Sunday 22 April 2012

weight

Posted by speedygeoff on Sunday, April 22, 2012 with
Here's my updated weight graph


In a fit person, there is a clear relationship between weight and performance. Generally speaking, as my weight drops my performances improve. I can predict race times from my average weight! Roughly, anyway. Note how my weight dropped from 1 January this year, when my running streak began.

Last week I was telling someone - not a runner - how I would like to lose a few more kilos. And I got exactly the response you might expect: "You can't afford to lose any more weight!" in a panicky voice. Do you get that kind of reaction too?

Now, let me clarify. Weight loss is a by-product of distance training. Distance training causes an increase in fitness, and causes a normalisation of weight which in our culture usually means weight loss. Weight loss by itself is unlikely to increase fitness.

In that regard, my weight loss is not related to or caused by any crazy diets. I eat consistently and well. Unless there is are medical considerations, one's diet should be unrestricted and varied. In other words, normal! Abnormal diets lead to problems, certainly in the longer term.

By far the most popular New Year's resolution is "lose weight". Perhaps "run daily" might be a more effective resolution. Worked for me!

In the last few days I have passed on some wisdom about coffee and coffee addiction, cold water recovery, and now body-weight. There may be more wisdom to come, stay tuned!

To change the subject: Ewen has compiled a nice little video taken during yesterday morning's run:



Meanwhile this morning I enjoyed an interval session at Stromlo Forest Park; yes I am running intervals again after ticking off the 50k as "done". We did 3 x 1km, the central loop, with a km jog in between. Average times were:

Andrew 3:27
Joel 3:39
me 4:08
Ewen 4:35
Jill 4:43
Yelena 4:54

We will be doing this session, or one very like it, "every spare Sunday", which will turn out to be once or twice a month.

Stomlo Forest Park this morning

The lower loop is the 1k, we used the rest for the warm-up an cool-down.
I kind of like the pretty pattern this run makes.