Those that have seen me eat chips with my pasta washed down with two pints of cider after a ten mile run might be surprised to learn that my Sport, Health and Leisure degree includes some stuff on sports nutrition. The less surprising revelation is that I can’t remember much of what the course contained.
I do recall a diagram of a food pyramid, where all the healthy stuff was down the bottom and the more interesting but less healthy things were at the little point up top.
The only other thing lurking in the depth of my memory is a practical class we did on breakfast. We were given a bowl of oats, and had to customise it with our own choice of yoghurt, fruit and fruit juice from a job lot of options provided. I couldn’t tell you what I put in mine, but the results were pretty nice.
All good fun in a college class where you’ve plenty of time to decide between banana, orange or strawberry, but far too much faffing about in the real world of commuting.
Breakfast has never been my strong point, until recently I would leave the house without eating anything. I’ve managed to include a visit to the toaster as part of my morning routine now, and this does mean I’m not ready to kill by about half 10.
Eating before a morning run is something I’m still trying to learn. Every runner is different, some can eat close to exercise, however I need a gap of, at very least, two hours between food and run, preferably longer. With the Parkrun’s starting at 9 on a Saturday morning, that’s a pretty early start for a weekend if I want to be fed before action.
London Marathon day will be a different story entirely though. I’ll need to be up several hours before the race starts to make sure I get there on time. Plus, running 15 miles on an empty stomach is doable for me, 26.2 probably won’t be.
So, this morning, ahead of my first 18 miler (due to begin at 9 AM), I was up at the same time I would have been were I leaving to catch a bus and train, and was done with breakfast by, well, 7:15, 7 was a bit of a stretch.
The other new thing I tried today was a Powerbar energy gel. It comes in a small sashay and is basically, flavoured goo, I had Strawberry and banana. During your run you squirt it into your mouth, wash it down with water and, in theory, don’t drop in a heap through exhaustion.
I’m not a fan of isotonic drinks, energy boosters or food supplements. It’s down to personal taste as much as anything else, and the question of whether to use a sports drink or just water divides people. For the level and intensity of running which I usually do, up to now I’ve never run more than 15 miles, water has always helped me fine. I’ve also preferred not to get into a situation where I feel I rely on a certain product, as there might be a risk of not being able to get hold of it. Unless there’s a massive drought the chances of not having easy access to water are pretty low.
I have found once I’ve finished a run that’s anything longer than a half marathon I’m in real need of a sugar boost, in a marathon there will still be a lot of running to go, and as far as I know stopping for a muffin won’t be an option (chocolate of course, none of this blueberry nonsense).
The only time I’ve regularly used a sports drink was for about a year during my time with the sprint group at Leeds City. Then we used something called Strive, a citrus flavoured drink which gave an almighty sugar rush. It’s too sweet and too heavy on the stomach for distance running though, plus, a side effect is that it makes you go to the toilet, a lot, again, not ideal for longer running.
When trying anything new like this, it’s advisable to do so a few weeks before the race you have in mind for its use. If you’re going to learn your stomach isn’t willing to accomadate this interesting new product, it’s better for you to be sick on a Friday morning when no one’s looking, rather than on marathon day when thousands of people are.
I can confirm I did feel good after using the Powerbar Gel and that as the forty minutes you’re supposed to feel the benefit drew to a close, I started to tire a little. I can’t say whether that was because by then I was into new territory for distance covered, or if I needed another gel, perhaps a bit of both.
I can also confirm I’m going to be trying a different flavour next time. I’m also yet to find out my stomachs views on the subject - if it had a face it would be sporting an “I’m still to be convinced” expression. I sensed it enjoyed the Wispa I ate after I’d finished more: on that point I’m in total agreement.
Random song which has just popped into my head by the way, since I’m talking about stomachs. There was a band I used to love called Belly, their most famous song is titled ‘Feed the Tree’ and it’s a cracker! Oh, and there was a great kebab shop in Farnborough where I used to live called Bellybusters, their chicken kebabs were brilliant. Ahem, now where was I? Oh yes, sports nutrition...
