Mio Alpha Performance Heart Rate Watch

MIO is releasing a brand new heart rate monitor sports watch in the UK on Monday, March 25th, the MIO ALPHA.

The MIO ALPHA is the world's first strapless sports watch that accurately records heart rate continuously during a workout, even at performance speeds of up to 12 mph, without a chest strap or the need to touch the watch. It also syncs up with mobile apps such as MapMyRun and MyFitnessPal and many more, to help you keep your goals on track. Say goodbye to the bulky chest straps.

The watch will be available for shipment in the UK for 3 days only!

For 3 days only (today-Wednesday), the MIO ALPHA will be on sale in the UK for $199 USD plus $30 USD for shipping and handling. When the site launches in the UK, the ALPHA will cost £169 + shipping and handling,

Here are the websites you can purchase the ALPHA and find out more on:

www.mioglobal.com/alpha or www.alphaheartrate.com

Hopefully sooner rather than later (once ankle injury is healed) I will be doing a full review on the blog. I'm wearing it as a stylish watch at the moment but have had a quick play with the heart rate features (my resting heart rate is 65) and can't wait to put it to the test in training over the coming weeks.

Paleo....ish

Running when suffering with stomach issues can be frustrating. One issue that affects me is bloating, this can lead to all sorts of issues, especially on a long run and in the end cause some discomfort on and after the run.

Ive been running now for about 8 years and in that time diet fads have come and go. Ive learnt many things, forgotten many things but generally stuck to the same old things. I'm quite interested in nutrition but would always follow the old rules that Runnersworld told us month in month out, wholemeal with this, pasta with that, blah blah blah.

But things are a changing, in my 8 years of running the Internet has grown, technology has grown and now we all have so much information at our finger tips on our phones and tablets. The information can now be spread a lot quicker.

The new buzz word at the moment is Paleo. As for eating grains, carb loading on pasta and supping on Lucozade this information is fast becoming challenged.


The world of sport nutrition is going through one of its biggest revolutions ever. I've mentioned before on my blog that I attended a lecture by a sports nutritionist at a Premier league football club and they would not touch Lucozade with a barge pole using more natural sources to get their nutritional needs. Science has tried to move nutrition on in recent years but the human diet cannot evolve so quickly, when it has been programmed over thousands of years with what it knows. It is not programmed for sugar, for wheat or bright orange or blue sports drinks. Its programmed for the natural foods that come out of good old mother earth.



So Paleo as you probably know is basically the caveman diet, I've talked about it before on previous posts. I half heartily tried it, gave up and got back to eating toast and porridge. I could manage quite easily, but try feeding a family of four which includes 2 teenagers on meat and veg everyday with no biscuits, chocolate or treats....Hard!

After busting my ankle last week and a bout of gastric flu, I was determined to look harder at our diet as a family. After a good system clean out with the sickness I thought this week would be an excellent time for change and starting again.

So Saturday morning it was time to head to Sainsburys and do battle with the M&M's, bottles of Coke, chicken nuggets and try to find me some mammoth!

I didn't realise how hard this was going to be, sure going through the fruit and veg isles was easy, everything is Paleo suited. Fresh meat isle, again easy, but then it got a little bit more difficult.

The biggest headache is Gluten. Gluten is in just about everything or so it seems when you study the ingredients of different foods.

Suddenly life without wheat made a huge dent in meal options for breakfast and lunch. I still need to get round this one, sending two teenagers to school with pack lunches without Gluten.....tricky!

I'm mainly doing this for my youngest and myself as we both suffer stomach issues. My wife and eldest seem fine and insist on carrying on with their modern day eating, but they are more than happy to eat Paleo main meals, and seeing as I do the cooking, they don't have much choice!

I got some Gluten free cereals, and when buying the dairy items in the shopping, I went for the full lactose free range as this could be another cause of stomach discomforts.

