Map of my Great 8 mile Run in Central Park, NYC

I had an amazing run in Central Park last Sunday. I had shrimp scampi over linguine for dinner the night before and woke up and ate a cup of applesauce and drank a glass of water before my run.

I stopped twice along the run at water fountains to grab some water. The run was fun because I had to choose which path to take several times in the park. I enjoyed the sound of cyclists whooshing past me, the fresh green plant smell of the park, the view from the resivoir and got really excited when I saw the finish line of a charity 5K that was in the park that morning.

I allowed myself a good long walk home to cool down my muscles, then ate eggs, fruit and cottage cheese for breakfast. I grabbed a yogurt to eat immediately after my run to make sure my muscles had sugar and protein to rebuild in the critical 30 minute period after hard exercise.

This run was critical for me because at the end of the 8 miles, I still felt like I could continue running. I now have confidence that I will be able to complete the Utica Boilermaker!

The map of my run is here:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2959983


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At work snacks for runners

Men’s Health offers a quick video on how to pack your snack drawer at work.

My snack drawer also has healthy soups and green tea.


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Food runners should eat every day

I am in my last month of training for the Utica Boilermaker and the runs are getting longer - 6 and 7 miles! When I am running for over an hour at a time I find myself really relying on proper nutrition to give me the power to run for that long and the nutrients I need to recover and make my muscles stronger.

Liz Applegate Ph.D. offers advice on the top foods runners should eat in the RunnersWorld.com article
‘THE BEST FOOD FOR RUNNERS - The 15 foods runners need every week for good health and top performance.’

I was very happy to find out that I already eat many of her top foods, including almonds, eggs, black beans, mixed greens, salmon, whole grain bread, yogurt and mixed berries.

I will be sure to follow her advice and start eating more sweet potatoes, oranges for my salads, and stir fry vegetables. I especially appreciated her cold cereal recommendations.

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Essential Energy Bar ingredients for runners

Wendy Melton has been a natural health consultant for seven years. She is a certified personal trainer and sports nutritionist and reviews energy bars in a piece for LiveStrong.com. ‘Smart Shopping for Energy Bars’ features advice on what ingredients atheletes should look for in an energy bar.


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Standard Deviants Nutrition Video DVD review

I have been battling a head cold for the past week, and the nurse's advice was to get plenty of rest and proper nutrition, so I have been eating extra healthful foods.

The Standard Deviants - Learn Nutrition

This video presents a comprehensive overview of nutrition topics that would be presented in a high school course on nutrition. The style of video is designed to appeal to the high school student, but the information presented is solid enough for adult audiences.

I enjoyed the video and learned a lot, especially about the basic science behind digestion.


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Trail Running is Awesome!

I am officially in love with trail running! I went on a 6.5 mile run with the Halve Mein Hash House Harriers in the Plotter Kill preserve outside of Schenectady, NY last Saturday and it was a great workout!

I loved the feeling of running in the woods, dodging tree branches and smelling the pine needles and being surrounded by the trees with their lush green leaves.
I was initially scared of trail running because of the risk of an ankle injury. I did roll my ankle several times over the course of the run, but I had no ankle pain the next day, so I am looking forward to my next run in the woods!

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How to add healthy foods to your running diet

I love the free newsletter put out by the George Mateljan Foundation. If you are looking to find out what's new in the world of nutrient-rich foods and healthy cooking, you'll love their Weekly Newsletter and Healthy Daily Tip and Recipe.

Each issue of the Weekly Bulletin includes the featured Food of the Week, chosen because it is at the peak of its season; foods that are in season are not only less expensive but have the best flavor. You'll also learn how to select, store, and prepare the Food of the Week while the Food Tip of the Week will share with an interesting fact about nutrient-rich foods that you may not have known.

Each issue of the Daily Recipe and Food Tip email, includes a new quick-and-easy recipe.

It also includes a short daily food tip, which covers topics ranging from healthy cooking to the health benefits of different foods.

What healthy foods do you eat regularly? Where do you get advice on eating a healthful diet?


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