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Miles makes smiles.
Progression
Welsh Poppy: I know I don't need mince pies, but...
I'm totally addicted to them at this time of year, sorry. Glad Gobi's with me on this one (Cheers )!
However, I will try much harder to watch how many I eat this year, honest !!
thats why my Crimbo target is to maintain my weight rather than lose.
Glad to hear it Birkmyre;-)
Right better get off for my Christmas Eve run
Miles makes smiles.
Progression
WP,
I hit my target weight for Bergamo 1/2M on 18/11. Since then I've put on a few lbs (I was 9st 4-5lb then, I'm about 9st 8lb now). Like Gobi, I'm just trying to maintain this over the Christmas break before resuming full training on the build-up to London marathon.
Turns out I can race reasonably well whilst being a few lbs over "ideal" racing weight as I had a couple of fairly good runs at the North Mids XC at Markeaton Park (01/12) and Keyworth Turkey Trot 1/2M (09/12) whilst at my current weight. However, even though it's only a couple of lbs - it feels like it makes a significant difference to me.
Sounds like things are going well for you. How much have you lost now? What's your target? Have you done any racing since you lost weight? If so, is performance improving?
Right, I'm out for a 13M to run off the lb of stilton and gallon of port that was consumed after the pub last night : - )
thats why my Crimbo target is to maintain my weight rather than lose.
I'm 5'8", but I've always had a fairly slight build - even at my heaviest, I don't think I've ever been over 10st 7lb. As I said before, I think you've got potential to go very quickly indeed. If you can run 74-75 min 1/2M at your current weight, you'd be going like stink if you dropped a few pounds. But again, you're clearly running very well with things as they are.........6 of one etc
I'm an inch taller and 2 stone ish heavier!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BUT
I am strong
LOL my names Smiffie and I know 9:13 is my ideal, but g*d its hard to stay at that weight! Been loitering around 10:6 for the last year. 10:4 at moment and pushing after Christmas for LM to be ideal weight................ Christmas is about maintaining.
Had a set back middle of year with back op where my weight went up to 10:12
Marmite- I have lost 8lb since i have been back training consistant after the injury nightmare 2 years so 9.1lb....I am working on being 8st.
I ran a half in October second race in 2 years and got a PB by 2.5-3mins
Ran a 5 mile race today I feel good not fat and sluggish but really good
It was commented that I look trim and streamlined......but I think I am just back where I was 2 years ago/
Next goal race is last weekend in jan and determind to see the difference at this race
Miles makes smiles.
Progression
I don't really think Horwill's advice is actually very prudent - surely if a person is training hard enough to be in a position to win the London marathon then they are going to be at a good race weight for their body: they'll know what works for them. I think it gives the wrong message. Yes, if you lose weight you may get faster because there's less pressure on your body, but encouraging people to do that is not the answer, as thay may compromise their performance in other ways, like not getting enough fuel. Similarly, if you're naturally a rake you're more suseptible to injury.
The best thing to do is to fuel your body - whether it's a finely tuned racing machine or not - in the way that is best suited to your training and which best maximises your performance. It's about balance - if you've only run 3k, you probably don't deserve that chocolate cake/beer/, but if you've run 10k, 15k+ then once in a while it won't do much harm (but limit the treats to when they're really deserved!). And how much you want your body to be a racing machine depends on the fuel you give it - if you don't care then you're fuel won't be good as someone who does, and you can guarentee that Horwill's role model cares a lot, so will give it 99% decent stuff.
Plus if Zatopek can only be average when his sessions were nothing short of completely crazy, then how on earth do the vast majority of the population stand a chance?
Mince Pie update : only eaten 2 so far Welsh Poppy !
I have been known to have polished off 2 boxes, yes boxes by now !!
Doing okayish.
Birkmyre
i am so very [proud of you!!
Keep up the good work
You can do it....say no to mince Pies
Miles makes smiles.
Progression
Whoops
Yeah, but Gobi you run lots more milage than me at the moment, so you can afford to eat 3.
(Birkmyre will probably now spend the rest of the day contemplating an major increase in his milage...!)
Chers WP, I think my family were really surprised when I only had a drink at supper time on Christmas Day. It wasn't easy, but I'd had a 'hearty Christmas dinner' and didn't want to overdo it.
New Year up here in Scotland is hard to from a calorie intake point of view too.