So my new diet is going to be based on Paleo, gluten and lactose free meals....ish. The 'ish' bit means if I come off the waggon once in a while then I'm not going to beat myself up about it, but if I can stick 80-90% paleo then my diet is going to be a hell of a lot better than it has been.




Before I sign off, I must mention an absolute brilliant app and blog that I have found. Its called Nom Nom Paleo and is a must have app to have with loads of brilliant Paleo recipes to follow and picture by picture guides on how to cook them. The app is £3.99 but is worth every penny and is done really well. The blog has all the recipes there too plus a few more I believe.

As I write this I must confess to consuming a tube of chocolate mini eggs, not very Paleo I know, but I'm sure if they were around back then our ancestors would have enjoyed one or two themselves!

DNS - Did Not Start

The Grindleford Gallop, a 21 mile loop setting off from the lovely village of Grindleford around the stunning Peak District. Even the miserable weather today could not spoil the impressive scenery.

It was an early start to the day, I had to pick up friend Brian at 5:45am and travel 3.5 hours 'tup north'.

A long journey but worth it to try a spot of Fell running in a new surrounding.

We got to our destiny with 20 minutes to spare to collect our numbers and 'dibbers' to scan at the various checkpoints. I instantly recognised Mike from the Twitter clan who we had met before, and it was also good to meet other new faces who I had been talking to on Twitter. The hello's were a bit rushed but I was looking forward to catching up on the run.

Brian and myself quickly returned to the car to sort out our final preparation for the race.

The car was parked adjacent to the field where the race was starting, and the field of runners were gathering ready for the start.

Brian climbed over and jumped down off the wall that separated the car park and the race start. I followed just as the gun went off for the start of the race.

The wall was of lose stone, typical of the area used to divide boundaries. I jumped but landed awkwardly on my right ankle and instantly knew that something was not right.

The dreaded wall of doom that I fell off (The drop the other side was bigger!)

Fortunately two St John Ambulance members saw me perform my stunt and were over to access the situation. They walked me over to their nearby first aid room and checked out my ankle. There was no instant swelling, they strapped me up and left it to me to make the decision whether to run or not.

By now the field of runners had left by about 15 minutes, but I was determined to run the race that I had been looking forward to, and now having arrived was even more looking forward to.

But alas it was not to be, 1.5 miles of trying to run, and as hard as it was to admit defeat, I knew my ankle would not be OK for another 20 miles on some difficult and hilly terrain.

Action Shot! 1 mile down...and out.

Brian was cool and due to suffering himself with an ongoing foot injury; although he could of run on, was happy to join me in a DNF or should that be a DNS 'Did Not Start'!

As I write this post laying with frozen peas on my ankle it's difficult to reflect on many positives from today. We'd spent 7 hours driving to run 1.5 miles, and cannot say I have learnt anything from the fell running experience because it was over before it started due to a freak injury.

We vowed to return next year, but still have the Loch Ness Marathon in September which means training through the glorious British Summers that we've come to love!

Devine intervention

Friday morning...Run to work...With running mojo back intact, I bounced out of bed at 5:15am full of excitement (if you believe that, you'll believe anything!)

Today I would be running on empty, after fasting through the night, like everyone does (unless you're the secret lemonade drinker....I think only older UK readers will get that reference!) The purpose of today's run was to fat burn, and use stored body fat for fuel (and there's enough of it!) You have to be careful doing this and I wouldn't recommend this to inexperienced runners.

I had a big drink before I left to start hydrated (that's important) and off I trundled. I deliberately kept the pace slow, and headed off to the Basingstoke canal, that would take me the 13 miles to work. I was meeting friend and work colleague Brian enroute at around halfway.

After meeting Brian and running on for a few more miles chatting about our favourite subject (surprise, surprise...running) the conversation turned to our other regular subject of food!

Now Brian has been doing this fat burning run for a while, he's like a camel! No he's not disfigured with two humps on his back, but seems to be able to run on very little. He rarely eats or drinks on runs of this type of distance and uses what he has stored in his body.

