Nutrition Is Killing Me

I'm making this way harder on myself than I should. Not only am I running an ungodly amount of miles over the course of a few months, but I'm doing this as a vegetarian. According to the people who are supposedly knowledgeable in such things, I should be consuming 75-80 grams of protein every day while training. (This is in addition to the insane amount of carbs required for long runs. My stomach is way too full after dinner.) Even if I ate a steak every night for dinner, I still would have a hard time getting to 75 grams of protein. Yet I've chosen to completely cut out of my diet the easiest, most readily accessible form of protein on the planet. To make things even more difficult, I am about the most useless person to ever set foot in a kitchen. Seriously, I even suck at chopping vegetables. The last time I was in training, I had to eat fish for a few weeks because I was so run down from a lack of protein. So far things are much better this time. 

So how are things different in 2012? Well, I'm routinely eating protein bars and drinking Gatorade with protein. Whey protein powder is a big player, and I liberally add it to cereal and smoothies. PBJ is a staple and quite possibly the greatest sandwich ever invented. I don't think I'd want to live in a world without PBJ. Most importantly though, my lady-friend has made me slightly less useless in the kitchen. I can now make risotto, stir fry and even reuben sandwiches, all with meat substitutes. It's been fairly painless, and I'm well fueled for all those miles. I may even experiment and try some new dishes on my own. That's more than you probably wanted to know about grams of protein or my nutritional habits, but hey, I'm running out of ideas.

Training Update:  These are the dog days. The miles are really piling up, and the race is far enough away that it's hard to find much excitement in the running. This is when it helps to remember why I'm doing this and how many people are behind me. Still, I'm running well and healthy (knock on wood) which is all that matters. The air has been gross and smoky lately from wildfires in the area, but thankfully I haven't felt it in my lungs. It can't be helping though. I have my first 20 mile run on Sunday. I fear being in my own head for that long and may have to drag the dog along for a few miles. It's high time he earned his keep.

Generic Update / Thanks

It's been over a month since I started training and so far so good. I'm running well and am healthy (knock on wood). My sore foot from earlier in the summer has subsided, so I actually feel better than when I started. The weeks are getting progressively harder though. I will run 45 miles this week including a long run of 16 miles on Sunday. I'm at the point now in my long runs where I have to consume disgusting energy gels and Gatorade while running. This is partly for energy and hydration, but at this stage I'm mainly trying to prep my overly sensitive stomach for digesting sugars while on a long run. I'll have to do this during the race, and I need to slowly get used to it.


So that's where my training stands. While I'm at it, I want to thank some really great people who for better or worse helped me with this crazy notion of mine. First up is my old law school pal Lauren who showed me that running for a selfless reason was not only a good idea but an enjoyable experience. I was proud to help her cause last year, and this never would have happened without me following her example. Second, my lovely girlfriend Colleen who convinced me that I could and should run this race and that I should put my faith in the generosity of friends and family. Colleen has supported and inspired me from the beginning and has endured me constantly talking about my training with nothing but a smile and genuine interest. Last but not least is my good buddy Triston who donated his credit card points to give me 3 nights at a hotel in Manhattan. This is beyond cool and saved me a lot of money. Despite his sarcastic exterior, Triston is a pretty generous dude. Also, I've been floored by the support of generosity of everyone who has donated. I still have 3 months to go, and the outpouring thus far is humbling. So those are the "Acknowledgements" of some pretty great folks. Please spread the word on my fundraising efforts and let people know that if they donate, they too may be mentioned on a blog that is read by literally tens of people.