When I saw this product on the shelf I wondered what the consistency would be like and what the nutritional makeup was in fueling performance.

I was pleasantly surprised to find the consistency fantastic. One would never guess that chia seeds are present in this gel. The apple puree, cane juice, and brown rice syrup make this a yummy tasting quick-to-absorb fuel source to support endurance performance.

In looking at the label in greater detail, I really like that this gel serves as a decent source of sodium. It’s something I know I pay much greater attention to during long events when sweat loss and fluid consumption can be high. An added bonus with this gel is that it contains 895 mg of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids per gel.

Such a gel with natural fruit and health supporting fatty acids can offer less of a guilty conscience when tackling a long race or training session when one consumes a handful or two of typical gels. I think I’m going to save the apple cinnamon flavor to test out tolerance on my next long run

Yes, mushrooms can serve as a source of vitamin D too. Mushrooms contain the precursor to vitamin D2, ergosterol. When mushrooms are exposed to UV light for about 15-20 seconds the amount of vitamin D2 they contain is much higher. This new processing method significantly increases the amount of vitamin D2 in UV-light treated mushrooms. For example, an untreated portabella mushroom contains about 10 IU/100g compared to a treated portabella mushroom that contains 446 IU/100g.

Recent research from Boston University School of Medicine has discovered that eating mushrooms rich in vitamin D2 is as effective at increasing and supporting healthy vitamin D levels as taking a supplement. I’d say that’s well worth topping a salad with mushrooms; include them in a pasta or omelet; even stuff them into a sandwich.

What a wonderful way to boost our daily vitamin D!

A falafel chip doesn’t taste all that different from a corn tortilla chip. I find the subtle flavor difference quite pleasant.

All chips are a source of fat. Most standard potato and corn chips contains about 7-10 grams of fat. A falafel chip still contains a good fat load with 6 grams, but at least this fat source is concentrated as a source of healthy monounsaturated fats. The falafel chip is lower in sodium, and higher in fiber and protein, compared to the typical corn tortilla chip. Check that out; each serving contains about 16% of the daily value of iron!

The difference in ingredients between a falafel chip and a standard corn tortilla chip is that a falafel chip contains beans such as chickpeas, fava beans, black beans, and pinto beans.

We served up a bed of falafel chips topped with a layer of fresh green leafy lettuce, a touch of seasoned iron and protein boosting lean ground beef, immune supporting garlic and onion, vitamin C-rich fresh tomato, and fibrous black beans. This open face taco was topped with a sprinkle of potent flavored extra sharp cheddar cheese and a dollop of probiotic-rich plain Greek yogurt. One could make this a meat-free meal by simply replacing the meat with extra black beans.

This is one way I like to serve a quick and easy dinner meal with a taco crunch we all enjoy!

This was the setting at the start 8:30pm Friday night before the Dances with Dirt Gnaw Bone races. It goes without saying that the course was a bit wet and muddy. My husband’s shoe actually suctioned off his foot within the first mile of his 10k race!

I recovered well from the Mini Marathon last weekend and went into the race feeling well prepared. Friday, I dined on carbohydrate-rich meals such as half a turkey sandwich and baked potato lunch. Lean ground turkey and vegetable topped quinoa and brown rice with a sweet potato roll worked well for my pre-race dinner meal. Since the race was so early I dined earlier than usual throughout the day and finished my evening with half of a PowerBar Performance Bar as a night cap at the State Park Lodge. I didn’t want to go to bed feeling heavy and full, lacking sufficient time to properly digest a late heavy meal before the early 6:15 am race start.

Race morning I woke with a cup of yerbe mate tea, a couple slices of raisin bread, a banana, the other half of the Performance Bar, a little Gatorade, and plenty of water.

Part of the reason I wanted to run the 50k race was to experience the style of aid station I often counsel ultra athletes in navigating. I packed a couple drop bags with extra supplies and shoe changes that were available out on the course in the event I needed them. With as much as 5 miles between aid stations I needed to carry fuel on me to support a successful race. I carried a water bottle in hand and loaded up on easy to carry gels in setting off for a fun event.

Race start was unlike any I’ve ever had. I arrived at the start at about 5:50 before the 6:15 start. No pre-race warm up. I basically hit the bathroom and headed to the start. I knew a 31 mile race allowed plenty of time to ease into the race. If anything I was slightly nervous about starting the race just as the sun was rising without a headlamp. It was light enough to see, but not light enough to truly know what I was stepping through.

