Motivation for the VLM London Marathon 2013
Excited about the VLM London Marathon this weekend? I am and I’m not even running this year! Let this video clip inspire you…
Motivation for the VLM London Marathon 2013
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Tag Archives: running
Chilli Chocolate Recovery Bites
Chilli Chocolate Recovery Bites
Before I go straight to my next recipe, mouth-wateringly delicious Chilli Chocolate Recovery Bites, here’s a quick update on what’s been going on at Go Faster Food over the last few weeks, as it’s been fairly hectic, to say the least…
I’ve had my head down writing and am finally making good progress with my new book, Go Faster Food for Kids, which I’m hoping to launch at the start of the new school year in September 2013.
I’m also been getting heaps of magazine features to write and Q & A’s to comment on, which is great news for Go Faster Food; for 220 Triathlon, Triathlon Plus and Running Fitness this month. Friday was spent in the kitchen doing a photo shoot for my 220 Triathlon monthly recipe slot, with my photographer, Evie; there’s some great recipes to come if you’re a regular 220 reader…and Evie’s images are really appetising.
The talks are going well too. I recently talked on ‘nutrition for race performance’ at BW Cycling, a fantastic new ‘destination’ shop for serious cyclists in Bristol, owned by Xterra World Champ Andy Wadsworth and World and Olympic XC rider, Oli Beckinsale, and ‘practical healthy eating for triathlon’ at the Triathlon Show at Sandown Park, as part of the 220 Triathlon Live! team, where I was rather in awe of being on the same list as one of my all-time heroines, the amazing Chrissie Wellington…still getting over that one!
There’s been some running going on as well! The extremely chilly Tunbridge Wells Half at the end of Feb, and this weekend it’ll be the Reading Half (hopefully a less chilly one), as part of the Mizuno Evos team. I’ll be in my pink evo cursoris, as these are definitely my favourites; with a little cushioning, they tend to propel you forward, I feel faster and lighter in them…and I love the colour!
So, now to the latest recipe, which, I must say went down extremely well at the Triathlon Show (I usually take edible examples along to my talks!) Chilli Chocolate Recovery Bites. Find out why they are so good for recovery and how to make them… click here for recipe.…
Nutritionally-formulated meal plans and delicious recipes to help you go further, faster.Download the FuelSmart Series
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Mizuno Evo Cursoris and Evo Levitas Review
Mizuno Evo Cursoris and Evo Levitas Review
Nice shoes, shame about the mud!
I’ve been running in my new Evos now for a couple of weeks, mostly using the gorgeously pink Evo Cursoris; with a thicker 12mm midsole, I find these more comfortable. I am still not at all sure this minimalist running is all that it’s cracked up to be; I definitely need more time before I rave too much about it…perhaps after this weekend when I’ve raced in them in the Tunbridge Wells Half - if you’re racing too, I’ll be giving out 5 copies of Go Faster Food as spot prizes, so look out for me at the finish line!
I love being barefoot. As a kid, I would throw off my shoes at the start of the summer holidays and that was it for 6 weeks; I’d walk/run everywhere in my bare feet. My parents were both teachers and we’d disappear off to Wales camping for the whole 6 week holiday. Hmmm, Wales in the summertime…this wasn’t the-lovely-feeling-of-hot-sand-between-the-toes kind of barefoot, we’re talking the-squelching-mud-between-the-toes kind of barefoot, with the odd dreamy day running across warmish sand when the weather decided to perk up. I still love to go barefoot, but nowadays limit this to dry days in the garden and holidays in hot countries!
So ‘minimalist’ seems to me to be the natural step up from this. As a runner who naturally propels herself forward, my running style is apparently suited to these minimalist shoes. This is what I have to say so far:
The good
Both the Evo Cursoris and the Levitas certainly slip on easily, fit well, and I’ve enjoyed wearing them on my runs. They are extremely lightweight, really, really comfortable, more like splippers than running shoes (have I mentioned this before?) and I’m surprised by the amount of cushioning they have, especially the Cursoris.
The toebox
The jury is out on this. There is plenty of space for your toes, although after a while I feel very aware of this, almost as though each toe has become splayed out into its own special compartment. This is apparently to give you extra grip and control. I’m not particularly keen on this feeling when I’m running but I’m willing to keep persevering in the vain hope that I’ll become accustomed to this.
Choose your shoes to suit the terrain you run on!
