Food, glorious food. And beer.

This week I watched a programme on TV about the state of British sandwiches. Not the type of programme I would usually watch, but nothing else was on. Apparently, M & S (that great bastion of British institutions) makes a sandwich which contains more fat than a Big Mac and chips! And there is one particular sandwich made by Subway which contains as much salt as eighteen packets of crisps! All very scary stuff indeed.

This got me thinking about my own diet. In my quest to improve my running I know that I could do with shedding a few pounds and so, in light of the TV documentary, I thought I would analyse my food intake for a week (do not confuse this with food out-take in the style of Gillian McKeith).

Check this out….

Breakfasts – Alpen, toast
Lunches – Varying between jacket potatos, chilli con carne (pre-packaged from M & S), bolognese and sauce
Dinner – Beans on toast, take-away curry
Snacks – Twirl, bagels, peanut butter on toast, crisps, service-station rolls
Drinks – coffee, energy drinks, water, beer

We all know that triathletes are in the fortunate position of being able to eat what they want, up to a certain point, but I think, looking at what I have consumed over the past week, that I might be taking this concept a little too literally. I definitely know that beer should be completely off-limits, but that is easier said than done, especially since so many of my friends like a glass or two (or, in the case of one who shall remain nameless, seventeen).

Then there are the pies and chips, oh those pies and chips. Being so busy so much of the time, I don’t often find the time to fit in wholly nutritious foods, so sometimes it’s a quick pie or pastie, a portion of chips, and that’s it. Not the most healthiest of diets, I know, and I am sure that Ms McKeith would have a field day examining my stools (what kind of a job is that?). I do know that I should start watching what I eat and drink, that’s for sure, and it has been a very useful exercise analysing what I have eaten this past week.

This week's pie-induced training went like this:-

Monday - run - 30 minute sprints
Tuesday - rest day
Wednesday - hard brick session, incorporating 60 minute bike interval and 45 run interval sessions
Thursday - bike - 10 mile time-trial - 25:55 - better than previous week but still off my best
Friday - run - 60 minute track session with my coach Mark Kleanthous
Saturday - race - National Relay Championships - 500 metre swim, 15K bike, 5K run - all flat (see event photo below)
Sunday - run - hard interval with Paul McGee

Next week I am off to London to spectate at the London Triathlon, the race which started it all for me years ago (although now at a different venue). Nowadays it is apparently the world’s biggest mass-participation triathlon and so promises to be a fantastic day. Maybe also an opportunity to treat myself to some bike bling.

So, until then, adios. I am off to the pub for a sneaky beer with Jev, then to MacDonalds for one last, fat-filled Big Mac and chips, and boy I am going to enjoy it all! I mean, it can’t be any worse than something from the shelves of M & S can it?

Cheers.

Colin