Wanted to be in my best shape this season in late September and October. Won’t happen. I think I already got my pick for this year and it was in July. I was able to pull off b2b on the hilly course in 3:17 and 3:14. And after that it was slippery slope for me. I know that I just let myself to do things I shouldn’t. Ate too much, ate crap food. Haven’t been working on my core muscle enough. Basically I just let additional kilos to stick to my body and muscle were substituted by bad, bad fat. I never was very skinny but last year was able to put so much work that actually weight went down quite a bit and the ‘belly tire’ was gone. That cost me a lot of work but was able to do that. So, seems that now I’m just lazy and cannot force myself to do the same.
In my case weight has a huge impact on my running abilities. Every additional kilo is slowing me down. Lack of core muscle adding up to fast tiredness during the race. I never loved running. Even now I’m not very convinced that I like it (especially when results are not as I would expect). I enjoying very much when running ok race. Hate when making mistakes on the course. I’m not very talented runner. I think that all I have achieved till now was a result of work I have put into training. So, now, when training (running and diet) not going as suppose I suffer. I again need to find my Zen… Should stop complain and start ‘doing’. Last week I have tried a fruit and veg diet, with some addition of sushi. Was actually doing OK till couple of days later we started to be very busy in work. No time for lunch break (running or proper food) and I was trying just to grab whatever I could just to kill hunger. I was even able to do 24 hours fasting day. Didn’t have that in ages. But it was just 24 hours and after that I just everything what was in the fridge.
I hope that sharing with all of you will somehow motivate me to get back on track again. I know that support is very important. Thanks Theresa. Sorry, slipped a little bit with my diet but will start again and hopefully for good this time. And if food will be sorted fat will disappear as well. And when fat will disappear muscles should start to grow again. And that should give me good platform to get good times again.
So, my chain would be:
diet –> fat ⬇ –> weight ⬇ –> muscle ⤴ –> health ⤴ –> speed ⤴ –> times ⬇ –> Alan ?
And happy Alan is the ultimate goal. Of course if that would bring as well sub 3 marathon then that’s class.
That post was inspired by Theresa again. When I was complaining about myself and didn’t want to bored her she just said ‘Brag’. So, I’m doing that but would like to know if you have such a experiences as me when self-esteem is low and it is very hard to pull yourself together. Please share your stories. It is always better to know that you are not alone.
As a feature image. Me, very tired in the plane (very early flight) heading to Szczecin to pace 4 hours marathon.
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Nice to see you being so open about your concerns.I think as a runner you do have talent but are way to hard on yourself to acknowledge it.As for diet it is hard to stay away from foods that are bad for us as they contain ingredients the body craves ‘fats and sugars’.It’s a constant fight, something I do every day.Through running I lost nearly 30kg, also at times I’m not sure if I like running but I put on my gear and force myself out the door. I usually come back feeling good.Also I’m not fast and I realise a sub 3 is beyond my abilities, however it is not beyond yours. Have faith in yourself.See you in Galway if not sooner.
Alan believe in yourself. You have a busy life with a full time job and still manage to fit in running. Yes the lighter you are the faster you run, the more muscle, the stronger you are but none of this will be achieved if you are killing yourself mentally. Start at the begining again, we all fall off. Heres to the next run we do together, I will be watching you fly off in the distance.
Beautifully said Sheila Masterson xx
Alan that’s a very Intersting post …I very rarely comment on things but the one thing that spells out to me is your “negativitity” and being hard on yourself. ..as runners we all over train and lose put mojo at times…sometimes doing something else gives us the love for it again… self esteem & confidence are huge in getting results…nay be worth on them as a runner I think u are amazing 😉 🙂
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Thank u for showing the running world your just human like the rest of us your an amazingly talented runner you just need to not be so hard on yourself everyone hits a bad slump and that’s all it is you will come back bigger badder faster the fact that you put it out there means like myself you know if everyone is expecting results to a plan and goal u have set for self you will deliver that’s why I announced to the world about my metabolic plan so I knew I couldn’t fail I can hear what your doing you need a bit of extra support and push right now and that’s ok I think we will all support u and get you back to where u need to be alan your not looking to break records just shave a bit off your best time you did it before u will do it again
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I remember having such a tough time in limerick marathon and afterwards & fellow runner Sheila Masterson words on thst course got me to the end and got me fighting to continue even though physically & mentally I was struggling! ! Love the tough time Alan it will make u tougher & stronger & look & believe in the sub 3 marathon for u as that will also come … get that headset in gear … u are a runner & we do not give up!!!
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Wouldn’t be that upset. I peaked on my second marathon 4 years ago and despite my best efforts, being way more knowledgeable and experienced I couldn’t get near that time now if the finish was downhill for the last six miles with a following gale and I was rollerblading. Getting old sucks
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Alan – it’s difficult & it’s simple ! 3kgs – 15mins on your marathon time.
Eat clean, some intermittent fasting, you can lose 1lb/week for 6-8weeks and get back to your goals, rest/ proper sleep is important & you need to get the message that running 1 marathon a week will not lead to a PB… Bigger stakes, aim for a target race, dont bother with the smaller races & deliver your potential. Proper core training, proper leg training with weights & diet – you have the ability. Get a proven coach & move away from DIY – I say this because you have the talent & desire, then do what they tell you.
You have just described the metabolic plan there finchacha
You said describe your own story…
I fell on Open mountain training, misdiagnosed twice – first as a bad ankle sprain… Rest ice/4 weeks then run again… Ran again – hard run, ankle doubled in size… Went to a diff physio who sent me for xRay with suspected stress fracture…doctor there said xRay didnt show fracture but since original injury was 5 weeks earlier it wouldn’t & no point getting MRI as unnecessary cost… (Me going mad, missing training, eating “normally”… Looking for magic cure – still icing & epson salt baths, some upper body sessions but ankle too sore to do leg sessions (bought my own ankle brace as taping every day is a pain in the ass…). See a doctor I know – who says – what the hell have you done… I’m not walking properly, so I arrange to see him, he sends me for MRI with suspected post tibial tendon tear, Cappagh Hospital confirm chronic tear of PTT, cartiledge damaged and bone fragments from fall ??? options – ankle reconstruction surgery if rehab/ conditioning don’t work… That was 7 weeks ago – been doing physio with physio every 2 weeks, daily exercises to strengthen the ankle, swimming – twice a week, eliptical training twice a week (non weight bearing), started gymnastic training & yoga for core and cross training, sorted my diet out – eating clean, intermittent fasts twice a week, and started anti gravity threadmill sessions (did 3 of them so far – first 1 – 3miles at 11min pace, 60%weight, second 4miles @66%weight at 10min pace, today 6miles@75% body weight – 4@9:30, 2@8min miles).
Hoping to be at 100% bodyweight by end of October & maybe 10x8min miles, then do proper winter training. Injury happened 2May, wiped out my season, first race next Feb – Donadea (if I’m able). Yours is a high class problem, stay injury free, I’ll happily change places – lol. Irony of the injury, I know more about my legs and feet than ever before and how to condition them but I am back at scratch in terms of speed and endurance. Learnt a lot about food/ diet/ metabolic rate & how to grow muscle, am back to near single figure body fat % – makes winter running cold !!!
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