieved about 2/3 of the run volume I’d have liked to. That said I have had my toe nail removed and my eldest had nearly two weeks in hospital, causing me to miss two weeks completely. What isn’t recorded here are the bike sessions I completed on the turbo to make up for some of the lost sessions.

On reflection I am pretty pleased with what I’ve achieved. 400 miles in 3 months isn’t wonderful but it’s a good base for the next 3 months running up to the 100. Excluding the 100 miles that I will run at the end of July I hope to get another 750 miles in. My training plan will change slightly for the next 6 weeks, introducing tempo and Fartlek runs on the weekday commuting runs with longer back to back runs at the weekend. The actual number of running days will decrease slightly but the mileage of the long runs will increase. I haven’t planned to run any further in one go than I did 2 weeks ago (44 hilly miles Dawn til Dusk). I have a big weekend planned in June with three 25 mile runs, back to back (including a recce of the last half of the 100 course over 2 days).

Planned trsining volume weeks 13-0

If I can get anywhere near my mileage and avoid an injury I feel I will be in reasonable shape to go for sub 30 hours. My stretch target is 28:30.

So with less than 13 weeks to go I’m getting excited. Kit wise I need to save up for a new rucksack but think I have everything else covered. I had my first long run last weekend in my Hoka Mafate, in another great LDWA event, the Grasmere Gingerbread event. 21 miles with 6000ft ascent. Overall I am impressed:

Grasmere Gingerbread LDWA event

Taws another early start, not as bad as usual, in fact I could have easily got up at 6:30 and made the start but I gave myself an extra hour and set off at 5:30am. I headed north the 1hour 15 mins to Grasmere. It was a fabulous morning, the sunrise was beautiful? As I neared my destination there was some low cloud clinging to the mountain tops which made for some spectacular views!

I left race HQ just before 9am. I quickly warmed up on the ascent to the summit of Great Rigg. The summit was consumed with cloud and it rolled over the ridge as we climbed towards the thick blanket. It wasn’t caught well on camera but it’s etched in my mind as a memorable sight. The descent from Great Rigg was fast. I struggled a little with my shoes as it’s the first long outing on challenging terrain for the Mafate! I went on my arse several times! On one occasion I slid down about 20ft on my back over wet ground, it was fun, like the way a slide tackle is in football, it was almost but not quite controlled. As I slowed in the slide I was straight back to running without missing a beat, wet and muddy from head to toe.

The descent from Stone Arthur was very step and I quickly discovered that the shoes are not for traversing hills sides; it’s straight down or risk turning an ankle… The final run down to the Check Point is when the shoes revealed their strength, over rocky terrain. They smooth out the surface and reduce the foot bashing J

The obligatory smorgasbord of food was on offer. I had a few sandwich quarters and a small pot of creamed rice and fruit with two cups of tea.

We climbed to the summit of Helm Crag and then descended into the valley towards Easedale Tarn. The climb from the tarn to Blea Crag was a full on climb/ scramble. Hands and feet required! It was obviously slow going and I was soon to discover how much that took out of the legs as I started running again along the marshy tops. The navigation from here to Silver How then High Close was tricky, there were multiple paths. I tagged along with a woman and her dog when I discovered it was her third year. Her dog was amazing. It was a small dog, but kept up with ease, then I discovered he was 10 years old, I was very impressed!

After the CP and a drink top up we had the small climb of Loughrigg to go. This turned out to be a little sting in the tail but I enjoyed the descent, zig zagging down to Grasmere. I put the foot down on the final road section, knocking out two 8 min miles.

My lateset fuel (mod low carb)

I was agin experimenting with nutrition and cobbled together a nut/ seed bar that worked well. I will blog the recipe when its refined but it contains:

• almonds
• flaxseed
• Chia
• pumpkin seeds
• hemp seeds
• vanilla essence
• almond butter
• slated butter
• desecated coconut
• honey

They held together well, the pic is after 6 hours running in my rucksack and they tasted amazing! I will be using these in the L100

Pie and beans is always a welcome end to a tough day at the office. All in all a great training run and I’m please the Mafate’s worked well. They are most definitely christened (they are actually bright yellow!)

Hoka’s rock!

At the end we were also rewarded with some Grasmere Gingerbread – the finest in the world IMHO!

Dawn ‘til Dusk Lakes Mountain 40

Thirlmere from the ascent of Helvellyn

Just the kick up the ass I needed!

It was a relatively late decision for me to enter this race, it popped up on my radar a few weeks ago and I was immediately intrigued. However if I could have chosen the timing of this race the first weekend in April would not have been the date I would have chosen. It was too long with too much vertical from where I am in my training; I would rather have raced this in early June…

That said of the 365 days in the year, Saturday 6^th April 2013 was the best possible day to have it! The conditions made for an awesome day! The recent snowfall that had me concerned pre-race provided the perfect back drop to a beautifully sunny day. It seems spring had sprung and not a day too early! In the weeks leading up to the event there had been a snow dump on the ‘tops’

Taken from the weatherline website:

“Many popular routes are covered with hard, compacted snow and some ice which is obviously slippery. Away from the paths, deep soft snow is the norm – sometimes with a glazed crust – and extra time is needed for the energy-sapping plodding this requires. Other than paths becoming more compacted and icy these conditions are not forecasted to change until early next week.

