Glastonbury Running

Sleep is a Symptom of Caffeine Deprivation

I actually didn't start drinking coffee until a few years ago.  I had read something about a research study which indicated that moderate amounts of caffeine significantly increased performance levels in distance runners.  I had always viewed coffee as an addictive drug that I should avoid at all costs, but it was a chance to  give my training a kick-in-the-butt and be able to relate to 90% of the adult population at the same time. 

Well, a few years have passed and it's impossible to tell whether coffee has had any impact at all on my training.  My times have certainly gotten slower, but there's no way for me to know if my daily cuppa has been a factor or not.  Perhaps I would be running even slower right now if it wasn't for the coffee.  Without a full-blown scientific analysis that I can't afford, I'll never know.  Nor do I care.  Why?  Because I have discovered other wonderful benefits of my daily cup of joe.

First, let me say that the thing I appreciate most about coffee is it's versatility.  When you get a bottle of beer, a glass of wine, a can of soda, etc., you have to take it as-is.  You can't practically alter it in any way.  Coffee's different.  I'm usually in a "light and sweet" mood, but on days that I'm feeling more harsh than usual then I go for black with some sugar.  Most of the time Chock Full 'O Nuts is fine.  But if I'm in a celebratory mood then only something from Starbucks or Daybreak Coffee will do the trick.  In other words, you're not tied down to one formula...you can prepare your morning brew in accordance with your mood.

Anyway, I have made the same discovery as millions of other coffee-drinkers across the globe; coffee (or more specifically, the caffeine in the coffee) can inspire and trigger your creative juices.  It has become a huge help in the morning when the thrill of the morning run has worn off and my physiology and psychology is heading on a downward slope.  This used to occur around 9:30 or 10am when I would struggle to make it to noontime, but that's no longer the case.  Now my coffee gives me what I need to operate on all cylinders and move through the first half of the workday with a brisk pace.  Then, by lunchtime I've hit my stride and I stay fast-moving and productive through the rest of the workday.  It's rare that I look back on any given day and see a down period.  And all that talk about coffee boosting one's creative power is absolutely true.

Finally, I will add that the closest I can come to true nirvana these days is doing a hard, early morning training run on a Saturday morning, showering off, hopping back into my PJ's, grabbing the newspaper, pouring a hot cuppa and plopping down on the couch.  Of course, once the kids wake up nirvana is instantly shattered, but I can handle it better when I have caffeine coursing through my veins. 

Spice Up Your Bland Carbs with "Adobo" This Weekend

I'm going to follow up my last post with yet another culinary-themed one, this time about spices and herbs.  Granted, this is not a category in which I can proclaim deep and profound knowledge, but I wanted to share a recent culinary discovery in the form of "Adobo", described as an all-purpose seasoning by its maker, Goya. 

What the heck does this have to do with running?  Admittedly, not an awful lot, except for the fact that there may be a lot of runners out there who are looking to spice up their bland, complex carbs with something other than parmesan cheese, tomato sauce or salt.

Anyway, Adobo is a nice blend of things like garlic powder, oregano, black pepper and other Latino spices.  I've recently tried sprinkling it on my pasta and rice and I'm officially hooked.  It's also not too bad on scrambled eggs (a nice alternative to ketchup).  I like it because it's not too ho-hum and not too strong...it's just right!

So if you happen to swing by the supermarket this weekend then give it a try.  It comes in several different varieties, including with or without pepper.  If you include a glass of red wine with the meal you'll be golden! 

And everyone have a great weekend of running...Fall (known as the Camelot of distance runners) is just around the corner!

Red, Red Wine...You Make Me Feel So Fine

Although my pal, Bart Allen, was deeply sickened by my last post (which was, secretly, the whole purpose of that post) I'm hoping that this post will at least partially make up for that.  Bart has been singing the praises of red wine from the rooftops for years now, claiming that it contains some kind of magical, restorative, healing powers that accelerate the recovery process from races and hard workouts.  He also claims that the practice of incorporating red wine into an athlete's recovery process dates all the way back to the Roman Empire. 

Although my half-hearted attempt at researching the healing power of red wine came up empty, I did run across an article on this research study in Baltimore which demonstrated how an ingredient in red wine called "resveratrol" dramatically enhanced the distance running capability of lab mice. 

The researchers took two twin mice who were raised under identical conditions and loaded one of them up on resveratrol.  Then they put the mice through a run-til-you-drop test and were surprised to find that the mouse with all the resveratrol flowing through its system was able to run for nearly twice as long as his twin.

The majority of the article goes on mostly about the possibility that red wine can slow the aging process, which is good and all.  But I was, naturally, much more interested in the improved physical endurance of the mice since I now have a glass of red wine with dinner nearly every night if it's available.

I don't know...what should be the distance runner's drink of choice?  Gatorade or red wine?  Tough call! 

"The Daily Plate" and Getting Serious About Nutrition

During my training for my first ultra marathon, I realized that I would need to be in the best shape that is humanly possible in order to compete respectably and that meant that I needed to address a big hole in my overall training: I would need to drop the "I can eat whatever I want because I run so much" mentality and adopt a much healthier diet.  Although I wouldn't say that my diet is a complete horror show, it is clearly something that I don't pay enough attention to and I know that my running would improve significantly if I took a more comprehensive approach toward fueling myself up.  And recently I was fortunate enough to come across an absolutely wonderful website to address my nutrition issue: The Daily Plate.

