Fueling Up: What I eat...

As I started this first week of training, I became very aware of the importance of fueling up.  Nutrition is a vital part of any training regimen.  I'm not an expert by any means, but I do know what works for me.  Along with choosing foods that will give me the energy I need, as well and aid in recovery, I have to avoid sulfites.  Basically, I can't have any artificial colors, iron enrichment and preservatives.  I've been forced to eat healthy whether I want to or not...or I break out in a rash that lasts for days.  Not fun.

So, this is how I approach my training diet:

Prerun - Since I run in the morning, I try to eat a banana or some other light carb.  My dinner is long gone by the time I hit the pavement and I need a boost to make it through.

Post-run - After I return, I'm ready for a real breakfast.  My usual meal is yogurt with some type of fruit and a whole-grain cereal.  My latest favorite combo is Greek yogurt, a scoop of canned pumpkin, a bit of honey and brown sugar, topped with pecans.  Another standby is yogurt, blueberries and puffed wheat.  I do make sure my meal includes a protein, a carb and a fat.

Lunch - This meal tends to be my main meal of the day.  I will eat some kind of starch like organic pasta or home-made tortilla, with a meat or bean protein, and fresh fruit or vegetable.  My favorite right now is pasta with ground beef with taco seasoning, shredded iceberg lettuce, grape tomatoes, and my dressing of one part yogurt to one part mayonnaise with salt and pepper.  I've been eating that all week!  Another favorite is pasta (or couscous) with tuna, grape tomatoes, grated mozzarella, dressed with a bit of mayo and grainy mustard. 

Dinner - Since I often have to modify my meal from  my family's, I tend to eat lighter at dinner time.  I'll eat a fresh vegetable or salad, or fruit with a protein like cheese or tuna.  If I can eat what the family is eating, I'll just eat the protein and vegy's and skip the starch. (Unless I make pizza... then all bets are off!)

Dessert - This is where I tend to fall off the wagon.  My daughter makes the best cookies!  But, when I'm being intentional about my diet, I try to only eat one or two of those cookies!   My favorite dessert it all natural ice cream.  I could eat it every day!  So I limit myself to eating it only on Saturday nights.  I buy it in small containers so I wont raid the freezer in a weak moment!

Snacks - Snacks are so important to me if I am going to make this routine work.  I keep cheese sticks, apples and oranges, whole wheat crackers, and nuts handy.  In moderation, these tide me over until my next real meal.

Water - I can't stress enough the need to hydrate before and rehydrate after running.  Muscles need water to function and the body just works better when it's hydrated - digestion, skin, and mental clarity. 

Other Tips:

• I'm not sure who said it, but they were right - You eat with your eyes first!  Since I've had to stay away from sulfites, I've had to give up a lot of foods I love.  So over the last 20 years, I found that if I make my meal look really yummy, I don't feel deprived.  Naturally colorful foods are the most healthy.  Make sure your plate has a variety of colors and textures.  I also serve my meal on a pretty plate.  It just makes me happy.
• I really try not to eat after 8:00 p.m.  I sleep much better when my dinner has had a chance to digest.  Good sleep makes for a better morning run.
• I really don't worry too much about using full-fat dairy products and butter.  I find that the rich taste is more satisfying and I don't need to eat as much.  I make yogurt from whole milk and use real butter in cooking and on the table! 
• Eating a variety of whole foods is the most healthy diet I know!  The less processed the better! Simplicity is the key. 

 

 

Like I said, I am not a nutrition expert.  Go online and look at what other's are saying about a training diet.  No two people are alike in their nutritional needs.  You will have to try things to see if they work for you.  One person may need to eat a full meal an hour before running, while I on the other hand, would just go take a nap...

As the weeks progress, I may need to change up my nutrition plan.  I'll keep you updated if I do.

Check out my running links in the side bar for more helpful information.

Week 1 Recap

Week 1 of 12 on the road to the Windward Half Marathon is now history.  I managed to complete 4 of the 5 run days.  Not too bad for a start.

Here's how the week played out.

Sunday:  Stretch and Strength - The family was camping over the weekend, so breaking down the camp site and loading up must count for a strength workout, right?

Monday:  3 mile run -  I missed today's run due to our camping trip.  I was just too tired.  (I justified it by telling myself that I ran 3 miles on Friday.)  There are times when rest is best.

Tuesday:  Speed work - 5 x 400 at 5K pace -  Using my treadmill made it easy to track the distances.  This is a new area for me.  It was fun.  Because it was only 5 laps, it seemed too easy.  I know that will change as the training continues.  I ran an easy pace for a few minutes to warm up, then reset the machine to count my laps.  After each lap, I stopped the treadmill and walked in place for a minute or two.  It was great to run short, fast bursts, and then be done. 

Wednesday:  3 mile run and strength - Back on the road in Kailua.  Nice morning run.

Thursday:  Rest day.  Slept in to catch up on sleep!

