The Day I Lost 6 Stone.

Posted on December 13, 2012 by James Clay

Sick of hearing I damaged my ankle? Well good news, I’m sick of writing it, so here, let’s draw a line under it…or at least we can shortly.

First I have to tell you about one of the most incredible running experiences I’ve had for ages. I’m lucky enough to be friendly with a few fitness professionals, and even my constant questions about training, fixing broken bits (yep, the ankle) and free sports massages hasn’t quite driven them all away yet. One of my friends, personal trainer Catherine Jasat, has access to an Alter-G treadmill, and when she offered me a go I leapt at the chance! This isn’t just any treadmill, it’s a space-age treadmill with extra buttons and technical bits, a sci-fi treadmill designed by NASA from the future, it’s every boy’s dream treadmill.

So what does the Alter-G do? Well essentially it defies gravity, makes the runner lighter, faster, more like the Bionic Man.

To start with I had to get in to some rather special shorts. First nice surprise is the mediums were to big for me, I was wedged in to a set of smalls which was a knock to the confidence for my thighs but a pat on the back for my waist, so I’m quite happy in the little lycra! These special shorts look like something Jacques Costeau would wear, lots of thick neoprene and zips to contend with, but it all made sense when I climbed in to the Alter-G, and climbing in it was. Once I’d clambered in to position Catherine bought a big skirt of metal frame and pvc up to my waist and zipped me and my special shorts in, creating a sealed enclosure from tummy down to treadmill. Next the machine weighed me, thankfully without announcing the results to anyone, and then the magic happened…

Neoprene, rubber and zips...who could resist?!

Neoprene, rubber and zips…who could resist?!

Suddenly the chamber I was stood in inflated. My special shorts created an airtight seal and I could feel them trying to lift me but I kept my heels down and waited for the influx of air to stop. In seconds the Alter-G had taken up 40% of my body weight (a rather embarrassing 6 stone) and although it was a little peculiar at first to be so light it soon felt completely natural.

That's not me, but that is an Alter-G

That’s not me, but that is an Alter-G

What followed was one of the most ridiculous runs of my life. Under the watchful eye of Catherine I got my jog on, plodding along at a gentle 10min/km pace and getting used to my feet barely brushing the rolling road beneath me. To my amazement I watched as Catherine upped the pace, again and again, and although I got a sweat on and eventually got a little breathless before long I was bouncing along at 4min/km pace quite happily!

We only had access to the treadmill for a short while, it’s a popular bit of kit, but I banged out over 4km in a shade over 20 minutes and without any of the discomfort I’d normally get from a speed session.

Welcome aboard the Starship Enterprise, Captain. Preparing for warp speed...

Welcome aboard the Starship Enterprise, Captain. Preparing for warp speed…

So is the Alter-G just a cheats way of running faster? Well, essentially yes, but it offers much more than just bragging rights about running times. The benefits for rehab are obvious, by taking weight away runners can get the joints moving freely without the damage caused by repeated heavy impact. It certainly freed me up to really swing the legs without worrying about the effects on my ankle. That kind of stress free running would be great for anyone coming back from injury who wants to keep their mileage up, but it’s also a great place to start for people who consider running beyond them. There is anecdotal evidence in this month’s Ultra-fit magazine of a 26 stone gym goer climbing aboard and experiencing the joy of running for the first time. The Alter-G has helped this woman lose 8 stone already and she is now running 10km regularly. I’ll be watching out for her at races before long!

For me I think the biggest benefit would be for tempo sessions and speed work. I’ve done a few sessions on my own, but if I’m honest my speed work is still slow! There’s no getting away from the fact that my poor legs are trying to shift a reasonable bulk around and even when I really put the effort in I’m still not getting anywhere fast. With the Alter-G I can get my legs moving at speeds I could never manage alone, and hopefully soon I can carry some of that leg speed outdoors with me. It can also be a massive boost to my V02 Max as I push myself beyond my limits and force my cardiovascular system to work harder than my muscles could ever make them.

And above all those benefits, the one thing that will inspire me more than any other, is pulling on those special shorts in size “small”.

