Eat This Not That

As the title of my blog suggests, I love to eat AND run. I love both, I really do. I tend to be more of an "expert" in the eating part, always insisting on real, whole foods to fuel this wondrous body of mine.

This leads me to wonder why on God's Green Earth I spent so much money and effort on finding the right gel to fuel my long runs while training for a marathon earlier this year. Short term, the gels weren't such a bad thing, they gave me energy and provided sustenance every 4 miles or so while I was logging some serious mileage.

The proof, however, was in the proverbial pudding, when I was actually running the Austin Livestrong marathon in February of this year. I dutifully packed some sport gels, such as Gu and Hammer gel. Since I began my running career, my delicate, gastrointestinally challenged tummy has proven difficult to achieve balance. During the marathon, the gels started affecting me in a very unpleasant way. They made me nauseous and dizzy, and I was soon forgoing the fuel in order to avoid the adverse effects. My girlfriend insisted that I at least drink some Gatorade for some caloric intake and electrolyte replacement.

After this episode, I began searching for alternatives, knowing that I would never want to repeat how I felt with the gels during the marathon, especially since I work hard to avoid processed sugars and only consume them in small amounts when I do.

I soon discovered that eating dates while running is a great substitute for sport gels, and since I have been doing this, I feel much better during runs. The only challenge is carrying 2-3 dates for every 4 miles of running. This is very important to me, so where there is a will there is a way. I purchased some small jewelry baggies from the local hobby store and they work perfectly, tucked into a pouch that I can attach to my running belt.

I haven't run a full marathon on dates yet, but I have run a 10 miler and it was good. I don't recommend skipping the sport drinks because you need the electrolytes to replenish what you lose through activity.

I am no expert and I suggest you do what works best for you. With the tummy issues I've had over the years, dates have become the solution. They may not be yours, but it's worth a try! Don't be afraid to experiment, research, and find out what you need to feel your best during a run or extended physical exertion.