Running With Friends For a Push

I was at the park on Saturday participating in a fun run sponsored by one of our local running clubs.  I like the camaraderie of running in a group.  It pushes me to run faster in a shorter run and it takes my mind off how long I'm going in a long run.  In this group no one ran at my speed, which was still fine.  I had people to speak with before and after the run and who waved and offered encouragement during the run.

I am not a fast runner and I'm okay with that.  I do want to work on my speed but I am more concerned with finishing a half marathon than running a 9 minute mile.  I'd rather finish smiling than hurting and sucking air.  On the other hand, I want my times to improve with each run; especially if it's on a course I've run before.

We all know that feeling of ugh, my time could have been better.  We think I should have run harder, faster or smarter.  I say be grateful for what your body did for you that day.  Maybe you were not at your physical or mental best but you finished.  Maybe you could have trained harder but you didn't and you still finished.  Your body did something amazing for you, thank it.  Figure out what didn't work for you and concentrate on improving that for your next race.

On another note, that morning another runner asked me what I thought of him eating meat.  I answered that we need protein and meat was definitely one way to get protein in.  He explained that he used to eat more carbs but he wasn't feeling his best.  Since he started adding lean meats in he feels much better.  I think it's brilliant that he listened to his body and fed it what it truly needed to function more optimally.

Protein is what helps repair the micro tears our muscles endure from running.  People who participate in endurance sports need slightly more protein than an average exerciser.  On average a person needs about .04 grams of protein per pound of body weight but when training for an endurance event you want to bump that up slightly to a range of .05 - .07 g per pound.  (a 150 lb athlete would need about 75 - 112 g of protein).

Most of us get adequate amounts of protein in our daily diet without even trying.  If you aren't feeling your best it is wise to listen to your body and see what it wants/needs.

Need help figuring out what foods make you feel your best?  Not sure where to start with a healthy eating plan?  Send me an email, janinemchale@empoweredplate.com, to schedule a 30 minute consultation so you can decide if working with me is right for you.  You can also visit my website, http://empoweredplate.com, for more information.