Family Adventures, Lake Swims and a New Coach

Life has been a wonderful mix of family time, Swiss adventures, and a new challenge lately.

Last week, we celebrated my parents’ 64th wedding anniversary by taking them to Lake Lucerne. I think this is my favourite corner of Switzerland. My dad was so excited when he realised we would be taking two different boats: an old-fashioned paddle steamer from 1901 and a very modern boat from 2017.

Of course, I also have to make sure my parents stick to their fitness program. Every second day, we head out for a walk. My dad has decided that they’re going to Paris in September, and I will be accompanying them. However, I introduced one non-negotiable condition: Paris happens only if they can walk 800 metres without a break. With that goal in mind, they are absolutely crushing it!

Then came the annual swim across Lake Zurich. This event is such a blast! During the entire swim, I could only think of one thing: the risotto waiting for me at the finish line. It did not disappoint!

We also met up with our running buddy Reto at the train station. He and his wife took the night train to Vienna and will spend the next three weeks cycling all the way back to Zurich. I find this so inspiring – I would love to do something like that one day!

And while Reto is doing his biking challenge, I have started a new challenge of my own: I have a new coach!

He is one of South Africa’s most successful endurance coaches and is nicknamed “The Colonel” because of his military background. He is known for his rigorous, no-nonsense coaching style.

If you are now thinking “David Goggins“, that is exactly what I was thinking, too.

I was scared, so I waited until I felt brave enough to e-mail him. When he suggested a call a few days later, I was terrified. Oh my goodness, what have I done?

Fortunately, he was less scary than I imagined. But still, he was quite strict and direct – you know, a bit like a school headmaster.

Like, when we talked about my eating habits. How much protein do I eat? No idea, but I’m pretty sure not enough. “Let’s fix that.” So for a few weeks now, I’ve been tracking my protein – I need to reach 2 grams per kg of bodyweight. I began eating chicken and eggs like some kind of bodybuilder pro.

Not surprisingly, a few days in, my digestive system felt… well, blocked. Next fix: enter flaxseeds and their fibre friends to balance things out again. Aside from that little detour, I think The Colonel is on to something. I’m feeling more energetic and less fatigued. I’ll definitely stick with this approach for a few more weeks to see what happens.

Interestingly, my overall training volume has not changed much. I am still running about 8 hours a week. The intensity, however, is a completely different story. Every day is a workout day. Tempo runs, intervals, fartleks, hill repeats, strides, fast finishes… there is nowhere to hide.

Most days, I am struggling to hit the target paces. I also catch myself taking unscheduled breaks, cleverly disguised as “photo breaks”. Something I will need to runfess in my next call with The Colonel…let’s see how that goes!

And YET! I love the challenge. It is demanding, and I collapse into bed exhausted every evening, but I have a feeling this is exactly the kick in the pants I needed right now.

• Have you ever had a coach who completely changed your approach?
• Protein: do you track it? What’s your main protein source?
• A bike holiday: have you ever done one? Where? – I’ve never done one, but I’d love to!

I am linking up with Jenny from Runners Fly and Jenn from Runs with Pugs for Tuesday Topics as well as Runners’ Roundup with Coach Debbie Runs, Confessions of a Mother Runner, Mile by Mile, and Runs with Pugs!