Fasting + Training = Slowing

I have to fast for 30 hours for a routine medical test. Nothing but clear liquids from breakfast today until midnight, then nothing at all until lunch tomorrow.

These are the kinds of things that you can't predict when you're making a training plan, so you just have to accommodate them as best you can!

If you're training 6 days a week, fasting isn't the way to go! Your body needs fuel to get the most out of work-outs, and protein to repair itself after.

So this morning I had breakfast number one:

• Potatoes (hash browns - the chunky kind)
  
• Chicken "bacon"
• Coffee
  

Then I hit the bike trainer for 45 minutes of Spinervals, during which I got down two big bottles of Gatorade.

Followed it up with breakfast number two:

• Two pieces of toast with peanut butter and jam
• A left-over chunk of steak from yesterday
• Almost 1L of skim milk
• Cheese
  
• ... and another coffee (I know, I know...)
  

I'm stuffed, but I think I got in enough protein and calcium to help recover from the workouts lately (and I'm still a bit stiff from the 1/2 marathon on the weekend). I'm not as worried about carbs as I'll drink them up all day.

Tomorrow I'll be able to eat again after lunch, but I'll take it as a total rest day and refuel. Then back to training the next day.

Update...

I was able to eat again as of Thursday afternoon. I took that day off.

Friday I went for a 7K run - I felt a bit sluggish, but nothing too bad.

Today I went for my 2 hour spin class... I died! I had nothing in the tank, I just couldn't get going. I think the combined recovery from the 1/2 marathon and the fasting just caught up to me... I managed to get through the class (thanks to 2L of Gatorade!) but I'm pooped.

Tomorrow I'll try a short swim and run, see how it goes. In the meantime I'm going to graze on carbs all day, see if I can't get my energy back where it should be!