Now let me get to the main part of the story. Friday is treat day. We have an amazing snack van that is set up right near the office that does the best breakfast sandwiches etc.

At about mile 10 we were both really hungry, but a colleague who regularly uses the van (he even gets discount) told us the day before that the van would not be open today.

As we knew this information our thoughts turned to poor substitutes of what we could eat instead once arriving at work, which is basically porridge, something from the snack box or something very inferior from a van that turns up at 9:30 in the morning.

Feeling disheartened as we approached the office we came off the canal and got on the road for a short distance to the finish of the run.

As we got on the Tarmac path I noticed that the snack lady had left her advertising sign up on the path of the main road. This was a real kick in the teeth, and a tease as two tired and hungry runners ran pass.

We turned into the road on our work estate and was greeted by a waft of cooked bacon. This must be coming from a nearby house we thought...another kick in the teeth!

But then...one of my greatest moments in running...we ran past the snack van which is permanently stationed in the building centre...SHE WAS OPEN!!!...She was not meant to be open but there in all it's glory the snack van was in full flow and cooking breakfast...The clouds parted and the sun shone down on two runners weeping and dancing with glee (OK that bit did not happen but we were very happy!)

I'd never felt elation like this on any run before, runners high comes nowhere near it!

Within 10 minutes of finishing the run we were sitting at our desks washed and changed tucking into a well earned breakfast!!!

Hallelujah there is a God!

Lost Mojo

Thankfully it did not last long and it does not happen very often, but I lost my running mojo.

I was still happy to read, tweet and talk about running, I was still in love with running, but I just couldn't actually motivate myself to run the big miles.

I was getting out every few days for 4 miles here and there, but was not running nowhere near consistently or long as normal.

I was eating more crap and having the odd tipple more than usual. I don't drink huge amounts anyway but I was letting my hair down and eating and drinking more.

 

 

And do you know what, I think that's what I needed to do, relax and take the pressure away from running. I'd had my best year running in 2012 and now it was time to reflect and recharge.

Something that I never do is have some down time and cut back the running. I run the same miles week in week out for 52 weeks of the year.

But its been a long cold winter and the motivation to get up and run on a cold Friday morning to work, had been used up.

To start with it was nice staying in bed to normal o`clock rather than stupid o'clock. It was nice having some lunch breaks not running, but then as easy as I lost my mojo, it came bouncing back. I was missing my running routine.

As Ive said, I'm now fed up of the winter cold runs and am looking forward to feel the sun on a run once again, but the winter is still upon us, but I'm back where I belong.

To help me re motivate myself, I changed a few things.

One of those things was to listen to music on the run. Now I would never put music on when doing a long trail run, there is no substitute for listening to nature's song when you're alone in the middle of nowhere, but for those long runs into work on a dark cold Friday morning it was a great pick me up. I brought myself some new running headphones, the ipod went on shuffle and was kind to me picking out favourites from Jason Mraz, John Mayer and Eric Hutchinson.

The ipod went on shuffle and was kind to me picking out favourites from Jason Mraz, John Mayer and Eric Hutchinson.





I've also been running with different people which has been amazing. I run with @bsmithy100 and @jedirider from Twitter every week, but recently @starterfour10 has joined us which gives another dynamic to the run.

Last Sunday I headed out over the North Downs with new friends from Twitter, @thompson_sj, his friend Marshall and @stuartleewhite

Even Twitter itself is a great motivation tool chatting with like minded people.

Running has become as much as a necessity in my life as eating. Its something I just do and will always do till my legs cant carry me no more. I'm sure along the journey there will be more loss mojo moments as well as inspirational running moments, and it's those moments that I will hold onto to carry me on.

Thank you for listening. Enjoy and appreciate every run good or bad, till next time....Ian

Athletes foot: Itching to get running again

 



If you've had athletes foot before you will know what I'm going through....if not watch this short video below:

 



 

Yep, that's what it feels like....It is burning, burning, burning!!!