My main problem with the #Evos is where I am choosing to run in them, rather than their construction per se. These shoes feel fab when I’m running on dry, flat road, but I naïvely joined the super UK Mizuno testing team without really appreciating how much of my running is off-road. So really I’m using the wrong shoes for my type of running. As soon as the road surface becomes wet, the shoes feel less grippy, and as soon as I’m off into the fields and woods, which I’m afraid to say is the majority of the time, I’m sliding all over the place. Perhaps if the off-road were a nice dry, South of France or Lanzarote type terrain then they would be OK. I, however, have been testing these shoes in the rainy month of February in Bristol (mud-city) and the Devon coastal path (rocky, muddy and boggy).
Having said that, the weather is clearing up now, I’m running the Tunbridge Wells Half on Sunday in the #Levitas, the forecast is good so hopefully the running surface will be dry!
Tweet
For a peak of other member of the team’s reviews:
- https://www.facebook.com/MizunoRunningUk?fref=ts
- @Mizuno_Running
- @jonmackintosh
- @theRunningEd
- @RunningPeekay
- @gofasterfood
- @Boshrun
- @kimingleby
- @BePrettyFit
- @NatRunClinic
- @Ashton378
- @JuliaArmstrong
- @sammymargo
Download the FuelSmart Series
Optimise your performance with Go Faster Food FuelSmart.
Nutritionally-formulated meal plans and delicious recipes to help you go further, faster.
FuelSmart for Race DayMizuno Evo
Mizuno Evo Minimalist Running Shoes
I’m very honoured, and excited, to have been asked to join the #EVO Mizuno Evo Testing Team, culminating in the Mizuno Reading Half Marathon on March 17th.
For any new readers, welcome to Go Faster Food! I’m Kate Percy, author of Go Faster Food and FuelSmart for Race Day. Passionate about the link between better athletic performance and the vital role food plays in fuelling stamina and recovery, my mission is to bring sports nutrition to life with mouth-watering recipes for training and racing. I’ve been running marathons and cross-country races for over 10 years now. I’m not super-super-fast, but my times are pretty good for my age, enough to qualify me for automatic entry into fantastic races such as London and Boston. Nutrition can be boring stuff; I add zest to your training by bringing the dry theory to life with healthy, tasty and inspirational recipes to help you achieve your personal best.
I am dead pleased about being chosen as part of the expert blogging team to test out the new #EVO’s. I’m a ‘neutral’ runner, apparently. I run in lightweight shoes on both roads and very muddy cross country. I’ve (touch wood) never had an injury…not really ever any niggles at all. My husband says it’s because I don’t push myself hard enough. I say that it’s eating well and training sensibly; I never want to give up running. I want to be one of those 90 year old marathon runners! I’ll be blogging a review of the Mizuno Evos, I’ll also be training in them for the Tonbridge Half and the Reading half, and blogging some barefoot running recipes along the way!
So what is minimalist running?
Minimalist running is the next step up from barefoot running, i.e. running with no shoes on. Of course, back in time, running barefoot was the only way to run. Some cultures still run more or less barefoot, notably the Tarahumara tribe in Mexico, who run miles and miles over mountain ranges in ‘minimalist’ sandals. Now we have gait analysis, i.e. we run on running machines in the shop so that the video screen/shop assistant can ascertain which shoes will be best for us! To cushion our little feet so that we don’t get sore toes and heels. Yes, things have evolved. Perhaps too far. There is much evidence to prove that running barefoot reduces injury, as the foot hits the ground as it would naturally do so, with the midfoot or forefoot, rather than a cushioned heel. Manufacturers are now trying to get back to basics by mimicking the barefoot running experience with a whole range of ‘barefoot-inspired’ shoes. The http://www.mizuno.eu/sports/running/products/discoverevo is one of these.
Sales of minimalist shoes are going through the roof. People love them. I hope I do too! I’ll be blogging and tweeting about them with my #EVO team over the next 6 weeks, so please contact me by facebook or twitter or via info@gofasterfood.com if you have any advice on the best way to run in them. Why not follow the rest of the team? Its a fab mix of amazing and inspirational people, marathon and ultra marathon runners, coaches, physios etc all with a mountain of experience and opinions, so well worth finding out what they think of the shoes as well:
- https://www.facebook.com/MizunoRunningUk?fref=ts
- @Mizuno_Running
- @jonmackintosh
- @theRunningEd
- @RunningPeekay
- @gofasterfood
- @Boshrun
- @kimingleby
- @BePrettyFit
- @NatRunClinic
- @Ashton378
- @JuliaArmstrong
- @sammymargo
Gels or Sports Drink?
Gels or Sports Drink?
