(If you hear noise, again, it's the video below ... just scroll down and hit pause until you are ready to watch it ... sorry, Runner's World likes that auto play version.)
So that means we're in the homestretch ... we're just passing the 24-mile marker and the 40 kilometer marker is just around the corner ... the finish line is near ... and after such a long journey it's a welcome sight. This is the big push, the finishing kick, the final sprint ... if at least 29 people can contribute at least $25.00 each (figure that's a week of going without a venti mocha frappaccino or a large Jamba Juice drink or a Jumbo Jack combo meal, if you go daily), we will reach that goal. I'm hoping that we'll get there before Oct. 12, the day of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon.
To give, click go to the online giving page at Active.com by clicking here. To give by check, please contact me at alan.llavore@gmail.com.
Thanks in advance!
'Dude, what's for dinner?'
So today (Sunday) as the day was winding down at church, the conversation turned to food. I guess the topic came up when, in the lobby where the youth and young adults were hanging out, I saw a McDonald's large French fry container and a few Jamba Juice cups. They all know I'm a runner and currently training for the BOA Chicago Marathon, we ended up talking about fast food. In general, we talked of how we avoided Mickey D's, though the yogurt fruit parfait is OK to get. The BBQ chicken sandwich at Carl's Jr. got good marks, and so did Chipotle and Qdoba, two Mexican restaurants. Which is all making me hungry right now ...
Anyway, you might be thinking what long distance runners who are not elite (or pro) level, but very serious about the sport and work hard to do as well as they can, have in the pantry and 'fridge. Many are good about watching what they eat, and strive to eat as healthy and balanced as they can.
Then there are runners like me. Not that I totally tank on a healthy diet, but because it's just me (and Taylor, my guitar) at home, I have to hit that really fine line of healthy, good runner's fuel, and quick and easy to prepare. ... and easy to clean up after. It's really too fine a line that I often miss than hit.
But, overall, I do hit the basics: 60- to 70-percent of what I eat has to be carbohydrates because carbs are fuel for endurance athletes. No high protein diets here, despite all the stuff that you hear and see on TV and all the diet fads that you see on the best seller lists. For endurance athletes, low carb diets short us on the energy we need to train AND get through a typical day. As with anything, there are good carbs and bad carbs ... whole grain bread is a good carb ... beer (made from fermented grain) is a bad carb ... fresh (and even frozen) fruits are good carbs ... fruit-flavored gummy bears (in excess) are bad carbs ... Get the idea?
So I'll get the majority of my carbs from whole grain breads, rice and pasta, as well as fruits such as watermelon and cantaloupe (my favorites), whole grain cereal (raisin bran rocks!) and oatmeal with honey drizzled over the top (on cold mornings or evenings) ... if I go fast food, like after a workout that goes too late for me to cook (then clean up after), I make sure it's a place such as Pick Up Stix or Panda Express (Chinese) or San Sei (Japanese) mostly because they give you rice in pretty big quantities ... and San Sei has an awesome teriyaki salmon dinner with grilled veggies and two salads for under $10 ... or even Baja Fresh for a grilled veggie burrito or a mango chicken chipotle salad ... not the best alternative compared to cooking at home, but the best at, say, 8:30-9 p.m. on any given night.
So that leaves 40 to 30 percent of the diet ... of the remainder, I'll go 30 to 20 percent protein (grilled or baked chicken, grilled fish, or grilled steak) and no more than 10 percent fat (nothing special there, since most processed food has fat) ... interesting thing about fat is that it, too, is energy. If you remember high school biology, you might remember learning about the great whales who feed all spring and summer, then rely on their blubber (fat stores) for energy as they migrate. But too much fat, especially in inactive people (those who don't exercise for at least 30 minutes continuously at least three times a week) is a serious health hazard. Consistent exercise helps you burn that off to healthier levels.
A typical day for me would go like this: coffee and cereal (or Pop Tarts) for breakfast; a sandwich and kettle cooked potato chips (Poore Brothers are the best!) for lunch; fruit from home (watermelon and cantaloupe) and rice and baked chicken or grilled steak for dinner ... or if I'm lazy (and didn't go fast food), cereal or oatmeal. Of course, I hydrate throughout the day, drinking as much as 2 liters or more of water, and usually a 20 oz. bottle of Gatorade.
One convenient package for me has been a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole oat bread or whole wheat bread. It's a great blend of carbs (bread and jelly), protein (peanut butter) and fat (peanut butter), especially after a long run or hard workout.
