Fueling to Perform

[soniczip]

hey dextera my half marathon training/eating (time wise) habits are dangerously similar to yours

[dextera]

my half marathon training/eating (time wise) habits are dangerously similar to yours

Sonic_zip- We can be training partners and keep eachother motivated!


Monday June 4


Fuel:

-smoothie: 2 cups mixed greens, 1/2 banana, 1 peach, 1 tbsp maca
-Cliff granola bar
-2 apples
-guacamole: 1 head bok choy, 1 avocado, 1 tomato
-pea protein shake
-smoothie: 2 cups mixed greens, 1/2 banana, 1 peach
-1 cup garbanzo beans, 1 cup green peas
-Kashi granola bar
-corn on the cob
-2 croissants

*I know, croissants are not exactly good "fuel". I'm slipping a little bit too with eating all these granola bars rather than fresh fruits and veggies or whole grains.

Exercise:

-upper body weights
-40 min elliptical
-core exercises
-25 min elliptical

*My legs were still sore all day from Saturday's long run, but it felt good to get on the elliptical trainer.

[Flare]

I still have to ask for your smoothies. Do you use frozen greens or fresh ones? What exactly?

Tomorrow is farmer's market here in town. When I would buy spinach, do I use it raw?

[dextera]

I still have to ask for your smoothies. Do you use frozen greens or fresh ones? What exactly?

Flare- Fresh greens are best!

Here's a recipe that got me hooked on green smoothies:
-1 handful fresh spinach
-1 banana (this is what helps make the texture creamy)
-2 cups of whatever fruit you like (I suggest mango, pineapple, apple, or pear.)
-Put all in blender and blend until smooth! (For best blending results, chop up the fruit into medium sized pieces before putting in the blender.)

If the taste is too strong, try it with fewer greens. If you like the taste, try more greens next time!

Yes, use raw spinach from the farmer's market.

I started out with this recipe, but now I'll throw tons of things in the blender! Be creative...and be prepared to come up with some things that taste great, and some that don't. You'll find something you like.

I feel much better eating more dark leafy greens! It's helped my skin, and helped me achieve my goal weight.

[dextera]

Tuesday, May 5th

Fuel:

-smoothie: 1 banana, 1 cup blueberries, 1 tbsp sesame seeds, 2 tbsp flax seeds
-Cliff granola bar
-Kashi granola bar
-coffee
-2 cups dried figs
-Kashi granola bar
-1 cup garbanzo beans
-1 cup green peas
-yellow pepper
-1 cup baby carrots
-cucumber
-smoothie: 3 cups parsley, 1 banana, 1 apple, 1 tbsp maca
-Morningstar veggie burger on white bun

Exercise:

-40 min elliptical trainer
-35 min run, hills and stairs

[dextera]

Wednesday, June 6

Fuel:

-1 cup blackberries
-smoothie: 2 cups spinach, 1 banana, 2 nectarines
-Cliff granola bar
-1 cup dried figs
-Lara Bar
-rice protein shake
-smoothie: 3 cups parsley, 1 banana, 1 apple, 1 tbsp maca
-1 cup quinoa
-1/2 cup green peas
-Kashi granola bar
-red pepper
-avocado
-4 ears of corn on the cob

Exercise:

-full body weights
-core exercises
-30 min run, treadmill
-30 min yoga

*It's been awhile since I've resorted to the treadmill, because I usually hate the treadmill, but for this run it was just right.

I bought a new yoga dvd because I had been using the same one for over 4 months and getting a bit tired of it. I'm advancing from the "beginner" level. This new one is much faster moving and more challenging, and even got me breaking into a sweat!

[dextera]

Thursday, June 7

Fuel:

-glass of wheatgrass
-1 cup blackberries
-pea protein shake
-20 almonds
-Cliff Granola Bar
-16 oz smoothie: 1 cup spinach, 1 cup blueberries, 1 banana, 1 tbsp maca, 1 tbsp flax seed, 1 tbsp sesame seed
-1 apple
-1 cup dried figs
-20 oz smoothie: 1 cup spinach, 1 banana, 1 apple, 1 cucumber
-1 cup quinoa
-Kashi Granola Bar
-2 glasses carrot juice
-1 ear of corn on the cob
-2 tomatoes

Is it possible to eat too much fiber? I drink tons of water, but maybe I need to be drinking even more!?

Exercise:

-30 min treadmill run, 3.5 miles, 8:34 pace
-35 min trail run

*Well, re-discovering the treadmill has helped me get re-motivated! I live by the ocean, and it's really windy here! I've been getting discouraged and frustrated trying to run in 25 mph winds. It's been especially windy the last few days, so the treadmill has been a nice change. And I've improved so much since the last time I used the treadmill (maybe 4 months ago?), I can hold a faster pace for much longer.

