84 kilograms to be exact.
So the metrics question must be: What is my ideal racing weight?
I’ve thought long and hard as to how to measure myself and
my progress through my training to get to race day. I’ve read a lot of good
advice on the internet and even bought a few books on the subject. There are so
many metrics you could measure and use. There’s the simple one of heart rate
variation. There are the time based metrics – swim, cycle or run over set
distances/races to track improvement (or not). Then there is the more advanced
stuff like VO2 Max and lactate threshold tests.
In the end I decided,
for me, for something straight forward; at my age, with my lifestyle simply achieving
an optimum weight for my height and build should mean that everything else will
fit into place. I read Matt Fitzgerald’s book – Racing Weight: How to Get Lean for Peak Performance - and whilst I
don’t necessary like his nutritional methods to get there I concurred that the
objective is right, and especially for me.
So I calculated what my racing weight should be and I came to the answer
84kgs. That sounded about right as I had found a copy of an old medical I had
done for some employment 33 years ago
and lo and behold I was 84kgs (probably with my clothes on) and I don’t
remember carrying any excess baggage in those days.
I think if I do hit 84kgs then I must be having the right
nutrition and doing the right amount, or at least enough, training to be able
to delivery my optimum level of performance.
It sounds very easy. Eat healthily, keep up the training and
there you are. But it’s not so simple. First off exactly this time last year I
weighed in at 101kgs. Although I’m 6’ 1”
tall (186cm to be precise) that was quite "heavy" for me. There were reasons
though. Young family, work – business lunches and drinks, international
business travel (and even more eating out and drinking!) all contributed.
However the 101kgs was probably mostly down to a stress fracture of my foot
incurred the previous year which obviously impinged on any exercise I could do
and especially the fat burning kind. With some dedication (even if I say so
myself) I’m now down to 89kgs. However,
as anyone who has tried to get to that target weight will tell you, those last
few kgs are the hardest. The calories in, verses the calories out must be very
finely balanced. To lose weight calories out should obviously be higher than
calories in. But to maintain a high level intensity in your training you need
that energy from the calories. If you do that high intensity training then your
body screams for “re-fuelling”.
It’s very hard to say
no to food at that time when your body is demanding it and if you do say no, is
it going to have a negative effect on your recovery? I’m finding that I can
just about eat as planned for breakfast, lunch and dinner but later at night
(ok, later in the evening, I need a good nights sleep!) I get huge cravings for
something sugary. It doesn’t have to be much, a few chunks of chocolate, but
I’m not satisfied until I get it. I don’t see this as particularly bad, more
like a reward. Similarly, having the odd beer or glass of wine I don’t think is
such a bad thing. I’m currently trying to follow a low carb diet with lots of
salads, fruit and veg. Hopefully if I hit, or get near, my racing weight I can
have a few more carbs as race time approaches.
I do actually also use a HRM to try and train in the right
zones and I’m even contemplating getting a VO2 Max test done. I had one done
back in 1992. I would love to see how I would compare today. I’m probably a bit
fitter than then but I’m sure age has taken a big toll.
|
Percent
|
Heart Range
|
Run Vo2
|
|
|
bpm
|
(ml/kg/min)
|
|
|
|
|
|
100
|
175 -
185
|
63.2
|
|
90
|
160 -
175
|
49
|
|
80
|
150 -
160
|
33
|
|
75
|
135 -
150
|
29
|
|
70
|
125 -
135
|
26
|
|
60
|
110 -
125
|
|
| Age | Very Poor | Poor | Fair | Good | Excellent | Superior |
| 13-19 | <35.0 | 35.0 - 38.3 | 38.4 - 45.1 | 45.2 - 50.9 | 51.0 - 55.9 | >55.9 |
| 20-29 | <33.0 | 33.0 - 36.4 | 36.5 - 42.4 | 42.5 - 46.4 | 46.5 - 52.4 | >52.4 |
| 30-39 | <31.5 | 31.5 - 35.4 | 35.5 - 40.9 | 41.0 - 44.9 | 45.0 - 49.4 | >49.4 |
| 40-49 | <30.2 | 30.2 - 33.5 | 33.6 - 38.9 | 39.0 - 43.7 | 43.8 - 48.0 | >48.0 |
| 50-59 | <26.1 | 26.1 - 30.9 | 31.0 - 35.7 | 35.8 - 40.9 | 41.0 - 45.3 | >45.3 |
| 60+ | <20.5 | 20.5 - 26.0 | 26.1 - 32.2 | 32.3 - 36.4 | 36.5 - 44.2 | >44.2 |
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