Both Swirral and Striding Edge on Helvellyn are covered with deep drifts of soft snow and windslab mixed with patches of more compacted snow and ice, especially on their steep exit ramps. The edges, and similar routes in the Lakes, should therefore only be attempted by those experienced and equipped for such conditions, with crampons and ice axe essential.

Full winter clothing and footwear are essential for anyone venturing out onto the fells. For those attempting or traversing steep or technical ground or even just walking on higher level paths an ice axe and crampons are also essential. Summit temperatures remain below freezing with a windchill in negative double figures.”

Pre-race nerves

This had me worried, I didn’t dare tell the missus, I wouldn’t have been allowed to race…However, I am sensible and if I thought there was any real danger I would have simply turned round at any point and pulled out.

Despite the forecast the conditions were perfect! The only dangers was some of the other idiots up on Helvellyn, climbed it in their plimsolls and then decide to get a bit closer to the edge for a better look, without realising they are standing a few feet beyond the edge on a cornice made entirely of snow and ice! I had to shout a few warnings to these plonkers!

Friday I went looking for some over mittens and found some in Mountain Warehouse, this was the only bit of additional kit I thought I would need, there’s nothing worse than cold hands! I got my kit packed on Friday and made a batch of low carb pancakes to cover me for breakfast and in race fuel. I adjusted my usual recipe to take account of the race and added some banana chunks. Then I got slightly carried away and experimented making pancake sandwiches with wither peanut butter or Nutella filling- it worked an absolute treat!! I loaded the car up and got to bed.

I tossed and turned for a few hours and then was up again at 3:15am! I slurped a coffee and made a second for the road, put my base layers and a tracksuit on and was on the road by 3:30am. The drive up was fine, and I was in Askham at just after 5:00am. I found the village hall and parked up. It was a frosty morning and still pitch black. I found Joe, the race director, stirring a vat of porridge in the kitchen. Those that had spent the night on the floor of the village hall were slowly rousing. I collected my punch card and last minute instructions before making my final kit check and putting on my outer layers, ready for the off.

We were ushered into a side room in the village hall where I was greeted by a familiar face. Alan, a chap I used to play rugby with was racing. I’ve not seen Al for about 3 years; he played fly-half when I played scrum-half for the Saracens at Fylde Rugby Club. It turns out he’s been doing this type of thing for the last few years and has already done the Lakeland 100 (that I plan to do later in the year). It was nice to see a familiar face, the other faces were only familiar from photos I had seen of them as there were several accomplished trail runners in the group!

My mate Simon (currently tapering for VLM) and Mark (an acomplished Ultrarunner – training for the Ben Trend Ultra) formed the crowd at the start line, cheering us off.

Following the race brief we gathered in the road a few minutes after 6am and set off uphill and onto the open fells.

The sun would be up soon

Start / Finish – Askham Community Centre GR 513 237

1) 457 182 Loadpot

2) 441 110 High Street

3) 410 131 Hartsop Carpark

4) 398 162 Side Farm

5) 324 136 Wythburn Church

6) 342 152 Helvellyn

7) 337 166 Whiteside

8) 398 162 Side Farm

9) 406 169 Place Fell

10) 435 191 Martindale Church

This was navigation as well as a running challenge. I started chatting to Al as we headed out but I quickly realised my additional layers needed to be shed. I made my excuse and told Al, I’d catch him in a bit, knowing full well that I would be taking the pace slowly and he was likely to finish a good few hours in front. I took my coat off and strapped it onto the top of my ruck sack where it would remain for the rest of the day. I got chatting to a girl who was training for the Bob Graham round that she was planning on doing in May, this would be her biggest training run in one go and from what I remember she had something planned the next day also. That is an example of how ‘hard-core’ this field of 25 was! No wonder I was at the tail end!!

Trekking over High Street in the snow

I slowly eased my way off the back of the field, sticking at my own pace, there were three people behind me throughout and I hung to the tail end of the other 21 runners until the descent from the summit of High Street after which I lost touch with them. The first hour of the ascent was over bracken and heather before we hit the snow line. The snow was deep in places but there was a nice crust in places and if you tread lightly it was easy going on top of the crust. However occasionally it would give on a heavy foot strike, especially on the ascent, I fell twice, tripped up by the deep snow. The landings weren’t so soft either!

Long shadow with ‘sun-up’

Now that I’d dropped off the pack I had to get the map out… I wasted a lot of time faffing with my rucksack; I know I need something different for the 100. I need easily accessible pockets. My current bag is really comfortable but I need to take it off and open than main compartment every time I need something, which wastes a lot of time and energy unnecessarily. I was glad to get down to Hartsop, the Descent round ‘The Knott’ was fun! The snow was a bit softer and it made the steep descent a cross between skiing and running.

