Fuel

I fueled up my gas-guzzling 4 wheel drive SUV today for the highest rate I have ever paid for gasoline, $4.00/gallon. But as I got in my car, I was smirking to myself. Because I know that I can run on much cheaper-- bananas are still less than a dollar a pound.

But I do have to approach the subject of fueling up our bodies today. It's been coming up again and again lately. Many of us North Dakotans are hitting our final build up weeks before tapering down for the Fargo Marathon. My current running schedule puts me at 20 this weekend, and I have loaded my fridge with tons of salads, apples, oranges, and whole wheat bread as I spend this week slowly building carbs to load up my glycogen stores, and guage them being completely depleted again by the end of 20 miles.

good carbs

I have to monitor my nutrition closely-- knowing what to eat, and when to eat it, means all the difference between getting in a good, long training run, or suffering and hitting the bathroom every 5 miles.

But as we talk to other crazy running chicks, many of them have some misconceptions when it comes to running nutrition.

The number one misconception is that you need lots of carbs for running. Well, while this is true for endurance runners, the truth is that if you are running for less than 75-90 minutes, you should be able to rely on your body's own glycogen stores. So if you are training for the half marathon and running 5-6-7 miles right now, you probably don't need a big pasta dinner... and toast.... and gu gels.

Another misconception we see is these people with a ton of Gu gels on their belts. OMG, do not be that guy. The ones who show up to the half marathon with 8 Gu gel packs.

too much gu. OMG, you are going to be pooping so much before the end of the race. Good luck with that.

For every hour (past the original hour) you probably only need another 100-150 carbohydrate rich calories. (Of course, everyone is different. As Runner's World magazine points out, a Hummer needs more fuel than a MiniCooper. You need to experiment to see what is right for you.) Some of that is going to come from your electrolyte drink (Gatorade or Powerade) and you shouldn't be discounting that. Whether you take in a gel, chomps, or even some Skittles, you only need a little at a time, and certainly not a whole serving every 30 minutes.

Too much food, too many carbs, and you're not going to get more energy. You're going to have a heavy stomach, gas, bloating, and food product churning in your digestive tract and you're going to waste valuable time in the porta-potties or nursing a side-ache. More likely, in the porta-potties.

On the other hand, I was once in a Triathalon with a girl who was running the whole event (over 2 hours) without any fuel on hand. She had eaten breakfast hours ago and was headed into the swim/bike/run with nothing.... She had been in a training program and no one had addressed proper fueling with her or their group. Since then, she has started long distance running and, after a little experimentation, discovered what to use and when to use simple sugars to keep her energy up.

You've trained way too long and way to hard to finish like this! Fuel properly!

Your body can only hold so many stores of glycogen. Once that is gone, you will experience cramping, dizziness, random crazy thoughts (because your brain needs glucose. If you don't believe me, try doing long division after 3 hours of running!). So you need to introduce simplex carbs-- the kind that are easy for your body to break down into sugars and use up- before you hit that point. While for many of us, it's around the 90 minute mark, you may experience it at 75 minutes or at 2 hours. Still, it's important to get some carbs in before you hit that point, so your body has time to convert and use it, and you don't experience a yo-yo effect of tired, reenergized, tired, reenergized.

Refueling- ok, yes, I like to eat pancakes when I'm done with a long run in order to refuel. But let's be honest. We all know that we don't really need to pig out after an hour long run, or even a three hour run. Even burning 1800 calories during a 20 mile run can easily be recooperated in a healthy way-- including the fuel taken in during the run, a little post-run recovery with carbohydrates and protein (half of a bagel and a tall glass of skim chocolate milk), and a healthy, if not slightly larger, meal will provide plenty of refuelling nutrition without going overboard. But for most of your training runs-- 60 minutes of exercise is NOT an excuse to load up on big pasta dinners.

For more information on proper nutrition for running and fuel for endurance, please seek out articles from well known, responsible sources, such as Runner's World or Competitor. Visit with repeat marathoners, many of whom will tell you that less is more effective. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to experiment before race day, to see what works with your stomach and what gives you energy versus what gives you gas. (Yes, I have talked about poop and gas a lot today. I am sorry but it's part of running, and an important consideration when considering your fuel options.)

