One week to go before my first start line of 2016, my old favourite, the Rushcliffe 10km. Am I ready to race? Probs not….it’s not too bad, I did 7 miles yesterday to assure myself I’m 10km ready but I’ve hardly run any further since my last half marathon in September. I have to run this race even though there were sexier alternatives ( I really fancied The Longhorn) but this was my first ever start line and I shall keep running this race every year until I’m declared unfit to do it ! This will be year 7 and I’m totally solo, no Ellie to run with, no supporters.

I’m not sure I’ve shifted all the Christmas poundage and I think having a lovely half term with friends consisting mostly of cake and wine had added a bit back on. I thought I might be a lean mean running machine by now, alas, I’m a little off track. I am trying a new approach, a possible ‘quick fix’ according to running chat. Now those who know me will be aware I’m very anti diets, why rely on anything that isn’t a normal way of eating, you can’t ever keep these things up indefinitely. I’ve seen friends attempt the most ridiculous diet plans often paying handsomely for the privilege and yet I’m the one who’s lost the weight and kept it off…..apart, of course, from the above mentioned lardy love handles. But running can be thanked for my success, who needs a diet!

So in a quick bid to hone the overhang and flatten Billy belly, I’m trying 3 carb free days a week that coincide with my run days as long as they’re 10km or less ( so all of them then). The idea behind it is to force your body to find something else to burn for running fuel if there’s no readily available carbs….so it can burn lard ! I’ll be running like a chip pan on fire !
I must admit the first couple of times I tried it last week were quite hard but that could have all been in my head. As proof these things are often all in our heads, tonight it made no difference. I went out solo, collided with the newly formed Rebel Runners at a nearby road junction, ran and chatted with them for a mile and then my route split us up and I headed home. 5km Easy peasy!

One week and my stomach is flatter. I’m not sure my legs will be any faster but I feel better. Years ago, before running, I tried the famous carb free Atkins diet and it worked a treat for me, I lost 9lbs in a week….but long term, who wants bad breath and constipation! I think this moderate version of restricting carbs combined with training is less arduous. Of course on the day, I shall be carbed up as normal hoping my fuel deprived body will react like a car with nitrous oxide. As long as that idea is in my head, that might be enough.

I’d love a sub 50 minute Rushcliffe 10km but it was well into the season last year before I finally got there . I doubt I’m even up to matching last year’s time of 50.14. So what to predict? If I’m over an hour I’ll have to kill myself so let’s aim for 55 minutes or less, I can live with that.

Bizarrely race day is on Mothers Day this year so the offspring will have to accept that I don’t want breakfast in bed but I’d rather race. It’s my day to do what I want so if I’m a weirdo amongst mothers, so be it. I may change my mind when I’m at on the start line, in the pissing down rain ( there’s actually a risk of snow !!) , having driven myself there with not one member of my family with me (they gave up on the Rushcliffe 10km about 4 years ago), I’ll probably wish I’d opted for the breakfast in bed and something more pampering.

Categories: Ladies of a Certain Age Running (LCA), Runners Problems

Tags: Rushcliffe 10km, weight loss