I have long been on the search for a convenient, easy to carry, easy to prepare, protein source. I think I've tried every protein powder out there. I finally realized that I'm not a fan of drinking my calories (unless it's beer LOL). There were plenty of decent options, I just never reached for them. So, I've been trying other protein sources - I need easy to carry with me, no refrigeration required, and it has to taste good. So, when I was offered the chance to try the new Naked Bars, I jumped at it. Naked bars are nut based, gluten free bars with added whey for additional protein. They currently come in two flavors: peanut butter (which is peanut based, as you might expect) and chocolate (which is almond based.) Neither has any … [Read more...]
Fueling the run: this is what you should not do
Post contains affiliate links, which means if you buy through them, I get a commission. One of my favorite books to read to my kids when they were younger was the Berenstain Bears Bike Lesson. The premise of the book was that the dad did a bunch of stupid things and then said they were lessons: "That is what you should not do. So let that be a lesson for you." Amazon affiliate link Sometimes I feel like this is the perfect analogy for my running. I go out too fast, I over dress, and I regularly screw up my fueling on anything over a half marathon run. Since today's topic is "Race Fuel", I thought I'd share my strategy (or lack there of.) Join Marcia, Patty and I and tell us what you eat on the run. Under a half marathon? I don't … [Read more...]
Fueling my way through the Marine Corps Marathon
For today's Friday Five, the topic is running/fitness fuel. I tend to train up to about 10 miles without fuel. In fact, often, I haven't eaten since about 7pm the night before a pre-noon run. But once I start going longer than 10 miles, my strategy changes. Since I'm about to run my first longer than 10 mile run (15 miles, eek!), this topic has been on my mind anyways. I have to confess that I don't have any idea what I'll take with me on the 15 miles, but I do know my marathon plan. How I Fuel a Marathon Pre-Race Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich - This is my go to for any long race. It's cheap, extremely portable, and tastes good. Even better, I find that it's easy to digest, sits well in my stomach, and keeps me fueled for lots of … [Read more...]
Favorite running fuel for long runs
Running fuel is one of the most discussed topics in the various running groups I belong to on Facebook. Everyone has their favorite manufactured running fuel and many have their favorite "normal food" choices. I've used various gels and waffles and sports beans, but my stomach tends to disagree with the amount of sugar in those. So, I've had to experiment with some other choices. Thankfully, I've run a lot of Mainly Marathons races, so I've had the opportunity to eat everything from pickles to pancakes to cups of soup. Confession: if I could figure out how to carry salty vegetables and noodles on my long runs, I totally would. Since that's a little unlikely, here are my favorite normal food running fuel choices: Pretzels and raisins … [Read more...]