When I race, should I choose gels or sports drinks? Or a combination of both?
During a race of 90 minutes or more glycogen levels need to be topped up on a regular basis or they’ll become depleted, you’ll run out of steam and you’ll ‘bonk’ or ‘hit the wall’. Drinking water is not enough! You’ll need to rapidly replenish depleted muscle glycogen and restore body salts lost through sweat. That’s why we have to take on board gels and sports drinks. Unfortunately, most of them are disgusting, unpalatable and sickly…that’s because they’re more or less pure glucose, designed to be digested as quickly as possible. Using homemade sports drinks in training is fine, but this is usually an impractical solution for racing. The only option is to try out different brands to find one you can stomach.
With the ongoing success of FuelSmart for Race Day, I’m frequently asked whether it’s best to top up these glycogen levels with gels or with sports drinks during triathlon, half-marathon and marathon endurance training and races, and whether there is any difference between them.
Discover your ideal personal strategy.
Firstly and most importantly, what works for you is unlikely to work for your fellow competitor! You need to practice different strategies in training to discover what will suit you and your physiology best. Whether you choose gels, sports drink or a combo depends more on your personal preference than on any performance advantage.
Download the FuelSmart Series
Optimise your performance with Go Faster Food FuelSmart.
Nutritionally-formulated meal plans and delicious recipes to help you go further, faster.
FuelSmart for Race DayGels – don’t forget to wash them down with water
Gels, designed to be rapidly digested to replenish muscle glycogen as quickly as possible, provide between 20-30 grams of carbohydrate. Your body requires 30-60 grams of carbohydrate per hour, depending on workout intensity, so you’d need 2-3 gels per hour. Each gel must be washed down with plenty of water, for good hydration and for the effective absorption of the gel.
What about Sports Drinks?
Sports drinks are essentially gels with water, providing you ‘two for one’: hydration and carbohydrates. 500 ml typically contains between 30-45 grams carbohydrate, so you would need around 600 ml per hour, again depending on your workout.
Try a Gel/Sports Drink Combo to minimise Gastrointestinal discomfort
If, like me, you find sports drinks and gels too sickly-sticky, and water boring, try my combo method which maintains good hydration, body salt and glycogen levels.; a gel every 30-40 minutes, washed down with a 50% diluted sports drink. You never know, it might work for you!
Don’t forget electrolytes and protein
For best performance and recovery, choose a gel or sports drink which also contains protein and electrolytes; this helps prevent muscle damage and replaces lost body salts.
Solids can be kinder to the stomach
Overconsumption of gels and sports drinks can leave your gut feeling extremely uncomfortable. Energy bars, dried fruit, marmite, cheese or honey sandwiches, bananas and rice balls can be kinder to the stomach and many cyclists find it more pleasant and effective to eat these on the bike. Solids on the bike works for triathletes and ironman competitors, followed by sports drink and/or gels on the run to minimise gastrointestinal discomfort.
If you suffer GI problems, keep it simple!
Your stomach comes under all sorts of stress during endurance events. Many competitors suffer gastrointestinal problems. The more gunk you put inside you the likelihood is that the more uncomfortable your stomach will feel!
Practice different options in training to discover what is comfortable for you as an individual.
Top 10 ‘back to basics’ Go Faster tips to eat well in 2013
Have a Healthy, Happy & Energised 2013!
Top 10 ‘back to basics’ Go Faster tips to eat well in 2013
I’d like to propose getting BACK TO BASICS IN 2013. Why do we work out? It’s simple! It’s about getting into the fresh air, getting fit, working out with friends and having a good natter, working out on your own to regroup your thoughts, pushing yourself to go that extra mile or beat your PB. It’s not complicated.
That’s what a athlete’s diet should be as well!
Use these top 10 ‘back to basics’ Go Faster tips to eat well in 2013! They’ll help with weight loss if that’s your goal, although it will require a little patience, but it’s essentially an easy and uncomplicated ‘way of eating’ , both achievable and enjoyable, which will promote both long-term health and better athletic performance.
1. Would you put diesel into a Ferrari? NO!!
Ensure each mouthful is nutritious
If you are active, your body may need extra calories, but this doesn’t mean that you should just grab the nearest sugar-coated custard doughnut! Don’t waste time with ‘empty’ calories – focus on nutrient-dense foods and try your best to keep to unprocessed; that’s fresh, natural ingredients. You’ll find lots of examples and recipes to use them in Go Faster Food. Of course, with our busy lifestyles processed foods are virtually impossible to avoid, so when you do eat them, check the label for hidden saturated fats and salt.
