Running and Eating

I accidentally found myself (due to my pride and stubbornness) running 12.4 miles last Saturday.  We met at 5 a.m. to begin an out-n-back on a trail alongside a beautiful lake.  It felt magical and invigorating... until about mile 9.  My body seemed to be shutting down.  I entered 'automatic pilot' mode.  I wondered why I didn't have more strength.  I went to bed late the night before.  I had been eating sweets like a ravenous wolf - for weeks.  Did I need new shoes?

I found this article: 7 Healthy Foods for Runners.  I clicked on it because my husband and I do not especially like pasta, but I was immediately grabbed by the first sentence: "One of the most important factors in distance training is what you put in your body."  The pain from last Saturday - post-race - flooded into my memory.  I was certain that my body's lack of energy was exacerbated by my constant snacking on sweets - for a lengthy amount of time - prior to the run.  Here is the list from the article of some foods that "will help keep you energized":

Black rice (with honey)
Brussels sprouts (the only vegetable I still cannot quite swallow down)
Greek yogurt (more protein than regular yogurt)
Eggs (we get a lot of these - so many that we should have our own chicken coop)
Trail mix (with dried fruit, nuts and seeds)
Maple syrup (the real stuff)
Broccoli (in the article it's referred to as a "nutritional powerhouse")
(These are besides the usual foods: pasta, bagels with peanut butter, and bananas.)

It's worth a try, right?  I think so because I would love to join these girls on a run again - and they don't seem to be running under 10 miles - ever again.

Is It Me - or Is It the Shoes?

I haven't been excited about running lately - which is very unusual for me.

I think it's the shoes.

My birthday is coming up. My birthday gift every year is visiting a specialty running store and buying a new pair of running shoes for myself. My husband has it oh so easy. It is his gift to me, he reminds me.

In college, I purchase new running shoes every three months. I ran at least 30 miles a week, minimum, so I didn't want to wear my joints out by wearing shoes with a worn sole.

I admit now that I was obsessed with running shoes. That and books, thick, non-fictional religious books. My only two splurges in college. Well, and Jamba (Zuka) Juice.

Anyways, back to my shoes. I found this article today and was immediately immersed in it. I was planning to go to the store today to buy new shoes - even though my birthday is still a ways out - just because my knees have been a little stiff and my legs have ached after running for the last few weeks. It's  time. I am only running about 15 miles per week right now, but I know it's the shoes.

I always blame the shoes.

The article basically says that just because a pair of running shoes is more expensive doesn't mean that they are better. The most important thing is how the running shoes fit. (This was after extensive research on runners.) Kind of seems obvious, huh? The problem is I have never found a cheap running shoe that fit and felt good.

Maybe today I will...