Properly fueling up for race day will keep you light while giving you plenty of energy to cross that finish line, AND walk to the nearest Denny's for pancakes.... ask me how I know! *wink*

Happy Running! ~Jen

Long Run Sunday: Crushing the impossible into the asphalt.

We are about 18-19 weeks out from the first race of the season for us-- Fargo Marathon!!! But between you and me, building up those training runs can be such a pain in the butt. So this winter, we committed to keeping up our base miles-- 6 to 10 milers-- and working on speedwork, and then we'll pick up our build up in another few weeks. Becky had to stay home sick today (she's NOT HAPPY about that) but I got to run with Kathy and Glenda-- and Glenda is training for Fargo as her first marathon! She had to do 11 today so I tagged along. I have to come back and tell you more about Glenda....

Frankly, as long as we have been able to run outside, we were anxious to go! True, the wind is still bitter and there is a little slush on the road to watch out for, but this winter has been a beach vacation compared to what we've been used to! (NORTH DAKOTA people, yes it is the frozen tundra you imagine it to be) Today it was about 35*F (Above freezing! Hooray!!) but the winds were 22-24mph out of the WNW. So my big man drove us almost 7 miles out of town so we could run back in with only a cross wind and then with the wind to our backs along a big L-shaped route. Sun was out, roads were clear, people slowed down for us, no farm dogs chasing us, it was a good day!





Josh drops us off on some country road...



7 miles back to town....

synchronize garmins..... and go!!

Made it back to my house for a quick potty break and said bye to Kathy and then Glenda and I had to loop around in town for the last 4 miles, which meant we finally had to deal with those increasing winds. Our miles went from 9:15 to 9:55 min/miles. Stupid wind.

My friend Glenda... I've known Glenda since our kids were in diapers and daycare together. We were always pleasant to one another; our kids invited each other to their birthday parties, even though Brayden was the only boy here and Katie was the only girl there. We didn't really see each other outside of our kids' lives. But in the last year, Glenda started a weight-loss, get healthy journey that has been nothing short of amazing. So we started running together.

This time last year, she shared with us today, Glenda was a size 20W. Today, she's a size 7/8. She never ever imagined she'd be running like this -- training for a marathon!!! Yet she's living proof that our bodies are AMAZING and once you set your mind to it, you can do anything!!

Glenda has the amazing support of her husband, her brothers, and of course, some pretty crazy running chicks who are all "let's go one more mile, let's go faster!" but she has some pretty powerful intrinsic motivation to keep going. Even now, even though we run side by side, sometimes when I run into her at the store or at the gym, I do a double take-- she has truly transformed her life, her mind, and her body has followed.

I guess I want to share her story because so often, I hear people who don't believe that they, too, can do it. Yet people like me, like Glenda, gals that were overweight and couldn't even do a mile 2 years ago, 1 year ago.... we once thought that way too. We never imagined ourselves here. We never thought we could have been marathoners. That was for those thin, strong, athletic girls. But we started running. We ran with other women who encouraged us. We read running magazines instead of Cosmo. We read books by other running women. We read other people's blogs. We ran a 5K. We kept running. We're not olympic athletes. We don't spend all day at the gym, training. We have kids and work and husbands who need time and energy and attention. But we make time for running too.

And we'll keep running, as long as we can. Our goals have gotten bigger, more exciting, more adventurous. Things that were once "never gonna happen" have been crushed into the asphalt, one mile at a time.

Whether you are just jogging a few miles or constantly working on a P.R.-- my encouragement to you is that your body is AMAZING and your willpower is STRONG and you can-- CAN- do this!!! You CAN do one more mile. You CAN go faster. You CAN!!

greater than myself

If you ask a runner why they run, there will be a different answer for every day, for every type of run, for every mood.

Crazy Running Chicks--- me, you, your friends, your teammates--- we juggle so many, many things in our lives and somehow, in the middle of our chaotic worlds, running still makes sense of it all.

