Runner's Diet

I must admit.....while I enjoy eating healthy, it hasn't been a consistent practice of mine. Many things in the past have impacted my stray from the better foods, most of all, time. Oh....and laziness too. Just a couple weeks ago instead of walking across the street to the Vons near my work, I opted for a Pop Tart to satisfy my need for sugar. Breakfast has tended to be something of an afterthought while racing to leave my house by 6:18AM and typically pops into my head while in line at the Starbucks as the muffins and chocolate croissants glare me in the eye. My AM willpower has traditionally been stronger and rarely did I fall victim to one of of those S.O.B.'s. I was on a big Luna Bar kick but recently, I realized that processed soy is not a friend to the migraines so away they went.

So here I am. Very serious about running my first marathon in roughly 20 weeks and in a total rearrangement of lifestyle choices from sleep, to schedule and now, diet. I have been reading up on running diets and interestingly enough, many of the foods listed are also ones that are suggested for migraine sufferers such as Omega 3 fatty acids. I had just recently stocked up on the Bob's Red Mill Muesli (contains all the grains plus the miracle flaxseed!) and have been religiously eating it in yogurt each morning. There. That covers a healthier breakfast!

With the importance placed on the Omega 3's, I have been eating fish on a more regular basis. Tuna and Cod Fillets are what are easiest. I have been buying the frozen breaded fillets from Whole Foods and found them to be great with some lemon and a side of veggies. Probably not as good as fresh frozen but there is that time complication of mine! I have also been making an honest effort to get more fresh fruits and juices. Oh...and nuts too. Also, in paying attention to the migraine factor, I have been attempting to purchase foods without additives and spending the extra for the organic produce. The last migraine I had a couple weeks back had me nauseous just looking at foods with high amounts of bad-for-you food chemicals. A box of microwave popcorn pushed me over the edge. I kid you not.

The funny thing is I have been pretty on point the past few days and with the food I have been eating, I have somehow naturally dropped the breads and chips and crackers that I am used to filling up on. I feel pretty good and I had a tremendous run this afternoon. Only 4.75 miles, but I ran the uphills like nobody's business and got some good speed towards the end. I felt as if I could have kept going but I wanted to pay close attention to the lingering soreness in my lower legs from the trail race Sunday.

With all that being said, I've got to leave in one vice for sanity's sake and while I can cut out the Pop Tarts and potato chips, I will still allow myself to have an occasional soda........