Know what you are eating, read the label and ask yourself ”Do I really want to put this into my body?”.
2. BALANCE AND MODERATION!
Sounds boring, but this is the key to long-term health. Whether training or not, the ideal diet should include a wide variety of foods. Your body needs balance, so don’t cut out one particular food group, such as carbohydrate, protein or fat. Stick to the standard BDA guidelines of around 60% carbohydrate – that’s bread, pasta, cereal, rice AND fruit and vegetables, with a good mix of protein (around 15%) and the rest from fats. As an athlete, you also need to increase your intake of vitamins and minerals.
Don’t forget the maths! The more you move, the more you can eat!
It’s as simple as that. Don’t eat more calories than you can burn. Fad diets such as Atkins, Paleo, Blood Type, Fasting, Dukan promise great things, but are best avoided unless recommended by a medical expert. They are complicated, difficult to sustain and can affect health in the long term.
Regular exercise and sensible, balanced eating will be far more effective in the long term that a diet.
3. Beauty comes from within, thank goodness!
Don’t beat yourself up if you haven’t got the ultimate 6-pack, or if you’re not the perfect size 10 with abs to die for…
Being active, fit and healthy is more important than having the perfect figure!
4. It’s not just about the race
Fuelling for endurance sport is not just about carbo-loading before a race; it is equally important to be smart about eating throughout your training schedule. If you don’t train well you won’t race well. Fuel yourself with the right foods during training, you’ll prevent injury and improve both your performance and your recovery times.
For general training, use the recipes, meal plans and advice in Go Faster Food.
For pre-race fuelling advice, meal plans and recipes, get yourself a copy of FuelSmart for Race Day
5. You don’t have to be a millionaire to eat well!
Eating well doesn’t have to break the bank! Good quality, nutrient-dense foods such as fruit, vegetables and wholegrains are easily available at the local supermarket, so don’t worry that you’re not visiting the farmer’s market, speciality health food store or deli every week.
Keep it simple! Avoiding processed wherever possible is the key to good long-term health. Avoid the ‘so-called’ healthy sports drinks and energy bars and make your own instead. You’ll not only be healthier but you’ll save ££££$$$$$. You’ll find easy recipes for these in FuelSmart for Race Day (£3.99)
6. Keep well-hydrated
Keeping well-hydrated throughout the day will make you feel energised and focussed. If you wait until you feel thirsty you’ll be slightly dehydrated already, so keep bottles of water with you, at your desk, in the car, on your bedside table. Take a big bottle of water to work with you and make sure you finish it by the end of the day. Read more about hydration.
Don’t waste money on expensive sports drinks when you can make your own – see hydration. Use your savings on a £3.99 copy of FuelSmart for Race Day instead!
7. Don’t train on empty
Try to plan your training sessions so that you can eat 1-2 hours before setting off, especially if you are planning an intense or longer workout. You’ll train stronger and feel better. Eat something which is low in fat, easy to digest and high in carbohydrate that will gradually release energy to your muscles; click here for pre-workout recipes….
8. Good recovery is the key to success!
Eat and drink to refuel within the 15 minute magic window to speed recovery
Carbohydrate is stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen. Glycogen levels become depleted after a workout and the quicker they are topped up again, the quicker your recovery will be and the better you will feel for your next session. You also need water and electrolytes to replace fluid loss, and protein to repair your muscle cells. Grab something as soon as you finish your workout like a honey sandwich, a bowl of rice pudding, a slice of toast with scrambled egg, peanut butter or hummus, an energy bar or flapjack, a piece of fruit (melon is good) or a refreshing home-made smoothie made with skimmed milk or yoghurt.
Eat and drink to refuel within the 15 minute magic window to speed recovery. Click here for recovery recipes…
9. Eat well on rest days
Rest days are highly important for recovery as this is the time when your muscles are at their most receptive – it can take up to 20 hours for muscle glycogen stores to be fully replenished and it is often when the hunger starts to kick in with a vengeance.
Make the most of rest days, replenish your depleted energy and feed your muscles by eating well.
10. Don’t be too boring and obsessive about what you eat!
Follow the 80:20 rule
Athletes can often become body conscious and this can sometimes lead to eating disorder. Please don’t get too hung up on your exact food intake; a relaxed attitude to eating will help you stay focussed, feel good, exercise better and enjoy your training without starting to feel that it is a chore. Eating well for around 80% of the time means that you can afford to stray for the remaining 20% without feeling guilty.
Enjoy your food! It’s what makes all this training worthwhile!