First manned CP

I was greeted at Harstop with a great selection of my type of food. Not a sandwich or fruit cake in sight! I had a hard-boiled egg, cheese, nuts, crisps and a few cherry tomatoes, washed down with a nice brew. The next section up to Side Farm is rolling and runnable. This was the first hint that I was going to have foot problems. The Inov8’s I was wearing are an awesome piece of kit, great for the snow and on anything that requires grip but they’re not so good on tarmac! There’s minimal cushioning and the studded sole becomes uncomfortable on harder surfaces. I also had wet feet from the snow. Moisture + friction = blisters!

From Side Farm I started the long ascent up by Grisdale Beck, round Falcon Crag to Grisdale Tarn 9which was completely frozen). It was a nice easy climb and if I was racing I would have run a lot more but I was enjoying it and doing much more walking than was strictly necessary. My aim was to get a good long session done, in terms of time and distance. On this climb I noticed my right butt cheek (gluteal muscles) beginning to ache, this is something I would suffer from on every climb for the remainder of the day (note to self- more Glute exercises required!). From the tarn the descent down Raise Beck was another stonking descent in deep snow with the ski-run technique

I topped up my water bottles and had a banana at Wythburn Church before the long, long climb to the summit of Helvellyn. Despite taking on another litre of water at the check point I was supplementing it with snow long before I reached the top. It was so hot I was also using snow on my head and neck to stay cool. The climb isn’t technical it’s just very, very long and the snow hampered progress. In the end it’s worth it. The path beside Swallow Scarth had a daunting drop to the West side, not mega steep but something that if you started to slide you’d struggle to arrest a fall without an ice axe. The path was perilously close to that edge. I remember fully concentrating; I really didn’t want to trip or stumble…

ice cream pick me up

I took a slight wrong turn toward Lower Man, missing the path to White Side and costing myself an additional 100m climb! Over White Side and then the long descent over the twisting path to Glenridding Beck. I followed the Beck down to Glenridding, I was getting tired now, Psychologically as much as physically and I knew what I needed to pick me up… An ice cream! Manhatten Flavour (creamy vanilla with toffee and choc chips) delicious!

Helevllyn had a few impressive cornices

You can just see the CP punch dangling on the summit Cairn

The final manned CP

Back at Side Farm, another Egg, cheese and a brew was consumed before I set off up to the summit of Place Fell. A slightly frustrating climb with several false summits, one of which even required a descent scramble, hands required! When I finally got to the Cairn I swore a few times at the person who had put the CP punch attached to the Cairn as it could only be reached by scrambling over some jagged rocks!

There was a long downhill towards the Church at Martindale, a few technical sections but most of it was very runnable

. My most encouraging part of the day was that my legs still felt strong on the descents, despite being on them for 12 hours! That Electromyostimulation is obviously working!

Chasing my lengethening shadow

The sun was still warm as I reached the church and the penultimate CP of the day. Less than a mile to Howtown and then it was a rolling few miles back to Askham. This part of the course is the reverse of the start of the Lakeland 50 (about half of the first leg) but I was tired. Physically, my feet were on fire and any ascent triggered the pain in my right buttock. Emotionally I was feeling it too. This was probably down to the length of time I’d been on my feet and the fact that I’d expected to get round in a leisurely 12 hours but I was still 5+ miles away when the clock passed 6pm. I was getting a few texts from my mate Si who was in Askham, telling me how cold his beer was, I think I actually started running when he text me to suggested he would come and pick me up in the car if I needed, cheeky begger! My Shadow was getting long again and I was unsure if I’d make it back before dusk…

I text my ever supportive wife for some motivation at 19:20, she delivered and I ran the whole way back, determined to beat dusk! I just managed it, an owl “twit-twit-twoo’d” as entered Askham to suggest Dusk was upon me.

happy to finish

I jogged back down to the pub where I started 14 hours earlier. I was greeted by Simon, Mark and Justin, who gave me a warm welcome and a shandy! I made my way into the village hall, the final CP of the day, completing the course in 14 hours and 6 minutes. I covered over 70km and climbed nearly 3km vertical.

I feel this was a harder course than the Lakeland 50. On reflection there are several factors for this

I was less well trained for this even than last July

The conditions were tougher

I had too much kit

Although the elevation is similar the Helvellyn climb is very draining

Overall, this is a great low-key race; I would recommend it to anyone looking for an early season challenge. I’d like to thank Joe and Nav4 Adventures for organising the event and all the people who helped out at the check points. I think you are onto something great with this race. I hope it’s the start of something big for the future, it has all the ingredients of a classic!

This was just the race I needed to kick me up the ass and understand the challenge the Lakeland 100 will bring in July. I need to focus on staying positive, back to back slow long runs (preferably in the hills) and save up for a new rucksack

The sun sets over Ulswater

Ultrun’s low carb power pancake – Recipe

For breakfast or even on a training run- flexible, portable fuel!