Friday:  3 mile run -  Kailua route with a faster pace.  Happy with my time.

Saturday:  5 mile run -  Tried my best to slow down.  So hard.  I've been running the same pace for weeks, but my natural pace is really too fast for this jump in distance.   A new route through beautiful Kailua neighborhoods made the miles fly by.  Happy with my time.  Longest run I've done in 2011.  So glad to be upping the mileage!

Overall, it was a great week.  I had done some other physical work Monday that left me sore for Tuesday's speed work.  On Wednesday, I was still a bit stiff but pushed through.  Thursday's rest came at just the right time.  By Friday, I was ready to head out again.  Saturday found me in the routine and I was excited to do the longer run.

The best thing about this week:  Getting more miles logged!
The biggest challenge of this week:  Getting to bed early enough! 

Have you picked your race?  Are you walking or running along with me?  I'd love to know you're out there!  Let's keep each other motivated and accountable.  Together, we can't be beat!

A New Goal in Mind

Ever heard the saying, "If you aim at nothing, you're bound to hit it"?  That's a bit how I feel about my running.  I add running to my weekly routine, but don't really have a goal in mind.  It's been several years since I participated in an official race.  Why?  Well, they take commitment.  Life has been so unpredictable that I didn't want to tie myself down to a firm training schedule.  Sounds good right?  Truth is, I've been lazy...

So, no more!  I'm motivated again and I'm going to have you keep me accountable.  I've got my eye on the Windward Half Marathon that will be on September 11, 2011.  Although I have done a couple of half marathons before, I haven't done this one.  The one's I've done have been on the Waikiki side of the island.  This race is right in my own backyard.  No more excuses.  I have all summer to train...

This is the first week of a Hal Higdon, 12-week training schedule I found.  I'm trying to improve my last time, so I've chosen a plan that includes some speed work.  This will be a first for me.  My plan is (Lord willing) to do the regular running days in Kailua, and do the speed work on my treadmill.  That way I can measure the 400s easily. 

Wanna join me?  You may not be able to make it to the Windward Half on Oahu, but I bet you can find something in your area.  It doesn't have to be a half.  What about a 5K to start?  Maybe you're ready for a full marathon!  Whatever it is, lets start together! 

In the spirit of openness, I must confess that I missed my first day of running on this plan.  We had just returned from a weekend camping trip that wiped me out.  That's how life is sometimes, but I wont be deterred!  It's not about following the letter of the training schedule, it's about moving toward the goal.  I'm firmly committed this time.  I wont let this unpredictable life be my reason for quitting! 

Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs,

but only one person gets the prize?

So run to win!  All athletes are disciplined in their training.

They do it to win a prize that will fade away,

but we do it for an eternal prize. 

So I run with purpose in every step.

I am not just shadowboxing. 

I discipline my body like an athlete,

training it to do what it should.

Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others

I myself might be disqualified.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NLT)



There are many reasons that I run. Physically, I want to keep fit and need the stress release. But the best benefit I get from running is time alone with God. Being out in His creation, I feel His presence. When I run, I learn so many spiritual lessons. I hope to share those here as well.

Leaving My Fuzzy Hinderance Behind

(As the first post on my running page, I'm re-posting something I wrote in 2008.)

Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward. Now he is seated in the place of highest honor beside God's throne in heaven. (New Living Translation)

I love to run in the early morning hours. I wake before anyone else is up in the house—no one but Blue, our dog. He has learned that when I get out my running shoes, I’m heading out. He loves to go with me. So often I would look at his sad eyes and give in, “Okay, boy, you can come too.”

Running with a dog, at least my dog, is not really a run. It’s more like a jog….stop…jog…stop…walk….jog. Every tree needed to be smelled and “watered.” But he was such a sweet companion, I didn’t really mind. I knew it was doing him some good to get out of the house. And frankly, I liked the excuse of a rest every now and then. After we’d go a couple of miles, I’d start to feel like he was getting hot and tired. Better head back. After a few weeks of this, I realized that he was loving it, but I was getting nowhere in my running plan. I was letting my dog dictate how far I ran. As good a dog that he is, he was becoming a hindrance. If I was going to reach my goals, I was going to have to leave him behind.

Is my spiritual journey like this? Have I let some sweet thing hinder me from running the race that God has set before me? I have run long enough with the Lord that the really “bad” sins aren’t the ones that hinder me these days. I have to watch out for the cute, cuddly kind. The ones that just look at me with those sad eyes and say, “Can I come, too?” I know that if I am going to run with endurance I must leave those things behind. I must fix my eyes on Jesus. He is my running buddy. He encourages me and challenges me to run my best every time I go out. Jesus is the one “on whom my faith depends from start to finish.” (vs. 2)

I was sitting outside after a good run. I had gone farther that day than I had in months. It was just me and my praise music on my iPod. Finally, I was getting back to the distances I had run in the past. And Blue? He didn’t mind. He just sat beside the treadmill and watched.