Food = fuel

From the last post you can see that my last gym session really struggled. Blackout mustve taken more out of me than I realised!!

A big part of training is diet. Ive read somewhere that this can be more important than the training itself. Guess this makes sense if you think of the body as a machine. Put the wrong fuel in and you risk the machine not working properly and possible damage.

Think this may be a reason for my extended recovery.  As an ostomist I have the added challenge that I have a large part if my digestive system missing.

Based on this Phil has helped me and made some diet suggestions.  It all focuses on eating the right foods, but importantly at the right times. After excercise for example woukd requure different fuel compared to a rest day. It even looks like depending on the timing of my workout Ill also be taioring my meals. Morning meal plan is different from an evening workout. Ill keep you posted on how this works out.

A few suplements are also required to make sure im getting the correct dose of vitamins. Workouts are due to get a bit more intense as we drop one of the runs for another weight/gym workout. So I need to do everything I can to survive.

Ill post in a few days as sticking to this regieme is gonna be tough ; )

Why do we fall down??

Damn, this has been a tough week. After blackout its taken nearly 4 days before the damage the cramp generated eased. So after a weeks rest I expected to be ready for my session with Phil thus morning.

All started well warm up felt ok and although my right leg still felt a little tight, stretches felt ok.

As normal it was already a bit warm in the gym and the stretches had got me a little out of breath. (Ill try and develop a post on this section of my workout. Calling them a warm up or stetches really doesnt do them justice! They are almost like a mini workout. Especially those siderman handwalks today. It was actually afyer completing the final set of spiderman handwalks I began to not feel right.

We moved onto the clean and press with kettle bells, starting with 20kg. Managed a set on each arm but by the end of this set, I was starting to feel really weak. By the time we moved up to set 2 and the 24kg I had to pause as I really felt off.

Halfway through this set I really struggled  I became very light headed. I have never passed out before, but I'm assuming this is how it might feel. I had to stop.

Phil helped me with some stretches and hopefully identified my thoracic spine was a little tight. Meaning my chest/ribs were tight so restricting my lung capacity. This meant I wasn't getting enough oxygen so fatigue levels escalated quickly.

Also after speaking to a fellow Ostomist they suggested perhaps my Magnesium levels are also low. Cramp can be a sympton of dehydration and god knows that was bad cramp Saturday!  Being dehydrated,  fatigued and not getting enough oxygen obviously wasnt a good combination.

This week has been tough. So perhaps today was a combination of low magnesium levels, dehydration, fatigue and good old stress ; )

Anyway...been really annoyed all day since training at 8am. Was really looking forward to progressing with the training regieme. Starting to really work on my muscle definition.

Its been suggested I'm my own worse critic. I set my expectations too high. With my additional physical challenges I should be happy with what I have achieved.....really???

Perhaps I do set my limits higher than I should. But isn't that what pushes us, drives evolution? If it wasn't for humans pushing limits we would all still be sat in caves!!

Well life is too short. If you dont push your limits how do you know what they are? I have honestly never been as happy as I have since testing my physical and mental limits in 2013. Taken me all day to figure that out ; )

Now the geek in me begins to take over and I cant help but recall Thomas Wayne in Batman Begins...

Why do we fall down?
So we can pick ourselves back up again!

Snap Crackle and Pop

Strange isn't it what triggers a memory.

I fancied a change to porridge and saw Jacks rice crispies. As I added the milk I was greated by the familiar snap, crackle and pop! 

Randomly this sound triggered a memory of my first meal in hospital after my operation. For the first few days after I was allowed back on solids all I ate were rice crispies. To be fair I remember very little about the days immediately after my operation I was still on fairly high levels of morphine. ;)

It has then made me think how memories are not often triggered by a sound, a smell or some sort of visual stimulant. I was introduced to NLP (Nuro Linguistic Programming) during a training course at work. I dont pretend to be an expert but the example above is an NLP 'Anchor'. A positive or negative feeling embedded in our subconcious that is triggered by a sight, sound or smell.

