50K Nutrition - The Fiber Version

Kara posted what she did for her 50K Nutrition yesterday, and I was riveted by it, like it was a New York Times bestseller new Jodie Piccoult book. Mainly because we ran the same race, we both had a great race, we both finished strong, but, nutritionally, we basically were on completely opposite plans. I just can't get over how much different runners react to foods and drinks completely differently. I'm pretty easily swayed by other people's recommendations, but taking someone's advice for what to eat for a 32 mile race is not like ordering something new that your friend tells to try at dinner. You have to be confident in what works for you and almost ignore whatever your friends are doing. So I guess that's my disclaimer, don't do what I do just because I do it, it works for me.

The entire week before I focus on sports drinks like Powerade Zero, and try to have a glass of water with a Nuun tablet at least once, if not twice a day. I drink a ridiculous amount of water each day, even more so last week in the heat, like to the point where my six year olds notice and ask what's wrong with me. Next time I'm just notifying a team that I need someone to cover my class once each hour so I can use the bathroom the week before a race.

Like Kara, my carb loading was basically my normal diet, but with less running. When I ran my first half marathon, I was eating a huge bowl of pasta with a giant side of garlic bread the night before, but now I know that's not necessary or really even helpful. I do my main carb loading for dinner 2 nights before the race (as recommended by an expert marathoner at a clinic I went to before my first one). It wasn't too exciting though, pasta with red pepper, mushroom, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, artichoke, onion, and white beans. My veggie to pasta ratio is always heavy on the veggie side. I know there is some complicated ratio of protein, carbs, and fat that you are supposed to change your diet to the week before a big race, but I was really way too busy baking brownies to try to stretch my first grade math brain to figure all that out, and I just ate what I normally do.

 I really HATE making lunch each night (anyone else?) so I make my lunch in batches on the weekends and bring the same thing every day for a week. Friday before the 50K, I added a banana.

I'll admit I freaked out a little when Kara said she cut out fiber before a race, but I stuck to my normal plans. I had a snack of cauliflower, carrots, and hummus Friday afternoon, then a salad a few hours later.  But, this is really no different from any average day for me. Ya, I eat a LOT.

My dinner when we got to the hotel was a slice of this pizza, which was in my freezer. I also had a third banana and a black bean brownie.



At 5am before the race I had two small slices of cinnamon raisin bread, one with almond butter, one with pumpkin butter (all homemade, except the pumpkin butter), and yet another banana.

I brought a 20oz bottle of gatorade in addition to my camelbak, so that provided more hydration and calories. I refilled my camelbak at all of the aid stations except the first and last, but, in retrospect, I'd fill it at ALL of the aid stations, no matter what.

While Kara  used the smart racing plan of trying to take in as many calories as she could in a short time, I went with, again, the opposite of "MMMM, nectarines look yummy". It's hard to remember but I'll just list all the stuff that I am pretty sure I ate: several bananas, some with PB, several pieces of PBJ sandwich, pretzels, two orange slices, a nectarine, potatoes in salt (mmmmm), 3 Gus (mainly for the caffeine, real food was so much more fun), and a few skittles and M&Ms. Everyone else went for coke, but I'm not the biggest fan. I actually reached for a Mountain Dew, but then freaked out about it dehydrating me. I have no clue how many calories or anything I ate, but it seemed to be the right amount. My very vague plan was, when I think I've eaten enough, eat one more thing.

After the race I ate a LOT.  We got a chocolate milk at the finish line, and it was NOT a bad choice in the heat, it was delicious. I ate my panini and pasta salad and oatmeal raisin cookie waiting at the finish line for my friends.

When we got back to the hotel, I had a coconut water and some cherry juice (to reduce inflammation). While waiting for everyone to be ready to go get dinner, I had some cauliflower with hummus.

For dinner, I really wanted to get something that I would normally say no to because it was ridiculously calorie laden and horrible for me. There was a Moe's less than 5 minutes walk from our hotel, so my plan worked perfectly. I got a GIANT veggie burrito approximately the size of my head, and probably ate 3/4 of it.

After dinner I had a little bit of wine, and one of my  epic brownies that I had been waiting for (thanks, Kari, for the recipe!). I was uncomfortably full by then but it was so worth it.

Sunday I would say I was still extra hungry and ate a bit more than usual, but Monday my appetite was back to normal.

As usual, this was quite a long picture - less post of what I ate, alternate title, Why I Don't Food Blog. But, I love finding out what people eat before, during and after long runs, and clearly if you are still reading you do too! What do you guys eat??