And so, as I look back on 3 months of slow rehab and forward to 3 months of hard work leading in to the Silverstone Half marathon I have the tools to cope, the expert support to help and I’m fresh out of excuses…I guess it’s time to draw that line and run…

____________________________The Line_____________________________

I used the Alter-G at The Personal Training Studio in Cheltenham, owned by Dan Fivey. I was looked after by Catherine Jasat, PT and running trainer. I recommend both very highly if you have rehab requirements, training needs or just want a kick up the arse! Dan has recently opened a new gym in Cheltenham, a serious training space worthy of consideration if you want results rather than to watch Coronation Street while you sit on an exercise bike!

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Reasons Not To Be An Idiot

Posted on November 19, 2012 by James Clay

Just been for a run.

Nothing unusual in that, except that ten minutes before I got out I was sat on the sofa considering the myriad reasons why I couldn’t go running tonight.

My prison. If anyone wants to make a “Go running” cushion to replace the “Chill out” one I’d be very grateful!

I’m not sure what changed but I suddenly started finding solutions to all my excuses, and before I knew it I was out the door and moving!

So, below I’ve listed some of the reasons I was stuck on the sofa and how it turned out not to be an issue. Mainly as a reference for me in case I ever get sofa-fast again, but maybe there’s something in here that could get you out there one day…

  • It’s raining – I have a very good waterproof jacket courtesy of Berghaus
  • It’s cold – It won’t be once you start running, in fact you’ll have to take of the warm hat and gloves you could put on to start with
  • My IT band hurts – Going to stay home and get a massage then? No? Then you might as well push through and see if a bit of exercise loosens it up.
  • I haven’t eaten enough today – Fuel is important, but in reality running 4 miles on empty shouldn’t be that tricky. Get out now, eat as soon as you’re back, plus you know if you’ve been running you naturally choose healthier options so it’s a win-win.
  • I haven’t drunk enough today – See above. It’s 4 miles, neck a pint and get out there.
  • I haven’t planned a route – Brilliant, no pressure then, just run where you want to.
  • I’m not sure the Garmin is charged – So don’t record your run, just do it for fun, like you used to
  • It’s dangerous in the dark with my ankle… – I own a very powerful head torch, use it and the pavement becomes a safer place.

And there we have it. Eight very good reasons to be an idiot and stay on the sofa watching reruns of Big Bang Theory and wishing there was chocolate in the house. Each one overcome very simply with a little bit of positivity and common sense. Could this be a turning point in my rehab? Am I back to choosing exercise over trifle? Am I on course for starting 2013 in good shape?

Let’s hope so.

(N.B. The title of this post is not my own work. In fact it is a direct lift from the title of one of my favourite tracks by one of my favourite artists, and a song that often motivates me to get out the house. You can enjoy it here… Frank Turner – Reasons Not To Be An Idiot)

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“Do this, do that”…Do one!

Posted on November 13, 2012 by James Clay

I went for a little run yesterday. It was only a few miles and it wasn’t fast, but it was running. As long as I don’t damage the ankle again I should be back to training now, which is an incredible feeling!

So, now I’m back, how do I decide what training I should be doing? Where do I find someone to tell me what to do?

As it turns out, that’s harder than I thought, and not due to a lack of information, in fact quite the opposite.

I got home to Trail Running and Outdoor Fitness magazines on my doormat yesterday. They have training plans, lots of training plans, in fact this month I have the choice of;

  • Winter speed workouts
  • 30-60 minute fitness maintainers
  • Yoga power
  • 6 weeks to get 10k ready
  • 16 weeks off-road marathon plan
  • Single-speed bike training
  • 45 minute lunch workouts
  • Ski power
  • Bullet-proof your knees
  • Increase your VO2 capacity
  • Start training for your first ultra

I also have a free copy of Men’s Health, so I can build big arms, train for mixed martial arts, add muscle easily, take six steps to a six pack, train like Bond for the Daniel Craig body and become a better lover through push ups – and that’s just the ones I found listed in the contents!

And here’s the thing, if I wait just a few weeks they’ll come again, and with page after page of different training advice! How can I,  a mere mortal with a dodgy ankle and a few extra lbs, possibly unravel all the advice and work out what is best for me? You need a phd in sport science just to turn the pages of these mags sometimes.

The font of all knowledge?