Very often, the races we participate in help to fundraise for one organization or another: Susan G. Komen. Alzheimer's Association. American Red Cross.

But in 2012, my closest favorite Crazy Running Chicks each chose a purpose, a mission, if you will, for which they will be running.

Their calling, their stories, I want to share with you. 

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I've always ran for myself. It’s my time to escape the world. I do it for my physical health and my mental sanity, among a million other things. But, in 2012 I want to start running for a cause greater than myself. I have chosen to raise funds for pediatric cancer.

In June 2009 our nephew Clayton was diagnosed with Medullablastoma (a type of cancer caused by a tumor in his head). After removal of the tumor, he went through 6 weeks of radiation and 6 months of chemotherapy. After a courageous battle, he went to be with our Lord on July 29, 2010. He was six.

I want to run in memory of Clayton, but also for all of the children sitting in hospital beds around the world. Children, who are unable to run, play and just be free. When I run, I feel free. I pray that all those kids can feel that way again or even for the first time in their lives. I am so blessed that the Lord has given me the ability to run. He has blessed me with this strong, healthy body. If I can use it to bless someone else in any way, then you better believe I am going to try.

46 children are diagnosed with cancer every day. Brain cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in children. Over 3,000 children die from cancer each year. Cancer kills more children than all other diseases combined!

“They that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

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Kathy Lentz has participated in the Fargo Half Marathon, the Bismarck Marathon, and the Mickelson Trail Marathon Relay among many other races. She has already signed up for the Fargo Marathon 2012. To support her cause and to fight the war against childhood cancer, please visit http://www.peopleagainstchildhoodcancer.org/ and http://www.stjude.org/

the end of the holidays-- the start of your running goals!

It's that day-- the second of January-- where you feel the blues from putting away all of the sparkly Christmas magic and you felt super motivated yesterday because it was the start of a brand new year and everyone's Facebook status was all mushy and inspiring-- but today, you're just back to your normal existence, trying to decide between doing something about those New Year's Resolutions or just having  Eloise/Twilight movie marathons.

(Just GUESS which one I'm doing at my house RIGHT NOW!)

Or maybe you're back at work wishing you had just a little leftover spiked eggnog.

Whatever it is, lemme say that since you're getting back to normal, it's time for a new normal-- start making those resolutions/goals part of your everyday focus!

So just a quick little plug or two:

Fargo Marathon!! May 19th!!! No lie, we have highs in the 50s this week. In January. In North Dakota. What global warming?? The winds are a little discouraging but the training weather has been just lovely! Becky, Glenda, Kathy, and I are all looking forward to the Fargo Marathon, and a little worried that our winter, on delay it seems, might make for an interesting marathon. We'll see! But it's on the books. The Fargo Marathon is ranked as one of the top 10 Marathons in the US for crowd support, clean city, value for the money. I participated in it last year as part of a relay team and it was a pretty good marathon. I didn't like the running round and round through neighborhoods but I did think it was pretty neat that we saw familiar faces all along the route.

Missoula Marathon-- thinking about this one. 3300 feet elevation, though. We'll see.

Estes Park Marathon-- this is on Becky's list. She said she's "racing" the Fargo Marathon and just "enjoying" the EP marathon. Small marathon and the elevation on this one will be tricky but I can't wait to see her pictures, should be BEAUTIFUL!

Couch to 5K program-- if you are thinking about starting to run, in any capacity, this is a free program I recommend to EVERYONE because everyone who has used it loved it!

Rock my Run-- if you love music to run to, they have something for everyone. I've been into the DubStep mixes, check them out. I've found myself going through an entire 50 minute playlist and not even realizing it was 50 minutes already!

And if you are starting to run, let me tell you what every runner knows: the first step out the door is the hardest. Even for those of us who absolutely love it. And after that, the first mile is the next hardest. It takes a while for your body to reach homeostasis-- that balance between the oxygen required and the oxygen you're getting-- so that awful huffing and puffing and chugging you're doing? totally normal. Stick with it. You can do this.

Happy New Year everyone, make it a great one!
~Jen