Showing posts with label breakfast. Show all posts
Showing posts with label breakfast. Show all posts
Friday, 4 March 2011
Sunday, 23 January 2011
Easy Like Sunday Morning
An easy Sunday is all about the lie in, late breakfast, reading the paper or watching TV, maybe recovering from Saturday night. I’ve discovered the easy bit about a marathon runner’s Sunday morning is the pace as you head out to crank out double figure mileage. It's all about time on your feet rather than how long it takes you to get there.
This morning saw a fifteen miler, my longest run since I began the London training. From here on, as the distances continue to increase, I’ll be entering unfamiliar ground as I’ve never run more than fifteen miles in one go before.
Today’s route was one which I’ve done before, and rather like. Beginning in Bushy Park, we left at Hampton Court, following the river all the way to Richmond, then back to Twickenham on the other side of the Thames, before my least favourite part, roads through Twickenham back home.
With the musical posts on this blog in mind, it’s worth telling those who don’t know, that this run passes Eel Pie Island. The Eel Pie Hotel played host to a jazz club in the 1950s, the likes of Acker Bilk and Chris Barber among those to appear. Like numerous other venues, not least
the legendary 100 Club, the Eel Pie Hotel’s musical policy moved with the times, ditching jazz in favour of rock. The Stones, The Who and The Yardbirds just some of the household names to have played there during the mid 60s.
The venue was frequented by art school types and those associated with that scene. Ronnie Wood later join the Stones having been a regular at Eel Pie, and members of the Faces would also meet here. Rod Stewart opting for a career as a rock megastar over the possibility presented to him as an apprentice at Brentford FC,, what was he thinking?
The Eel Pie Hotel closed in 1967 when the owner couldn’t meet a £200,000 repair bill the police insisted was essential. It reopened for a short time in 1969 as Colonel Barefoot’s Rock Garden (what a wonderful name that is by the way), with Black Sabbath a notable booking. It was demolished after a fire in 1971.
Teddington lock, upstream of Eel Pie Island, is the largest on the Thames. It’s also the first, or last, depending on which direction you’re travelling in, since downstream of Teddington the Thames is tidal. According to
a website set up by one of the lock keepers, were a person to run up and down the main (barge) lock 115 times, they’d have run a marathon – maybe I’ll do that instead – or maybe not.
The lock is also the location for the filming of
Monty Python’s fish slapping dance, where Michael Palin ends up in the drink after John Cleese wacks him with a fish.
In addition to the
previously advertised cricket discussion, this morning was a chance to pick the brains of Andrew, one of the Stragglers more experienced marathon runners.
The one issue I’ve still not given much thought to, which may come as a surprise to some, is food. Or to be more accurate, energy and hydration: no burger or beer on the day until after the race is run sadly. This thought reminds me of a time I often recall, when doing a 400 metre race at Alexander Stadium in Birmingham once; I could have done without the smell of onions coming from the burger van positioned right by the finish line as I came down the home straight, not what the nose needed. Naturally it was soon forgiven and a visit was duly paid.
Having used sports drinks when a sprinter, since I’ve been doing the longer stuff I’ve become a strictly water only man. The wisdom from those who know more about this than me seems to suggest I’ll need more than that, so I’m going to use the Sunday runs to experiment with gels – I’m not entirely sure what they are either. This is the time for trying new things, it’s much better to vomit into the Thames when no one’s looking than at 20 miles of the London Marathon.
Breakfast is the other thing I struggle with. My morning runs are always done on yesterday’s dinner, but that ain’t going to do on the big day. All runners have their own cut off for when is the last point before training to eat, for me its three hours. At some stage I’m just going to have to bite the bullet and get myself out of bed early on a Sunday. Not sure how nutricious bullets are though, I might just be boring and have toast instead.
