What to eat?

One of the more frequent topics of conversation between runners is food. Most weekend morning runs with MRC(am) start out with "What did you have for breakfast?" We will then talk about how many calories we need for a race and then break it out in gels and Gatorade...how many calories can you consume and still feel good for running...etc. I'll often bring up some podcast or article I've read and we will rehash the merits of a position on food. "Did you know team Garmin Slipstream is on a Gluten-free diet? You think that makes them better riders or what?”

Runners will also obsess about their weight. Seriously, they do. I've heard each of the following sentences probably 10 times in the last year.
"Are you at race weight?"
"I'm a few pounds heavy."
"I like to get down to xxx lbs by race day."
"If I lost 5 lbs, I'd shave 10 minutes off my marathon time."
"It's time to clean up my diet."
"I can't believe I ate so much ice cream."
“Do these shoes make my butt look big?”

You get the picture right? We worry about weight. I have a watch that will estimate the number of calories burned during an activity. I record this number but don't really know what to do with it. Maybe I can become obsessive about counting calories or something.

Even though we worry about weight, we dream of the other side. Here a few real examples….

I distinctly remember when I was training for my first marathon in 2000, I had a terrible craving for apple pie and ice cream on one run. I don't think I'd had apple pie with ice cream more than a handful of times in my life but I had to have it. I don't recall if I did or didn't on that particular day though; only that I had the craving.

Often after a weekend morning run, Nemo suggests we get coffee. We’ll go to Starbucks or Duncan Donuts, stare at all the treats under the glass, and then order 2 black coffees.

Last summer when we were riding a lot, GS mentioned that he had eaten something like a Wendy's Super Double Cheeseburger after a particularly hard day of riding. Would he usually put down a huge Wendy's double? Probably not but on that day, he was feeling OK with it. I tried it myself the next week and it was good.

We frequently stop at a 7-11 on Lane Avenue for water or Gatorade during a longer run. Between the front door and the water at the back of the store there is a Jolly Pirate Donut case. We stop, stare at the donuts, point at them, and dare one another to eat a Custard Filled with Chocolate Icing or the Long John... Some morning, that Apple Fritter will be mine…

Last winter Nemo and I had a truly well thought out conversation regarding how many mini-Snickers we could eat. We then contrasted that with how many Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups we could eat.

Recently I've been a little obsessed with sausage patties and have been suggesting we have a sausage patty eating contest. I doubt it will happen but still fun.

Some time over the winter, GS got really excited about Bob Evans and went to far as to keep track of Bob Evans on Twitter. Their Sausage Gravy and Biscuits is delicious.

My buddy Feebs and I were doing a bicycle tour in Colorado a few years ago. We’d had a long day of riding and were crashing in our hotel room. We were sharing a room with 2 single beds so we were chatting a bit after we’d laid down about the next day. Just as I was falling asleep I mumbled to Feebs “I love pancakes” and then I was out. After a long hard day the last thing through my head was my love of pancakes. Feebs still reminds me all the time that I love pancakes.

MD was on the road quite a bit over the winter and ate nothing but salads for like a week. I think he was actually starting to turn a little green. He was trying to avoid putting on weight over the winter so he was making healthy choices. Then this week he sends a text message confessing to “sitting in the airport, eating peanut M&Ms”. He is usually so disciplined but even he slips up.

Why am I rambling on about all of this? Most runners will indulge a little after a race. Some like beers, maybe a nice steak, some like ice cream, some will buy a new outfit, and others will go roller skating. Since I’ll be in Boston this weekend with so many runners and friends, I need some help figuring out the post race indulgence. I present to you the Post-Boston Eating Contest Poll. You vote, MRC(am) will listen. Of course no one in MRC(am) has agreed to this…

MRC(am) members in Boston:
Professor Brinkman (my older brother)
Dr. DB (my younger brother)
Nemo
MD
GS
Me
My Dad (although not a runner, he is a faithful reader of MRC)
J-Fo (not running, just there for the Gun Show)

Stats
6 mile run 5 x 800 at marathon pace