More is less

So as Parish Walk tapering begins, my training regime is stepping up !!!

I managed a good session tonight covering just under 4.5 miles in about 57 minutes, so nowhere near the heady heights of what I have been used to this year, but considering where I was 3 weeks ago I am well pleased. In fact, my heel actually felt better afterwards than it did before ane I still have another 2 weeks for it to improve.

That's right, 2 weeks to go, I just hope that the weather improves otherwise we're going to end up witha re-run of 2008 and that was not much fun I can tell you. I think the only positive from that year was my socks worked like a wetsuit and trapped a layer of water round my feet and not only kept them warm but seemed to protect them as well. I got to Ballaugh that year, and ended up with one blister, smaller than a 5 pence piece on my right heel I'd take that this year!

I had a look at a long term forecast this morning and although the lead up week looks a bit grim, the forecast looks dry and bright. That said, it's likely to change daily until then so I'mnot getting carried away yet. That said, if it looks like rain with a week to go, I'll be in the market for a waterproof jacket just in case.

This weekend I am going to make my first test batch of soup for the big day. I found soup last year was a god send, so much easier to digest than the pasta stodge from the year before. When you get to a point when you really can't face anything to eat, simply tip your head back and down it goes (and hopefully down it stays) no chewing required.

Hopefully by now you will have tested food and drink that works for you, but if not, below is a list of grub that goes in my kit that I find that works. Remember though, what works for me may not necessarily work for you, but you still have time to try it out:

Magic soup
Bananas
Melon
Pineapple
Chicken Sandwiches
Flapjacks
Jelly Babies
Rice pudding
Fruit cake

A good mix in there of simple and complex carbohydrates, and also protein in the form of the chicken in the butties and soup. It's a far cry from my first attempt in 2008 where I had things like pork pies and cocktail sausages. All very fatty and sat extremely heavy on my stomach making me feel decidedly ill.

As well as this I also carry energy bars and carb gels - but I really struggle to get the latter down especially later on. The best I have found however are the Hi 5 ones which come in a yellow packet, they are more liquidy than most are more like a drink. I'm not a fan of the SIS ones as they are too gloopy and there's loads in a sachet - eughhh!

Each to their own though.

This weeks motivational song is actually from a film soundtrack, and isn't the only song from this series of films I have in my Parish Walk playlist........

Happy tapering !