How About Fuelling with Whole Food on a Run?

When I first started running long distances, I used gels and chews to keep up my energy.  Lately I've been thinking more about using whole food.  On my last long run, I realized that taking dates and Brazil nuts has really worked for me.  I haven't had any GI issues at all during the training runs.    And okay, I'll admit it, I am totally addicted to dates.  They're so sweet!  And yet natural!  (I'm going to have to face my addiction another day - after my 50K run.)

Once on a run my friend had brought watermelon.  Arguably it's not easy to carry around watermelon, but I'll tell you, it tasted so good and was amazingly hydrating.  You've got to love that, right?  I mean, you wouldn't want to chow down on kale.  But a soft food?  Bring it on.

In some ways it is easier to take along bars, and Larabars are awesome and really are just dates and nuts together anyway.  You can also keep track of your caloric intake better with bars. 

I've tried dark chocolate but sometimes when you're running hard, you can't really choke back food like that. 

I have recently read about how some runners use pureed baby food!  Who would have thought?

I'm going to try this.  I also bought some organic Clif gels to use in case I really feel I just can't chew on anything.

Mostly though, I'm going to keep trying my luck with whole food.  What do you eat when you run?

How Do You Get Through Hill Training?

In preparation for my upcoming, very first 50K trail race, I am doing some hill training.

I have a crazy visualization I use to help me on the hill.  As I'm going up the hill and gravity starts kicking in (and kicking my butt), I breathe very deeply and I focus on something at the top of the hill.  Usually it is a window in a house, and I focus on the window and picture flying through the window.  Strange, eh?  I don't know why, but it works for me.  It gives me a point to look toward, to keep my head high and my thoughts at the top of the hill instead of on my feet.

How do you get through hill training?

 

No Regrets

Stress Relief

Sometimes I do the stairs on my lunch hours.  It was the kind of day where I wasn't sure what to do, because I had numerous errands I needed to complete as well.

I decided to do the stairs.

I'm so glad I did.  (I always am.)

This was me, driving from work to the stairs: stressed out, uptight, worried about finishing all my work.

This was me, driving back from the stairs:  all relaxed, feeling loose, and not nearly as worried.

Sometimes you don't realize how stressed out you are until you're not, and then you notice the huge difference in how you feel emotionally and physically.

I think just being outside under the big sky can make your problems seem much smaller.

There's nothing like working hard, getting your heart pounding and sweating it out to put everything in perspective.  Your body and your mind will thank you.

Wheat-Free Food Staples

  



I've been trying to go wheat free (see blog post http://whendoibecomecompetentagain.blogspot.ca

"Wheat-Free Experiment". 


The food above are my staples now.  I've also been eating quinoa, salads, chicken, eggs and dark chocolate.  It feels very healthy.  I love all the greens I'm having.  I've even found these delicious sweet potato crackers.  Who knew I would ever crave sweet potato crackers??

  Happy eating!

Just Dance - A Fun Workout!

I am unabashedly in love with Just Dance.  Not only is it so much fun, it can be a great workout.

In such cold weather, it's nice to have a good workout you can do indoors.

I think the most important thing is that I do it for fun and because I love it, and it's also a great sweat.  I've done it for two hours once and didn't even notice the time going by.

Most of the dance moves are very energetic, and you use arms and legs as well as jumping and hopping.

There's even a Dance Workout option.

And no, no one is paying me to write this.  I've always loved to dance, and now I can do it at home and be inspired by some amazing moves.

Watch out the next time I'm on a real dance floor!

Want to have fun and burn calories too?  Just dance!

Feeling Strong

I just had a great run.  I love those ones in which you feel great and everything seems easy.  I did a 17K run.  I ran to a set of stairs up the Hamilton escarpment.  I did the stairs five times (up and down counting as once) and then ran back.  On the way back it is a long incline, and it's always hard to make it all the way up, but I did it!  I don't know if it's a runner's high or what, but at one point I felt like something was moving me along instead of me dragging my body along (which I have definitely felt on many occasions).  I don't know if it's my body taking over - ignoring the negative talk and just doing it because it has done it before, or if it's my mind taking over.  Whatever happens, it feels amazing.

The Escarpment Stairs are such a great workout, and today in Hamilton all the waterfalls were amazing because of the heavy rains all night.  I saw waterfalls where I've never seen them before, and they were beautiful.  Climbing the stairs is so hard (gravity can really suck) but I was rewarded with views of a flowing waterfall right at the top, going all the way down.  Love it!