I know I know. Last week I said I was going to be better. Well I wasn’t.
It’s now 10am Saturday, it’s going to be 43 degrees (110 F) and I’m sitting around waiting for the weather for change. Yep! I’d two coffees and a mango deep into a Grey’s Anatomy marathon.
I’m sure I could be cleaning the house or reading a life changing book or studying for my online course but hey sometimes you need a veg day.
So Tarawera training…. Week 6.
Week 6 was different to all the other weeks so far. I have been following my SquadRun plan and this week I took an extra rest day. It wasn’t intentional, more due to poor planning over Christmas and work commitments. Monday and Friday are usual rest days for me. Monday due to having my biggest run on Sunday and Friday I call ‘Fat Friday’ at the end of the week where I watch the new TGIT (Greys Anatomy, Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder) and eat Bubble and Squeak.
Tuesday was an unplanned rest day. I added some resistance training to my Wednesday session which made every other run for the week a little more difficult. Nothing major just some squats, lunges and kettle bell exercises.
My 2-3 hr long run I replaced with a trail marathon on New Years Eve. Yes I’m the sort of person who would run around in circles in the bush in the dark on New Years Eve. With 1400m elevation it was more than my poor sore legs was ready for. There was lots of walking up the hills but it was a solid session heading into the elevation of Tarawera, over 6 hours of “solid session”.
This was the first session in the last of three super weeks of distance before the program heads into the speed and strength sessions before the taper. Each week has a solid distance session on the trails, usually 2-3 hrs or a super session which is 4-5 hours. I’m shuffling them around a little to have the New Years Eve marathon and Two Bays Trail 56k as book ends. After Two Bays, its strength, speed and taper. Oh dear!
Nutrition
Nutrition wise, the introduction of intermittent fasting has really helped me to control emotional eating and snacking. I have been really bad lately with shoveling food on top of my feelings, whether that be frustration, boredom, insecurity, sadness or celebration. I don’t know how the fasting makes a difference but it definitely has helped.
The B2 is good too. I think it is helping with recovery but I have to be careful because it also upsets my stomach a little which is not what you want on race day.
Next week I have a delivery of Aussie Farmers Direct coming, a large box of veggies and fruit. I can’t wait to experiment. I’m determined not to waste a single piece of produce so there could be some interesting meals produced. All fresh and plant based.
I’m also down a bit of weight so now I’m down 2 kg since refining my diet. I’d like to drop another kg and reduce the body fat, increase the muscle. I got a new composition scale in the Boxing Day scales. More on that later…