To keep me sane, though, I do allow myself treats along the way ... like last week, I had a small bag of orange slice candy (and a co-worker "made" me have some peanut M&Ms ... and week before, some Twizzlers ...yes, ow, ow, twist my arm to make me eat that stuff ... ). Since October is very close, candy corn will make its way to my desk. And a Carl's Jr. western bacon cheese burger (with fries and onion rings) is another indulgence I'll enjoy once in a while.
For an easy to understand article on fueling (sensibly), and for just good tips on eating well, click on this Running Times article. For a really cool cookbook (and a way to help two funds, The Ryan Shay Memorial Fund, named for the marathoner who died during the 2007 Olympic Trials Marathon, and the Jenny Crain "Make It Happen" Fund, for Jenny Crain, who was badly injured when struck by a car while training) check out "The Runner's Cookbook" by clicking here.
Also, check out the following video of the women from the Brooks-Hanson's marathon team during their preparation for the women's Olympic Marathon Trials in April. Note: I would not try the Red Bull-Gatorade mix ... just the thought makes my stomach seize with all that sugar.
Tapering down (a summary of last week's training and the coming week)
Tapering is both a welcome time in the training cycle as well as a difficult time.
It's welcome because you know, after 12 to 13 weeks (or 18 to 19 weeks in some cases) that training is winding down and the really hard stuff is over. Race day is just weeks away. Now it's a chance for the body to absorb the training, for little injuries to heal, for soreness to go away and to get as fresh as possible when you get to the start line.
It's difficult because race day is near, you have no really long runs on the schedule and your mind starts playing tricks on you. I tend to get a little antsy, and I also get "phantom" pains -- like, my foot would start hurting for no apparent reason, or my hip flexors will seem a little too tight and sore. There is really nothing wrong with me physically, but it's just something that has happened before the last few marathons.
The other mind game that goes on are periods of self-doubt, such as "Did I train well enough?" "Did I have enough long runs?" "Did I do enough speed work and tempo runs?" "Did I stop weight training too soon (or too late)?" Thankfully, I've kept a training log the last three years, and that keeps me from panicking.
So the training now is just to stay loose, to maintain fitness and not go stale, and just to stay sane by giving me something to do. Nothing I do now will add to my fitness for Chicago, but a lot I might do could take away from it ... so it's time to just be smart ... and stick to the plan that I drew up months ago that I know has worked for the last three marathons I've done.
Last week's training
Monday: 10 miles easy ... and an awesome nearly full moon that rose over the mountains as I turned a corner into the last mile of the workout. Kinda neat how God does that. ...
Tuesday: It was to be a weights in the gym day, but I skipped it (only the second time this season) and did about 30 minutes of core exercises at home. My abs were a little sore for the next two days after that.
Wednesday: 8-mile tempo run with 4 miles run at 7:45/mile. That seemed easy, which means a) I'm ready for Chicago and b) I need to be careful not to over-do it.
Thursday: 8 miles easy ... just concentrating on staying relaxed.
Friday: Again, was to be a weights in the gym day, but I decided to save the legs (and energy) and re-do Tuesday's core routine in advance of the last 18-miler at 6 a.m. Saturday.
Saturday: A really relaxed 18-miler with the GK Heros, where I took a mile or two to push. It was at Griffith Park in Los Angeles, just down Victory Boulevard and not too far from where I used to live in Burbank. I kept mostly to the horse paths because of the soft dirt trails, but it was challenging because of having to dodge the, uh, horsey land mines along the way. The support along the route (along Crystal Springs and onto Zoo Drive) and the post-workout food from the GK volunteers was awesome!
Sunday: No run, but some core exercises for about about 20 minutes.
This week
Monday: easy 10 miles
Tuesday: Weight training at the Student Recreation and Fitness Center at Cal State San Bernardino (I'm gonna work to get there this week ... plus I need to renew my membership for the coming year).
Wednesday: 8-10 mile tempo run (2 miles warm-up; 6 or 8 miles at 10K pace just to stretch out the legs and remember what it's like to go that fast)
Thursday: 8 miles easy
Friday: Weight training at the Student Recreation and Fitness Center at Cal State San Bernardino (classes at Cal State San Bernardino start on Thursday, so hopefully Friday won't be too crowded ... or I'll try to go in the early afternoon, workload permitting)
Saturday: An easy 14 miles, with the last three at my planned marathon pace, just to remember what it's supposed to feel like.
Sunday: rest day, with core exercises
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