May Contain Fish: A Pescetarian Runners Journal

By Sarah Jane Butfield and Nigel Butfield

In 2015 I booked a series of marathons, ultra-marathons and other tough challenges to help me test my new dietary regime as I juggle my training for these events with my full time job and family life commitments. I am a hard working family man with a wife, two dogs, a cat and 7 children. If I can train for these events, then maybe I can inspire you to take on a new challenge and start running. I’ve been a half vegetarian before, lost weight and improved my fitness levels, so I am confident about the dietary changes I am undertaking. I would really like to lose 5kg for my upcoming races so I need to make sure that I am getting the protein and other nutrients needed in my diet without meat. I’ll be adding some recipes and meal plans that I have tried and tested at the end for you to try if you like fish! 
But can an IBS sufferer run on a seafood diet? And what does it really take to make and achieve your running goals?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rukia Publishing
• Release date: Sep 6, 2016
• ISBN: 9781533769718

Sarah Jane Butfield

Sarah Jane Butfield, born in Ipswich and raised in rural Suffolk, is a busy mother, grandmother, and international award-winning author. After combining a successful clinical nursing and nurse management career and navigating her way through three divorces and parenthood, she is an experienced modern-day mum to her 'Brady Bunch' and she loves every minute of their convoluted lives.  Known as the 'roving Florence Nightingale,' Sarah Jane has travelled across the world in the pursuit of her dreams and continues to do so now that her children are grown up, working as a travel writer/blogger. She is the author of an award-winning travel memoir series set in Australia and France.  Glass Half Full: Our Australian Adventure,  Two dogs and a suitcase: Clueless in Charente  Our Frugal Summer in Charente  These books, and the boxset, are regularly found high in the Amazon rankings, categories include ex-pat life, parenting, grief, PTSD, step-parenting, cooking, gardening, Australia and France travel.  In addition, Sarah Jane has also written the first three books in a series of self-help literature for aspiring and new self-published authors: The Accidental Author,  The Amateur Authorpreneur The Intermediate Authorpreneur,  Book one is permanently FREE to help any aspiring author get started on their writing and book promotion journey. Sarah Jane's most successful series is the aptly titled, The Nomadic Nurse Series, consisting of: Ooh Matron!   Bedpans to Boardrooms These nursing memoirs have won three book industry awards and have attracted 5-star reviews from the publishing industry and readers around the world. The eagerly awaited third book in this series is scheduled for release in September 2022! She loves to interact with her readers so feel free to connect on social media: Twitter: @SarahJanewrites  Facebook:  www.facebook.com/SarahJaneswriting www.facebook.com/AuthorSarahJaneButfield www.facebook.com/Twodogsandasuitcase  www.facebook.com/OurFrugalSummerinCharente www.facebook.com/Ooh-Matron-1646665865549530/timeline/ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/sarah_jane_rukia.publishing

Book preview

Dedication

I dedicate this book to my parents John and Sheila. Both different individuals, both giving support, encouragement and love to me as a son in their own ways. I'm thankful for them giving me the work/life ethic of ‘If you want something, go out there and work for it’.

Nigel & his father John

Nigel & his late mother Sheila

Copyright

Dedication

Introduction: Run, Walk or Crawl I am ‘The Fishy Runner’

Chapter One

My first Parkrun

Chapter Two

18km with a weighted bag of 7kg

Chapter Three

Hill training

Chapter Four

Tresaith to Mwnt – West Wales Coastal Path

Chapter Five

Committed to training

Chapter Six

Pen-Y-Fan

Chapter Seven

The Cheltenham Challenge

Chapter Eight

Dealing With Disappointment

Chapter Nine

South Wales Trail Half Marathon

Chapter Ten

Tough Mudder Mud Run challenge

Chapter Eleven

The Gower 50

Chapter Twelve

Ultra-White Collar Boxing

A note from Nigel

The fishy runner’s favourite foods.

Connect with the author Nigel Butfield

Introduction: Run, Walk or Crawl I am ‘The Fishy Runner’

Introducing The Fishy Runner by Sarah Jane Butfield

Nigel Butfield, aka The Fishy Runner, is my husband, a father of three and step-father to my four children. Our lives together over the last 20 years or so have seen us travel, live and work, whilst juggling our large blended family commitments, in Cornwall, Australia, France and now South Wales. He is an inspiration in so many ways to myself and our children as well as his newly acquired running buddies. With his former work colleague Chris Eddolls. Nigel has also recently established the Port Talbot Trail Warriors running club which is free for anyone to join. Two mates who have discovered a love for the outdoors, in particular the running trails of South Wales. Whether you want to get fit, or love running off-road, this is the club for you. They meet up on random days or evenings, and just go for a jog/run. Typical running places are Margam Park, Afan Forest, Aberavon Beach or The Gower Peninsula. Distances can vary depending on the group members’ abilities on the day. They never leave anyone behind. Chris and Nigel can also normally be found at Swansea Bay Parkrun every Saturday.

Nigel’s parents were in the armed services and he often refers to himself as an ‘army brat’ when talking about his childhood. As a family they were always on the move in different countries and throughout the UK. However, they eventually settled in the garrison town of Colchester, Essex, UK, where Nigel completed his schooling. As a child he was never particularly keen on sports so his foray into running as an adult has been a bit of a surprise to some of his friends and family.

Nigel first took up running whilst living in Australia between 2008 and 2012. The Australian lifestyle, added to the accommodating climate, meant it was easy to slip on his running shoes, step outside and just run. Nigel continues to race in different settings and over a variety of distances always wanting to achieve that bigger, better goal.

Now it’s Nigel’s turn to take over and introduce himself and his debut running book. I hope you enjoy his story.

Sarah Jane

www.sarahjanebutfield.com

Nigel takes a little run up Cribarth, known locally as the Sleeping Giant owing to its appearance and sunset profile when viewed from the valley below. This mini-mountain was quarried in the past and evidence of former tram roads still exists.

Hello everyone, so this is the part of the book where I tell you a little about myself and my first book. I am not a writer as such and I have never been comfortable talking about myself, but here goes.

When I started this episode in my running story I was earning my living as a security officer. I have worked in the security industry for many years and in other law enforcement roles including working as a prison officer in Alice Springs, Australia. For this I have had to remain fit and strong as a requirement of the roles. I am not a complete novice at running, I have competed in 10k races and a couple of half marathons in Australia, however, I didn’t train for them seriously instead I used them more as an exercise session. Some say I’m a very competitive person. I look at it from a different angle, I love a challenge. At school I never took part in team games and I wasn’t particularity sporty. I preferred to be on my own or hanging out with a friend or two. I did enjoy cross country running during our PE lessons as it got me out of the classroom and outside where I longed to be, the place I would stare at from inside, longing to be set free.

So why did I write this book? To be honest I hope to inspire people to give running a shot. In today’s society obesity, and the prevention of its associated conditions, is a big problem. We cannot fail to notice the effects that this has on healthcare provision and on society as a whole, with increasing levels of people with diet related health issues such as diabetes and heart disease. The sad truth is that some people do not exercise at all despite obesity being a global issue. I initially wanted to share how anyone can take part in running and share my experience of Parkruns. However, as the journal that I kept to write this book filled it also recorded the fact that I wanted to challenge myself and add an interesting twist to my training by deciding to remove meat from my diet. I wanted to test the concept of whether a pescetarian diet, meaning a diet which does not include meat and where the majority of the protein is obtained from fish, is compatible with an amateur athlete training for distance running and extreme physical events. If you bought this book to read a story about running and amateur ways to train, then