The girl dressed in blue and black on the far right is me at the height of my running career — the Detroit half marathon last October. I ran pretty intensely for about 10 months last year (and was training for the half for about five of those months).
I don’t know if it’s obvious from the blog or not, but I haven’t run for more than five or 10 minutes at a time since around October.
Maybe some of you are wondering why. Why, when it seems everyone in the whole food/health blogosphere is constantly training for races and uses running as their primary form of cardio, did I stop? And why in the world do I think you care? Well, I’d like to think you’re just curious, but also, I know a lot of people feel pressure to run because it seems like everybody can, does, and loves it. I want to make it very clear that’s not the case. Here’s why I’m not running right now:
I liked running, but I never LOVED it. I enjoyed the social aspect of it the most (I was part of a running group when I was training for my half), and made some really good friends because I was part of a group. But I came to dread running by myself or running on the treadmill. It wasn’t all that fun for me. It was a chore.
It made me hungry like nothing else! When I was training, I was constantly hungry. And often, that hunger led me to eat things I would never have eaten otherwise. I remember downing a huge portion of tortilla chips and store-bought seven-layer dip one night after a 10-miler that made me feel sick and bloated later. No other physical activity seems to spark hunger for me like running does.
It… got boring. Running, almost by definition, is an extremely repetitive activity. You use the same muscles for the duration of the run. Yes, you can speed up, slow down, or run hills, but the motion is the same. I’ve always been a fan of workouts that involve constantly changing movements, weight, intensity, etc., so running is just a little too constant for my taste.
For me, running doesn’t help much with weight loss/maintenance, and it doesn’t make me stronger. Weight training is the real key for me when it comes to weight loss/maintenance and strength building. Of course, running had a huge effect on my physical fitness. But mostly, running so much just made me a better… runner. And that’s not all I want to be.
I like to try new things. Training for a race leaves little room for other activities. I never wanted to try other activities when I was training for a race because I was always afraid I’d strain a muscle and not be able to get my runs in. I think I have exercise ADD, and running only exacerbated it.
Running is just not for everyone! I’m at peace with the fact that I may never run a marathon (but I’m not ruling it out either). I’m not totally convinced it’s not a little bit dangerous (the two deaths at the Detroit marathon were sort of scary!), and more importantly, I’m just not sure it’s something I really want to pursue. And I’m okay with that!
So if you don’t like running, know that it’s not the ONLY way to get fit. It’s not the only way to get stronger, and yes, faster. There are so many other ways to work out that if you don’t like running, you shouldn’t force yourself to do it.
Reader Mail: Getting Back on Your Feet (Literally)
Recently, I received an email from reader Cary, which I got permission to share. I’m honored that she wanted to share her story with me. It’s a story of resilience; using a setback to ramp up instead of back down. If you have a few minutes, read the whole thing. I have no doubt some or all of it will resonate with you. (Edited slightly, bolding mine.)
Last Sunday I was about three minutes into my weekend long run (was planning to do 8 miles in Central Park) when I was hit by a cab and broke my ankle. I was obviously devastated, panicked, and shocked because a) I was in a ton of pain, b) I have no health insurance, and c) no running for at least two months!! Doctor’s orders. Heart-breaking stuff. But then I took a little time to read about runners who’ve taken involuntary sabbaticals due to injury, and I decided that I wouldn’t let these 6-8 weeks get the best of me. I decided to treat this break not as a hellish spiral in sloth-like idleness and weight gain, watching my muscles atrophy, but I’d take control of the situation and come out on the other end with a new respect for my body and its healing processes.
A little backstory: I started running in 2003 as a freshman in high school. I had never been athletic but immediately fell in love with the sport. Thanks to a 24/7 salad bar at my sorority house and, after I got my own apartment, an enormous and inexpensive grocery store, I managed to lose 15 pounds and be the healthiest I’ve ever been. My eating habits were impeccable (at times a little rigid and neurotic), but I looked great and felt amazing. I ate like a runner should - fuel first, treats if I can afford them, run off the desserts with an extra mile later.
When I graduated and got a job, chaining me to a desk 9 hours a day, I also discovered happy hour and fatty foods. The one-time rabbit (nothing but salads, baby) developed a serious addiction for….bar food?! Jalapeno poppers, cheese dips, burgers, quesadillas, mac ‘n cheese. If it was loaded with saturated fat and/or deep fried, I was in heaven. Within six months I put on 10 pounds. Within the next year I added 7 more.
Despite the change in diet I continued to run, but I slowed down considerably (despite running the Hamptons marathon in September in my fastest time ever, 3:37). I felt gross. My skin looked bad, heart burn, general sluggishness and lack of energy. Disgusting. Not to mention a total lack of self esteem because I a) gained nearly 20 pounds, and b) could not seem to control my over-eating and new bad habits.
That all changed last Sunday.
