25 second PB on the Eastbourne Summer Course

Please rewrite the following text, keep it as accurate as it is now but make it sound interesting and like it is written by a professional sports journalists. As always Saturday is parkrun day. This morning I head to Eastbourne parkrun where we are still on the much slower Summer course. I have heard slower runners say the grass and dampness underfoot costs them as much as 2 minutes, for me though it is more like 30 seconds. Last summer my fastest time on the summer course was 18:50 and when we got back on the winter route I ran a then PB of 18:30 followed by a 18:17. The below image shows these in reverse order. 

 Note that the 24:39 was the day before a 10k race and the 21:59 was me as the 22 minute pacer. 

Earlier this year I was hoping to get somewhere near my overall PB (17:50) whilst running the Summer course but it wasn't meant to be. Due to the path being rutted we didn't start the summer course until it was really hot. In the heat of the summer I lost my mojo, I forgot how much the heat impacts me, and during the holidays I overindulged on yogurt and put some weight on. I have been back on strict carnivore with some IF and the weight has started to come off nicely and I have been working on my mindset and this is helping me as well. 

2 weeks ago I ran 18:44 for a summer course PB and was pretty happy with this having not run sub 19:14 on the summer route this year. Today I managed to smash that with an 18:20, meaning I have gone 30 seconds quicker on the summer course this year compared to last year, if that improvement translates onto the winter route I am already in PB shape and I am just ramping up training and entering the cooler conditions. I know I have a break that I will have to take at some point over the winter and depending on exactly when that is and how much of an impact it has I think I can, going with a positive mindset here, break 17.

Here is the breakdown of todays run, note my watch always measures these things short and the first km and last km contain the grass so a slower first km is to be expected.: 

The Health Benefits of Intermittent Fasting: A Holistic Approach to Wellness

Introduction

Not going to lie I used ChatGPT and the like to help write this article. However IF is something I combined with carnivore to help keep my weight down and regulate my insulin levels. IF can be useful, even for those not on a carnivore diet but in my experience the lower carb you are the easier it is to maintain fasting as the fat adaptation reduces hunger and keeps energy levels higher.

Intermittent fasting (IF) has gained immense popularity in recent years, and for good reason. This dietary approach doesn't focus on what you eat but rather when you eat. By cycling between periods of eating and fasting, intermittent fasting offers a host of health benefits that go beyond just weight loss. In this article, we will explore the multifaceted advantages of intermittent fasting for your physical and mental well-being.

1. Weight Management

One of the most well-known benefits of intermittent fasting is its ability to aid in weight management. When you practice IF, your body enters a state of calorie deficit during fasting periods, which can lead to reduced overall calorie consumption. This, in turn, may help you shed excess pounds and maintain a healthy weight. Additionally, IF has been shown to enhance fat loss while preserving lean muscle mass, promoting a more favourable body composition. Personally I am not sold on the method of weight loss being calories in vs calories out.

I don't think there is a definitive answer to this as some others have suggested. We are not machines and we don't use energy in the way calories get measured. I think calories can be a useful measure but again, as others have said, not all calories are equal to the human body.

You eat a steak with lots of fat and protein your insulin doesn't get spiked and you are less likely to store excess nutrients as fat and are more likely to be consistently in ketosis and burn off fat stores. Drink a full sugar coke and eat a cookie your insulin spikes and you are more likely to store excess energy as fat and less likely to burn it off. Eat your food during a shorter time window and again your insulin is likely to be down regulated for longer and increase fat burn, which is why IF can help.

Homoeostasis of fat stores is far from that simple and there's lots in play, whilst our bodies don't understand calories I think it's likely that energy consumed but also the energy source (fat/carbs/protein) plays a role.

That being said my experience is mixed.

I gain weight most easily if I consume carb containing products like sausages or yogurt, even if I haven't increased my caloric intake. I have lost lots of weight without tracking calories and seemingly not eating in caloric deficit.

When I'm close to my ideal weight I've not lost weight whilst running 50 miles a week and eating strict carnivore but if I decrease my food intake and introduce IF I can still lose weight.

2. Improved Insulin Sensitivity

Intermittent fasting can significantly improve insulin sensitivity, a key factor in preventing and managing type 2 diabetes. When you fast, your body becomes more efficient at using insulin to regulate blood sugar levels. This helps lower the risk of insulin resistance and associated health issues, including obesity and heart disease.

