Tracking food consumption while you are training for any kind of physical challenge is essential. There is more to running a 1/2 marathon than just hitting a treadmill every other day and completing 13 miles of mind numbing running. One has to know the physical challenges ahead and ensure that your body is in the perfect condition to handle it.

As I am training and gradually making progress I like to keep track of my stats and what is going in my body and for what purpose. A typical day for me now can be seen in the following diagram (click for large version):

All this may look very bland and robotic but after a few days it starts to feel very ‘clean’ and eating rubbish actually feels like my body can do without it. I tend to sleep better eating like this and I don’t wake up parched through the night.

Once your in the mindset of eating this way you can swap things around a fair bit with the inclusion of fish, cottage cheese, wholemeal bread, brown pasta, and marinades etc. I find it best to think of food as fuel and your body as a car that needs to be properly looked after and maintained in order to get the best out of it.

Every January I always do a 30 day trial of a new years resolution with an intent to stick to it after that if the effects are great. This year I decided that the goal needs to be much bigger, it also needs to be something that can affect others as well as myself and it also needs to be measurable so that you and I can track my success or failure.

I can announce that my colleagues and I have decided that we are going to take part in a 1/2 marathon on May 9th 2010 at Leeds, UK. The route is 13.6 miles in length and is classed as a hilly route. I have set the target of doing it in under 2 hours.

Route of Marathon

Firstly I would like to say that this is my first attempt at anything like this. I am not a runner in any way and the only real cardio I have completed in the last 3 months is 7-a-side football once a week on a Thursday night with friends.

I see this as a win/win situation for everyone involved if I manage to pull this off for a number of reasons detailed below:

I will be documenting my entire training program.

I will be documenting my entire eating plan.

I will be documenting my research into the subject.

I will be keeping a photo log.

All this information and knowledge will be documented on this site and given to you free of charge.

One thing I have learned in my life is that when you make a goal so public for all to see, it gives you motivation to succeed. On those days when you really can’t be bothered to train, you think of all the people your letting down and it spurs you on. It’s like 100 people chanting you on constantly.

My progress will not be 100% perfect, I just want to clear that up right away. I will be having the odd night out, the odd meal that is not exactly nutritionally sound, however this will all be planned for as I am not a robot and need to live and create a life balance.

It also gives me a great sense of pride to inform you that I will be accepting sponsorship donations which will be donated to the Stroke Association. Donations will be accepted in person or you can make them using any of the major credit/debit cards via the paypal system which is of course as secure as it gets. Anyone donating will have a mention on the donations wall (unless they opt to remain anonymous).

Click here to donate now