When I broke my leg and became literally incapacitated, unable to do even light cardio for the next month, I had a legit epiphany. The only way I will be able to maintain my shape (I don’t care if I don’t lose weight right now) will be to eat right. So in the past week I have completely revamped my diet - with inspiration drawn heavily from your blog - and not only do I feel better than I have felt in months and months, but I look better too. My face has de-puffed, I’m less hungry for bad foods, and I finally have the self-discipline to stop eating when I am satisfied, as opposed to when I am so full my tummy hurts. Thank God for FreshDirect or else none of this would be possible. But last week I stocked up on fruit, a ton of veggies, low-fat yogurt, roast chicken, Fiber One Honey Cluster cereal, 1% cottage cheese, hummus, Amy’s Organic soups, whole grain bread. I feel like a new person.
I’m so excited to take these next several weeks to reacquaint myself with good food, build some new culinary habits, and get back on the trail in May with the outlook I lost a couple years ago. I feel no guilt about not being able to work out while I’m convalescing, but have managed to get down to the gym twice in the past week to lift weights, do a lot of crunches, and even ride a couple miles on the stationary bike while pedaling with just my left leg. (Funny sight to see.)
I cannot wait to rediscover running and start training for the next marathon with a body that has been transformed by a healthy little vacation, and I couldn’t have done it without your blog, recipes, and inspiration. Just wanted to share my story with you and say thanks.
Belated pic from the half marathon courtesy of my dad. That’s my blurry self on the far right in the blue and black. That’s right, I was grinning (that was mile, like, 12.9!).
So it happened. I ran my first half (the Detroit Free Press Half Marathon) yesterday. Wanna hear about it? Sure you do. Brace yourself, this one’s kinda long.
The weekend of running-related activities started on Saturday, when a running buddy from my training group (who I can definitely now call a friend… Hi, Heather!), Rachel, and I carpooled to the health & fitness expo to pick up our packets. It wasn’t really as great as I thought it would be (I was definitely planning on getting wayyyy more free swag than I actually got). However, as we were weaving through the vendors to pick up our packets, I spotted some Biggest Loser alumni! I was totally star-struck (Rachel and Heather weren’t quite as excited). I made Heather take a picture of season seven winner Helen on my camera, but of course, I don’t currently have my camera. But I’m going to post it as soon as I get it! Heather was like, “Oh great, Leah, now I’M the creepy stalker?” Helen’s daughter Shannon was also there, as well as Damien and Nicole. I also spotted a few people from seasons I didn’t watch as vehemently. The one thing that stuck out to me right off the bat? All of them were so tall in real life. They seemed shorter on TV for whatever reason. Thrilling piece of info, I know. I was too scared to talk to anyone, unfortunately.
Anyway, Heather stayed in the D, while Rachel and I went to go work on a secret project (to be unveiled very soon!). After that, we headed to Zingerman’s Roadhouse for dinner (I wrote about it before here) with my boyfriend and another friend, Arianna. For dinner, I wanted something carby with little to no dairy or anything else that might be questionable for my stomach. Even though carb loading for improved performance has been found to be a myth, I find that simple carbs are the best for my stomach and energy levels the day before a race. Maybe it’s psychological (probably), but whatever. I like them anyway.
I ended up getting the San Francisco Cioppino Macaroni: “Fresh Georges Bank cod, sea scallops, Dungeness crab meat and Prince Edward Island mussels poached in a rich broth of caramelized vegetables, heirloom local tomatoes, fresh herbs and white wine.”
Yeah, it was as good as it looks. I didn’t eat all the seafood just because I wasn’t sure how my stomach would react to it, but I did eat all the delicious, smokey pasta. Rachel got an equally delicious entree of Grilled Carolina White Grits: “Organic grits from Anson Mills, cooked, cooled, cut and then heated on the wood-fired grill. Topped with Zingerman’s 2-year-old Vermont raw-milk cheddar, caramelized onions, roasted red peppers, roasted New Mexico green chilies, and freshly-cut corn sautéed in cider vinaigrette.” Even though she got the cheese on the side to avoid all that dairy, I think she thoroughly enjoyed it.
For dessert, check it out: DOUGHNUT SUNDAE. One of my favorite restaurant desserts I’ve EVER had: “Our housemade Dutch doughnut smothered in bourbon-caramel sauce, vanilla gelato, whipped cream, amazing Virginia peanuts and a cherry on top!” The four of us actually split it, so everyone ended up with a few bites, which was totally fine. I just wanted a taste of something sweet.
Rachel was spending the night at my apartment so we could carpool to the race, and we pretty much started getting ready for bed as soon as we got back. I woke up at 4am ready to go (my alarm was set for 4:45am). After eating a variation of my standard pre-race breakfast (English muffin with nut butter, banana, and dried cherries, genmaicha green tea, water), we hit the road.
