For my last blog of RCL, instead of boring you all with adjusted training plans for sixteen weeks, I’m going to talk about nutrition. Yes, not the most interesting topic, but arguably more interesting than talking about training.
One of the glorious things about running is that you are always hungry. I’ve always struggled with gaining weight so running has been a way for me to increase my appetite in a healthy way. But now that I’m running a marathon, I want to make sure the food I put into my body not only nourishes me, but fuels my runs and helps me gain muscle.
Growing up, my mom was a huge runner. She would sign our whole family up for races in the summer and fall and during off season, would throw me in the stroller and run in the morning. One of the best traditions we had was pasta the night before a race and a banana with peanut butter the morning of. I never knew why we had this tradition until I started doing my own research into race nutrition and figured it out.
The major food groups I need to be eating are carbs, protein, and fats. While not a very restrictive diet, there are certain foods in these groups that are going to be more effective in fueling my run than others.
According to marathonhandbook.com, my diet should be composed of 60% carbs, 20% fat, and 20% protein. For my diet, most of my carbs will come from pasta. Since my family is Italian, we have a whole section of our kitchen dedicated to pasta and a whole section of our freezer filled with my family sauce. For my fats, I will be eating plenty of avocados, peanut butters, and trail mix. For protein, I will eat meat and dairy products.
Throughout this process, I’m not going to worry about calorie counting or stressing over how much or how little I eat in a day. I’m going to let my body tell me what it needs because overall, I know myself better than a training manual. My biggest struggle, in all honesty, is going to be finding enough food on campus without draining my bank account.
Although I plan to work this summer and will be an RA next year, I won’t be able to eat as healthy at school as I do at home. While at school, I’ve noticed that I eat what is cheap and generally what is cheap are foods that don’t have much nutritional value. To counteract this, I’m going to utilize the kitchens in the dorms and make an effort to go grocery shopping every two weeks to have “home” cooked meals ready for my long runs. I’m also going to recruit my friends to learn how to cook well as they will be living in off campus housing next year.
All in all, I want to thank you all for helping me through my marathon planning and for entertaining me with your own blogs. It’s been a lot of fun, so with that said, peace out!
The point you made about cheap foods on campus not being the healthiest is definitely true in my experience. I’ve been struggling to save my dining dollars because the food that I want (usually from the market) is more expensive than getting a burrito bowl or grill items from Redifer. This is definitely something that Penn State can improve upon and I think it’s a really good idea for you to utilize the kitchen in the dorm. I’ve really enjoyed reading your blog this semester and I wish you luck on your marathon!
Carolyn I have loved getting to know you and seeing the way you think through your writing. I think that you are an incredibly intrusive person which just spews out of your writing. I loved seeing your progress and thought process when preparing for the marathon and I know you can do it. Nutrition is definitely going to be half the battle as you are fighting again campus dinners, we definitely do not have the healthiest selection of food but I am sure you will find a way to manage that. Learning how to cook may be a little bit of a struggle, but you are Italian so being a good cook is in your blood. I hope that everything goes perfectly for your marathon and for your training. Great job Carolyn!