Back on Track!

After two days of not training, I was back on track with my training today. This morning, I ran 6 miles with Tara. Then while I was waiting for the Frostbite Series to start, I ran another 3. I decided just to run the 5K at the Frostbite Series this morning. My total running miles for the day ended up at 12.

Later this afternoon, I headed to the pool. I hadn't done a swimming workout since August, so I'm pretty out of shape for swimming. I did some easy sets and ended with a total of 2550 yards.

I felt like today was my first respectable day of Ironman training!

Let me also get back on track with my discussion of the eating plan. Just as a refresher, here's what I've gone over so far:

1. When you feel like you're training to eat, rather eating to train, try to take a week and write down everything you eat and WHY you ate each item. We'll talk more about this log in a few days.

2. Schedule a weekly trip to the grocery store.

3. Plan your meals and snacks for the week before you head to the grocery store.

4. Remember to graze (eat small portions frequently).

What to eat - I could get really technical about how much protein, carbs, and fat an athlete should consume each day, but I prefer to keep it simple. Athletes, like non-athletes, need to eat a well-rounded diet. Just take a look at your plate each meal and make sure you have nutritious foods that contain protein, carbs, and fat at each meal, and you'll be well on your way to meeting your dietary requirements. Generally, you don't have to make much of an effort to intake enough carbs or fat, as they are found in almost everything that we eat. Getting enough protein, however, can be a problem. One easy way to get a little extra protein in your diet is to dump a scoop of protein powder (I like Muscle Milk) or a bowl of cereal or oatmeal.

After a training session or a race, it's a good idea to eat a snack within a half-hour if you don't have time for a meal. Make sure to get that meal in within 2-3 hours of a training session. Finally, it's very important that after a race or a hard workout that you include protein in your meal, in addition to carbs and fat.