So I did what our generation always does in these instances…I Googled it.

  • Recovering from ankle ligament damage – 182,000 hits
  • Running drills – 23,500,000 hits
  • Losing weight – 84,400,000 hits
  • Fitness training – 207,000,000 hits
  • Getting fit – 257,000,000 hits

So, if I start reading through those now I should have a concise training plan sorted out by Christmas…in the year 3172.

Not all fitness professionals can be as good as Mr Motivator

So the only sensible option is to turn to a professional, but that isn’t easy either. Firstly you need to find the trainer for you, and there’s lots out there to choose from! (personal trainer cheltenham – 257,000 hits) Most gyms have more PTs than members it seems, and whilst I’m sure they are all lovely, they are all self-employed sales people which makes finding the right one tricky. Over the years I’ve met lots of trainers and they all have their own interests, specialities and motivators and you can see that when you watch them training people with different goals. Then you have the time issue. If you’ve got a date with a trainer life can so easily get in the way. I imagine this is a mentality thing and actually training should be higher on the agenda but it’s a simple fact that my work and friends mean my plans can change in an instant and being tied down to train on Tuesday morning at 7am means no fun Monday night and missing training Tuesday evening and that kind of bind can make motivation a struggle. When you consider that this person is not only responsible for your health and achieving your fitness goals but will also be your boss for an hour a week or more, making sure it’s someone you can happily take orders from is important too. If they’re saying “do this, do that” and you’re thinking “do one” then you’re never going to be 100% invested in your training, and that would be a waste given that you’re paying for it.

And boy do you pay for it.

I used to sell gym memberships (sorry if I signed you up and you were one of the 67% of people who pay for a gym they never go to). I know all the spiel about the cost of your health, gym membership costing less than a night out, breaking it down to cost per day etc. “What price can you put on a few extra years of life?” – I used to say that, I hate myself, you’re welcome to do so too. The point is that I know you need to invest in your health, even if salespeople use some rather underhand techniques to convince you of that!

So what would PT cost? A quick look through the 257,000 pages on Google suggest that £35/hour is about the average. To put that in to context that is my monthly phone bill, the cost of my electric and home insurance combined, or half my petrol spend for the month, for an hour. You need to be realistic about how often you want a session. If you ask a PT they’d suggest 5 times a week and start flicking through the Ferrari brochure! The guys I used to work with would try and get a weekly commitment at least and with 4-5 weeks in a month that could be £175/month! No wonder they get results, their clients can’t afford to eat!

That kind of expenditure is obviously impossible for a lot of people, certainly for me.

I should make it clear though that if you do have the money, and you can find the right trainer, it can be an amazing thing. I may have painted a slightly bleak portrait of fitness professionals but actually the ones I’ve worked with are hugely knowledgeable, do get great results and are worth every penny!

But I guess I’m stuck just bumbling along doing a bit of running here, a few push ups there and hoping that somehow that gets me to the body of an Adonis and running PB times in every race next year. I’m going to have a stab at writing my own training programme this week, picking all the fun bits from my magazines until I have the perfect workout. If you want to join me bullet-proofing my VO2 max on singlespeed skis in the bedroom like Bond then you’re welcome…

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F.E.A.R.

Posted on November 8, 2012 by James Clay

I recently spent a few days in the Lake District, surrounded by mountains, desperately seeking respite from all the troubles of the world for a short while. I was hoping for the mountain top epiphany that I’ve enjoyed so many times before, when the struggle to the summit mirrors the struggles back in “the real world” but the silent, expansive skies allow a freedom of thought that invites answers where before the oppressive noise of daily life just created questions. Unfortunately things didn’t turn out quite as I’d hoped…

My normal practice when in the Lakes is to open a map, find a few mountain tops, link them with 10+ miles of path and start walking. It’s not unusual to be standing on a mountain, see another interesting mountain and decide I’m going to walk to it right now. Many times a morning in the hills has turned in to a 15 mile all day epic, I love it out there, I feel at home.

