Whatcha eatin?

Nutrition is an important part of running. Scratch that. It's an important part of healthy living. But when you run all the time, or even if you exercise regularly some other way, it's crucial that you are giving your body the proper fuel it needs to keep going.

Hydration is key! Water water water. Carry a reusable bottle around with you all day- you'll find yourself mindlessly sipping at it. And that's great! You need to keep your body hydrated so when it's time for that workout you don't get awful cotton mouth or worse, pass out. But you need more than just water. Start stocking up on sports drinks, like Gatorade and Powerade. They're packed with sugars and vitamins to replenish what you sweated out during your workout. They're also full of electrolytes, which again is something you lose when you sweat so you need to take in more. There are awesome flavors, so you can never complain that you don't like them! I always keep a bunch in my fridge, and I highly recommend you do the same. Stock up when they go on sale!

When you're eating, make sure you don't skimp out on calories! Carbs carbs carbs!! Load up on those carbohydrates; your body needs them as fuel to burn off during your run or workout. So eat lots of pasta and bread. Pasta dinners before a race is always a good idea; in fact, it became a big social for my cross country team in high school! Other good carbs are potatoes, bagels, bananas, cereal, and apples. Your body also needs a lot of protein to repair your muscle tissue after a run. So for protein, you're going to want to get plenty of peanut butter, lean beef, chicken, yogurt, and nuts. Always feed your body after a run to replenish everything you've lost and to help the recovery process!

So here's what I want to know: what are your favorite things to eat/drink before and after a workout? Do you consume anything specifically because of your workout, or do you tend to eat as you normally would?

The Running Community

The community that runners are a part of is one of the greatest things about the sport. There is an immediate bond between all runners because they share the common passion for running. Races always have an incredibly enthusiastic, welcoming, and just friendly environment.

It doesn't matter if it's a race for one mile or 26.2, the race is exciting and the runners are always encouraging of each other, despite the competition. Most races have runners of all kinds- young and old, elite and leisure, fast and not so fast. The camaraderie of a race is the best part, in my opinion. Everyone cheers everyone else on! As you are passed by a faster runner, more often than not they'll give you a quick "awesome job" or "keep going" between breaths. If the race is long enough to have water stations, the volunteers go crazy to cheer every runner on! The encouragement doesn't stop there, though; sometimes the elite runners who finish first will backtrack through the course and run with some of the struggling runners to keep them going. This encouragement can get you through a race.

The atmosphere of a race is always so much fun. Everyone is excited for the race to start, and often races will have music going (sometimes live!) to pump everyone up. When the race finished, there is food for the runners and there's always water. Everyone can just hang out and have a good time! Some races do door prizes and pull race numbers as winners. I've been to races where part of the race packet is a pint glass and runners over 21 can get a free glass of beer when they finish. And of course, the best part of any race is the cool t-shirt you get! A race is basically just a big party. They are always a ton of fun, and I plan on participating in them until I am physically unable to do so.

Motivation

So many of us struggle to find the motivation to lace up our running shoes and venture outside for a run. This is especially true in the winter time, when cold temperatures and the possibility of snow become reasons to "wait til the next time it's nice out" to go for that jog. There are always a million reasons not to go running. You need to find some ways to get yourself motivated to get outside and just go!

Motivation is unique, so you may need to try different things to find out what works for you. But here are some of my tips to get yourself moving!

1. Run with friends! If you are running with another person (or multiple people), you can have conversations to distract you from the actual run if you're going on a leisure run or you can have partners to keep pace with if you're running more seriously! Also, if you make plans to go for a run with a friend it will hold you more accountable to actually go for that run. You'll be less likely to skip the run or quit early if you have a buddy! Running with two friends was my main motivation when training for my marathon.

2. Follow (or make) a training log! If you are following a training schedule or you plan out when you are going to run, you are more likely to follow through. In fact, making running a part of your weekly routine will help get you into the runner mentality! Writing down how far you run or how you felt during your run can also help you track your personal progress as a runner. Then later you can look back and see how far you've come.

3. Set a goal! Setting goals is a great way to stick with running. If you pick a race in the future to work towards, such as a 5K, a half-marathon, or even a full marathon, you'll want to achieve that goal and so you'll make sure to make time for your runs! It's even better to tell people about your goal because then you'll feel more accountable to stick with it and finish.

4. Remember the health benefits! Running is an excellent form of exercise. It works all the muscles in your body so you'll become lean or maintain a lean frame. It's also a great way to strengthen your heart and lungs and it is a fantastic stress reliever! You look and feel better when running is a part of your life, and don't forget to remind yourself of that.

5. Have FUN! Above all, running should be enjoyable to you. Don't stress yourself out about running. Cut yourself some slack if you don't run as fast or as long as you meant to one day. Find friends to run with to make it a social experience. Having fun is the heart of running!

Hello!

Welcome to Racing Thoughts! This blog is intended for runners of all kinds! I ran cross country in high school and completed my first marathon last May. I love to run and to talk about running, so I plan to fill this blog with experiences I've had as a runner or things I learn now as I continue to run. I'd also like to include tips for runners of all levels- beginners to racers- about running, nutrition, clothing, and anything else I stumble across in my journey. I hope runners can find some useful info on here, and maybe some non-runners will be inspired to lace up their sneakers and go for a jog!


"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift."
-Steve Prefontaine