Cooking time: 15 minutes:

Ingredients

• 1 cup almond flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 scoop protein powder (vanilla or banana works best)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• water
• butter or olive oil to cook
• additional flavourings – I find adding these after and stirring rather than blending gives a nice texture and a bit of bite to them – mix and match!
  • banana (better cut into 0.5cm pieces – not the low carb option but a great addition on race day)
  • berries (blueberries and raspberries work well)
  • nuts
  • seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, chia, flax, mixed – anything you fancy)
  • Anything that takes your fancy
  • Honey
  • coconut oil
  • or instead of a green smoothy go for green pancakes!*- kale/ spinach/ Spirulina etc!

Cooking Instructions

1. Blend the eggs, ground almonds, protein powder and baking powder in hand blender
2. add water to consistency of being ‘gloopy’ (rather than ‘runny’)
3. add additional flavourings and stir (rather than blend if you like a bit of texture – recommended)
4. Warm frying pan and add oil
5. spoon a table-spoon per pancake into the pan
6. flip the pancake over after approximately 2 minutes until golden on both sides
7. Allow to cool
8. Nom, nom!

the Irish version!

Cartmel Sticky Toffee 18k

Wimping out at the water crossing to save my big toe (which was still dry!!)
with permission of Lakeland Trails

Well this began for me only two weeks ago. My wife’s friend contacted her and asked if I’d be up for a run in the lakes with her husband, Dan. I’m not one to turn down a run in the lakes and even better it was Cartmel Sticky Toffee trail race (one I’ve wanted to do for ages). I had a quick look on their website and flicked through the blogs, it sounded like it would live up to the ‘sticky’ name with all that mud! I was in and the bonus was I got a fiver off my entry with the Asics promotion

The challenge was the ongoing saga of my toenail… I have to keep it clean and dry, yet I’d just entered one of the wettest, muddiest races on the calendar! Sealskinz would turn out to be the answer, flip-flops were not the answer, as I found out.

Dan picked myself and Chris up (another like-minded individual who is in training for a 2014 Ironman). The journey up was a great chance to share training experience and previous races with each other, as is always the way when you get a group (gaggle, pack or what ever the collective term is for more than 2 endurance athletes) of like-minded runners together. We covered all the usual topics. Recent injuries (I just might have mentioned a certain toe…), fitting training in around family/ work, nutrition (me with my low carb experiment and Dan and Chris with the tried and tested gels and energy drink approach) and even the habit of training. It was a miserable morning when we set off, persistent drizzle and it was cold. By the time we got to Cartmel it had eased.

We followed sat nav and ended up taking the route via Cartmel town centre and a bonus spin round the car park of the craft fair before winding our way to the Cartmel race course, where we would start from. We got there in plenty of time and headed to the registration tent to pick up our numbers. Mistake 1- I wore flip-flops with the intention of letting the air at my toe to keep it dry until I needed to squeeze it into my trainers. I discovered on the walk to the tent that my logic was flawed, instead of keeping it dry, my feet had a complementary mud treatment (people pay decent money for such things, this was complements of Cartmel racecourse!).

I dipped my feet in a stream and dried them thoroughly before applying an inodone (iodine gel type mesh- to reduce infection risk) and got my kit on. There was even a bit of sun by now although with the frigid breeze it was bloody cold. Dans brother, Ben was also racing so we met up with him. Then Dans support truck arrived (his mum and dad in their motor home). I was very grateful for the pre-race cuppa and a seat in the nice warm motor home, perfect to get the core temperature back up. These events are well organised with a decent variety of food and coffee establishments for racers and spectators and a few running stalls for purchasing any last-minute items (such as gloves Dan and Chris ). I forgot to sample the hog roast but it looked awesome! There’s something inviting about chunks getting carved off a freshly cooked pig (unless you’re a veggie!).

Chris and I pre-race

We headed for the start line at about 15 minutes before the off. I drained the remained from my bladder and took up a place close to the back of the pack. I’d not given my race plan much thought, it was always going to be a tricky one with all the mud we were expecting. I had the added issue of racing in a low carb state so I wasn’t sure what level of intensity I would be able to run at, or for how long.

Skipping to keep warm on the start line was made easy by the rhythmic sound of the warlike thump of the samba drums. It created a great atmosphere as always. As soon as we set off I started running, picking my way through the field. I glanced down at my watch and the pace was too fast at 6:20 min/ mile pace, it slowed as we hit the first gentle climb, everyone suddenly had a reality check. It was also amazing how much effort everyone (me included) was going to, to avoid puddles and mud, considering what lay ahead…

After a few gentle climbs we rolled across a few fields, along tracks and then out onto open fells toward Bigland Tarn. We were in the third race of the day so the trail was well ‘worn in’. It was starting to get muddy and the evasive moves were now to maintain progress rather than any concerns about getting dirty or wet. It was about not getting bogged down. The runners around me seemed to be similar paced and by about 3 miles in, I passed very few and was passed by only one or two. We traded places, I took the uphills easy and bombed the downhills with confidence in the inov8 X-talons. The views at the top of the climbs were awesome, looking over Morecambe bay in one direction and the mountains of the Lake District national park in the other!