However needs must etc.
WP,
You are waaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy too modest. Had to scan the daily thread to find out how your 5 mile race turned out. HUGE CONGRATS on a HUGE PB. You must be over the moon. That's an enormous chunk to take off your 5 mile time. Really delighted for you.
DiS,
Thanks for joining the discussion. I agree that indiscriminately suggesting people lose weight as a mechanism to improve athletic performance is perhaps imprudent. But just to re-iterate, my reading of the Horwill articles is that the weight-height ratios are numbers generated by a chap called Stillman. It seems that most people who have posted on this thread believe that the Stillman numbers for women are too extreme - I'd concur with that. However, Horwill suggests that rather than just aiming for a particular weight, each individual should try to find their optimum racing weight through trial and error - I'd agree with that too.
Ate and drank far too much the last 4 days. However, seem to have managed to offset the effects of excessive caloric intake by getting 57 miles in during the same 4 days.............I think I've found a Christmas eating/exercising routine that I can really live with ; - )
Miles makes smiles.
Progression
OOh well done Gobi
Miles makes smiles.
Progression
Smiffie,
I think it's almost impossible to maintain optimum race weight indefinitely. I think it's probably best to aim to achieve your optimum at the time you are peaking for a key race. The rest of the time it's probably best to allow yourself to be carrying a pound or two extra, so it sounds like you're doing the right thing by timing your weight loss so that you hit your optimum at the same time as FLM.
Gobi,
Stunned that you've managed to lose weight during the Christmas break - I guess clocking triple digits mileage helps to burn off a few mince pies.
Unlike Gobi, I have gained 3 pounds during the break, so I'm now about 6 pounds heavier than I was when I was around optimum racing weight in mid-November. Still, I cut myself a good deal of slack over Christmas knowing that the next 15 weeks during the run-up to FLM are going to be a somewhat monastic existence (must dig out the hairshirt). Still managed to run a decent 10k yesterday, despite the extra weight, but think that the 6 pounds probably cost me 30-45 secs. Right, time to get the trainers on and get out for the second session of the day...............
I have probably eaten better than in previous years as well.
1 selection box
not that many mince pies
1 cheese cake with Ice cream over a period of days
No alcohol.(I never drink)
Meals have generally NOT been 3 courses.
Training wise
yes I have run 2/3 times most days
I have also hit the gym when it is open.
TBH, I have carried on and largely ignored Christmas.
Nice!!
That is great
I have also not indulged as promised over christmas
The only thing was Maya gold Greens and black 100gm bar
No mince Pies..hate them
No alcohol(I dont drink)
2 pkts Polo Mints...well a girl has to live dangerously sometimes
I stuck to my dieticians schedule for me
Also ran Twice a day most days
I am not your ordinary person with food and my Christmas always is different
Miles makes smiles.
Progression
I've put on a touch over christmas but generally hasn't been too bad- about 2 lbs.
Find that naturally when I'm running more the weight goes down. Goes down more doing intense stuff rather than just base mileage. Can run 50-60 and weight goes down slowly but add in an interval session and a tempo run together with a long run and mileage is still at 50-60 but weight loss drastically increases.
Lower weight isn't always the answer but very low body-fat is undeniably a huge factor in distance running. The reason dieting et al. it isn't seen as absolutely crucial is because in the process of training your body to run very well over distance you naturally strip the fat off of your body.
Muscle's use in the effect of running faster is a more interesting area though. For the overwhelming majority of people if you added fat onto them they would run slower (only exception being people so thin that they just don't have the fat stores to fuel themselves and that's extreme cases). The effect of adding muscle on though, increasing weight but also power and strength is not as clear cut. Obviously depends on where muscle is added et al. and the distance being run.
Not done too badly over the festive period. I have had my moments when family size tins of chocs being passed round though...Unbelieveably had only 3 or 4 mince pies !
My weight loss new year resolution starts today. Managed a session most days,so that's helped.
It's gonna be tough, diet wise in the near future.
I usually get an immiediate wait raise. Train hard now and fight it :¬)
G
Well done to those of you who did restrict themselves and Gobi, impressive but not surprising with the mileage you're doing.
Molly, I'd agree with Gobi. I never heard of a weight gain delay. Once you eat/drink it it's in your system. There could be a slight delay (but only slight) in excess calories being converted to fat, but that's about it.