Just over 52 miles this week.
The back-to-back was a 25 miler (7.1kg rucksack, 2531 foot of ascent) followed the next morning by a 15 miler (9.2kg rucksack, just 771 foot of ascent).
Towards the end of the 25 miler I decided to put my iPod on as I started to tire. I heard a huge double-boom noise, I felt it through my chest and the ground literally shook. I whipped off my earphones wondering what the hell had happened! I could hear a jet screaming away and trotted on; other walkers further along asked if I'd heard it. The next day on the news I learnt what it was: a Typhoon jet had been authorised to go supersonic. It was very impressive!
I trialled my MdS food intake for this back-to-back:
25 miler
I tried Extreme Adventure Foods Hot Cereal with Sultanas (800 calories). Unfortunately I was gagging after 4 or 5 mouthfuls of the stuff and stopped! This might have been because the dry wallpaper paste consistency was a result of me not adding enough water, but either way the taste wasn't great. Instead I raided the larder of the remnants of a box of Quaker Oat Crunchies so started the day with barely 500 calories.
During the run (726 cals):
- SIS Go Gel;
- Peperami;
- Maxim chocolate and caramel energy bar;
- 100 grams of Peanut M&Ms.
Immediately post-run I had a ForGoodnessShakes Vanilla recovery powder drink (261 cals) then my main meal, an Extreme Adventure Foods Mexican Chilli Con Carne (800 cals). This was quite tasty and, although resembling more a hot soup once made up, went down well.
The total weight of just these items was surprisingly 627 grammes giving me a total 2587 calories for the day (the breakfast (assuming I'd eaten it!), the "on-the-go" snacks, post-run recovery drink powder and main meal). I'd actually burnt off 2960 calories just doing the 25 mile run alone!
But I really can't increase the rucksack weight to try and up the calories. Already, 627 grammes is about 14% of my intended total weight to be given to food for the 7 days (i.e., 4.5kg maximum).
While I felt satiated I could easily have had more: by bed-time I was hungry again . . .
15 miler
. . . and completely ravenous by breakfast!
The Extreme Adventure Milky Cereal and Raisins went down better. My "on-the-go" food was a lower calorie intake to reflect today's lower mileage. Another recovery powder drink after this run was followed by the Extreme Adventure Italian Spaghetti Bolognese; again, this was quite a watery meal and didn't taste of much though I still managed to get it all down.
Unfortunately I then suffered a typical response to too much freeze-dried foods most of the rest of Friday and Saturday morning!
So I'll try again on the food: I've ordered the Mountain House brand for the next step.
Based on the calorie figures I've given above it's quite likely that, even assuming that for the rest of each MdS day I simply laid down and did nothing, my daily calorie deficit will be roughly 2000-2500 . . . minimum.
Mmmmm . . .
