July 22 News and Notes

Week in Review

Don't let the lack of photos fool you.  Last week was full of action.  Tuesday we were able to complete our first workout on the course, even if encroaching lightning brought an early end to our post-run work. 

Wednesday was also impacted by the weather, but we were able to pivot to the city park for a rematch of pickleball, with Sybina and Reagan and Luke and Caden coming out on top.

We ended the week with our long run, team breakfast, and pool party.  We also had two more runners--Carter and Jocelyn--earn their summer training shirts.

​A Look Ahead

This is the week most of our runners have been waiting for.  Well ... maybe not Tuesday's inverted fartlek on the course.  But Wednesday will see the return of last summer's biggest hit.  Color War 2.0 will have a Christmas in July theme.  I'm sure there will be more than enough photos and videos to make up for last week.

Thursday we'll have another go at a Neuro Day.  Then Friday we will take our long run on the road--well sort of off it--as we meet down in McBride to hit the gravel along the levee.  That will be followed by a team breakfast at Al's Place.  

Seminary Picnic Soda Stand

The Seminary Picnic is less than two weeks away.  There are still a few open slots to work the soda stand.  The volleyball team has done their share to fill spots.  For runners who haven't already taken a shift, please consider signing up on the spreadsheet shared with athletes on Google Classroom.

Recipe of the Week

This week's recipe is for a team favorite after hard workouts.  It's packed with a good balance of carbs and protein to kickstart recovery.  It's also pretty darn tasty.  And now you can make the peanut butter chocolate protein bars yourself.

Ingredients for an 8x8 pan (you can double for a 9x13 pan):

• 16oz Jar Peanut Butter:  You can use any variety of creamy, but I prefer natural varieties without added sugar or palm oil.  The cheapest options are the store brands at Schnucks and Trader Joe's, but here in town the best option is probably Smucker's Natural or Crazy Richard's at Wal-Mart.
• 1/2 Cup Maple Syrup:   You can also use honey.
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract:  Adds a little extra flavor
• 2/3 cup Flaxseed Meal (Optiona):  Flax contains potassium (an electrolyte) and omega-3 fatty acids that improve neuromuscular performance.  It also helps with the consistency.
• 1 1/4 cups Vanilla Protein Powder:  You might need to play with the amount depending on the variety, whether you include the flax meal, and the type of peanut butter in order to get the consistency right.  I would add this last and shoot for the consistency of cookie dough.
• 6oz (Approx half a standard bag) Chocolate Chips:  I like dark chocolate because of the antioxidants, but you can use any variety.

Directions​

1. Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper.  Alternately you can butter and/or spray the pan with non-stick spray, but I've found it doesn't work nearly as well with removing the bars.
2. Combine all ingredients besides the chocolate until they are smooth.  Then spread into the bottom of the pan with a rubber spatula until you have a smooth layer.
3. Add chocolate chips to a microwave safe bowl.  Heat in 30-second intervals, stirring each time, until chocolate is fully melted.
4. Empty melted chocolate into pan over peanut butter mixture and spread until smooth and to the edges of the pan.  
5. Place pan in refrigerator for approximately 15-20 minutes until chocolate is solid but not brittle.
6. Remove pan from refrigerator and use a knife to slice into bars of desired size.
7. Return pan to refrigerator for at least one hour until chocolate has fully hardened.  
8. Remove bars and enjoy.  I keep any leftovers covered in the refrigerator because 1) I like them cold and 2) it helps them stay firm.  

What Coach Learned

I spent part of last week at Wildwood Running's coaches clinic in Naperville.  Wildwood is an organization founded in Portland, Oregon just four years ago by two high school coaches who saw a real gap in the education and training of female runners and their coaches. 

Since then they've started an annual camp in the Pacific Northwest for high school girls as well as numerous web events.  They also introduced a clinic for coaches in Portland, and--seeing a demand from coaches across the country--added a second conference in Naperville last year.  I heard the founders speak while in Boulder back in January and knew this was an organization that could potentially benefit the girls on our team. 