And yet this time, something was different. I made plans for two big hill days and neither worked out. Day one my navigation completely failed me and when the weather turned a bit so did I. In fact I turned 180 degrees and walked out over the exact same 3 miles I’d walked in. This was instead of the 10 miles across 4 mountains I had planned, but as soon as I things got a little edgy thoughts turned to retreat rather than embracing the challenge. I told myself it was for the benefit of my slower, less experienced companion but truth be told I was feeling something completely new on the mountain that day, FEAR. The second day was even worse. I’d planned a solo effort, a truly gargantuan day of summit-bagging but one that should have been well within my ability, on paper at least. In reality, I got 30 minutes up the side of a mountain when the weather closed in and I found myself facing an ascent of a snow-covered scree slope in a blizzard with minimal visibility and no crampons. Now I’ve been in worse, I’ve reveled in the danger and I’ve taken calculated risks that have seen me achieve some great things. In this situation I knew where I was, where I was headed, I was warm and dry and there is no logical reason I couldn’t have continued up and on to the fell tops to walk amongst the Gods for the rest of the day. What I actually did was crap myself, turn and flee, spending the day in the relative comfort of torrential rain in Grizedale Forest paying £14 for two hot chocolates and cake. I’d been beaten by the FEAR again.

It’s also worth noting that for 5 days my mountain bike was in the back of my car. I almost got it out on day one, but it was raining a bit and after walking some of the trails in Grizedale later in the week I dropped the idea of riding there on my last morning too. They looked much too gnarly, guaranteed to cause a bone-shattering crash, way beyond the ability of me and my old bike – although the reality is I’ve ridden those exact trails, and others like them, many times before and my bike is bloody brilliant. I was just lacking the balls to get out there and challenge myself.

So what’s changed? Why have I suddenly lost all my confidence when it comes to the great outdoors?! It wasn’t until the hills were at my back and I was heading home again in the car, a mass of disappointment and frustration, that I realised just how detrimental those defeats had been and how out of character. It was then that I started thinking about the FEAR, of the reasons why I now struggled with what was once simple…and now I’ve had a chance to reconcile those thoughts a little I wanted to get them down in writing.

Fitness – I know I’m carrying a few lbs, and there’s always the ankle issue (I say always, hopefully it’s getting stronger and will not be a concern for much longer). It’s true that I’d not run up the hills as easily as I would have done a few months ago and maybe that was causing me to view the experience negatively? BUT… that’s ridiculous, I’ve been climbing mountains since long before I even thought about running. I was climbing mountains when I played rugby, a stone heavier than I am today. I’ve climbed mountains before whilst strapped, medicated and pretty much broken, and I’ve never let it stop me. So I guess it wasn’t my fitness that destroyed my confidence, was it?

Exposure – It was rotten out there. Day one the strong southwesterly wind was driving rain and hail straight in to our faces, it was only a couple of degrees above zero and the light was poor and getting worse. When I went alone the forecast was for snow and freezing temperatures, and when the blizzard came in visibility was down to under 20 feet. I wasn’t yet on the tops so could easily expect worse as I climbed. Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun yes, going out in a winter whiteout though, that’s not sensible is it? BUT… I’ve been known, once or twice (a day), to utter the phrase “there’s no such thing as bad weather just bad kit”, and I didn’t have bad kit. I was all tucked up in some of the finest protection money can buy. I was dry, warm, and could have stayed that way for a long time. I could have done with some glasses/goggles and crampons would have been a nice touch but actually I’ve been out in worse and smiled my way through the elements without FEAR, enjoying some truly awesome mountain days. There was absolutely no reason to believe any of my kit was going to fail, so that won’t be why I bailed will it?

Alone – I can’t remember the last time I was in a slightly precarious mountain situation on my own. On day one I did have company, but as I hadn’t shared the route with her or shown her the map all morning and had totally miscalculated how fast we’d be moving it was hard to take any confidence from that. Day two I was solo, just me and the mountain (and the snow and wind). Maybe because I was alone I was being more cautious? BUT… when I think about it, it’s very rare that I’m not the most experienced mountaineer in our party. It’s rare that someone else will be responsible for the maps or safety, and although I may bounce ideas off people or get agreement on dubious decisions, it’s usually down to me to get people up and down. Given that, I can’t really blame the rest of the world for not being on the mountain with me that day. I had the intellect and ability to happily plough on, yet I didn’t. Why?

