Magazine articles

I've read a couple of interesting articles recently;

1. Runners World - "What's your ideal weight"
This talked a bit about BMI etc with relation to exercise - the really interesting thing in this is the table which represents "lose weigh, gain speed". Apparently if I were to lose 4.5kg (say) I would be faster by.....1:02 for 5k, 2:04 for 10k, 4:22 for half and 8:44 for full marathon.

It really is quite an interesting article and although my weight is ok (I'm about 71kg and 173cm, which apparently means by BMI is 23.7 which is ok), I know in my misspent youth I was nearer 10st (64kg) and when I was at the peak of this summer I was about 68kg.... so does this mean theoretically I could shave a couple of mins of my 10k time by shedding the weight. That sounds like a great incentive. Alas my will power is weak when it comes to my love for food! ;o)

2. Gale Bernhardt - Training Plans for Multisport Athletes
There's a chapter in this book on basic nutrition. Here's some factoids I didn't know;
1 gram carb = 4 calories
1 gram protein = 4 calories
1 gram fat = 9 calories
1 gram alcohol = 7 calories

OMG! Now I'm beginning to look at my love of cheese and red wine and can figure out quite quickly why, despite my exercise regime, I carry that weight around my backside and thighs... oh that and the genetic disposition for so doing, believe me with these things combined I have no chance ;o)

Conclusion
So I guess what I'm figuring (given my excesses of eating and drinking this last week and a bit) is that once I get on my training plan there ought to be another element to the plan. DIET. Certainly during the peak of training last year my diet wasn't right which I think is why I got hit quite hard with that nasty virus thing. I wasn't getting enough protein in for a start and probably not the right vitamins and minerals too. What I'm going to do is weigh myself, (I think my scales also do some for of estimate on body fat too), take some measurements (esp hips, thighs) and see how I'm measuring up (as it were) over the months ahead. Reckon if I do this once a month say in the rest/ recovery week it'll be interesting, assuming I pay the right attention to what I'm eating, to see where this gets me.


and finally, one more article for you:

3. Scottish Press - Bike Sex man placed on probation
Reading this article did make me question "How? Where? How? Why?!" and was a source of amusement whilst I was waiting for my plane at Edinburgh airport yesterday. Basically a man was caught in the act with his bike - yes doing his bike!!! WHAT!? It's now made it on to the BBC news website so go and take a look at the article here!

Oh and as for the lurgy - yep it's got me :o( I'm not particularly happy about it, not only do a feel right lousy but I can't train either.... that'll just make me more grumpy!