[soniczip]

Fuel:

i noticed you don't eat bread, rice (i've only seen a protein shake once), or pasta. well, at least i can't see them in this page is it because you don't like them or because you think they should stay out of your fitness "regime" i'd die without bread

...re-discovering the treadmill has helped me get re-motivated!...

i'm thinking about getting one next winter. which brand do you have

[dextera]

i noticed you don't eat bread, rice, or pasta. is it because you don't like them or because you think they should stay out of your fitness "regime"

It's not that I don't like them, but I think there are better foods I could be eating, so I limit them in my diet.

Before I went "regular" vegan, I went raw vegan...kind of a big jump! I was vegetarian for 4 years, and then I got some information on the raw vegan diet, and tried it right away. Being a runner, I quickly found that I needed more dense carbs to get me through my long runs. I was running out of fuel way too quickly. So, I've added whole grains back into my diet, and feel much better and healthier.

I try and include one serving from the following list per day:
-brown rice
-whole wheat pasta
-quinoa
-buckwheat

Recently I've been loving quinoa, so that's all I've been having. Tonight I'll have a plate of pasta to get me ready for my long run on Saturday morning.

I try and stay away from any pasta or rice that's not 100% "whole wheat" or "whole grain."

i'm thinking about getting one next winter. which brand do you have

I don't actually own one, I just use one at the gym. My apartment is so small I wouldn't have room for one! If and when I move away from the city (and the convienence of having a local gym) I will invest in one though. The brand at my gym is Precor.

[dextera]

Friday June 8

Fuel:

-glass of wheatgrass
-1/2 cup blackberries
-2 grapefruits
-Cliff Nectar granola bar
-2 apples
-20 oz smoothie: 3 cups chard, 1 banana, 2 nectarines, 1 tbsp flax seed, 1 tbsp sesame seed, 1 tsp maca
-Lara bar
-rice protein shake
-20 oz smoothie: 3 cups kale, 2 bananas, 1 apple
-1 cup lentils
-baby carrots

*Dinner is probably going to be whole wheat pasta.


Exercise:

-upper body weights
-core exercises
-20 min treadmill run, 1 min intervals alternating at 8:30 min mile/8:00 min mile

*Saturday morning I'm planning a 10 mile run. My goal is to run it in 1 hour 30 minutes, which is about a 9 min per mile pace.
Sunday should be a rest day, except for some light yoga and stretching.

[dextera]

Saturdays goal was to run 10 miles in 1:30... but I did 10.2 miles in 1:32 (9:01 pace)! I'm very happy with this run! This is a personal record for speed at this distance!

It was an afternoon run, so I had eaten a full breakfast and digested, and there were no major cramps or discomfort. I'm exprimenting with early morning and afternoon runs to see which works better. I love the peace and quiet of the early mornings, and I love the hot sun of the afternoons. Either way, my half marathons start early in the morning, so I'll need to get used to running 13 miles at 6am!

I have 4 weeks left until I run the Napa to Sonoma Half Marathon, and I have 6 weeks until I run the San Francisco Half Marathon.

Goals this week include:
-Master the steep hills on my training runs! Right now I can handle them, but I want to master them.

[soniczip]

...I'm exprimenting with early morning and afternoon runs to see which works better...

i know what you're talking about. i also tried to wake up earlier for a few days before my race

...and I love the hot sun of the afternoons...

hey man, mornings can be bloody hot too; i ran my half marathon in an oven

[ultra_whippet]

Good work! Does your race really start at 6am?

[dextera]

Good work! Does your race really start at 6am?

Thanks!

I'll start at 5:55 to be exact! The elite runners start at 5:30, and then there are "wave" starts depending on your estimated pace. The race organizers do a good job of breaking up the crowd this way, otherwise it would be so jam packed that there would be no room to run.


Monday June 11


Fuel:
-4 tangerines
-2 Cliff Nectar bars
-2 apples
-1 cup dried apricots
-smoothie: 3 cups chard, 2 nectarines, 1 cucumber, 1 tbsp flax seed
-1/2 cup baby carrots
-1 cup broccoli
-1 cup lentils
-Kashi granola bar
-1 cup corn
-2 potato pancakes

Exercise:
-upper body weights
-20 min elliptical trainer
-core exercises
-35 min run, fast pace
*I'm not sure what the mileage was on this run, because I included lots of hills and stairs, but I was going at a good pace.

[dextera]

Tuesday June 12

Fuel:

-3 tangerines
-whole grain sprouted bagel
-4 tangerines
-1 cucumber
-Kashi granola bar
-smoothie: 3 cups mixed greens, 1 cup mixed berries, 1 banana, 1 tbsp flax seed, 1 tbsp sesame seed, 1 tbsp maca
-1/2 cup dried apricots
-1/2 cup walnuts
-1 red pepper
-1 cup lentils
-morningstar veggie barbeque "ribs"

Exercise:

-20 min treadmill run, intervals, fast pace
-20 min easy run