Week 1...

Day 1 - 19/1 - Start weight - 84.7kg.Ran - 8.03km - 46min 51sec.  Average 5:50min p/km with Pria running the last 500m with us.  Stepper - 5min.While my weigh in this morning was disappointing, I know that a lot of it is water/food weight having not run this week.  I know that I will drop a couple of kilos this week without trying too much!  I have been super excited to get started on my plan today and have found things super easy today.  I started the day off with an easy run with the girls which was good to get the legs moving again.  I then caught up with old friends, Ben, Mel and their son Marlon.  I used to be in the band with Ben and it is always great seeing those guys!  We grabbed coffee together, had a great lunch and relaxed together.  A great day.  The rest of the day I just relaxed with the girls, enjoyed a top storm this arvo and kicked back solo (Tegs was out with the girls from work) and watched a movie.  Nice!  Been too long.  Day one has been super awesome, pretty darn easy and a good way to get going on this journey.Food/drink journal - Smoothie (LSA, five bananas, nectarine, handful of grapes, four madjool dates, maca powder, two drops of iodine, coconut water and water).  A cheek of mango, homemade vegan pizza (half a pizza), two nectarines, large salad with mixed greens, spinach and roasted veges.  Dressing made from No Meat Athlete (oil free).  Three coffees and a cup of tea.Day 2 - 20/1Ran - 16km to and round the hummock with Tanya.  1hr 31min 37sec.  Average - 5:43min p/kmToday was Tegans birthday!  We had a bit of a mixed day with the kids being a bit round and my disappointment that Tegs present didn't arrive on time (I got her a bike).  We still had a good day, grabbing a coffee, her doing some shopping and getting Indian for lunch.  A nice day with some more wild weather.  Overall I did well diet wise but was super tired due to my terrible sleep last night.  Hopefully it is better tonight!  Work was also super slow which sucked.  I always find it way more tempting there with food etc when I am not that busy.  I got through pretty well though.  Overall, day two was a winner.Food/drink journal - Smoothie (water, hemp seeds, seven bananas, blueberries, four madjool dates, carob powder, two iodine drops), vegetable curry with rice and wholemeal roti, a mango, roast vege salad with greens and dressing from last night, two coffees, one vegan mocha, two teas.Day 3 - 21/1Run - 5k early easy.  27min 31sec.  Average 5.30min p/km.This mornings run felt 'light'.  This is the first time I have felt like this in a while which was nice.  I am looking forward to many more days like this!  It was an easy early run before heading into work to open the cafe and head home early due to it not being busy.  When I got home, my friend Willow came and tidied my dreads up which was a nice way to spend a rainy afternoon.The last day or two it has really dawned on me the enormity of what I am embarking on with this Buffalo Slam business.  Holy smokes!  Funnily enough, the distances don't scare me too much, but the climbing and elevation does!  Even logistically, it could be a mammoth task!  I may not finish till late Saturday night and then have to be up early Sunday morning to crank out a super hilly marathon!  I am really looking forward to this challenge and going to be ready as ever physically, emotionally and mentally.  This could be one of my biggest challenges yet, just being ready to go each day!  I am super keen for it and going to be good to go come race day that is for sure!Today I was super hungry for some reason.  I ate well, however probably not enough.  I also had too many coffees and want to drop the additives (mochas, maple syrup etc) and just stick with plain coffees.  As well as this, I want to be bike commuting where ever possible.  I want to stick to the rule that if it is under 30deg and not raining when I leave home, I ride.  This is just a little task I want to try and stick to as good as possible.  Overall today, I learnt a bit about my coffee intake and making sure I get enough calories from clean fuel!  A good day!Food/drink journal - Brecky in a jar (oats, four madjool dates, raw buckwheat, maple syrup, two fruits, soy milk, banana, cacao nibs), mocha, three coffees, tea, half a mango, two small apples, large container of grapes, two bits of homemade NFV (no fat vegan) banana and berry bread, large amount of wholemeal casserole with lentils, three dried figs (I was hungry after dinner!).Day 4 - 22/1Run - 19k with 10 x hill repeats.  1hr 50min 36sec.  Average pace - 5.49min p/km.Had a really good workout this morning on the hummock.  Ran up there with dad and then cranked out some hills, meeting up with the old boy as he did his thing.  The hill repeats were hectic!  So so slippery and muddy I can not believe I didn't fall.  A good session.The rest of the morning was rainy and taken up with groceries, coffee, relaxing and picking up Tegans birthday present - her new bike!  We then just kicked back in the rainy weather and relaxed before I head to work.  I got an early mark there too as it has been so quiet and the weather so bad.  