3. Heart Health

Research suggests that intermittent fasting may have a positive impact on heart health. It can lead to reduced risk factors such as high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels, and inflammation. Lowering these risk factors can decrease the likelihood of cardiovascular diseases and improve overall heart function.

4. Cellular Repair and Longevity

During fasting, your cells initiate a process called autophagy, which is essentially a cellular clean-up mode. This process involves the removal of damaged or dysfunctional components within your cells. By enhancing autophagy, intermittent fasting may contribute to cellular repair and longevity, potentially reducing the risk of age-related diseases.

5. Cognitive Function and Brain Health

IF has been linked to improved brain health and cognitive function. Fasting triggers the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that supports brain health by promoting the growth of new neurons and enhancing cognitive function. This may lead to improved memory, focus, and mental clarity.

6. Reduced Inflammation

Chronic inflammation is a root cause of many health problems, including autoimmune diseases, cancer, and obesity. Intermittent fasting has been shown to reduce markers of inflammation in the body. By mitigating chronic inflammation, IF may contribute to a lower risk of developing inflammatory conditions.

7. Enhanced Metabolism

Intermittent fasting can boost your metabolic rate by increasing the production of norepinephrine, a hormone that helps burn fat and calories. A faster metabolism can make it easier to manage your weight and maintain a healthy body composition.

8. Simplicity and Flexibility

One of the most appealing aspects of intermittent fasting is its simplicity and flexibility. Unlike many other diets that require strict food restrictions, IF primarily focuses on when you eat. This makes it easier for many people to incorporate into their lifestyles, and it can be adapted to suit individual preferences and schedules.

Conclusion

Intermittent fasting is more than just a trendy diet; it's a holistic approach to health and wellness. Its numerous benefits extend beyond weight management to encompass improved insulin sensitivity, heart health, cellular repair, cognitive function, reduced inflammation, enhanced metabolism, and more. Before starting an intermittent fasting regimen, it's essential to consult with a healthcare professional, as individual needs and circumstances may vary. Nonetheless, for many, intermittent fasting offers a sustainable and effective path to a healthier, more vibrant life. IF can working best when used in conjunction with a low carb diet.

Here are some references on IF:

1. Weight Management:

   • Reference: Varady, K. A., Bhutani, S., Klempel, M. C., Kroeger, C. M., & Trepanowski, J. F. (2013). Alternate day fasting for weight loss in normal weight and overweight subjects: a randomized controlled trial. Nutrition Journal, 12(1), 146.

2. Improved Insulin Sensitivity:

   • Reference: Halberg, N., Henriksen, M., Söderhamn, N., Stallknecht, B., Ploug, T., Schjerling, P., ... & Madsbad, S. (2005). Effect of intermittent fasting and refeeding on insulin action in healthy men. Journal of Applied Physiology, 99(6), 2128-2136.

3. Heart Health:

   • Reference: Tinsley, G. M., & La Bounty, P. M. (2015). Effects of intermittent fasting on body composition and clinical health markers in humans. Nutrition Reviews, 73(10), 661-674.

4. Cellular Repair and Longevity:

   • Reference: Alirezaei, M., Kemball, C. C., Flynn, C. T., Wood, M. R., Whitton, J. L., & Kiosses, W. B. (2010). Short-term fasting induces profound neuronal autophagy. Autophagy, 6(6), 702-710.

5. Cognitive Function and Brain Health:

   • Reference: Mattson, M. P., Moehl, K., Ghena, N., Schmaedick, M., & Cheng, A. (2018). Intermittent metabolic switching, neuroplasticity and brain health. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 19(2), 63-80.

6. Reduced Inflammation:

   • Reference: Faris, M. A. I., Kacimi, S., Al-Kurd, R. A., Fararjeh, M. A., Bustanji, Y. K., Mohammad, M. K., & Salem, M. L. (2012). Intermittent fasting during Ramadan attenuates proinflammatory cytokines and immune cells in healthy subjects. Nutrition Research, 32(12), 947-955.

7. Enhanced Metabolism:

   • Reference: Zauner, C., Schneeweiss, B., Kranz, A., Madl, C., Ratheiser, K., Kramer, L., ... & Schneider, B. (2000). Resting energy expenditure in short-term starvation is increased as a result of an increase in serum norepinephrine. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 71(6), 1511-1515.

My journey to a sub 18 parkrun through the carnivore diet

I have been thinking about this post for a while and starting the YouTube channel made me think it was time, the next question was where to start the post from. I figured the best place to start would be around 2009. I will be breaking this down by running / weight and creating video content for that as well with more details. Well hopefully.