The Daily Plate website is essentially a food journal on steroids.  When you set up a free account you get a page each day on which you can record what you've eaten throughout the day, any calorie-burning activities that you partake in (not just running, but things like yard work, playing with the kids, dusting, etc.).  It has a surprisingly comprensive search engine where you can search for different types of foods.  You simply type in the name of any food (including brand name foods...Kix Cereal for instance) and it pulls up a menu of choices, each with all the relevant nutrition information. 

As you add food items it automatically tallies the day's total for calories, fat, fiber, etc.  And as you add physical activities, you get a "net calorie" count which factors both calories consumed and calories burned. 

The site will also ask you about your weight goals; do you want to lose, gain or stay the same?  The site then keeps you updated throughout the day on how you're doing calorie-wise.  For instance, I indicated that I want to maintain my 140-pound weight, so the site tells me I need to consume about 3,200 calories each day to accomplish that.  So as I enter food I've eaten, the site lets me know how many more calories I need to consume before day's end.  If I don't meet that amount (or if I exceed it) then I will not meet my goal of maintaining my weight. 

There is also a prominent section near the top of the page which helps you keep track of how many glasses of water you have gone through during the day.  This is great for me since I seem to be in a continuous state of dehydration.  The big picture of the empty glass is a constant reminder for me to drink water throughout the day.

Finally, one of my favorite aspects of the site is a social networking, MySpace-like component.  The site currently has over 119,000 members and it offers an opportunity to join groups that appeal to you.  I have joined the 146-member "Run For Your Life" group and have made some "virtual" friendships with runners all over the country.  Each group has it's own blog where you can post comments and keep track of how each group member is doing on their food journal for the day (unless a member wants to keep his/her journal private).

Seeing all the details of my food intake each day has been quite a revelation!  Now I have a fairly accurate account of all the calories, cholesterol, fat, fiber etc. that I take in each day.  Using the site has also helped me become more conscious of what I eat each day since I know that I will need to record it in my journal later...and it will be there for all of my group members to see! 

So check out The Daily Plate when you get a chance.  And, if you want, you can also check out my food journal and physical activity log. My ID is "mjkeenan262".

Maria Fill Gives Us the Skinny on Diet and the Long Run

I can't tell you how thrilled I was to meet Glastonbury-based registered dietitian, Maria R. Fill, when I joined the Glastonbury Chamber of Commerce's Wellness Initiative Committee, especially when she told me about how she was planning to focus more of her practice on sports nutrition! Maria has graciously accepted my invitation to do a guest post for this blog on the ideal diet for a distance runner, without getting too scientific and technical. Maria is a wonderful person and a very knowledgeable dietitian, so you may want to check out her website and contact her if you need help in the diet department (my guess is that about 90% of us fall into that category…me included!). Without further adieu, here's Maria…

"Good Afternoon, I am going to talk about Nutrition pertaining to Endurance Events, lasting 90 mins or longer. Most of you already know you need to nourish your body with mostly carbohydrates to fuel your muscles, but more won't fuel your muscles any better and you might experience intestinal discomfort. So, your carbohydrate intake should be between 55 – 65% of your total calorie intake. Choose carbohydrates wisely. High fiber, complex carbohydrates are best and will keep bloating and constipation at bay.

Make sure you balance your total daily food intake with 2 – 3 servings of protein. Have 2 – 3 servings of lowfat dairy products, they will also contribute to protein intake.

Fat is a necessary part of all healthy diets and should be kept to 20 – 25% of your total calorie intake.

The last couple of weeks before your event, you should begin to ease off hard training so your muscles have time to heal and refuel with carbohydrates. Ease off to about 30% of your normal training routine. Not to worry, you will perform better the day of the event! You won't need additional carbohydrates during this time because you'll be exercising less and the calories you usually burn with exercise will be used as extra muscle fuel and stored away for later use…during the event.

The day before the race, make lunch be your biggest meal, and then have a light dinner and snack. Drink extra fluids a couple days before the event too.

Event day…Eat breakfast and make sure you choose foods that set well in your stomach. Drink 2 – 3 glasses of water before the event and another 1 – 2 glasses about 10 mins before it starts.

Have a great race!"

Healthy Fourth of July BBQ Alternative

For my pre-Fourth of July post here's a great recipe passed on by my little sister that you can use for the BBQ tomorrow.  She's even more of a health freak than I am (she'll be competing in the Lake Placid Ironman in a few weeks), so if she endorses this as a healthy BBQ alternative then I believe her!

Enjoy the burgers and Happy Fourth of July!

GARDEN FRESH TURKEY BURGERS
1 lb. ground turkey
1 egg (or 2 egg whites)
1 c. old fashion oats, uncooked
3/4 c. finely chopped onion
3/4 c. finely chopped red or green pepper
1/2 c. shredded zucchini (about 1 sm.)
1/4 c. catsup
2 cloves garlic, crushed

Combine ingredients; mix well. Shape into 6 burgers. Grill.

By the way, I decided on a whim to run in the Chester "4 on the Fourth" tomorrow.  There are some no-nonsense hills in that race, but it's a great little town, well-attended and a great post-race party atmosphere.  It's also a great way for a local runner to start the holiday before heading off to the BBQ's, so I hope to see you there!