This is the place where all runners unite! We'll share experiences, motivation tips, running soundtracks, etc. and most importantly recipes we can enjoy!
I graduated from Utah State University and thats where I first started running. I contribute my start to my roommate Katie. She pushed me to get off my butt and run with here. At first I couldn't even run from the flag pole at the top of old main stairs to the corner of the field house (for those of you who don't know how far that is it's less than a block, and I really need to go measure it sometime so I can see how truly pathetic I was, a 20 year old unable to jog one side of a block) but she continues to push me, and eventually I trained with another roommate, Steph, for a 5K. Let me tell you it was the hardest thing I had ever done to that point. I really pushed myself and still could not run the entire thing. We really told ourselves it was Steph's knee that was the problem, and I couldn't just leave her there now could I? :) When we finally did finish it was about 50 minutes later and my future husband was there waiting for us with oranges in both hands.
It began from there. I've now ran 4 half marathons and 1 full included multiple 5ks, and a 15k here and there.
I am currently in the middle of training for my 2nd full marathon on April 24, 2010 in Louisville, KY.
I've got about 2 more months to go, and I really need to push myself to train. I read an article recently, the full article can be found here. It listed out the 10 bad diet habits familiar to runners, and I can claim about 3 of them.
1. The Nighttime Feeder - Me
You eat very few calories all day long, then you gorge at dinner and late into the night.
Change your ways:
To sustain energy and blood-sugar levels all day long, eat a balanced meal with a mix of carbs, protein, and fats every three to five hours.
Plan two small snacks each day (a handful of nuts or some cheese and crackers) so that you're never ravenous come mealtime.
2. The Sports-Bar Junkie - Me
You eat so many energy bars, your definition of the four food groups is Clif, Luna, PowerBar, and Ironman.
Change your ways:
Don't think of energy bars as meal-replacements because they are not meant to provide a complete range of nutrients. They work best as an occasional snack before or after a workout.
When choosing an energy bar, look for one made with whole foods (fruit, rolled oats, nuts). Clif Bars and Boulder Bars fall in this category.
3. The Train-Hard-Party-Harder Personality - Not me
You justify binge drinking as the reward for a good run or race.
Change your ways:
Choose alcoholic beverages that are diluted for less impact. Instead of a glass of wine, drink a wine spritzer.
Drink a glass of water or plain seltzer in between each drink to stretch the alcohol out over the course of a night.
After a run or a race, make your first drink a big glass of water. Have that beer later.
4. The Junk-Food Fiend -YES ME
You eat whatever you want because you believe running will keep you fit and trim.
Change your ways:
Strike a balance between the foods you need and the foods you want. Build each snack and meal around at least one real food group and enjoy junk food at the end of a meal.
Substitute something healthier for the junk food you crave. If you want chocolate, try some strawberries dipped in chocolate syrup. For salt cravings, try cheese or something crispy like veggies dipped in tangy salad dressing.
Never eat junk food on an empty stomach. It almost guarantees a binge.
5. The Fat Phobe
You believe fat will make you fat, so you shun it in every form.
Change your ways:
Know the difference between the fats that are good for you (monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and omega-3s) and the ones that can harm your health (saturated and trans fats).
Don't go crazy with percentages. Aim to consume about a half gram of healthy fats per pound of body weight per day.
Add good fats to the naturally low-fat foods you already eat--use flavorful olive oil on top of your salad greens, smear peanut butter on apples or celery for a snack, and stir-fry your veggies in peanut oil.
6. Running on Empty
You think you run better on an empty stomach because it gives you that lean, mean feeling.
Change your ways:
Afternoon and evening runners should eat a snack with 60 to 100 grams of carbohydrate about two hours before exercise. This is as simple as having a banana and a bagel or two ounces of dried fruit and two cups of Gatorade.
Morning runners who are turned off by solid foods in the early hours can get their carbs via liquids such as breakfast drinks, soy and yogurt drinks, and sports drinks.
7. The Protein Pounder
You believe protein is power, so you inhale it in place of carbs.
Change your ways:
Try to keep your daily protein intake to about 10 to 15 percent of your total calories.
8. The Supplement Abuser
You believe that if vitamins and minerals are good for you, taking more of them is even better.
Change your ways:
Remember that they're called supplements: They should simply supplement an already healthy diet of whole foods.
If you pick the right multivitamin, you may not need any other supplements. Look for a multi with 100 to 200 percent of the Daily Value for water-soluble vitamins (the eight B vitamins and vitamin C), no more that 100 percent of the Daily Value for the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and K, and 100 percent of the Daily Value for the trace minerals iron, zinc, copper, selenium, and manganese.
9. The Chronically Dehydrated - Me, minus the coffee
You typically don't drink much of anything throughout the day--except your morning coffee.
Change your ways:
An hour or two before you run, hydrate with 16 ounces of sports drink to top off your fluid tank and take in energizing carbs.
When you are doing high mileage, be mindful of your urine output. You should need to go to the bathroom at least every three hours, and your urine color should be pale yellow.
To determine your sweat rate, weigh yourself naked. Then do a hard run and reweigh yourself. Every pound you lose equals 16 ounces of fluid. So if you lose one pound on a 40-minute run, you need to drink about 16 ounces every 40 minutes.
10. The Calorie-Deprived - Definitely not me :)
You burn many more calories than you eat.
Change your ways:
If weight management is a concern, make healthier food choices and eat small meals throughout the day to keep your metabolism revved. Regardless, no active woman should eat fewer than 1,500 calories a day, and an active man should not take in less than 1,800 calories a day.
Lots of really great info here, I've discovered that my pitfall is the junk food.
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