Shaky Feelings

Today I had off for Veteran's Day and I did not plan anything extravagant because I had some house cleaning to tend too. I started the day by driving Kristine into work and going grocery shopping. $193 later (that'll last us a week/week and a half) and I was home to take a nap. Today was one of those naps when you cannot lift your head off of the pillow. It felt like there was a magnet between my head and the pillow, but I had to get up to clean our bathroom and bedroom. It has been neglected for way too long and it had to be done. Afterwards I headed up to Pearl Ridge to run where Matt and I had run this past Wednesday and Saturday. I was going very slow since I didn't get a chance to run yesterday and I didn't eat enough today. Well, 18 minutes into the run I was feeling light headed and had shaky. If there is one thing that I learned as a vegetarian is that when you feel weak it's best to stop, throw the towel in, go eat, and get ready for the next day. I have been meat-free for over one year now and I still make mistakes. I replenished when I got home and I am ready for the group run for tomorrow.

Nutrition:

With todays "bonk" it made me think that I haven't really mentioned much about my diet. Well, it's not that I haven't thought about it, but it is just that I have been changing my diet and I wanted to give it some time before I posted on it.

To bring everyone up to speed Kristine and I attempted going vegan (dairy free vegetarians) prior to Halloween. It lasted about a week before we were over-loaded with candy and treats. Sweets are my nemesis since I can never turn them down. Anyways, even though I was vegan for a week I really noticed a very "refreshing" feeling. My runs were smoother and my legs recovered a bit faster. Along with candy, we also caved in for pizza when Matt was here and I noticed a significant feeling of lethargy the day after. All of this has lead me eat a more raw diet.

I have decided that the research on raw diets is too compelling for me personally. I mean, if you are going to eat vegetables why would you cook them and eliminate a large percentage of the very things that make them beneficial to humans (i.e. antioxidants, nutrients, minerals, etc. ). One study found that broccoli, when microwaved, losses 97% of it's antioxidants.

Can runners afford to waster time and energy? The answer is simple; no. So, when everything is so delicate why is it that so many Americans eat so poorly. I am not tooting my horn here. I was a meat-eater for almost 22 years and when presented with the facts I could not possibly continue to eat meat any longer.

This is probably a good spot to let everyone know how I became a vegetarian. I initiated a bet with Kristine on the premises that if I stopped eating meat that she would have to stop (insert bad habit) when she went out with her friends. Who ever lasted the longest would win and the loser would have to buy the winner dinner. Well, six months later I won the bet, but I had made the transition and noticed an improvement in my running and overall well being. I was the type of runner that always got sick right before the big races year after year, season after season. Not any longer. And when I say sick I mean dead on the couch not moving for 3-4 days. However, since May 2006, the day the bet began, I have been that sick only once! I have had a few colds, maybe 4-5, but nothing one or two days off of running couldn't fix.

I know I am starting to run on here about this, but look for a few more structured posts on my nutrition and diet. Later.

Training:
Sunday: OFF
Comments: Went to the beach all day for Matt's last day in Hawaii.

Monday:
Duration: oohr 18min 45 sec
Distance: 1.5 miles
Comments: Didn't eat enough during the day and felt like I was going to faint. Stopped run early and walked back.

P.S. Last week I had 7.5 hours of quality running.