A certain song will just make you smile, fresh cut grass can trigger a memory of a particular summer event, personally the smell of southern comfort makes me feel immedtaiely ill (this is due to a rather excessive consumption during my late teens which ended in a 2 day hangover!!)

Slightly sidetracked but the sound of rice crispies really took me back. Perhaps its also since writing this blog I have begun to reflect on my journey more than I have in the last few years?

I have also spoken to a contact at 'Beating Bowel Cancer' charity and yesterday and we discussed a possible PR article or being a BC Voice promoting awareness. (which will be a real honour) Perhaps it was speaking to them about my journey? It has been a while since I've told my full story especially wit the latest fitness additions. I've never really understood or agreed but people have told me my story is inspirational, I have just seen it as my story, my life, not inspirational just doing what I needed to ge through each day. But if it really is inspirational then I'm genuinely honoured that a small insight may inspire others to push their boundaries.

All that from a simle bowl of rice crispies ;)

Nuclear Blackout Review

So my rather lengthy blog of my experience during Nuclear Blackout is complete. An epic experience I found a new threshold in pain and determination.  Now for the review:

Overall another impressive event hosted by Nuclear Races. Bearing in mind the short amount of time they had to prepare (the event was a fairly last minute addition) and the unique challenges the darkness presented I think the event was an overall success. Well worth the registration fee. Although I do wish they would add medals to their events.

Below is the complete obstacle list. If you fancy trying mud running, you should seriously consider one of Nuclear Races Events. It will test you physically and mentally and I guarantee you'll meet some awesome people. You'll become part of a growing community, a community I'm proud to be part of!

Obstacle List

1. Bean Bags (squidgy giant bales)
2. The Last Straw (big haystack)
3. Fallen Log
4. Farmyard Manure
5. Hopscotch (tyres)
6. The Lake District (water)
7. "Combine" monkey swing
8. Reels of Fortune (round bales with gap)
9. Dirty Bottomless Bog (stinky)
10. Don't Bale Out (plastic coated bales)
11. Cargo Climb
12. Tired Legs (tyre pit)
13. The Bollards
14. Rampage (ramp)

Lap 3 man vs cramp!!

Lap 3: Man vs Cramp!!!

Ok so I wont lie I was ready to give up. My legs were getting sore and the cold water induced cramp was officially here to stay. As I continued on track I was lapped by one of the front runners. It was at this stage I realised this was the first time I had been passed...by anyone! I started in approx middle of the pack so I must still be there! I continued with my head held a little higher :)

By the time I had made the river crossing my run had slowed to barely a jog. At this point I was joined by 2 other runners Simon and Kevin. I'd met Simon during the first 2km of the event while it was still light. Simon had run a few of Nuclear races events and this was Kevin's first event. I owe them alot! We were all tired but continued to motivate each over to keep going and finish the second half of our 3rd lap.

Just before we reached the final obstacle I had to encourage Simon and Kevin to go on without me. Both calves were screaming in full cramp. With each step I was in more and more discomfort. Phil has subsequantly told me cramp is a fierce muscle contraction and causes temporary muscle damage.He also suggested that it was actually the smaller muscles around my calves that were causing the cramp as they desperately struggled against the uneven surfaces. The last 1 or 2km was the toughest of my life. If I wasnt in the middle of a forest, if it wasnt dark and if I wasnt so damn stubborn...I would of quit! Finally heard the music and lights of the finish so I knew I was close. The forest opened and I reached the final obstacle. The ramp! With every last ounce of grit and determination I managed to drag myself to the top and literally flop over the other side. I was glad the soil used to stabalise the ramp was nice and soft.

That was it I had used the last of my energy reserves. My legs were destroyed but I limped on.

At this stage I was aware of another light behind me. I turned to see a fellow mudstacle member Natahan. (Ill post another blog about mudstacle but basically a forum of mud runners sharing experiences and writting reviews, well worth a look!)I had been talking to Nathan at the start of the race and he could see I was in alot of pain. He grabed my arm flung it over his shoulder and helped me limp over the finish line. just over 2 hours 25mins and 15km...DAMN!!

