Equilibrium

Kevin Keary made his FC Irlande 2nds debut today and he travelled with me to the game. It was only 10km from Shuman but the outrageous nature of the Brussels road system meant we would spend nearly an hour in each other’s company. Kevin used to work with FG MEP Colm Burke and campaigned vigorously to try and get him re-elected last Summer. The campaign pitted Burke directly against Sean Kelly who was also on the ticket for FG. Burke and Keary failed where Kelly succeeded and so Kevin was left unemployed. Within weeks however, he had jumped ship and plonked his arse on a chair in Kelly’s office. I don’t tell you this story to blacken the good name of Kevin, just to live up to my commitment of allowing you get to know the characters in my blog a bit better.

Anyway, introduction aside, the conversation swung from holding the line in a back four, the troubles in Northern Ireland, summer holidays and on to last Thursday’s training. We both confirmed stiffness but a general positive feeling that the season is up and running. Our commitment to get in better shape this year was also expressed.

Kevin lives with our Chairman Olof (solely a house share). I quizzed him about how Olof keeps fit and expressed some worry that the gap between myself and himself was minimal in terms of performance in the running. I’ve been tipping away a bit while he has been fairly idle. In that sense, I should have a bigger edge. We were neck in neck in most runs and if I had an edge, it was minimal.

Kev described the impeccable nature of how Olof prepares his food, follows the 5 a day rule and generally restrains himself when the pints are flying. My diet has been appalling whenever I’ve been out of my mother’s cooking regime. In boarding school I survived on a bag of fun sized chocolate, two litre bottle of orange and £3 to spend during the week in the tuck shop. Looking back it showed when I played sport, I’d have been very much bit-part.

When I became a day pupil in 6th year I benefited from home cooking every day and I start to progress on teams which I would previously been on the periphery of. When I think about it now, I think my improved diet played its part.

I notice the importance of food when I go to the gym. If I’ve had my lunch at 12h and don’t eat anything between then and going at 20h, I’ll struggle to get through a session, simply because the fuel tank is empty. Even with all that said, pizza, coke & chocolate are the most prominent inputs into my diet!!

We linked Olof’s discipline to the Swedish streak in him. This then led us to analyse Irish people’s attitude to their health. We agreed that our goal is to achieve equilibrium where by poor diet and alcohol is balanced by sporting activities or other attempts to live healthier. Simple example; a booze & food fuelled December is offset by a drink free January populated by intensive trainings. How many foreigners do you know that go off it for January? Still, in our pursuit to achieve equilibrium, we only see the scales tip one way; our account is never in credit on the healthy side of the scales. Instead, we are always trying to balance the badness.

How to achieve a healthy diet in the coming months will be the challenge. I reckon it’s worth 10-15% to your performance and is definitely an important part of recovery from injury. Fending off Olof’s challenge may well be the incentive required.