As well as the fifteen I did this morning, I ran ten on Thursday night. Added to the interval session on Tuesday which included four 1K reps – not flat out but still a test and the first time I’d done four instead of three, which went with 2K worth of warm up and warm down, this week has been close to thirty miles.
For one reason or another I didn’t get a bike session in this week, or a Saturday run, but both are planned for next week, which should see the tally start to increase.
This morning saw a fifteen miler, my longest run since I began the London training. From here on, as the distances continue to increase, I’ll be entering unfamiliar ground as I’ve never run more than fifteen miles in one go before.
Today’s route was one which I’ve done before, and rather like. Beginning in Bushy Park, we left at Hampton Court, following the river all the way to Richmond, then back to Twickenham on the other side of the Thames, before my least favourite part, roads through Twickenham back home.
With the musical posts on this blog in mind, it’s worth telling those who don’t know, that this run passes Eel Pie Island. The Eel Pie Hotel played host to a jazz club in the 1950s, the likes of Acker Bilk and Chris Barber among those to appear. Like numerous other venues, not least
the legendary 100 Club, the Eel Pie Hotel’s musical policy moved with the times, ditching jazz in favour of rock. The Stones, The Who and The Yardbirds just some of the household names to have played there during the mid 60s.
The venue was frequented by art school types and those associated with that scene. Ronnie Wood later join the Stones having been a regular at Eel Pie, and members of the Faces would also meet here. Rod Stewart opting for a career as a rock megastar over the possibility presented to him as an apprentice at Brentford FC,, what was he thinking?
The Eel Pie Hotel closed in 1967 when the owner couldn’t meet a £200,000 repair bill the police insisted was essential. It reopened for a short time in 1969 as Colonel Barefoot’s Rock Garden (what a wonderful name that is by the way), with Black Sabbath a notable booking. It was demolished after a fire in 1971.
Teddington lock, upstream of Eel Pie Island, is the largest on the Thames. It’s also the first, or last, depending on which direction you’re travelling in, since downstream of Teddington the Thames is tidal. According to
a website set up by one of the lock keepers, were a person to run up and down the main (barge) lock 115 times, they’d have run a marathon – maybe I’ll do that instead – or maybe not.
The lock is also the location for the filming of
Monty Python’s fish slapping dance, where Michael Palin ends up in the drink after John Cleese wacks him with a fish.
In addition to the
previously advertised cricket discussion, this morning was a chance to pick the brains of Andrew, one of the Stragglers more experienced marathon runners.
The one issue I’ve still not given much thought to, which may come as a surprise to some, is food. Or to be more accurate, energy and hydration: no burger or beer on the day until after the race is run sadly. This thought reminds me of a time I often recall, when doing a 400 metre race at Alexander Stadium in Birmingham once; I could have done without the smell of onions coming from the burger van positioned right by the finish line as I came down the home straight, not what the nose needed. Naturally it was soon forgiven and a visit was duly paid.
Having used sports drinks when a sprinter, since I’ve been doing the longer stuff I’ve become a strictly water only man. The wisdom from those who know more about this than me seems to suggest I’ll need more than that, so I’m going to use the Sunday runs to experiment with gels – I’m not entirely sure what they are either. This is the time for trying new things, it’s much better to vomit into the Thames when no one’s looking than at 20 miles of the London Marathon.
Breakfast is the other thing I struggle with. My morning runs are always done on yesterday’s dinner, but that ain’t going to do on the big day. All runners have their own cut off for when is the last point before training to eat, for me its three hours. At some stage I’m just going to have to bite the bullet and get myself out of bed early on a Sunday. Not sure how nutricious bullets are though, I might just be boring and have toast instead.
As well as the fifteen I did this morning, I ran ten on Thursday night. Added to the interval session on Tuesday which included four 1K reps – not flat out but still a test and the first time I’d done four instead of three, which went with 2K worth of warm up and warm down, this week has been close to thirty miles.
For one reason or another I didn’t get a bike session in this week, or a Saturday run, but both are planned for next week, which should see the tally start to increase.
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