I had an overwhelming response to my last blog, and I thank everyone who offered their insight, advice, and shared their own experiences. It made me feel a whole lot better to know I wasn't alone.
My friend Rick (who is a personal trainer, inline skater, runner, and cyclist) gave me some really great nutrition advice for the day prior to the race, the day of, and afterwards. (I do have an appointment with a sports nutritionist, but it isn't for another month and I needed help NOW.) Rick gave me some basic changes to make to my diet in general, to tighten it up and make it more beneficial. Of course, I have always known that I need to eat more vegetables; and I'm worse than a 7 year old when it comes to that - but somehow, someway; I need to get those icky things into my body... . With Rick's help I was able to create a plan that I sincerely hope will help me get through my next half marathon. I intend to test part of it out on my training run tomorrow - I have 8-10 miles on the docket.
As of right now, I am planning on running the Sand Creek half marathon next Saturday. I won't lie, I'm terrified. I don't want to go through the same after race experience. I'm putting a great deal of trust in the before/during/after nutrition plan because I don't want to give up so easily. I have a feeling that if I can just get THAT straightened out then I'll be fine. My muscles felt awesome the day after Castle Rock; I had some minor stiffness, but it all felt normal! The machine is holding out and getting stronger, it all comes down to the fuel I put in it.
My friend Neil pointed out a few things to me as well - one being that I'm just not taking in nearly enough calories per day in general to support my activity level. I guess I still don't have it in my brain that I'm an athlete - an endurance athlete - and I need to EAT. I average maybe 1300 - 1600 calories per day. On a day where I burn 1000 - 1400+ calories either skating or running; that's just not going to cut it! Bottom line is that I need to eat more, and I need to make sure those calories are quality. I've been on a quest to clean up my diet for a while now anyway; cutting down on the overly processed foods as much as possible; staying away from greasy nasty stuff, and really, really trying to cut down on sugar. I'm also cutting down on dairy - all except for the Greek yogurt and some cheese. (I love chocolate milk, it'll be hard to find an alternative to that - the almond milk is close, but soy milk is nasty!) I need to keep it basic. Lean meats, vegetables, some fruit, and whole grains. So much easier said than done. But the good news is that by gradually eliminating things from my diet instead of doing the whole cold turkey thing has lessened the shock to my system. I lose a taste for it and get to the point where I don't even have to think about avoiding it. It's not perfect - every once in a while I just have to have a cheeseburger with bacon, a ton of french fries and a milk shake. But this is a very rare thing. A treat. So I indulge once in a while. I think that's okay. But the day to day diet needs to be cleaned up.
Neil also suggested I start taking 300 mg of Zantac at night in addition to the 60 mg of Dexilant I take in the morning (for the acid reflux). I've been doing this for only 2 days now and have already noticed a difference. The acid reflux symptoms for me are not like what you would typically think of when you think of 'heartburn'. I don't usually get that pain in the middle of the chest (like you swallowed a Jolly Rancher whole and it's stuck) - what I get is a sensation of being overly full; like I ate too much. I feel bloated and short of breath. Sometimes this feeling makes me feel anxious - which only compounds the problem. I also get acid up into my throat and sinuses; giving me a sore throat, burning tongue, and ear/sinus issues. (Yes we have the bed up on blocks; no it doesn't seem to make a difference.) The last thing I want to do when I feel like this is eat or exert myself with exercise. It's like a vicious cycle. Since my problem is motility (food not getting out of there fast enough) avoiding certain foods doesn't always make a difference - ANY food can trigger it. I've noticed that certain dairy products (like ice cream) make it worse. The one thing that doesn't seem to exacerbate it is salad. Which is kind of weird.
But anyway... So the race nutrition plan goes a little something like this -- day before the race, breakfast will be egg whites and whole grain toast or bagel. Lunch will be lean protein and quinoa. Protein drink or bar as a snack. Dinner will be some type of whole grain pasta w/o red sauce. I'll be hydrating as much as possible as well - no fruits or vegetables (too much fiber.) The morning of the race, I will try to take in about 3-5 gel packs instead of eating any food. (Rick pointed out that during the race I need the blood in my body focused on oxygenating my muscles; not trying to digest the bagel I ate just an hour ago...) Never thought of it that way... Drink water at the water stops and take 2 gels with me - only take them if I feel like I need them. After the race, sip on a very weak replacement drink to gradually get electrolytes back in my body. (Gatorade is OUT - I still need to choose which replacement drink I'm going to go with.) I also need to drink room temperature water rather than cold water so it absorbs quicker. Eat some real food about an hour or so after the run. I'm guessing pancakes are not the best choice so I'm going to opt for something like a turkey sandwich.
If this works and I actually feel like a healthy human being the following day - I shall celebrate with a slice of well earned pie. I sincerely hope my Sand Creek recap is a very positive one. Wish me luck!!
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