With every race I have completed its hard to find the words to describe the feeling of crossing the finish line. This occassion was no different. With the additional physical challenges being an Ostomist presents I feel a real sense of pride everytime I cross the line. This race was no exception well after I managed to get over the pain. Id actually say that this time the sense of achievement was greater as this event had pushed me beyond my perceived physical limits. A new P.B. and a new benchmark in what I thought I could achieve.

Bring on the next mud run!!

Lap 2 darkness

Lap 2 Man vs Night
As my first lap had taken me 40mins it was now approx 7.20 and the ligh was fadng fast. What had been a comfortable off road run 40mins ago now took on a totally different feel. They had also snuck in another obstacle just after the start of some large bean bags. these wre easier to just roll over than try and climb. Plus made me feel a bit more hardcore. During the first lap I was able to pick the easiest route through the fields and see the underlating path well in advance. Now the natural light was fading each step put me a little off balance. It took me a while to adjust my pace, at this stage I realised I had massively underestimated the challenges a night run presented.

No drama with the first 5 obstacles. I again then turned the corner and faced the river crossing. i hit the cold water for a second time and my left calf immedtaiely cramped!!! I had to use the ropes to pull myself across the river and clamber out trying to hold some dignity. Fortunately at this stage due to the small number of competitors I managed to style it out with a cheeky comment to the marshall. Then my nemesis, the monkey bars.

Now confident after my initial sucess I negotiated the bars with some ease. Unfortuently my confidence was premature, I didnt fall in but managed to bang my head hard on the frame. Damn that hurt! Rubbing my head with embarrissment I continued on ove rthe remaining obstacles, with my left calf still niggling.

The forest runs also took on a different feel in the dark. I was now running solo and in the dark it was easy to lose my bearings. Im dont consider myself to be matcho so I have no issue in sharing in the dark, in a forest with the odd light and twigs breakng in the distance as fellow runner traversed the forst....was a little freaky.

After a fairly tough 10km my legs were really starting to feel the strain and both calves wre now starting to cramp. I crossed the line for a second time and started lap 3!!

Lap 1 Twighlight

Lap 1: Twighlight

At this stage it was still twighlight. Not in an over moisturised vampire or pretty boy werewolf way but just enough light to see where you were running.

The course started off with approx a 2km run through farmer fields and across the odd ditch. So far so good not too challenging . At this point we came across the first few obstacles. Big haystacks piled 3 high, a fallen log to tackle. Again not too bad. The Farmyard manure pile was interesting as each step you took to climg the mound you sank a little further. Luckily didnt smell too bad.

So far nothing too unexpected. This was shortly followed by 'hopscotch' tyres. As long as you were careful again not too tricky. At this point the light had begun to fade. Decided this was a good time to turn my headlamp on. I turned out of a field through some trees and was met with the first water obstacle, a river crossing.

As expected as you waded in the mud at the bottom of the lake was thick. Almost lost a trainier with second step my middle of the lake. Before I knew it I was up to my neck in cold water (which was actually quite refreshing after the first 2.5k of running) I managed to clamber out using the handy ropes for assistance. Then as I looked up there they were my nemesis....THE MONKEY BARS!!

Although last time I faced them I managed to get snapped for an epic pic I hadnt made it across. As it was now getting quite dark it made the task a little more challenging. Some of my fellow runners decided to drop in and wade over and not even attempt them. I had promised myself at the start of these adventures I would not miss any obstacles. I therefore reached forward and grasped the first bar. The upper body work is obviously starting to pay off as I easily managed to get accross. I set off with a little spring in my step and a smile on my face. Remember that when I start detailing subsequant laps ;)

Next was some 5ft ish round hay bales. These were a little bit more challenging than they looked but over I went. Some more running through the forest before another water obstacle, a rather smelly bog. Not as deep as the lake crossing but definatly muddier! Then came obstacles 10,11,12 and 13, plastic coated bales, Cargo net Climb, the tyre pit and bollards. these were nicely spaced out with some forest and fields. As I ran through the forest I could hear the noises and see the lights for the finish. The last obstacle before the finish straight was a cheeky little ramp. Easy enough but after 5km of running the legs were a little tired. I crossed the finish line in just over 40mins and lap 2 began!