I've had athletes foot before, but not like at the moment as it has become infected so I am on antibiotics, and using a cream and a powder.

I'm going through hell so I'd thought I'd share a few tips on prevention.

Do not itch, I repeat DO NOT ITCH, and believe me, you will want to itch! By itching too much I damaged the skin which became infected. Athletes foot itches like mad and having a good old itch will temporarily relieve the annoyance...but be warned.

Athletes foot is a fungal infection. It loves warm moist places, it loves athletes! With running especially in wet conditions, make sure after your run, that your feet are dry. I would suggest that you use an everyday talc on your feet. Keep it in your kit bag and use after each run or after you shower.

So how does it start? Usually between the little toe and the one next to it. If not treated, a rash can form on the bottom, sides and top of your feet.

For treatment I've been using a cream and a powder. As well as clearing up the condition they also give great relief to the itching. I am using Canesten dual action cream and Scholl foot talc twice a day. This should be effective in the treatment of athletes foot especially if you start using on the first signs of the infection. If like me you leave it and ignore it you will pay the price, become infected and it will stop you from running. It can also spread to other parts of the body, including the palms of the hands which I have suffered from too.








I haven't been able to run for near on a week now due to my foot swelling and being incredibly sore to walk on.

So that's two weeks of low mileage now, and I've generally been feeling sorry for myself, eating more than usual and eating all the wrong things. It's amazing how I've taken running for granted. I've only missed a week of running but it feels like an eternity. I feel lethargic, bloated and ITCHY and it's been horrible. I just cant imagine a life without running now, it's just something I do, and with less than five weeks till my hilly 21 mile race, I need to get back to doing!

Moving on 2013

So 2012 is well and truly behind us, a year with so many sporting memories. Personally it's going to be a hard year to top, I mean how do you follow running the London marathon......You go to a different country and run a marathon there!

When I say another country I'm only hopping over the border to our lovely neighbours in Scotland and to the Loch Ness marathon. Actually it's a bit more than a hop, it's 600 miles so flying will be the means of travel.

The Loch Ness  marathon

This will be my third marathon and I can't wait, but it's a while away yet and not until September, but it's been on my 'to do' list for a while.

Before all this happens and a bit nearer in the future (about 6 weeks away to be precise!) I have the Grindleford gallop to run in. This is a race I know very little about, alot of Twitter folk are doing it so I thought I'd join in.

I know that Grindleford is a Derbyshire village, and that the race is a 21 mile trail race with 3000ft ascent....and that's about it. I've paid my money and entered so now it's a case of ramping up the miles in training till then.

...something else I found out about Grindleford!

I've been good with my hill training lately which will put me in good stead for this race but I need to get some longer runs in. My weekly longest run is currently 13 miles, but I need to get this up to 15 or 16 miles in the next couple of weeks before trying to get a couple of 18 mile runs in before the race.

I'm doing both these races with my running buddy Brian which will be good. We've been running together for about 9 years now and have come along way since we started running a 3 mile loop twice a week!

I had a low key running week last week but apart from that I've been running regularly around 30 miles a week and have been really motivated in my running of late. I think that's been down to the variety of running I've been doing.

Once a week for a while now I've been running over the Ash ranges in the evening with Tim (@jedirider) Brian (@bsmithy100) and last week Susie (@starterfour10) from Twitter joined us.

It's been brilliant trail running with headtorches chatting away to like minded friends on a 10 mile loop exchanging stories about...erm...running! (Run nerds!) I really look forward to this run every week.

Tonight it was just Brian and myself out on the run, and it was a brilliant run. The trail route we take is rarely used so the snow was still fresh as we made our way around the route. It was tough as the snow made more work of it than usual but a great experience. The snow covered ground was so white that we didn't use our headtorches once.

Usually we don't see a soul on this run but in the blizzard tonight we actually saw another runner! Crazy fool, who would be out running in the pitch black in weather like this!!!

Brian on the snow run