Feeding & finding the motivation

Now that one has successfully completed one's first marathon (you might have heard about it), it's proving rather difficult to find the motivation to keep running long, long distance.

I did 1 x 5k run this week, and 2 x 8k runs (endurance stylie, so fast, slow, fast, slow) which is great for ones butt muscles (rah!) and getting rid of any puppy fat, but the problem with marathon training is that it kinda raises the bar slightly when it comes to distance and time, so this no longer feels enough, even when not training for a marathon.

But finding the motivation to get back into the longer runs is hard, mainly because whilst I seem to be able to manage my appetite after a short, fast run, the effects of a long, long run goes on for days. Days i tell you. Days of chomping my way through any carb in my immediate vicinity. 

And these are usually BAD carbs, such as Snickers bars which i LOVE. 

Which makes me feel like crap, because i then put on weight (and not good muscle weight, we're talking fat-around-the-middle weight) rather than shedding it, which to me is one of the key reasons to run.

Another problem is that sometimes i'm starving after just a 20min or 30min run, which means my resolve weakens and i speed home and dive into the fridge. 

(The only thing that stopped me from doing this more often during the marathon training was the realization that presumably there weren't going to be loads of fridges en route on the big day, and i was going to have to get used to that, darn it).

So how to manage one's diet? Well, listen carefuly now, coz here's the science part (have always wanted to say that).

Apparently if you've got the glycogen levels in your body right before the run (lots of oats, cereal n boring things not covered in chocolate, cheese or salt), then according to a certain sports nutritionist (quoted in Runners World) that should keep hunger at bay and even mean that "fruit with low-fat yoghurt" might be enough afterwards.

Ha ha. ha ha ha. ha. haaaaaa. 

Oh. Not a joke? Oh. damn. I have to say i have never, ever, ever come in from a long run and thought "ooooh, some fruit and low fat yoghurt, that'll be nice". 

My thought process on returning from a long run is more along the lines of "Toast. Cheese. Butter. Pasta. Cheese. Chocolate. Toast. Now, now, now goddammit, why can't i get enough?"

But interestingly, according to the same nutritionist, the body confuses thirst for hunger. 

Now that's interesting. Never heard that one before. 

And, in addition to this, apparently after a long run you have 20mins to top up your glycogen levels with carbs.

That's 20mins people, not 20hours. 

Something tells me this is where I've been going wrong!

But this makes sense, because for ages (days) after a long run, whilst I'm filling my face with every carb imaginable, i've also been aware of how long it's taken me to re-hydrate ... presumably because i've been too busy filling my face with every Snicker bar under the sun, rather than drinking water.

At the risk of posing a Carrie-Bradshaw type question, suddenly i thought "Could i just be thirsty, not hungry?"

This what is known as a revelation.

Let's pause here to enjoy Sarah Jessica Parker 'acting' a Carrie-Bradshaw styled revelation:

Moving on...

Aforementioned magazine & nutritionist recommends (without a sense of humour) to using a "urine chart indicator" to find out if dehydration is the problem.

That sounds rather messy to me (and certainly not the kind of activity Carrie Bradshaw would participate in), so i think i'll just go on the hunch that dark is bad, clear is good. 

Right? Simple.

Now i know why months ago I overheard 2 runners discussing the colour of their pee.

Hmmmm. I told you the runners world is a strange one.

So watch this space. 

Today's learnings are:

• Oats before
  
• Water after
  
• Carbs in 20mins...
  

... and then stop being a fat knacker and show some self-discipline for Gods sake.