Ultimately I decided to make the trip up to Chicagoland.  The clinic featured talks by top coaches in the region like Naperville North's Dan Iverson (whose girls have twice taken second at Nike Nationals), physical therapist and strength and conditioning coach Gina Pongetti (who will be serving with the US men's gymnastics team at the Olympics next month), and sports therapist Katie Steele (a former state champion and top runner at the University of Oregon).

I filled pages with notes over the course of the conference, but the part I wanted to share was from dietitian Heidi Strickler, a former collegiate runner with her own history of disordered eating who currently specializes in nutrition for distance runners.  In her presentation, Heidi listed 10 of the most common mistakes she sees in runners from a nutrition standpoint.  While the presentation was geared toward female athletes, I think they apply across the board.

1. Eating excessive fiber from fruit and vegetables: this is especially true with food consumed prior to running, when fiber can cause bloating and digestive distress in general.  Furthermore, excess fiber can inhibit the body's absorption of glucose and key vitamins.
2. Avoidance of sugar or processed foods for performance:  this one could be controversial, but I think Heidi's point at least in part was that sometimes in our zeal to avoid these foods, we end up underfueling, especially when it comes to the easy-access carbohydrates a runner needs during exercise.  If the choice for a post-workout meal is a McDonald's Big Mac or an all-greens salad (or worse yet nothing), the Big Mac is the better choice.  Processed food is also many modern people's primary source of sodium, so cutting it can leave them deficient in a key electrolyte.
3. Not eating before bed:  The common mantra in mainstream diet culture is "don't eat after [insert evening time here]".  In reality, consuming the right foods (like protein) prior to sleep can actually improve sleep quality and help kickstart the release of human growth hormone that facilitates recovery and muscle growth.
4. Fasted running (AKA no breakfast before morning runs):  This is especially true when joined with the previous one to create a situation where someone could have gone 12+ hours without food.  That's a recipe for poor performance, injury, and--to the surprise of many--GI distress.  Because we tend to associate stomach trouble with what we've eaten rather than what we haven't, runners will often intensify their pre-run food deprivation, which only makes the situation worse.
5. Not eating after runs:  Many runners (myself included) might not feel hungry following a workout, but our body needs food (especially carbs and protein) after running to replenish lost stores and aid the recovery process, especially within the first 30 minutes after a race or hard workout.
6. No Snacks:  Runners aren't likely to get adequate fuel from just three meals (assuming breakfast happens in the first place).  Plus, some nutrient absorption rates tend to drop with larger meals.   Squeezing in some snacks helps to ensure adequate supplies of energy and key vitamins and minerals.
7. Reliance on coffee or energy drinks:  A lot could be said here.  Note that Heidi doesn't say they are bad.  Many top athletes do consume these drinks prior to races.  The problem is when they become a substitute for breakfast or other meals.  Caffeine can trick the brain into feeling fueled and energized.  It can't do the same to bones and muscles.  Caffeine isn't actually energy.  A cup of coffee or a can of Prime Energy contain practically zero calories.  Red Bulls contain no protein, and even an entire 15oz Monster Java Salted Caramel only has 180 calories and 26g of carbs, less than a single Pop Tart and enough to fuel something like 12 minutes of running.   
8. Carb restriction:   Even though most of our runners probably have no familiarity with the name Atkins, they still live in a society that largely demonizes carbs.  That can spell disaster for runners who rely on carbohydrates for their primary source of energy.  Beyond that, carb deficiency can also inhibit the body's absorption of iron, leading to additional health and performance issues.
9. Overtraining:  Besides the additional strain on structural tissues, overtraining creates an energy deficit that--especially when combined with underfueling--can easily spiral into tanking performance and injuries.  This is particularly true in cases of runners who perform "secret" training sessions beyond the awareness of coaches.
10. Sticking to a rigid set of foods:  We eat for more than fuel.  Besides the toil on mental health of obsessing about which foods to eat or avoid, limiting the types of foods one eats rather than consuming a variety puts runners at much greater risk of missing out on key nutrients and thus developing deficiencies.

It might be because I'm a foodie at heart, but Heidi's presentation was probably my favorite from the conference.