After the tarn the trail got quite technical, skipping through the heather, unable to see where your feet were hitting the ground. We’d started to catch the tail end of the trail challengers, who set off an hour earlier. They stepped aside as we bundled through. After that heather laden section there was a bit of road before we headed up a steep trail, getting muddier and muddier sections! The going was slow and even walking up some steep, heavily muddy sections my heart rate was in the 170′s not far off an all out effort. Despite or because of the fact I’ve had two weeks off my legs felt strong. I’m sure this was in part due to the Electromyostimulation I was doing religiously every other day.

The final road section was mostly down hill and very welcome, we then crossed a few fields before the stream crossing. I had planned to go straight through but with my toe dressing still dry I decided to walk over the bridge as the risk of water getting over the top of my socks and the resultant infection risk was too great. Apologies to the young girl who was trying to persuade me that the river should be crossed but I did it for the greater good. The final climb through the forest drained the remainder from my energy reserve before we plunged back down to the race course. The last bit was trick as I couldn’t tell what was a tree root and wat was mud… a few stumbles saw me lose touch with the guy in front.

EMS- seems to be doing something positive!

Nutrition-wise, I stuck to my guns and did the whole thing low carb. I’d had my low-carb Protein Pancakes pre-race and stayed well hydrated. In race I had two cups of water and post race I had another few pancakes, nuts, cheese and a salad for diner with sardines and Stilton (washed down with a well-earned glass of Chardonnay).

The big race of the day was not between the 200 or so runners toeing the start line. It was between Ben and Dan, sibling rivalry. Far be it from me to report the outcome (in case I need a lift to another race in future) lets just say they both look satisfied with the race they had just run!

Sibling rivalry

Did it work? I think so! I predicted a finish time of 1:30, I was a bit slower. 1:36ish but the course conditions under foot were tough and my toe niggled at me throughout. I also did a typical doctors dressing (it was crap!) and it rubbed on my second toe which now has a very tender raw area now! These factors definitely had my attention and drew on my race focused energy enough to account for the 6 minutes. I eased back in the second half of the race, my Garmin will back this up but it was psychological rather than physical. I was satisfied with the energy I had.

Who needs fake tan?

I have no doubt that without these issues I would have been a few minutes quicker. Add in carb loading and gels in-race it would have been possibly another 2 minutes quicker. For the recovery gain and general improved fat burning (without bloating or stomach issues) I am willing to trade a few minutes in an 18k race. I’d say it was a complete success! The strategy works. I’ll see what happens over the next few days as recovery is a big reason for my low carb approach. Today the legs feel great!! I am definitely able to run today

My shoes and socks are sitting in the sink, I can’t quite face cleaning task yet, it will take a hose down in the garden before I can do anything with them. The Sealsinz performed well in challenging conditions. I had the usual dampness from perspiration but otherwise dry, warm feet.

These need a bit of a soak.

As well as a technical t-shirt and water bottle I have brought home a gift for the wife… Cartmel Sticky toffee pudding (she’ll be wanting me to race this one again next year!).

1:35:59, 56th place, happy with that.

A massive ‘thank you!’ to all the marshals who cheered us on with vigour.

This ought to keep the wife happy, it beats a medal!!

To race low carb or not to race low carb??

This is the question I ask myself on the eve of my next race.

I had said that I was experimenting so now is the time to make mistakes…right? The thing is, I’m torn. I know what I normally do and it’s my comfort zone.

My usual pre-race routine would have been:

Evening – gnocchi with a few veg, in a pesto sauce

Breakfast – bagel with banana and honey + sports drink

Pre-race banana + gel

In race gel +++ (or similar high sugar alternative)

Post race hearty meal and recovery drinks

Now I’m contemplating:

Evening – cold meat starter, main meal of salmon and green veg) and cheese for afters (washed down with a glass of (not so low carb) wine

Breakfast – cheese omelette

Pre-race nuts (+/- yoghurt)

In race –water (gel for emergency use only)

Post race – normal low carb diet

The tricky bit for me is this will be an 18k trail race, I expect I will feel like running it hard (especially as I’ve not run for 10 days after toenail removal), AS SUCH – WILL I HAVE THE FUEL TO SUPPORT THE HIGHER INTENSITY?

Only time will tell….
I have made my decision. I will race in the manner I feel like racing with broadly the later nutrition strategy and record what happens. With a wee bit of calculating I would expect to complete the 18k, hilly, muddy course in less than 1:30 (depending on muddiness, big toe etc…). I anticipate I should have enough carbs stored from my low carb diet to perform at a high intensity for at least an hour, so I will need to see how the last 30 minutes go…

On the plus side I ran twice this week. One 2 miler to test the toe and a good 6 miles last night changing my minute mile pace, accelerating from 9 min/mile pace to 6:30 pace then easing back to 9 min/mile pace. It felt good!!