Tegan and I rounded out the day watching a good movie (the new Liam Neilson one) and enjoyed the end to a good day.My diet went well again today but I just have to continue to be vigilant with my drink intake.  I don't want to be getting unwanted, unnecessary calories from drinks, although at this time I am enjoying them.  I hope as time progresses and my diet improves daily, the need/want for coffee, chai, mocha etc will dissipate.  Time will tell.  Overall, a ripper of a day!Food/drink journal - Smoothie (seven bananas, hemp seeds, an apple, blueberries, carob powder, two madjool dates and four normal, water), three coffees and a chai, sweet potato, tomato and greens salad with my tahini dressing (see below for recipe...it is SOOOO good), banana and berry bread, bunch of grapes, vege curry with brown rice, three dried figs with 100% peanut butter.Tahini dressing - Half cup tahini, quarter cup lemon juice, two tablespoons apple cider vinegar, two tablespoons tamari or soy sauce.  You can also add a little chilli if you like and as much water as you like for your desired consistency.  Blend up and enjoy!  YUM!!!Day 5 - 23/1Run - 13k in the rain.  1hr 9min 48sec.  Average - 5.22min per km.  Legs a little heavy from yesterday.As much as I love spending time with my beautiful family, I love fridays.  I spent the morning cooking, reading, watching some sport, and generally relaxing.  I also booked my flights for the race so things are getting exciting already!Work was hectic busy and it got hot again at night.  The rain disappeared for two seconds and the humidity returned!  Ugh!I feel like I started to get on top of my calories a little today after a feeling a bit low yesterday.  I have just really been trying to listen to my body and eat clean accordingly.  I really feel like I have come a fair way in such a short time already.  I haven't really had any cravings for bad food (apart from a couple of small ones) and really find myself just wanting clean yummy fuel.  Good times!Food/drink journal - Smoothie (six bananas, nectarine, maca powder, water, six dates, vanilla), seven lychees, roast vege salad with avocado dressing, three rice cakes with peanut butter, three coffees, chai, At One Foods cacao and incaberry bar, nectarine, basil pesto pasta with white beans.Day 6 - 24/1 Run - 25k in 2hr 16min 36sec.  Middle 7k with the girls.  A bit sluggish but negative split the run which was good.Today was great!  Had a nice morning after my run at home cooking, watching some cool climbing shows on TV, relaxing, reading and hanging out with the girls.  After lunch, our good friends Jason and Anna arrived with their teenage girls when we had some lunch, went out for coffee and a little tour of the coast of Bundy.  We really love spending time with these guys and they are a beautiful family.  Work was great and nice and busy and overall it was a really enjoyable day.  I felt pretty darn good after my run and although I didn't feel that hungry, felt like I re-fueled quite well.  I feel like I am so bloated from water a lot of the time too but still seem a bit de-hydrated.  Weird.  I need to keep on top of this when it is so hot.  Overall, a good day!Food/drink journal - Run - One bottle of Squintra hydration, a High 5 gel and a Gu gel, Nice cream (maybe 2-3mangos, nectarine, handful of grapes, hemp seeds, soy milk, four madjool dates, two drops iodine, vanilla), banana, three coffees, roast vege with cous cous salad, At One Food bar, apple, Matt Moores Enchiladas.Day 7 - 25/1Run - 16.2km.  1hr 38min 50sec.  Average speed - 6.07min p/km.  Easy run with Tegs, Corle, Jason and Anna.  Nice morning relaxing and chatting.We spent the morning today with our good friends Jason and Anna (and their two daughters).  I just love hanging out with these guys.  So relaxing, fun, good conversation and just good people!We started the day off with a run together which was pretty darn hot!  We then had a big pancake breakfast and relaxed before heading to Eden, a new vegan cafe in Bundy for lunch with all the crew and mum and dad.  It was a super hot day so everyone was pretty over it!  Just tried to stay cool before heading to work!  Work was fun, cruisy and stormy.  It was good to knock off after working the last 11 out of 12 days!  Ugh!  Days off will be nice!I have been SUPER happy with how this week has gone.  I still have a lot to do and improve upon but for the first week I am stoked!  I just want to try and improve a little each day, week and month until eating super clean becomes second nature.  This week I want to cut back my coffee intake and hot drinks a bit.  I feel like whilst these aren't overly bad, I am just consuming too many and I know they are not serving my purpose to its fullest potential.  All good though, one small change at a time makes a massive change a year down the track!  Week one done and dusted!  Good times!Food/drink journal - Banana pancakes with blueberries and maple syrup, three coffees, vege lasagne, salad and a couple sweet potato chips, five lychees, nectarine, chai, Nice cream (five bananas, mango, four madjool dates, vanilla, soy mylk), hot cocao.Week 1 - 102.2km.  9hr 41min.  523m gain.