Pre 2009 – Boring stuff

No real running and since about 16 weight was between 16-20 stone and I had tried things like low calorie diet to lose the weight but it always came back on faster than I could keep it off. 

Me before any weight loss, bigger than my pregnant wife!

2009 to 2012 – The Ledderhose Years

Most people won’t have heard of the condition called Ledderhose disease / plantar fibromatosis but it dominated my life between 2009 and 2012. The condition is when a non-cancerous tumour presents in the base of the foot. Often described as painless this is often not the case of many patients and for me it started to become painful in around 2009. At its worst the nodule was pushing into a nerve in the arch of my foot causing pain and shooting sensations up my leg, like stepping on lego with every step. I was even using a walking stick a lot of the time to take some of my considerable weight off the foot. 

I went through various treatments and in the end had radiotherapy that put the pain into remission, I still have the lump in my foot and standing around all day can still trigger it but running seems to be ok for it. 

2013 to 2014- A failed attempt

After 67 min 10k

In 2013 I started running a little but followed standard dietary guidance. My weight got down to around 15 stone, I think, but I used running as an excuse to eat extra, even if it was a pre run banana. I started my parkrun journey at around 33 minutes and managed to break 30 minutes once. I also took part in a 10k race and finished in around 67 minutes. 

At this time however running didn’t become a habit, in 2014 we moved house, other priorities took over and my weight went back up to at least 18 stone. At a Christmas party my wife said we both needed to do something about our weights and a little research later we started low carb. 

2015 to 2016 – Riding the wave of beginners luck 

In 2015 the weight flew off with low carb and I kept riding the wave, my 5k time trials and eventually parkrun times kept coming down and down. To me it was shocking, my original aim was consistently sub 30 and by the end of 2015 I had a sub 20 and a 42 minute something 10k under my belt. I was one of those annoying people that would go flying past you with a running buggy with my daughter asking why we were going so slow today. 

My Weight loss in 2015 using Low Carb

2016 kicked off with my first half marathon and I got round in around 1:34, remember my 10k time on a normal diet was 1:07. I was thrilled, training kept going well although I had niggles throughout. Shin splints, ITB pain, runners knee, I had most things! By the end of the year I had a PB of 19:14 at parkrun and 1:30:10 over the half marathon and even did a sub 20 at parkrun with the running buggy. Life was good. 

2017 to 2018 – Dark days on injury and some weight gain

With Everything going so well we entered Brighton Marathon and things spiralled out of control from here. Honestly I probably started to introduce too many nuts, too much fruit and cream and much weight started to come back on a little. Especially as marathon training completed busted my knee and I basically has to resort to cycling a lot. Physical therapy, strength training and everything I tried didn’t work and I basically missed 2017 and 2018 with my knee injury until December when I picked up a pair of Freet shoes. 

Me slightly chubby in 2018 whilst injured and eating too many carbs. 

2019 – Barefoot running to the rescue 

Going low carb changed my life in 2015 but finding minimalist shoes, and I do sometimes go barefoot, got me right back on track. I struggled much more to get my weight down and although I broke 21 minutes it was hard work but I was running again and things were going well. My weight was not perfect but was far more sensible than when I was injured. Around this time I also trained to be a fully qualified running coach under the England Athletics training schemes.

Running a 10k in Vibrams

2020 – Lockdowns and fasting 

Like many people my mental health suffered with lockdowns but I kept getting out for fresh air by doing some gentle plods. As soon as club sessions were allowed we returned keeping in line with whatever restrictions were in place. Still not happy with my weight in 2020 I used various types of fasting and thought that I had found the solution. I was losing weight easily and mostly felt good. I can’t remember why I stopped fasting but once I did it seemed impossible to get going again. 

2021  - now – The Carnivore Journey, return of parkrun

Around Easter 2021 I yet again found myself with my weight increasing. Now it was not high carb bad but still around 14 ½ stone, which coinciding I am only 5’9 is not great. Honestly not sure how I got there again, likely a combination of too many carbs through fruit and dairy and too many low carb treats. I decided to give carnivore another crack and started weight training as well. 