Here’s where the most nerve-wrecking portion of the day occurred. We hit a huge traffic jam right before the exit we wanted to get off at. Even though we left with plenty of time to park and get to the starting line, after waiting in traffic for 15 minutes and barely moving, I was starting to worry we’d miss the race. Well, let me just say, In GPS We Trust. I swerved out of the line and trusted my GPS to take us to another, less crowded exit and it did just that. We parked, hit a (non-porta potty!) bathroom, and got to the starting line literally minutes before the first wave of the race took off (don’t worry, we still had like 10-15 minutes before we were allowed to start). Here are some happy but cold pre-race mugs.
The race was seriously amazing. Going over the Ambassador Bridge to Canada around mile three or four while the sun was still rising, all I could think was, 1) “I love my coach for making us do all these hill repeats… this is like child’s play compared to what we did!” and 2) “I’m so grateful to be able to run this.” It was beautiful.
(Not from the actual day, but it looked a lot like this!)
Rachel and I chatted for the first few miles in an attempt to keep our pace in check, but then she started to feel a little queasy. You can read her blog for the details, but she wasn’t feeling so hot. We were running at around a 10:30 min/mile pace, and I was actually feeling pretty great. When we were in between miles five and six, I knew I had the energy to speed up, so Rachel and I split up. When I saw the 10K sign, I just suddenly knew: This was going to be a good race. Running the “underwater mile” was really fun, and I was pacing around 9:30 min/mile. I remember breezing through miles eight through ten, and then realizing I only had three miles left. Three miles?! I can do that in my sleep. I never once felt too fatigued or like I wanted to quit. I felt great the whole time.
My time goals had changed pretty dramatically from when I started training. My original goal was to run the half under two hours, but after I got sick and all but stopped running for a few weeks, I knew that wouldn’t be possible. My longest run in the past month and a half had been six miles, so even completing 13.1 seemed like a pretty big feat. When I crossed the finish line around 2:13, I was a little disappointed that I hadn’t gotten under 2:10, but at the same time, I was happy to just have completed the distance. My pace ended up being 10:04ish, which was totally fine with me. I’m pretty sure this won’t be my last race, so I have plenty of time to work on my speed.
Right before I crossed the finish line, I spotted my parents. That gave me the energy I needed to complete the last .2 miles at a speedy pace. I love seeing friendly faces in the crowd! My boyfriend said he was at the finish line when I crossed, but didn’t see me. I did manage to meet up with everybody afterwards, but couldn’t wait to get to the warm car.
Overall, I had an amazing experience. Though I’m ready to take a break from training for awhile, I know I’ll be doing it again before too long. I want to thank Rachel for making my first half marathon experience so much more pleasurable (waking up at 4am is so much easier when you don’t have to do it alone!), my boy and my parents for coming out to support me, and my friend Arianna for waking up early and standing out in the cold to watch me even though she totally didn’t have to! You guys made the experience so much better.
Anyone who’s questioning whether to register for a race, don’t even hesitate. It’s hard to find something that makes you feel better about yourself.
Race Me: Run Wild Recap and the Importance of Pacing
A few weeks ago, I posted about signing up for the Detroit Zoo 10K. Running through a zoo? What could be more fun?! Well, not running next to a highway, that’s for sure. Turns out, we weren’t running next to cute animals so much as heavy traffic. Oh well, it was still the perfect day for racing. The sky was clear, the humidity was low, and the temperature was perfect. You know it’s perfect running weather when you’re a little bit chilly before starting.
I met Rachel and her fam there (how freaking cute is her brother?! He and her mom did an untimed fun run/walk through the zoo). Since Rachel and I were both running the race as more of a training run, we agreed to run together. She had never run with anyone before, so I said I’d try to keep her entertained by doing most of the talking in case she got too winded. Luckily, that wasn’t an issue, and the first four miles flew by because we were engrossed in conversation. I love running with people for that very reason. The time always flies by and though it sometimes takes more effort, it’s definitely worth it. I now prefer conversation to music most of the time.
Rachel and I kept a steady pace when we were running together, but I wanted to practice picking up speed at the end, so during the last 1.5 miles I pushed myself to my limit. Because we had paced ourselves so well for the first 4.5, I had a lot to give at the end. I was passing people left and right! It was a real lesson in the power of pacing. When you spread your efforts out over the course of the race rather than giving it your all the beginning, you’ll have the energy and will to finish strong. If you burn out in the beginning, the rest of the race can be more defeating than fun. I will definitely keep this in mind as my half marathon approaches (less than a month… ahhh!).
After the race, we headed to a cute vegetarian brunch place called the Inn Season Cafe to discuss business. We have a lot of things in the works that I can’t wait to share with you all once we get going. See Rachel’s race recap post here for her take on the 10K.
I love food. I love food that tastes good, is satisfying, energizes, and delivers lots of nutrition. There's lots of food like that out there. Let me prove it to you. Email questions, comments, or suggestions to yournutritionista@gmail.com.
Disclaimer: I'm not a Registered Dietitian (RD) or mental health professional. For medical or psychological counseling, please consult an RD, certified nutritionist, doctor, or mental health professional. All content on this blog is based on my own acquired knowledge/research and personal experience. It is not meant to qualify as medical advice.