Regret – This is a weird one, and I only fully realised it when I started writing this blog, but I was stood on the side of the mountain and decided I would rather regret not seeing through my plan than persevere. I was more comfortable with the idea of telling people I’d failed, of calling my companion to be picked up and go do something easy, than I was with the idea of testing myself or indeed of trusting myself. Something had shaken my confidence so much that I no longer have the self-belief necessary to do what was once easy. That’s a scary thought, especially when you can’t pinpoint what it is that’s had such a deep-rooted and detrimental effect on your psyche!

So, where do I go from here?!

Well the enforced lay off from exercise has put me back on square one with my running, I haven’t done any serious sustained riding this year and I have no events in the diary to train for until March, so I guess it’s time to start from scratch. In the next few days I’ll put together a plan that builds not only my fitness again, but also my confidence. I’ll build trail runs and biking days in to my programme for cross training, add some squash for a competitive element (I can’t lose every game, surely!) and make sure I get out in the hills more whatever the weather, after all I definitely don’t have bad kit! Hopefully as I remind my body what it’s capable of my mind will follow, because if I can’t get that edge back and find my happiness in the hills again them I’m not exactly sure where it’s going to come from…and that’s a terrifying thought.

A gentle reminder of how things should have been…

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Relationship status: It’s complicated

Posted on October 17, 2012 by James Clay

Ask anyone who has ever fed me – Mum, girlfriends, the staff at Nando’s – and they’ll probably all agree “he loves his food”. (which is a polite way of saying I eat a lot). They’d all be wrong, I don’t love food, in fact most of the time I don’t even like it, I just eat it. Lots of it. My relationship with food is definitely complicated…

Man vs Food…Food always wins

Admitting to comfort eating isn’t easy, especially not for a bloke. We’ve all watched the Bridget Jones movies (again, not an easy admission for a bloke) and can probably all relate to the tub of ice-cream after a bad day. I’ve done some research and it seems comfort eating is a learned response. As babies our cries were comforted with feeding, as children a bruised knee or illness was made better with sweet treats. It’s hardly surprising that in later life these patterns come back to haunt many of us, to differing extents.

It seems it is a natural reaction to crave food when we’re stressed, under pressure or depressed, along with a dozen other emotional triggers, so it’s hardly surprising if I were to succumb to the odd treat, but recently I’ve been bad, very bad. This reliance on food has also been fueled by not being able to train properly, running acted as the valve on my emotional pressure cooker..can you see the blindingly obvious juxtaposition between consuming vastly more calories as a result of not being able to burn as many calories? I can, but that’s not enough to stop me gorging.

To give you an idea of how bad I’ve been would be to admit to gluttony of epic proportions. It’s uncomfortable to admit that polishing off a large strawberry trifle or demolishing a 4 pack of Snickers is far from unusual. A tub of ice-cream? Not even around long enough to melt. A pack of biscuits? Doesn’t stand a chance. Some of you may be saying “well the odd treat won’t hurt” or “a little of what you fancy is good for you” but it’s the regularity of these bouts of greed that is the worrying thing. It also wouldn’t be so bad if it was in addition to a diet of salads and lean dinners. Unfortunately it has been far to easy to come home via the chippy or put a call in to my friendly local chinese. (“U-shu-wal or-dar Mr James?” is not something you should ever hear from a take-away)

So why am I sharing this embarrassment with you? Well the reason is two-fold.

Catharsis – I’ve always felt great benefit in writing things down, and this has been a hard post to write which means it has been a good post to write! I’ve glazed over the details a bit, I don’t need to admit to every food faux pas in public, but just sitting and writing about it has forced me to think about what I’m doing and accept that it isn’t healthy.

Motivation – They say the first step to recovery is to accept you have a problem, and having done that so publicly I now feel obliged to follow it up with a change. I do know how to eat healthily,  I’ve done it before and I’m sure I can do it again, and now I’ve told you I kind of have to leave the cake and pick up the celery, don’t I?!

So, this is just the start. Over the coming weeks and months I’m sure I’ll have much more to say on the subject of food, questions too, but for now I’m going to start by writing a shopping list, one that doesn’t include Snickers or trifle.

No more wafer thin mints!

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