I always seem to do better the lower carb I go and after starting in Feb at around 205lbs by the end of the year I was down to 150lbs. Sticking to meat only my weight has not gone above 155lbs but as soon as I allowed fruit and yoghurt (feeling sorry for myself when I had an infected back) I did reach 165 and learnt my lesson. I am now pretty stable around 147lbs 

I will do a more details review on all these things including what I do eat on Carnivore but it is mainly beef, sometimes some lamb mince and pork belly or bacon and for variety I do have some cheese and salt everything to taste. I only drink water but have never been a fan of much else anyway. In terms of running I continued to be injury free through using barefoot shoes by various brands. When parkrun returned in around August 2021 I was in about 23 minute shape but through the weight lost with carnivore and the motivation of parkrun I was back under 20 minutes for the first time in 5 years by December and hit 19:37 in Feb 2022. 

In March 2022 I had the back cyst infection that required surgery and was either at reduced or no running for around 2 months and gained the weight mentioned above. I came back to parkrun in about 22 minute shape and we were onto the slower summer route. By August I was feeling in good shape and had found Altra’s. Whilst I love my barefoot shoes I do find I am quicker with at least a little padding under food and the foot shaped toe box and zero dropped seemed to be great for me. So we headed to another local parkrun which is known for being pretty fast and I ran my first PB in 6 years with a sub 19. 18:57. I was pumped. 

Back on my usual course I then got my first ever first finisher and the next week broke my PB even though we were on the slower route in late September. Come October I set a PB of 18:17, then I got a cold and never really got back in form. I mean I was still running well and took my 10k PB down to 39:57 and then 39:30, though the latter was on a fast course and should have been quicker. I eased off the gas for December and reminded myself just to enjoy running and training and forget about the times. 

January 2023 and I was feeling strong again. I had one of my best ever runs on a very windy day running 18:29 on 14th January. I knew I was in PB shape as the conditions were horrid. Sure enough at the end of Jan I smashed all targets and ran 37:58 for 10k and then Feb 2023 has been awesome and has seen me set my 3 fastest ever times (with one Saturday left) and included my first ever sub 18, running 17:59. 

So I am still, hopefully going strong. My plan is to enjoy training and see where things go. I have a half marathon coming up but I am still just training as I feel I haven't done longer than 10 miles in a single run but have done 14 miles in a day and back to back days of 10,10,12,6,14. Assuming conditions are good, and taking into account the steep hill, I want a time of under 90 minutes but it will be what it will be and worst case a good training run. 

Sunday long run

Just got back from my Sunday long run, the freedom of not worrying about distance and just running for time is amazing. I ran for the best part of 2 hours, would guess I "only" did around 10 miles or so but I don't care. I was out there and enjoying my run. Given the fasting I am doing at the moment it is not surprise that I am finding the easy runs better than the hard runs. I can go and run for 2 hours, enjoy it and feel great but 5 x 3minute hills reps as part of a shorter run is a real killer. 

I honestly have no clue what to expect next week when I do my first 2020 vs 2015 challenge. In 2015 I ran around the 23 minute mark. In my head this is a time I should easily beat now, just 6 months ago I ran a full 2 minute quicker and wasn't much lighter than I am now. At the same time the faster stuff is a struggle, I am hoping that the sort of taper week I have next week will give me a good shot, the last 2 weeks have probably be the hardest, in terms of speed-work, in a long time. 

I am now looking into some interesting topics that resonated with me from a book I am listening to at the moment. A thing called anatomy in motion / Neurokinetic Therapy was mentioned and I feel this can help me to strengthen the area's that make me weaker than I would like. 

I think that my history of Ledderhose Disease / Plantar Fibromatosis is something my body has never fully recovered from and so in the past it is my right side (above was on the left) that I have had the niggles on and honestly when I am running now I don't feel like I am running the same with both sides. 

I will do some more research and check back in, also work on some home python projects and whatever else takes my fancy whilst on lock-down. 

Ahead of 2015 me

Another week and another great result for weight loss, 2.4lbs down this week which takes me ahead of 2015 me by a whooping 0.2lbs. Given the challenges at the moment I am really happy that the weight is still coming off nicely. 

Fasting this week was tough, I tried to go for my longest ever fast and did just about manage it. Having hoped to go from Monday to Saturday fasting I ended up having a 2 hours eating window on Thursday because I was feeling very lightheaded. 

This week I have also had a look at some photos of myself, not ready to post them yet, but I am happy with the change I have been able to see since the photo I took at the end of week 1. At the moment my typical week looks something like. 

At the moment I feel like this is a sustainable effort to achieve my weight loss target at which point I can introduce some more running and some more eating! 