Within the first mile my shoes were completely saturated with wet mud as I found myself sliding all over the course in search of good footing. At 2 miles my watch announced my split of 18:44. It was my first true realization that this was going to make for quite a morning. My pre-race goal was to find a couple guys running a similar pace and lock in. Unfortunately a group of guys took off at a clip that I was fearful I would exhaust myself during the initial muddy miles and be tanked by the end. I decided early to run my own race, even if that meant a lonely race.

The course continued in true ultra marathon fashion. There were awesome rolling mountain bike trails, water filled and shoe soaking creeks, many off trail trees to hurdle, and knee eating climbs. I can’t leave out the mud sliding finish with a grand finale through as much as waist high water before the final finishing kick.

How cool is it that my husband jumped into the waist high water with me to pass me the shirt off his back to clean my blood covered face from a nose bleed I battled the last couple miles? This is after his awesome 4th place finish in the “world’s toughest” 10k. I was also pleasantly surprised to see my coach and his family rooting me on through the wet finish. I’m one lucky girl

The race went fantastic. I felt great the entire time and fueling went very well. I finished as the first female and second overall. There were moments the road racing girl inside me thought of cursing at the momentum killing mud, stretches of repetitious thigh high trees to hurdle, and skin tearing thorn covered shrubs. I was reminded of the consistent rhythm the road offers. At the same rate, I loved the unknown adventure and beauty of the magnificent State Park.

I definitely learned a lot throughout my first trail race and feel there is room for improvement. I know I wasted a good amount of time in the mud with inappropriate road shoes. I even stopped to re-tie my shoes 3 times as they felt loose from the heavy mud. I had my water bottle open and ready for filling as I hit each aid station, but I was a bit lax at times and enjoyed brief chats with the friendly volunteers. In learning how to follow the pink flag system marking the route, I stopped several times because I felt unsure if I was following the course or somehow got off track. Oh, and I learned not to pick up just any drink at a trail race aid station because Mountain Dew looks a lot like Gatorade

A very sore left quad is all I really am working through post-race. I slightly strained the quad a few weeks ago trying to catch myself on a near fall on the trails. The race apparently worked that quad nicely. Other than that I feel great and look forward to a second 50k attempt in August near Seattle, WA.

Dances With Dirt Gnaw Bone made for a great first trail run and ultra marathon experience!

“I’m taking over my body
Back in control, no more shotty
I bet a lot of me was lost
“T”‘s uncrossed and “I”‘s undotted
I fought it a lot and it seems a lot
Like flesh is all I got
Not any more, flesh out the door

The song starts with what I consider a reminder that our body is so much more than flesh, a number on the scale. Later lyrics ring true that when one can better identify the mental and emotional reasons for healthy, or unhealthy decision-making, we can “twist the kaleidoscope behind both of my eyes” of how life is viewed.

You think twice about your life
It probably happens at night, right?

Fight it, take the pain, ignite it
Tie a noose around your mind
Loose enough to breath fine and tie it
To a tree tell it,
You belong to me, this ain’t a noose
This is a leash and I have news for you
You must obey me!

So much of life is how we choose to see it. When I work with those seeking weight management I try to establish the connection that weight management is so much more than eat this, not that. It’s far more than a number on the scale and defending against chronic disease or malnutrition. There is often an emotional link that cannot be neglected in addressing daily decision-making.

Instead of “entertain my faith,” I like to pretend the later lyrics are “and I turn my fate.” “Twist the kaleidoscope” and turn fate, discover the true potential, deep down, we all know we have in us!

It was a typical race morning. I woke at 5:25 before the 7:30 race start to prepare my pre-race meal. I ate a couple slices of cinnamon raisin toast topped with wild blueberry preserves and plain Greek yogurt. With this I had a banana and about 24 ounces of water. Normally I would savor my pre-race coffee at this time, but I finally nixed the coffee and made a switch to tea.

The race went great! I first thought I would go out in 6:20-30 pace dropping in pace as I felt. From the start 6:15 felt quite good. I knew I was excited and didn’t want that excitement to muddle my perceived effort. I also didn’t want to completely trash my legs for the 50k this weekend. I settled in with the comfortable 6:15 pace effort. It was wonderful! I enjoyed the crowd and live music as a plugged away picking people off as I went.

I drank from most of the aid stations, counting the number of ounces I swallowed as I went. Between 40-45 minutes into the race I ate a Double Latte PowerBar Gel to make up for the coffee I wanted with my breakfast By the time I hit the one hour mark I counted right in the target ounces range per hour I was aiming for and enjoyed the perceived boost from the caffeinated gel.

