Continental Couch to 5K

[ross10]

Well I've not posted for a little while as I went away to visit my wife's family for Christmas in France. There was a strong chance I could have skipped exercise completely while I was there as usually I'll just relax, eat and sleep during my time away. However I managed to go out for a couple of runs.

Now I never have a big lunch usually but in France (or the Alsace region at least) they like to do lunch properly so the day of my first run I had beef bourguignon and pasta. After this substantial dejeuner I had what I can only describe as the best run of my life. It helped that I was trotting through a countryside village instead of down past the usual commercial estate that I do in Blighty but it was still pretty cold and I had forgotten to pack my training hoody and tracksuit bottoms. I spent the first half of the run rubbing my hands together to get the feeling back while getting the occasional peculiar look from the villagers who were probably wondering what the demented rosbif was doing.

By the second half of the run my hands had warmed up and I was having an invigorating jog in the sleet. I could have happily kept going for another five minutes or so but decided to be sensible.

All in all I learned having a good lunch (with adequate digestion time) can be key to a great afternoon jog. That and I really need to improve my French. Bonne Annee everyone!

[Cazvs Graduate]

That sounds very bon and the scenery sounds jolie. I bet the food beaucoup helped! Happy new year to you too

[BigEd]

That's interesting, i have problems with my energy levels, maybe i should try a hearty lunch before a run? Ed

[greenlegs Graduate]

Sounds like a delicious Christmas dinner! Very impressive to go running after that - and in sleet!

[ross10 in reply to greenlegs]

Lol well that wasn't christmas dinner itself just a lunch. If I'd tried to run after christmas dinner it would have been messy!

[greenlegs Graduate in reply to ross10]

Aha! I hadn't noticed that you'd said it was lunch...

Hope you enjoyed the dinner all the more for having worked off the lunch!

[ross10]

I'd say so Ed. I reckon if you eat something like pasta 2 hours before running it will do the job. I went out saturday after about 1.5 hours and hadn't quite digested yet. I suppose it depends on the speed of your metabolism.

[BigEd]

Hi Ross, yes of course, carb loading. I must try that. Thanks Ross, Ed.

[gdeann Graduate]

Nice to see a posting from you Ross! Sounds like the Christmas holiday treated your family well and such a beautiful place to visit! I find I run better too if I up my carbs a bit more the day of my run, I don't seem to get as tired. Wishing you a blessed 2013! Gayle