Wish me luck!

Cutting down carbs – my initial thoughts

So I’ve been toying with the idea of reducing my carb intake, for several reasons: to see how I feel; reduce inflammation and as an experiment to see how it impacts on my general health, however I was worried about the effect this would have on my ability to train and race.

I found this book: The Art and Science of Low carbohydrate Performance and started reading, the following is my opinion on the topic, not a research summary but simply a collection of my thoughts, feelings and experience so far:

My major concern before experimenting with this diet/ lifestyle was that it would negatively impact on my running. However fat is a good primary source for fuel, particularly at low intensity, which is the name of the game in endurance sport. Some go as far as to suggest that Carbohydrate has only become a major constituent of our diet in more recent times and from what I’ve read I can easily believe this.

History

The evolutionary argument makes sense to me. I first came across this in Born to Run – one of my all-time favourite books. The theory of an early hunting technique called ‘Persistence Hunting’. Persistence hunting is a hunting technique in which hunters use a combination of running and tracking to pursue prey to the point of exhaustion. While humans can sweat to reduce body heat, their quadrupedal prey would need to slow from a gallop in order to pant. Today, it is very rare and seen only in a few groups such as Kalahari bushmen and the Tarahumara or Raramuri people of Northern Mexico. Persistence hunting requires endurance running – running many miles for extended periods of time. Among primates, endurance running is only seen in humans, and persistence hunting is thought to have been one of the earliest forms of human hunting, having evolved 2 million years ago (wiki). To be able to do this the body would have had to have been designed to run off the massive energy stored in fat, I doubt it would have been possible to fuel using any other source. So the bottom line is this is what we had evolved to do. In fact it is only in the recent past (thousands rather than millions of years) that humans settled and lived off the land rather than following a nomadic lifestyle, perhaps this is why running makes me so happy… Our ancestors of 2 million years ago did not have a diet that looked anything like what we eat today. There has been dramatic changes over the last few hundred years and our body systems simply will not have had time to adapt and evolve. It’s no wonder there are obesity problems in the developed world and so many diseases fuelled by poor diet and lifestyle choices!

When you think of the basics, it makes sense in terms of body composition. We have large supplies of fat with only limited carbohydrate stores. We evolved in this way and it seems more logical to me that we are actually designed to burn fat for fuel. Carbohydrate is mostly stored in the liver and muscles. It is a good source of fuel but runs out relatively quickly (in about 2 hours or so) as opposed to fat which is abundant, in even the leanest of individuals and can last for many days rather than hours when considered as fuel.

Basic Science

Some categories of essential nutrients include vitamins, dietary minerals, essential fatty acids, and essential amino acids. The body cannot make these elements and acquire them from other sources. The essentials are: amino acids – 9- Leucine, isoleucine, valine, threonine, tryptophan, phenylalanine, methionine, histidine (and possibly lysine); vitamins (A,B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12, C, D, E and K); various minerals (Zinc, calcium, magnesium etc.) and essential fatty acids (Omega 3 &6). There are no essential carbohydrates!

Basic metabolism flow diagram

With this basic knowledge (and the remnants of what lurks in my head from 6 years at medical school) I have embarked on a journey to see what happens when I restrict my carbohydrate consumption. There is lots of information on the web and in books and there are even podcasts devoted to this (one good example is the memorably titled – The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show). I have worked my way through a lot of these types of resource whilst living it myself.

I have been low carb for almost 2 months now and I have to say I feel better. Less sluggish, less hungry and full of energy. I’ve lost a little weight (although this was never a weight loss thing for me, I’m already lighter than I’d like to be – side effect of running!) and I don’t particularly pine over carb rich food (except beer which I still have from time to time). I would say I haven’t quite got the balance right yet and I feel I will be able to up my carbohydrate intake slightly without upsetting things. The carbs I would choose to re-introduce would be more fruit. I really don’t miss bread, pasta or potato which formed a large part of my diet until recently.

First race

Last weekend I did my first race whilst being low-carb, again this will be experimental time but I plan to take carbs in whilst racing (well I did for this race anyway) and see what happens. I think perhaps next time I will follow a reduced carb intake during the race and see what happens…

Last weekend I stuck to my normal diet (low carb) pre-race but then switched to my more tried and tested in-race strategy with gels, Cliff bars and sandwiches, washed down with carbohydrate drink and water. What I should have done was immediately switched back to low carb post-race but I had a pie, beans and trifle (because I deserved it!). Next time I will try the complete opposite and do pre- in- and post- race without significant carbs to observe the effect.

For the record I felt I performed well over the 22 miles. My immediate recovery was good but my legs are trashed with DOMS at day 3 (although subjectively slightly better than I would have expected). I feel I could run today. All or none of this may be dietary related. As I train for the Lakeland 100 I am trying various things that could explain the good performance and slightly quicker recovery (I used Trekking poles for the climbs and I’ve been supplementing my training with EMS for 3 weeks – both of which may have altered my performance – not very scientific, I know!).

