I was trying to do a little research on my first half marathon coming up this Sunday. I wanted to see the elevation chart and find out about all pit stops along the way.  The response from the coordinator was very disheartening: 

“There is no elevation chart. There are rolling hills and some challenging shorter inclines.  There are 4 water stations for the half marathon but the only bathroom facilities are at the start and the finish.  There are a lot of trees and wooded areas along the way.”

   My emotions. 

Advanced nutritional planning is a priority.  Not only because of the above information regarding available pit stops (personally, I take having to squat in the woods as being most humiliating), but because I want to have the maximum available energy and strength to get me through the run.  I want to enjoy it and not feel like I’m going through self inflicted torture. That was done in college and was not due to exercise.  I wrote down everything that entered my mouth today and will see what happens with my energy and …ah …”what not” tomorrow.

Don’t freak out…I eat a lot and I eat often.  I am at my desk most of the day and snacks that are quick and readily available are important. Being able to get a refrigerated item such at yogurt or cottage cheese and make myself tea allows me to stretch.

  • Preworkout:  8 oz water mixed with Acai Berry Blast Protein Energy Drink

Acaiberryblast

  • Breakfast:  1/4 cup dry steel cut oats cooked with cinnamon, 1/2 banana, 1 TBS raisins. 1 TBS PB added after cooking.  1 cup mixed berries.  1 Protein Shake (protein powder, 1 TBS powdered PB, ice and water)

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  • At 8 AM finishing the coffee brought from home.  2 pieces of gum following coffee
  • At 9:20 AM coffee and 2 more pieces of gum to follow (I LOVE coffee but not the aftertaste)
  • Mid Morning Snack (10:15 am):  1/3 cup Non Fat Cottage Cheese + 2 TBS mixed nuts and dried fruit.
  • 11:35– starting to get munchies again.  Had about 1/3 of a Protein Plus Bar

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  • 12:20 was lunch which was 9 baby carrots with 2 TBS red pepper hummus (I snack on the carrots and hummus while preparing my salad).  A salad of 2 cups baby spinach + 2 sliced radishes + 4 grape tomatoes halved + 1/3 red bell pepper chopped. 1/4 cup organic wild rice plus 3 oz of tuna.

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Topped with 3 TBS Annie’s Lite Ginger Vinaigrette.    lite gingerly  and a glass of water

  • 1:10 Back at work Vanilla Caramel Tea and 2 chocolate covered Altoids
  • 2:30  Munched on about another 1/3 of the Protein Plus Bar from earlier.
  • 3:45 pm Drank a Muscle Milk Lite.  image
  • 6:15 pm Dinner:  Risotto with Fillet of Sole and Asparagus (recipe to come later)

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I’m done eating after dinner.  There are some trainers that say you should have protein before going to bed due to the “over night fast” but I prefer to go to bed on a relaxed stomach.  It may not be the best plan, but it works for me.  

What’s your best eating plan the day before an event?

Now for the Hummus – this was so good. I should make it all the time.

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This is a a classic bean dip.  It is a Middle Eastern dish typically made from mashed garbanzo beans (chick peas), tahini (sesame paste), lemon juice, and garlic.  Take all those components, add a little personal touch and you have Hummus.

I buy it every week. There is no excuse for me buying it because it’s very easy to whip together.  Lazy I guess.  My favorite flavor is the Roasted Red Pepper Hummus.  Here is my homemade version of Hummus.  

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  • 2  15 oz can Organic Garbanzo Beans – – reserve the juice from one can.
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 TBS Extra Virgin Olive oil
  • 2 Organic chopped parsley (sometimes I use curly and sometimes I use flat leaf)
  • 3 large cloves, chopped garlic
  • 2/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup tahini (you can substitute natural peanut butter in a pinch however, connoisseurs of this dip will not appreciate that substitution AT ALL.  I don’t mind it – Ted doesn’t like it).
  • 1/2 tsp cumin (use 1 tsp if you like cumin)
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper *Be careful with this. If you don’t like spicy, use less. You can add more after your taste test below.
  • 3/4 of a fresh red bell pepper, chopped *Make sure you have a little extra incase you want to add chunks of fresh red bell pepper afterwards. This adds a nice little crunch to the hummus.

In a food processor, add the beans (NOT the liquid they came in-yet), salt, olive oil, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, tahini, cumin, red pepper, and fresh chopped red bell pepper.  Puree to desired texture. I like mine fairly smooth.  Taste and see if you might like more lemon? more oil? more pepper, even more garlic?

Add some of the reserved Garbanzo bean juice you reserved from the can to make the puree the desired thin/thickness. 

Remove hummus from the processor and put into a bowl.  You might want to add chunks of fresh red pepper at this point instead of mixing them all in.

Enjoy with crudités such as carrots, celery, bell pepper strips.  You may serve on pita bread and crackers as well. 

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Joanne

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