My pace stayed firm right around 6:15 for a solid 9 miles. As the race progressed I realized that I really wanted to RACE. I now can look back and think, it’s kind of a sick addiction. As I went along the desire to pick up the pace amplified with each runner I would pass. I lost track of my place, but once I heard I was in 7th I wanted to see if I could close in on 6th. I gained some serious ground on 6th place those last few miles with a 18:40 finishing 5k. By the finishing mile I looked down to realize I dropped to 5:50 pace for mile 13. It was so invigorating!

Unfortunately I picked it up just a touch too late, missing out on 6th place by just a few seconds. I finished 7th place with a 1:21:00. It was such a fun race, especially considering I haven’t done much steady running at this pace in the past 5 months! I feel great and couldn’t be more excited for the 50k this weekend!

After the race I enjoyed visiting with so many friends from the running community. The Athletic Annex Team had an awesome list of top finishers this year. I can get quite chatty in wanting to celebrate the many successes of a fun Mini Marathon. As I talked away, I made sure to refuel with a good source of protein, carbohydrates, and fluids to facilitate the recovery process.

Bring on my first ultra race is this weekend at Dances with Dirt Gnaw Bone!

Congratulations to all those who race over the weekend!

The subtle training changes have really been a pleasant and welcomed break. It’s made me regain that pure connection to running again. It’s a connection that brings me back to looking at the blooming trees and savoring the sweet spring smell instead of the split on my watch. In maintaining a decent base I’ve also experienced the bliss that comes with my legs wanting to be set loose. It’s a sense of fire running through my veins, asking me to let my heart really pump until my legs begin to burn. It’s funny how I can only run for so long before my body craves this type of run. I love that feeling!

I couldn’t be more excited about the next couple weeks of racing. I’m entered to run the Indianapolis Mini Marathon tomorrow followed by the Dances with Dirt Gnaw Bone 50k the following week. It’s true; I’m not in personal record shape. I feel like I have less idea than ever where my fitness truly is at this point. A 17:40 for a 3 mile steady state training run Tuesday morning is basically what I’m going by in judging what kind of pace I will go out in tomorrow morning. I’ve got the endurance for a 50k. After all, I’ve run as much as 25 miles on the trails in the past month. I still question how I will manage the big climbs, steep descents, and challenging terrain of a 31 mile trail race.

Both races are different, welcomed challenges that I’m really excited to take. Although, I question my fitness and performance goals now more than ever, it’s been so much fun! For example, I picked up Nathan water bottle from the Athletic Annex to train with and utilize during my 50k next week. I took it out for the first time on a 24 mile run stocked with a couple gels and pack of Fig Newtons. About a mile into the run I thought, “How in the world do trail runners carry so much during a race?” My arm was already tired and I hadn’t really even started yet.

I tossed out half of the water in the bottle and hid a gel and the pack of Fig Newton’s behind a tree for me to come back to later. This road running girl needed to get used to the idea of carrying more than a single gel in hand. As I ran through the park I refilled the water bottle from the water fountain, but only filled the bottle half full because the weight of the full bottle just seemed so difficult at the time.

I think it’s been good for me to take on a new mental approach to training and racing for a while. I’ve really enjoyed the different challenges of trail running. My hope is that I become a stronger runner mentally and physically, as well as a better Sports Dietitian in understanding the varied conditions runners experience in achieving their personal goals.

We’ll see what the next couple weeks of racing bring. I wish everyone racing tomorrow the best of luck. I hope to see many of you out there. I’ll be hanging out at the Athletic Annex tent after the race. Feel free to stop by and introduce yourself. You’ll find yourself meeting some of the greatest runners and people in the city…. maybe I’m a little biased

The work is done. Stay relaxed, run your own race, take in the cool experience… and give it all you’ve got!

No matter how experienced the runner, managing aid stations while running an event such as a half marathon can be tricky. We are dodging fellow runners in combination with gently grasping and tilting back a cup of fluids, while trying to maintain running rhythm. It’s enough to deter some from taking fluids all together. Taking fluids as we’re running through an aid station may not always be perfect, but there are strategies to support aid station success.

Take Two – I like to always take two cups at every aid station. I just pinch one cup completely shut while I drink from the other to minimize spilling. Even if I don’t drink from both cups, it’s a great way to be prepared if too much of the essential fluids spill from the first cup, or if a single cup is less than ideal in meeting my overall fluid goals.

The Egg – As I’m nearing the aid station I will think of the cup as a delicate egg. If I grab the cup too rough or firmly it will “break.” This fairly gentle, yet firm, grab is a great mental approach to a successful fluid filled grab.