Training

As a whole my current training is all done in a low carb state.

Runs:

<1 hour – nothing

1-2 hours – water

>2 hours – water and nuts +/- low crab pancakes with an emergency gel (just in case).

I have to say, at my current low intensity this suits perfectly. I have noticed that my pace is more even and I feel generally better. I have had light-headedness on runs previously (especially if I’ve eaten just before) and this has gone completely. My HR drift is less toward the end (although this could be a general training effect) and I feel good (probably placebo effect – but an ‘effect’ is still an effect).

There was one significant training run that warrants comment 4 weeks ago. I had been low carb for a few weeks and I’d gone through the “feeling rougher” stage, associated with excess salt and water loss and come out the other side. I went for a 21 mile training run in a fasted state, with two bottles of water and a bag of mixed nuts. I trained in my aerobic zone 2 (according to Maffetone calculations) and felt amazing. There was very little drift in pace towards the end and my energy levels were reasonably constant. My recovery post workout was quick, I had very little aching and was fit to run again within 24 hours. This was without any ergonomic aids and I hadn’t started playing with EMS.

Next part of the puzzle

My next challenge is to repeat the 21 mile training effort at higher intensity and something more like ‘race pace’ and see what happens. My body may well becoming adapted to aerobic, fat burning efforts with little need for carbohydrate but I will be interested to see what happens when I’m requiring some rapid burning fuel with minimal carbohydrate stores and not replenishing them either in-race or post-race.

Next race

My next race is scheduled to be the 18km Cartmel Sticky Toffee Trail Race. This will be a good test because it’s hilly; off-road and a distance that will require a significant effort (I will of course carry a few gels just in case…). I am curious about the performance in terms of pace, perceived effort, how I feel and recovery. It has been suggested that carbs may predispose us to an increased inflammatory response, so I will be keen to see how the old pins feel afterwards. Race day performance isn’t as important because my goal this year is the Lakeland 100 which I will complete at an aerobic effort. The reason for pushing in these early season races is to test different aspects of racing; training and nutrition that will best help me achieve my goal (and its fun!).

click Link for the gross version (without bandage)

The biggest issue I have with this race is that I’ve been out of action for the last week following removal of by big toenail. Some may have read where this issue started at the Ring O’ Fire but it has been an on-going problem and I’d taken the decision that I will sacrifice this body part for the love of Ultrarunning! It was a relatively simple procedure, a bit painful getting the local anaesthetic then painless. The recovery has been simple so far but it takes a bit of time to heal properly. I’ve been told to keep it dry for 4-6 weeks (not easy as a runner) but it is less painful now than it was before. I will report back on how I get on racing without carbs and a right big toenail next week

Derwent Water Amble – 22 miles

The view from Falcon Crag

As readers will appreciate my race preparation started the night before:

1. An in-depth study of the route, map and triangulating with Google earth is now my standard prep for any unmarked trail run. This pays dividends and is more than worth the effort!
2. I got all my kit together and did a bit of Facebook research to confirm the weather conditions and conditions underfoot before deciding on the number of layers and the best footwear.
3. I made my protein packed low carb pancakes in bulk to munch on the way up (this batch was flavoured with bananas, blueberries, seeds and nuts!)
4. loaded the car up, had a beer and went to bed

I woke, or rather was woken before my alarm. My youngest lad decided that he wanted to get up at 5:30am! I got him settled and decided I may as well set off a bit early. With coffee in hand I made for the car which had a nice thin coating of ice which required a quick scrape.

The drive up to Keswick took just over an hour and a half, the sun was coming up over the mountains of the Yorkshire Dales to the East and made for a beautiful morning, enhancing that ‘isn’t life great’ feeling. I supped on my coffee (supercharged with coconut oil and cinnamon) as I drove. I arrived somewhat earlier than expected and was greeted with a friendly face and the reward of a cup of tea and toast.

My biggest concern pre-race was my right big toe.The nail has been digging in as its grown back and is really painful.

I’d been soaking my foot daily in Epsom salts and Tea Tree oil, which is helping but not curing the issue. I also had it dressed the day before by the podiatrist but the dressing was too bulky to run with. I was nearly in tears removing it in the kitchen! I applied one of those gel plasters under my Injinji’s and hoped for the best…

I have been generally following a low carb regimen for over a month now and I’m feeling much better with it. I have been giving a lot of thought to how I should fuel my race. It is a reasonably new concept, which builds on the theory of how the human race evolved. We would chase our dinner round until it became exhausted then kill it and eat it. We would do most of this on an empty stomach. We would then eat (a high fat/ protein meal) and repeat the process. The benefit to training low seems to be that the body becomes more accustomed to burning fatty acid for fuel rather than carbohydrate. Come race day, fuel can be a mix of carbohydrate and fat/ protein, providing adequate fuel for your body to continue for long distances in endurance events. I will blog in more detail outside of this race report on my thoughts on this.

Back to Braithwaite Victoria Memorial hall… because of my plan to race with more carbs I knocked back a slice or two of toast, washed down with a couple of mugs of char.

