The headache was hangover style and was due to caffeine withdrawal. In the first half of last year I was getting 'patchy' sleep and switched my hot drinks to Roibos from tea and coffee. I then slept much better. As we got into autumn I started having the occasional latte from Costa if out, and by Christmas I was replacing a cup or so of Roibos with normal tea. In the last month or so I've been drinking normal tea almost exclusively and during this period my sleep has got progressively worse. I'm sure stress is a big factor there but caffeine will certainly be playing its part.
Unfortunately the headache is still present now as Saturday evening's chocolate will have given me a caffeine fix. Hopefully another 24 hours will see it through.
Saturday's food didn't help yesterday's run either. I felt bloated, jaded and unenthusiastic but I completed it OK, doing 12 miles with the last 2 at marathon pace.
I got a bit of packing done - just throwing various things into a suitcase - but today I should get chance to tidy that up, particularly as much will go in my hand luggage.
With the youngest daughter being ill a week ago today, Sue feeling ropey on Friday and now the eldest getting back yesterday with a temperature and sore throat I'm trying desperately to avoid getting this bug. The forecast for Paris is now settling down and, mercifully, the forecast high winds appear to be coming over sooner so that the marathon looks like it will be completely still, albeit at the cost of 22c temperatures. Gulp.
By popular demand, here's my 'menu' for Thursday:
Breakfast
Large bowl of porridge made with skimmed milk
Banana
Dinner
2 slices wholemeal toast & baked beans
2 slices wholemeal toast with jam
(No spread on either)
Tea
2 baked sweet potatoes
50g Dried prunes
Rice salad
Snacks & drinks
1 litre PSP2 carb loading drink
Roibos teas with sugar
200ml orange juice
Dates
6 boxes raisins
1 box jelly beans
I know there's precious little in the way of veg so I'll be popping a multivitamin and mineral. Rationale is:
- Minimise calories while maximising carbs
- Limit the amount of wheat as it causes bloating (etc!) for me
- Limit the reliance on 'sweets'
I'll be taking carb loading drink, dried fruits and jelly beans with me so they'll all feature Friday & Saturday, and I'll manage another bowl of porridge before the 6.20 taxi on Friday morning. Beyond that I'll have to wing it a bit with the cafeteria food and the supermarket that's about half a mile away.
3 comments:
It's all very exciting! I have not put much thought into what I will eat the few days before. We fly out Friday night, which is going to be a rush getting there from work, so friday dinner might be a sandwich or something.I am planning on taking a lot of clif bars, plus I got some jelly beans form tescos coz they were 3 bags for a pound. Hmm. Better start thinking about it. I am excited for you!
I reckon with that little lot on Thursday Friday, you should have no problem with the carbs. Worst case scenario you go french baguette and jam :-)
When are you doing carb depletion, is that this week? I'd be interested to read about that.
Do you have something to help you sleep? I've been told that Calms actually works, and elk recommended Valerian extract to me. I think for Thursday / Friday with the travel and hostel etc, something to help you drop off might be good? From what I've read, those are the nights that count, rather than Saturday.
And good work on the run. It's supposed to feel lacklustre at this point. The point is to just get it done. Which you did.
I always feel that when I'm pressuring myself to eat a lower amount of calories I always end up consuming even more than I would have anyway: perhaps giving yourself a little more wiggle room psychologically on rest days might help, as opposed to the pressure being on of 'this is a rest day, I MUST eat less.' Because that creates a lot of stress, it seems, and stress is such a trigger for overeating.
Anyway, you got out and did the run anyway, which is the main thing and far more important than a few extra biccies.
Your menu doesn't look bizarre to me: I was expecting something a lot weirder than that! To me it looks very sensible (and tasty too, I may have to try your sweet potato dinner).
xxx
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