Weight not moving

So I am sticking really closely to my keto fasting plan and in the last week (Thursday to Wednesday) I am net up 1lb. This is slightly annoying as I have been running and fasting. I have had some issues with finding myself eating more than I should on my feeding days, mainly because I have been eating nuts and having lost 20lbs in 5 week feel I deserve the odd semi-treat. 

The other reason I am not too bothered is because of what I just said above, I have lost 20lbs in 5 weeks, I am also not finding fasting hard. This week I had to change my plan as it was my daughters birthday and we all wanted to eat together. 

So to now, I am currently over 50 hours into what will be my longest fast. Honestly I am feeling really good at the moment so who knows how long I will last, the dream is to feel good running and last until the weekend. If I last until the weekend it will take me past the 100 hours mark for the first time, I would probably have to be careful when I start eating again as I don't want to eat too much too fast and may even eat Saturday and Sunday. 

Week 5

So I have not really been motivated to post on here much, I mean I didn't really expect any views and this is mostly just for me to document my progress so going forwards when I am bound to gain weight again (or maybe not if this works as I hope) I know how to get back to where I want to be. 

This week was another good week, I lost about 2.5lbs and am back on course with where I was in 2015. As I have said before and as the graph below shows (at least at the time of publishing as it should live update), it was around this point in 2015 that the weight loss began to stall. Up to this point I had lost 85lbs, in the next 7 weeks I would lose another 10lbs (under 1.5lbs a week compared to 85lbs in 20 weeks). In the weeks that followed I had a net change of nothing in 9 weeks. Although it is not a race against 2015 I would like to get ahead of it because I am a competitive person. Now the thing is that I am not looking just to be lighter, mostly I am looking to be healthier. 

I am not 100% sure how to judge the healthier, having been keto and sometimes carnivore for 6 years and now with fasting I probably am healthier so I might try and take a look at fitness. In 2015 I ran a 5k (probably 3 miles but not sure) on the 31st May in 23:04. Now to me that seems slow, bearing in mind I have run low 19 minutes (though not sub 20 since 2016). I did run sub 21 last year but at the time was marathon training and running consistently and 10lbs lighter than I am now. Think I will do another post on some running goals for me. 

Still a bit more weight lost this week and runnong on my fasted days has felt good. 

Week 4 - Fasting and running

This week the fasting was really easy, even with work and running the most miles I have in months I didn't really feel hungry and I feel like my bowel is getting used to it as my problems have been better although not solved. I have seen a post by Jason Fung to try psyllium husk so I am going to try a spoonful of that a day and see how I get on. 

My weight loss this week was "only" 2 lbs, so I am down to 181lbs. I mean this is still be back down under 13 stone but at the same time I was hoping for a bit more given I completely fasted through Monday, Wednesday and Friday but then I ate more last Saturday and Sunday. This week I might try fasting from Saturday until Tuesday as these 2 day fasts have been very easy. 

This does mean I have fallen a bit further behind where I was in 2015 but there are a few tough week for 2015 coming up where I could catch up with myself. 

Barefoot Running

I thought it would be good to do a running post as I have focused on fasting so far. Today I am going to have a look at Barefoot running, mainly because an article came up on it and I advocate it anyway. 

As someone who tried to follow an evolutionary fitness model barefoot running makes sense, I actually do it because without it I am a hobbling wreck with constant knee pain. My problems started around April 2017 with the Brighton Marathon. The training for this involved lots of pain in lots of way but the biggest obvious issue was knee pain, consistent and bad knee pain that got to the point I had physio and basically didn't run for 18 months. 

Physio and everything helped but the biggest difference for me came when, upon reading several books and starting my coaching journey, I decided to try barefoot running. Instantly my knee pain was gone, I tried cushion shoes again and the knee pain came straight back. I was sold and I have since introduced others to these shoes and they have also noticed improvements 

Then yesterday I came across an article about barefoot running and it was mostly positive. In my experience one of the biggest issues with most of the health fitness issue is money. Drugs make money, sugar laden foods make money but telling people to eat non-processed food and to fast decreases money (and gets them healthy without drugs). There is also more money in performance based shoes rather than health based shoes. 

I have read a few really good books that mention barefoot style walking / running, they are all basically linked to natural movements. 

A video by one of the authors can be found below, check out his book and it has some great tips and stories on the health and fitness side of thing and some low-carb stuff.