The Pinch – Gently pinching half of the cup shut before drinking helps to minimize water or sports drink splashing back in my eyes. This great video example from Runner’s World is a good example of how to pinch the cup at the aid station.

Practice at Home – The more often I take fluids from a race, the more comfortable I am with taking aid station fluids. If the opportunity to race often is limited, practicing right from home works great too. Lining a few fluid filled Dixie cups on the roof or hood of the car can be a great way to develop aid station confidence. Pretend the car is lined with an awesome staff of aid station volunteers and practice grabbing a Dixie cup “egg” with each pass.

Contact me if you would like to learn more about your specific fueling needs.

Good Luck!

There are many great ingredients that can build a protein boost powder such as beans, lentils, oats, seeds, nuts, grains, textured vegetable protein, and milk powder. Not only are they great ingredients, but they can make for an extremely affordable, health promoting, protein boosting powder.

For my protein boost I knew I wanted to emphasize good quality protein sources. For this reason I tend to use hemp seeds and quinoa in many of my protein boost recipes because, in terms of plant based protein sources, they offer as a high quality protein amino acid base. Less potent flavored ingredients such as brown rice, oats, textured vegetable protein, and milk powder add a touch of protein, but also make the powder more palatable.

I call it a protein boost because this protein containing powder does not contain a massive amount of protein like many other protein powders. However, this protein boost offers as a source of valuable fiber, healthy fat, phytonutrients, whole grain, and more… It offers as a source of natural protein and a boost of wonderful health promoting ingredients.

Here is one of my favorite recipes. It serves as a great start in creating your own homemade protein boost powder. The base powder can be flavored to your liking using ingredients such as unsweetened cocoa powder, cinnamon, vanilla bean, ground coffee bean, and maybe even sweetened with a touch of stevia for those who prefer a sweeter powder.

Homemade Protein Boost Powder

• 1/4 c. dry quinoa
• 1/4 c. dry textured vegetable protein (available in the specialty flour section of most grocery stores)
• 1/3 c. dry steel cut oats
• 1/2 c. nonfat instant milk powder
• 3 tbsp. hemp seeds

Directions:

Individually grind each ingredient in a high quality blender, food processor, or coffee grinder until a fine powder. I find grinding smaller quantities in the coffee grinder (I use a Magic Bullet) works best. When grinding hemp seeds they can easily turn into a thick paste-like consistency. I like to start grinding the hemp seed, but when they start to turn thick, I add some of the other powders already ground. Grinding the other powders, such as the steel cut oats powder, with the hemp prevents the hemp from clumping together, creating a nice powder consistency. Although instant milk is in powder form, I grind the milk powder to make the powder a touch more fine. The quinoa will take a little longer to achieve a fine powder compared to all of the other ingredients. Combine all of the ingredients in making 1 1/2 cups worth of inexpensive homemade protein boosting powder!

Makes 6 – 1/4 cup servings.

Each 1/4 c. serving is approximately 125 calories, 3.4 grams of fat, 14 grams of carbohydrate, 2.5 grams of fiber, and 8.5 grams of protein

Now you can take that powder to the next level! Blending the protein boost with that basic chocolate or vanilla milk works perfect. Maybe consider creating a flavorful smoothie with the health supporting, protein boosting powder.

What a great start to the day, or health boosting post-workout snack!

Cocoa Banana Protein Boost Smoothie

• 1/4 c. above protein boost powder
• 6 oz. nonfat milk
• 1 ripe banana
• 1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 – 1/2 c. ice
• 1/8-1/4 tsp. stevia (optional)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

Each smoothie is approximately 307 calories, 4 grams of fat, 54 grams of carbohydrate, 6.5 grams of fiber, and 16 grams of protein

I tossed a couple large handfuls of baby arugula on plate, topping it with a cup of warm cooked quinoa and pinch of salt. Fresh sliced cherry tomatoes, sliced baby bella mushrooms, cheddar cheese curds, a couple teaspoons of olive oil, and a few dashes of pepper complete this spring salad. Leftover quinoa from a previous meal works great in making this a quick to prepare dish.

My arugula quinoa salad meal was complete with a fresh apple and few of what I’ll call “coconut oat bites”. The coconut oat bites were a healthful sweet treat to finish off the meal. I can pass along a detailed recipe if anyone is interested. In a nutshell, I combined old fashioned oats, a couple tablespoons of coconut oil, date sugar, dark chocolate chips, and dried pineapple in the food processor. I rolled the dough into mini bites. There you have it, a mini bite sweet treat to compete a simple meal after a demanding workout.

Fueling doesn’t have to be complicated. Even the most basic ingredients can shine when it comes to energizing and tackling life’s demands.