Clif Bars Recalled

Peanut Corporation of America (PCA), a manufacturer and supplier of peanut butter for many food companies and manufacturers, is under investigation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a recent Salmonella outbreak thought to be caused by tainted peanut butter. Due to that investigation, certain Clif Bars with the possibility of having this product are under recall. I know a lot of runners use Clif Bars as a source of energy for runs, so I thought I’d spread the word.

You can read more about it here.

Mind What You Eat

Active.com Nutrition came out with an article titled, “Simple Strategies for Better Eating Habits“. It’s a great article answering some of the common questions I had on my initial search for eating healthier. Nancy Clark, the writer, talks about common perceptions of certain foods, like protein, if it’s something you really need. Is organic food better for you, or does it even make a difference?

She also writes, “If you want to improve the quality of your diet, think about one thing you could do each day to contribute to a healthier intake. Write down your goal for the day, then assess your level of confidence in achieving that goal. For example, your goal might be to eat fruit with lunch.”

A closer look into my nutrition and eating habits will be something new I will incorporate in my training. I have never.. yes, NEVER, paid attention to what I eat. We’re not getting any younger, and my metabolism clearly isn’t as what it used to be, so I’m making a point now to be mindful of what I eat. I will explore many different tools in the next few weeks and I’ll report then to you here. Probably the closest form of nutritional discipline I’ve had is refraining from drinking coffee and soda. I won’t go out of my way to get any of those. Even that said, if it’s there, I’ll try a different alternative. I really don’t need caffeine to keep me awake through the day. I’ve already noticed that being active alone does wonders for me day to day.

The next big nutritional challenge. Thanksgiving in a few days.

Weekday, Daytime Vegetarian?

I have come to the realization that I have become a weekday, daytime vegetarian. This was accidental in attempt to eat healthier, since training is over (although I should have been eating healthy during training in the first place). $50 for food is subsidized at work every week, and I’ve tried *most* of their chicken and meat dishes, and well… I’m not a big fan of them. My favorites are: Pear Salad, and Cranberry Salad. I’ve recently changed my Churro (oh, so good) breaks to crudité breaks. When I start to run out of FIM money (the name for our subsidized credit), I walk over to Bristol Farms and get some seaweed salad. Sometimes I get Poki, or some kind of sashimi. I don’t think I can convert to full vegetarian, because I LOVE my sushi! I know vegetarians also don’t eat fish, so what does that make me? I guess I’m just your average guy trying to eat healthIER.

What’s That Gooey Stuff?

Prior to joining TNT last year I had no idea what was a carb gel. Two of the more popular carb gels are the Powerbar Gel or the GU Energy Gel. What I mentioned in my last post was that the GU saved my run. Reason being is that we burn so much carbs and electrolytes while running that we need to replenish very quickly, especially during endurance training. According to the GU website, these are the instructions:

Follow these three simple steps to maximize your athletic performance:
1. Top off your energy stores by taking one packet of GU 15 minutes before exercise, preferably on an empty stomach for fastest absorption.

2. For sustained energy consume one packet of GU every 35-45 minutes during exercise, washing it down with a few mouthfuls of water or GU2O hydration drink to speed absorption.

3. Speed recovery and reduce post-exercise fatigue by eating one packet of GU within 30 minutes of finishing your workout. This takes advantage of the post-exercise time window when your body replenishes lost glycogen most efficiently.

So, for a long run, or a marathon, I would be consuming maybe 5 or 6 packs a run. It’s very important to try these out BEFORE your marathon if you plan on running one because some people on my team get stomach aches or feel too heavy after taking one. Sometimes, the favors are just plain nasty. My favorite is the caramel flavored Powerbar Gel, mainly because it’s consistent to what it should feel like, and taste like. I’ve tried many fruit flavors, and no, it’s not what you would expect! There are a few alternatives, I’ll gather some information and will post later.

Along The Marina

Week 5 Sunday Run – Marina Del Rey – 8 Miles

The last time I showed up to practice was at 4 miles, 2 weeks ago. I was afraid that with such a long hiatus (although I’ve been keeping up with other forms of cardio), that I would struggle coming back at 2x the mileage. Fortunately, that was not the case. It was challenging, as any other run, but I think I did quite well. Our route: From Marina Del Rey to the outskirts of LAX. There were no other runners to dodge, but there were a few bikers. The weather was moderately cold and gloomy, but our body heat made up for it. I met a few new faces, so that makes it about 100 more people on the Team to meet and greet. It was off to Ihop brunch afterwards for some spinach and mushroom omelettes and chocolate chip pancakes. Not sure if it’s good for you after the run, but hey, I just ran 8 miles.

What should you eat after your run?