(This is mostly notes for my own use, although someone else with similar problems with sugar might find them useful).
Most/all running foods suggested are sweet, or at least carb rich. I have a bit of a problem with carbs. It's most noticeable with sugars (esp glucose) but happens with starch too. About half an hour after ingesting a lot of carbohydrate I get cold sweats, shakes & disorientation. It sounds a lot like diabetes but isn't (I've been tested over and over, and I've had this since childhood. A doctor friend suggested it might be dumping syndrome).
Mostly I just don't bother eating when running, and that's fine up to marathon distance. In fact I'm doing much better at longer distances since stopping trying to eat. Now that I'm looking to do short ultras I need to find things I can eat. Lately I've been shifting my diet to be more protein rich (whilst still avoiding saturated fat, and in any case I'm a vegetarian), so on yesterdays 50km run I tried out the following:
* Hard boiled eggs (gave me a little acid, needed washing down with water, but no ill effects)
* Chia seeds (nice to chew on, tasted pretty good, extremely portable, no ill effects at all)
* Walnuts (the body went NOM, they felt like just what was needed. No ill effects)
I was pretty wiped out at the end of the run, 50km is a lot for me at my current fitness level, but I didn't have any blood sugar wipeouts, and wasn't madly hungry at the end. This looks like a promising line of experiment.
Edit: Much later (Aug 2019). Peanut butter, in refillable baby food pouches. Worked a treat on the Brecon 50.
Friday, 28 December 2018
Sunday, 9 September 2018
Shoes and the Yorkshireman
I registered for the Yorkshireman this year. I was still restricted to distance and feeling a bit of PF when I did, but I was feeling confident that it was on the mend.
As it turned out, I ran my marathon PB, and now (4 hours later) my legs & feet feel pretty good. Not "I think I'll go for another run" good, but certainly "I'll be running by tuesday/wednesday" good.
Choice of shoe today made me second guess myself. All summer I've been running longer distances in Freet Connect. They're the non-split toe version of my favoured short distance summer shoes, the Leap 4+1 (which a friend in all innocence referred to as 'camel toe shoes'...). They don't have the deepest, most studdy tread, and while I was sat there watching people milling around, they were all wearing roclites, speedcross, fell/trail shoes of all sorts. But all I had were the connects - I wasn't confident about doing that distance in Vivo SGs - they're too hard.
As it turned out, the Freets were perfect. Because barefoot shoes flex and minimal runners take short fast steps, I maybe had more grip than the people in big chunky trail shoes. I never missed a step regardless, even coming hard downhill on a wet grassy slope. The woman I was overtaking seemed to take exception, I'm not sure why, I was careful to give her plenty of room.
I had a good run. Just enough company (I have a limited appetite for company when I'm running, but a little can be good and I've met friends that way) and not too warm (but a bit soggy).
Now for food. More food. LOTS of food.
P.S. I was doing this in aid of Yorkshire Cat Rescue. OK, I was doing it because I wanted to, but I was raising money for YCR as well. Just on the off chance that you want to support the fantastic work the rescue do looking after and rehoming unwanted kitties, the just giving link is here:
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/charles-colbourn2
As it turned out, I ran my marathon PB, and now (4 hours later) my legs & feet feel pretty good. Not "I think I'll go for another run" good, but certainly "I'll be running by tuesday/wednesday" good.
Choice of shoe today made me second guess myself. All summer I've been running longer distances in Freet Connect. They're the non-split toe version of my favoured short distance summer shoes, the Leap 4+1 (which a friend in all innocence referred to as 'camel toe shoes'...). They don't have the deepest, most studdy tread, and while I was sat there watching people milling around, they were all wearing roclites, speedcross, fell/trail shoes of all sorts. But all I had were the connects - I wasn't confident about doing that distance in Vivo SGs - they're too hard.
As it turned out, the Freets were perfect. Because barefoot shoes flex and minimal runners take short fast steps, I maybe had more grip than the people in big chunky trail shoes. I never missed a step regardless, even coming hard downhill on a wet grassy slope. The woman I was overtaking seemed to take exception, I'm not sure why, I was careful to give her plenty of room.
I had a good run. Just enough company (I have a limited appetite for company when I'm running, but a little can be good and I've met friends that way) and not too warm (but a bit soggy).
Now for food. More food. LOTS of food.
P.S. I was doing this in aid of Yorkshire Cat Rescue. OK, I was doing it because I wanted to, but I was raising money for YCR as well. Just on the off chance that you want to support the fantastic work the rescue do looking after and rehoming unwanted kitties, the just giving link is here:
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/charles-colbourn2
Sunday, 5 August 2018
Plantar Fasciitis, I think I've finally nailed the bastard...
I've not posted on this topic (or any other - busy busy busy) for quite some time, but I think the PF is finally dead. I've run 3 marathons in 3 weeks, plus other training runs, and although tight calves and utter exhaustion have been a factor, PF hasn't.
So, what finally made the difference?
Calf stretches and standing on one foot were important, they've really helped to improve my posture and loosen my calves (now my hamstrings are a problem - there's always something...).
But the one thing that made all the difference, the thing that took me from mild PF to knocking 30 minutes off my marathon PB in 3 weeks, was reading & following the advice of Barefoot Ken Bob and Malcolm Balk.
It turned out I was running with tight calves all the time, and my legs way too stiff. Once I found out that by bending my knees deeply I could run in minimal shoes with relaxed calves/feet without banging my heels, it all came together.
Look how deeply Moses Mosop's knees bend in this video. I was lurching along on straight legs, taking all the bounce on my instep and calf.
Those huge muscles in our thighs, we evolved them for a reason. They're the ones that take the bounce.
So just like skiing, the exhortation is too 'bend the knees'. Barefoot Ken Bob says he's never seen anyone bend their knees too much, but almost everyone doesn't bend them enough.
Bending the knees shoves your body upright - you can't stoop with properly bent knees - as your thigh comes up on the forward stroke it pushes your torso straight. That means that you can breathe better, which makes the whole thing easier.
I still get tight calves after a very long run, but that no longer translates to PF.
The stretching, core work and balance work has taken me down a new path into yoga & balance, which will hopefully improve my posture & general health even further.
So, what finally made the difference?
Calf stretches and standing on one foot were important, they've really helped to improve my posture and loosen my calves (now my hamstrings are a problem - there's always something...).
But the one thing that made all the difference, the thing that took me from mild PF to knocking 30 minutes off my marathon PB in 3 weeks, was reading & following the advice of Barefoot Ken Bob and Malcolm Balk.
It turned out I was running with tight calves all the time, and my legs way too stiff. Once I found out that by bending my knees deeply I could run in minimal shoes with relaxed calves/feet without banging my heels, it all came together.
Look how deeply Moses Mosop's knees bend in this video. I was lurching along on straight legs, taking all the bounce on my instep and calf.
Those huge muscles in our thighs, we evolved them for a reason. They're the ones that take the bounce.
So just like skiing, the exhortation is too 'bend the knees'. Barefoot Ken Bob says he's never seen anyone bend their knees too much, but almost everyone doesn't bend them enough.
Bending the knees shoves your body upright - you can't stoop with properly bent knees - as your thigh comes up on the forward stroke it pushes your torso straight. That means that you can breathe better, which makes the whole thing easier.
I still get tight calves after a very long run, but that no longer translates to PF.
The stretching, core work and balance work has taken me down a new path into yoga & balance, which will hopefully improve my posture & general health even further.
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