It Must Be the Beetroot

Last week I said I would try out my new Beet It Organic Beetroot juice shots and I did - and got a PB!  Stuart and I along with a few other Campbeltown runners joined 500 others in the annual Balloch to Clydebank Half Marathon on Sunday.  Having not performed very well in the last few years in this race and being in the middle of marathon training I wasn't bothered about a time so I was pretty shocked I managed to knock about 5 minutes off my previous best, finishing in 1.41.40.  The field was very strong, with lots of top athletes there including my husband Stuart who is constantly improving - smashing his own PB, finishing in 1.18, 24th overall.  And yes - he had the beetroot juice too!  OK it probably wasn't really down to the beetroot but hey, I'm going to keep drinking it just in case!

Adding a scottish touch to my sushi

I don't think I'm ever going to be 100% good with food, I just love treats too much!  Last week's training/nutrition diary - 

08/03/2014	Breakfast	Snack	Lunch	Snack	Dinner
Sat	Farm scone and green tea	Water.  Brazil nuts.	Sushi pack + oatcakes.	Tangerine.  Apple.  Green tea.	Chicken, red onions and mushroom spaghetti with garlic pizza bread.  Tea, icecream and chocolate!!
Exercise	1.5 miles easy warm up for x country comp with the girls	Comments	Felt weird not doing lsr in am but glad as it was horrendous weather - windy and v wet!  Left Ctown about 7.30am for x country comp in Irvine (long way due to landslip).  The kids did us proud and competed very well on a challenging course.  Most schools around Scotland were represented and was quite exciting for us too - we wished we could go back to school to compete in the races!  Next year I hope to take a bigger group to compete.
Sun	Toast and jam, croissant with nutella, beetroot juice and coffee.	1/4 lucozade sport.  Banana post race.	Sushi pack + oatcakes.	Banana loaf slice and chai tea.  Mini muffin.	Roast chicken breast, potatoes, leeks, sweetcorn with gravy.  Gooseberry pie with ice cream.  Tea and mars bar!!
Exercise	14 miles inc Balloch 1/2 marathon - pb!  8 mile cycle with Jennifer.	Comments	Never got much sleep in Travellodge and race start was delayed.  Despite this, suprised but over moon with us both getting PB's!  I expected it with Stuart as he's running so well and putting in so much effort into training. Bit windy and wet at start but felt good and think I could've went a little faster especially at beginning.  Continue to feel hungry all day.   So glad managed to fit in a catch up on the bike with Jen, wish we had time to go further/longer.  Got a well overdue tune up massage from Julia too.
Mon	Muller light yoghurt, blueberies and toast.  Vit water.	Green tea and 100 cal cereal bar	Oatcakes and lf houmous.  Tangerine.  Apple.	2 rice cakes, pbutter and 1/2 banana	Stir fry prawns, cashews, onion, mushrooms, beansprouts and rice noodles (thai spice, garlic, coriander and lemon/lime juice)  Tea and oatcakes
Exercise	7.5 miles easy.  Spin.  Cycle to/from work.	Comments	Gorgeous weather.  Great catch up run with Jen.  Lovely to see sun shining after 5pm.  Hip a little sore and legs a bit tired.
Tue	Activia non-fat yoghurt with blueberries & chia seeds.  Toast.  Vit c water.	Green tea & 70 cal alpen bar.	Ryvita & lf houmous.  Tangerine.  Apple.	2 rice cakes, pbutter and 1/2 banana	Baked chicken breast with pesto + mozzarella.  Sweetcorn. Carrot + swede mash.  2 baby potatoes.  SF jelly.  2 squares dark choc + dried cranberries, 3 brazil nuts.  Tea and oatcakes.
Exercise	9 miles (1.17) inc 5 x 1k at 10k pace.  Cycle to/from work.	Comments	Beautiful day again!  Good sleep but could've done with more.  Busy busy at work and finishing editing novel, #exciting!
Wed	Activia non-fat yoghurt with blueberries & chia seeds.  Toast.  Vit c water.	Water.	Oatcakes and lf houmous.  Tangerine.  Apple.	Banana.	Chilli con carne, cheese with rice & nat yoghurt.  SF jelly. Oatcakes and tea.
Exercise	1 mile swim.  7 miles easy then combat.	Comments	Beautiful day for a run :-)  Nice and easy to sheep fanks, good blether with JG.  Up late working on book !
Thu	Alpen bar and banana.	Green tea and oatcakes.	Cup soup, veg pasta and salad.	Oatcakes, dried fruit and nuts.  Green tea.	Chilli con carne, cheese with rice & nat yoghurt.  Special K bar and tea.
Exercise	8.5 miles steady	Comments	LONG day with drive up to Glasgow for conference at 6am, returning at 7 and straight out door for run to blow cobwebs away.
Fri	Porridge + banana	Green tea and oatcakes.	LF houmous and oatcakes.  Tangerine.	LFLS fruit loaf (thanks maz) and skinny cap.	LF smoked sausage and spinach pasta.  Homemade LF cheesecake.  Tea and dark chocolate square
Exercise	1k swim, spin.	Comments	Great sleep - think I got at lest 7 hours - woo! before my cat started to scratch at me!  Happy Friday!!