Others began to filter in and out. It was an extremely laid back and relaxed atmosphere. I really like the feel of Lond Distance Walking Association (LDWA) events. The walkers set off at 8:30am and the runners could set off any time after that but before 9:30. I set off at 9:15ish, timing it so that I would closely follow a group of runners just in case I got lost.

I crossed the road following my guides and broke into a gentle jog. We got to the first junction within 50 yards and the threesome stopped… I jogged up and said “I think it’s on up past the pub and then cut between the houses before skirting the caravan park…” They thanked me and remarked they were unsure of which ginnel to take. I’m glad I’d spent time the night before going through my virtual recce! Anyway they passed me and proceeded toward Cat Bells, with new found confidence in their navigation. I didn’t catch them until the top of the first climb.

I jogged slowly, warming up enough to whip off the old OR jacket and stowed it away in my rucksack (I wouldn’t need it again today). I took my time on the first few miles which were on the road, a nice way to warm up. I reached the foot of Cat Bells and extended my walking poles to help with the climb (and to practice using them as this is only my second day out with them, proper). It’s a twisty steep pull up Skelgill Bank with a scramble at the top (hands and feet required) before a similar effort to the rocky summit of Cat Bells. 3.5 miles covered, the views of Derwent water were stunning with a great view of Bassenthwaite as I looked north.

View from Cat Bells (Bassenthwaite top left)

The descent to Hollows farm was great; it was on uneven stoney steps which were dry. I usually struggle with confidence on this type of descent but I felt super confident and quick. My quads felt strong (for a change), I passed several people and was smiling all the way. I did think to slow down as my quads would not make the 22 miles at this rate but I was having too much fun! Perhaps the Electromyostimulation is helping…

The next few miles were nice; it felt easy whilst I walked, ran and took some food on board. I tried to have as a minimum about 30g of carb/per hour whilst moving and I grabbed a sandwich at each of the two checkpoints. So not my usual 60g/ hour, about half what I used to take on board. These races are all about experimentation.

I ran with and without headphones (something I’ll do in the Lakeland 100 in July), today it was all about Ministry of Sounds, Anthems 90s. I know many purists will disagree with headphones but what a great play list to further lift my mood to meteoric heights on this fantastic run!

As I was getting slightly carried away I got my sense check. I was descending (at pace) down a grassy bank, a few miles shy of CP1. One second I was carving down the hillside like a slalom skier, the next second I was in a heap. I had a few grazes but worst of all new merino wool top also had a hole… On reflection this is just a battle wound, something to be proud of next time I wear it!

I jogged on to the CP, cursing my shoes. The Salomons I had on are comfortable and good on hard trail or road but no so good if the conditions are slightly challenging. A little gravel on a poorly planted foot was all it took to take me from vertical to horizontal! At the CP I had a section of my race tag removed (as evidence that I’d been there) and I washed the gravel from my oozing hand. A cup of tea and two ¼’s of egg mayonnaise sandwiches and I was off.

The next section was a gentle mile of flat then a vertical climb up the world’s most uneven staircase to Dock Tarn. Surprisingly ¾ of the way up, I came upon a family outing, three generations including a new born in one of those sling carriers. To add to their challenge (it seems carrying a new-born wasn’t enough!) the mum and younger brother were climbing this perilous path in wellington boots! Now I’m not one for harping on about “health and safety” but this was not a path for the ill prepared!

Anyhoo, I skirted Dock Tarn, trying my best not to get bogged down in the thick mud, which made for slow progress hopping from rock to rock and taking the longer rather than quicker routes around the puddles and marsh. I would have taken a photo but I was concentrating too hard on staying dry and in a upright position. Onto Watendlath Tarn.

The next section was nice and flat, by a stream and slowly up to Surprise View and CP2. What a view it was!

‘Suprise View’ – or more apt would be very pleasent suprise view!

After consuming two cheese sandwiches and a cup of juice I plodded onto Ashness Bridge. The next climb was prime trekking pole practice terrain and I made steady progress catching a group of runners in front despite a pic stop on Falcon Crag, admiring the view over Derwent Water. I reached the summit (17 miles) at Wala Crag (panormaic pic at the top of this page) and for the first time started to feel my legs were tired. The descent echoed that thought, made worse by my footwear which didn’t give me the confidence to attack an otherwise inviting descent.

Despite my cautious descent I was making up ground on other runners and passed a handful more on the way to the Landing stages the lakeside (I also got briefly lost in the forest and had to re-pass several people).

The last few miles I pushed it and tried my upmost to squeeze every last ounce out of my legs, holding 8 min mile pace for the last few miles (on the flat), through Keswick (which was buzzing) and back to the finish.

I had a well-earned brew, pie and beans with a helping of trifle.

All in all, a great race, with a fabulous bunch of marshals and organisers. My fellow runners and walkers were a great bunch also. My advice is- this is a race worth doing!

Thank you to everyone who helped set up and deliver a great event with ever friendly helpful faces!