This Runner's Favorite Food: Pancakes!

Week four of training is getting more involved as the mileage increases.  I've started to think more about my nutrition. 

Eating for Endurance

Ellen Coleman

Besides various websites and The Food Network I've been reading A Step Beyond: A Definitive Guide to Ultrarunning edited by Don Allison, as well as, Eating for Endurance by Ellen Coleman.  Both books have caused me to reevaluate my eating habits. 

I do not have a eating problem as weight is concerned (is that possible with ultrarunning?) I am only concerned about getting the right types of food to improve my training in preparation for the 24 Hours of Boulder I plan on participating in this October.

Conclusion?

I don't eat enough for my activity level in general.  Specifically I don't eat enough complex carbohydrates at the proper times for proper pre and post recovery.

My back to back runs last weekend had little spark and then the recovery time took an extra day.  I walked more on both runs than normal while my running segments were shorter and less focused.

This past week I focused on getting more quality carbs as part of my 'see-food diet' and at the same time cut down on the scones, muffins and cookies that I often consume during a normal day, especially as my 'second breakfast'. (any Tolkien fans here?)

So for my run this weekend I woke and made a double batch of blueberry pancakes for my wife and I before I went running.  The recipe below was analyized by SparkRecipes.  It is my mother's recipe for sour milk pancakes that I copied many years ago before moving west.   

Pancake

Note that the vinegar is used to sour the milk before adding the milk to the remaing ingredients.  Otherwise put everything, minus the blueberries, together and blend well.  Add the blueberries by hand to each pancake after pouring the batter for each pancake.  One batch will make 3-5 pancakes depending on their size.

After eating three quarters of the finished product I arrived at the trailhead two hours later for my 14 miles.

The run was cut short by a massive lightning storm so I only made it 8 miles. 

They were a strong 8 miles. 

I had energy to spare and even was able to run some of the moderate uphill sections. 

For my evaluation of this non-scientific study I downloaded my run data from my Forerunner 305 and noticed a significant improvement over the last two weeks (same trail).  

Overall I just felt better, both physically and mentally, which made the run very enjoyable, minus the lighting of course.

Thanks Mom!