Wow just finished a 45 mile brutal leg over blacksail pass then scafell and back to Whitehaven - now totally wrecked but just had chilli and bread for breccie so will hopefully feel better soon - just big ben to go now
Hi guys, just back from Snowdon - 24 miles in 4 1/2 hours - not bad on no sleep, 1 bag of crisps and half a malt loaf! Going to try and get some sleep now.
Oh boy, been sick as a very sick dog. Sea was very rough for the first four hours. Calm now and im feeling better. Rob and I are below resting, going up Snowdon in 3 hours. Lying in 4th place.
Well I was meant to play 2 games this weekend but Saturday was a washout, I went all the way to Halifax to come all the way back an hour later! Spent the rest of the day cleaning!
Sunday we played against Saltaire, we batted first and got 224, i picked up a quick 7 but was run out which i was not too happy about. I opened the bowling for the first time in a while because of my shoulder, it went well, i took 3 wickets in my first spell of 9 overs. I was very happy with how I bowled, and I had no pain in my shoulder which is great news.Unfortunately we lost in the end by about 5 runs, but still picked up about 8 bonus points.
I’ve been struggling with 2 parts of my bowling recently, my run up and also keeping upright throughout my bowling action. After working on my run up in the nets this week I think I have sorted my problem with bwling no balls which has really been frustrating me asI’m only millimetres over the line. And also spending some time bowling on my own to iron out my problems with my action collapsing while I bowl which means I start spraying the ball down the legside and bowling wides. I think I’m back in the first team this week after a few good weeks of bowling, hopefully I can keep bowling well and keep my place!!
Update 14:24pm 28/06/2008
Now the fun begins - we are on the boat waiting until 3 2when we go to the start - weather grey but good - wind blowing - sea looks grim and big!
Update :20:50 27/006/2008
So we are in Barmouth - weather rough - boat came through force 8’s just to get here - just about to go out to the boat to sleep - tomorrow will be a big day
Right, well i’m really down at the moment as i haven’t been to the gym in over a week due to not being very well… makes me so angry when i can’t go. I convince myself i am losing size every day that goes by.
Anyway, think i’m going to be back next week so will hit it hard, as only 6 and a half weeks untill my holiday. Reason i am writing a blog entry today really is that a couple of people have asked why i drink protein shakes all the time and how they help so thought i would write my thoughts on this and see if any of you out there agree with me or have anything to add.
I was constantly told when i started training that not only can i just weight lift but i have to really concentrate on my diet too - Without the correct nutritional diet then your training could really be affected and your body could suffer. One of the main things i began to learn was how important carbohydrate and protein intake was.
Research has shown that carbohydrate intake within two hours of and during endurance exercise is essential to building adequate glycogen stores for continued training. I usually stuff my face with loads of pasta and rice to get enough carbs down me but sometimes i eat Maxim energy bars if i can’t get a proper meal. Many people also forget that eating carbohydrates is also essential after sport - you will have used up almost all your energy stores (depending on how intense you effort was of course), and your body has to recover and repair itself and in order to do this, the body has to have enough energy to supply and repair the damaged muscle tissue
It’s not just energy and fuel that your body needs. After exercising your muscle tissues have been damaged and need to repair and to do that the body has to take on more protein. As far as i understand, protein contains amino acids which are the building blocks of muscle. The protein is essential to help repair and build your muscles. I try and eat loads of protein druing the day… i practically live on cans of tuna! However, after training some experts say you have a 20 minute window to get enough protein down you to repair the damaged muscles. This is why i constantly carry around a protein shake. I drink Maxim Whey protein as this is the only shake i have tried that actually tastes normal and not like powder!
There are different types of protein you can take and the jury is still out on which one works best. Some poeple take Creatin which is the body’s natural source of protein - also found in red meat, and others, like myself, take Whey protein which is also a great natural source.
So basically you need to take on extra protein and carbohydrates to bulk up which is what i was focused on. However, now i am cuting my carbohydrate intake as this is supposed to help shred but keeping my intake of protein at a high level to keep building muscle.
As fresh as fresh can be - just through the door we have some new mizuno running shoe deals.
Mizuno are a technical sports company. Known within the trade as being incredibly product focused. They tend to invest in imporoving the product rather than in marketing - which I guess ultimately benefits us runners.
Their major running technology is the mizuno wave plate. This sits alone in the market place as the only technology that deals with the twin issues of cushioning and stability at the same time.
The shoes we have on clearance are their most popular ’runners’ and we’ve got them in mens and womens:
mizuno wave rider 11 - a favourite high mileage shoe of neutral runners - £50
mizuno wave inspire 4 - popular high mileage support shoe -£55
mizuno wave elixir 3 - £45 - lighter weight performance running trainer
Interested in more mizuno technology?
Take a look at this wave rider japanese ad we’ve found
Visit our mizuno technology glossary
Take a look at our mizuno specialist store
This year for the first time, my running partner Robin Lawrence (Bingley Harriers) and myself are competing in the Powerbar 3 Peaks Yacht Race - starts 4pm Saturday 28th June.
The usual response I get from people when I say this is - “what!?”
Well, it’s a very unusual race where teams of 5 sail from Barmouth in Wales to Fort William in Scotland via Whitehaven in England stopping off to let two of the team run up and down the 3 highest mountains in Britain. Those who successfully reach the finish will have sailed 389 nautical miles, risking sandbanks, rocks and fierce tides. The 3 sailors aboard will get little rest as the race is continuous, and the 2 runners in the team must complete 72 miles and 14,000 feet of climbing to reach the summits of Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis. No easy task when you may have to run at night, unsteady on your feet due to seasickness.
Robin and I have prepared well and are not too concerned by the land sections. However, as neither of us has any real experience of sailing, we are somewhat concerned about our sealegs…..we’ve been advised to focus on the horizon and drink orange juice as it tastes the same when it returns as it does when you drink it!!!
Robin and I are running for team Still Smiling (whether we will be after Ben Nevis - only time will tell) and the sailors (one of whom owns the boat) are very confident we can finish well up the field.
The race website www.3peaksyachtrace.co.uk has profiles on all the competing teams and there will be daily coverage, picture galleries and a race ‘leaderboard’ throughout race week on the adventure racing website www.sleepmonsters.co.uk. Positions at sea will also be tracked by satellite via the website.
Our thanks go out to our kit sponsors, www.hummel.dk, www.Inov-8.com and www.sportsshoes.com (follow my blog - see home page) who between them have made us look like pros - all we need to do now is run well so we’re not accused of having “all the gear but no idea!”.
Well the resting and carbo loading’s in full swing!! Not run a step since Saturday and just finished a massive meal of fish and chips followed by a big bowl of shreddies - mmmm nice. Now just testing out some chocolate raisins - one of my secret weapons for next week.
Will go for a little trot in the morning and then for a bike ride in the evening with my son. Think that’ll be it then until the race.
Only 4 days to go now - the physical prep is done, mentally I’m in the zone - just a few last minute logistic issues to sort and then we’ll be off.
I’m really looking forward to getting to Barmouth, meeting up with the crew and getting on the boat that will be my home for 3 - 6 days.
The gun goes at 4pm on Saturday afternoon and it should be around midnight when my teammate Robin and I walk the plank at Caernarfon to start our run up Snowdon.
Hopefully through the wonders of modern technology (i.e. texts) I’ll send in a few live updates as the race progresses (assuming my phone stays dry and I can stop hurling for long enough to press the keys).
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