What I Ate Wednesday: June Edition

Because I work at a boarding school, I usually eat most of my meals in the dining hall. We're lucky in that manner; they do a really good job feeding us. There are always many options in the salad bar, and they offer good vegetarian options as well. But just as teachers need summer vacation, so do our hardworking dining hall staff. Once school ended in early June, I was left to feed myself. I really enjoy cooking but don't get to do it often. Summers for me become a time to experiment in the kitchen and take advantage of lots of fresh produce. I have been running a lot--for fun--since my marathon but here hasn't been anything that noteworthy for the blog's sake. So I set about documenting what I made and what I ate.

As both Robyn and I have written on here, eating when you're a runner is more than just enjoying good food. Depending on the type of workout and the time of day, there is a lot to consider: a balance of proteins, carbohydrates and fats, vitamins and minerals, hydration, and caloric intake. Food, and proper fueling, can positively or negatively affect a run and a day in general, and it takes practice to balance enjoyment of food with proper and beneficial nutrition.

First: the healthy and helpful. I enjoyed experimenting with rice bowls this month, mixing different flavors and textures. It was a great way to use up the different things in my kitchen, and I ended up with some surprisingly good combinations. 

Brown rice with sautéed spinach and mushrooms and smoked salmon. 

Brown Rice with sautéed spinach, cumin seasoned black beans, goat cheese and lime.

Brown rice with saag paneer, a fried egg and goat cheese.

The perfect bite.

I was so excited to get my first batch of fresh strawberries. They were perfectly ripe and such a treat! I was also inspired by the mango and avocado that I found in my parents' kitchen to make a super summery guacamole. I followed this recipe from my favorite food blog, Joy the Baker, omitting the jalapeños but including the tequila. It turned out really well, and even went well with eggs the next morning.

Finally: the indulgences. When I decided to write this post and started keeping track of my food for this month, I knew that I had to include ice cream. Unfortunately (jk!) I had to try as many kinds as I could. You know, for the blog. I'll eat any ice cream you put in front of me, but I love a good cup or cone from local shops. While ice cream might not always be the healthiest choice I make in a day, it never fails to make my life a little bit better.

Rich Road (chocolate with toffee, butterscotch and marshmallow), We-Lik-It in Pomfret

Espresso with hot fudge, Emack & Bolio's in Boston

"Dad, take a picture of me eating ice cream!" (Key Lime Pie),
Reasons to Be Cheerful in Concord

"Only if we take a selfie"

Fresh mint with dark chocolate//Almond with cardamom and pistachio,
all under hot fudge,  Three Sisters in Providence

Awful Awfuls! (Chocolate Mint and Strawberry), Newport Creamery in Cranston

Okay so this is clearly a post mostly about ice cream, but it's summertime. What did you expect? 

This post was inspired by my coach and speedster, Lauren, over at The Foodie Runner. Regularly scheduled running posts will resume soon.

Rachel "more ice cream, please!" Runner

Fueling for the Long Run

A couple of weeks ago, a colleague’s professional triathlete wife, Amanda, came to talk to my cross country team as motivation. Honestly, I think I was more into than the girls were because her words really resonated with me. One of Amanda’s main points was to make sure that you are constantly fueling—especially during a long run or race. Now as an experienced runner I know that it’s important to get enough energy and calories when you’re working hard. But for some reason, this one piece of advice has never stuck with me. When Amanda championed taking GU during her long runs (and she runs long), I finally got it. I went out and bought some Chocolate Outrage GU and was anxious to test it out for my next long run.

I’m gearing up for my 3^rd half marathon this month and going after an abitious 4-minute PR. Last Sunday I headed into Boston to my boyfriend’s place to complete a 12 mile long run on Comm. Ave, which is part of the Boston Marathon course. I stored a GU in my shorts pocket, pulled on my neon yellow compression socks and headed out. It was a sunny day and not too warm; conditions were near perfect. I ran past Boston College and down Heartbreak Hill, knowing that 8 miles later, I’d have to run back up this infamous hill. I hoped the GU would give me the strength to let the miles pass easily and quickly.

3 or so miles in, I ran into a charity walk going on that conveniently had water stations set up. The women running it were nice enough to let me stop and have a drink, and I realized that drinking water might also be a key to a successful run that day. (Amanda did say that you should always take water from the water stops even if you’re not thirsty. I learned a lot from her!) I hit the second water stop and soon got to my turn-around point, 6 miles out. Even at this point, my body had warmed up and my pace had dropped from 9:30s to 8:30s. I was feeling good. I took out my GU and ate it, found a trashcan to dump the packaging and headed back up.

I didn’t realize it right away, but man, the GU works! Slightly caffeinated and with carbohydrates that send sugars to your muscles within minutes, GU provided me with a quick pick-me-up just when my energy stores were starting to get depleted. For the 6 miles back, I felt like I was cruising. My mile splits stayed around 8:30, but I was running uphill this time. At 10 miles, I was stopped at a crosswalk when a serious looking runner came up next to me. I looked at her and told myself that I should try to stay with her, but as we started running I realized that she was going too slowly for me. I passed her and charged up the next hill. With one mile to go, I was feeling great (and running a little late to meet my boyfriend and his family for lunch) so I decided to just go for it. My last mile split was 7:50! I felt absolutely awesome and if I’d had more time, I would have done another mile or two at that pace as well.

I don’t know if this was just a great day for me or if it was really the GU that helped me super negative split my 12 mile long run, but I’m now a believer. I now know that GU works for me, whether it gives me a mental edge or actually helps with fueling. I plan on stashing at least one, maybe two, GU in my shorts or sports bra for my upcoming half marathon. I hope I feel as good as I did during this long run. If I have another good day, I know I’ll get that PR!