What to eat? A Food Recipe Challenge!

In his recent blog post titled, "Learn from Success, Not Failure", author and runner Matthew Patten wrote about a recent conversation he had with someone unsuccessful in their own diet giving him advice on his. Whereas he focused the article on the nature of relationships and where to seek advise base on success or failure in a given subject matter, I couldn't shake the topic of his introductory discussion: diet.

I've been reading up and focusing on diets, the number and variety, over the last week or so. In part for my own edification, but also to understand what my wife is going through. The theories and strategies people employ are innumerable, confusing, contradictory, and even fanatical.  What I assume is "unhealthy" is "scientifically proven" to not only be healthy, but is the way everyone should eat.  Atkins, Paleo, Archevore (Paleo 2.0), South Beach, or something else?  The Hacker's Diet?  What should Meghan be following?

Perhaps the quotes around "scientifically proven" is a bit unfair, since food and diet is probably one of the largest and most prolific bodies of work in the science field.  What I generally have an issue with is how people use and interpret this information, which is often done to push a specific viewpoint or opinion.  With the advent of the internet, information is more readily available to the common person than any other time in history.  How does one approach such a vast set of knowledge and opinion?  How can the gems of objectivity be separated from cruft of subjective opinion?

To frame the discussion, I want to start out with a simple, commonly understood formula regarding weight change:

pounds in weight change = (Calories in - Calories out)/3500

Food Calories are actually kilogram calories (or 1000 calories per gram), but in the interest of brevity, the food industry has chosen to drop the appropriate prefix of kilo.  Maybe it sounded too metric for the American public.  The number 3500 is the estimated number of Calories per pound of human fat.  Calories in are the result of consumption, and Calories out are the result of those burned simply living (eating, sleeping, sitting on the couch) as well as any other exercise or activity you partake in (running, walking to the car, etc).

That's the whole discussion in a nutshell.  To lose weight, you eat less or burn more.  To gain weight, you eat more or burn less.  All diets are ultimately dependent upon this formula, though not all diets focus on it.  In fact, there are very intricate shell games being played in many diets, perhaps to take people's minds off the task at hand, make the "math" easier, or give them a "cheat" every once and a while, a reward.

Some diets play physiological games, forcing your body to change the preferred metabolic pathway to energy.  Atkins forces the initiate into a fatty acid cycle by inducing ketosis in the first two weeks of the diet - denying all but the equivalent of a single banana (27 grams) each day in carbohydrates (max 24 grams).  Given that carbs exist in pretty much every food item, including lean animal meat, you're on an all fat/protein diet for two weeks.

Runners and predominantly aerobic athletes are fortunate to enjoy a sport that requires long a calorie burn.  We equally exercise the glycolitic pathway as (carbs) well as the fatty acid pathway (fats), but we have an entirely different initiation phase... running, running, and more running.  Our benefit is that the "simple formula" of calories in v.s. calories out becomes an afterthought. We're always running, always burning, and in some cases, can't eat enough to keep our weight up. (One of my problems last year.)

So is there something to the whole discussion about "good foods" and "bad foods"?  Is there really something we should be eating v.s. something we shouldn't?  Lots of fat and protein v.s. lots of carbs.  We all want an answer to these questions, but we don't always get them, or rather we get too many of them.  How do you begin to contribute to the discussion without sounding like an advocate or fanatic?

The Challenge

I have an idea, a challenge that will result in an exchanging of tasty knowledge. 

• Pick a food item and discover the basic nutritional information about it.
• Take a week and make that food a focus of your meals, discovering or creating four recipes or ways to prepare that item:
• breakfast
• lunch
• dinner
• snack or desert
• Optional: Add in the calorie profile for each recipe per serving.
• Optional: Cheat and reference a recipe from the internet (but give due credit)!
• Let us know about your approach to diet and why it works (or doesn't work) for you.

I look forward to hearing about what you bring to the table!

Race Report: 2011 Afton 25k Trail Race Report (Long Overdue)

[Originally posted on DailyMile.com]

What a brutal race (but fun)! This is my second 25k trail race this year, and it was by far the more challenging of the two. As some of you may know, the State of Minnesota shut down and as a result, the State Parks were also shut down. Race Director John Storekamp and volunteers did an awesome job prepping 2 (yes two) race courses for the event. When it was clear that we wouldn't be able to run Afton State Park, Afton Alps Ski Resort let us use their mountain bike trail!


I can't say enough how awesome this race was. It was gnarly. It was hot. The volunteers were professional, helpful, and great. I started out far too fast (of course), and soon found myself sucking wind. I just was not prepared for the insane elevation changes, and I've never run so many switchbacks in my life! I am not ashamed to say I walked, a lot. Cardio-wise, I was fine once I backed the pace down. Where I lacked was in leg strength and endurance.

I also made a mess-up in not taking in enough salt and electrolytes. I had two 20oz bottles of nuun, but it's sometimes a bit sweet, and I don't always drink enough liquid to ensure I've taken enough salts. When I finished the race, my whole body was buzzing from effort and lack of electrolytes. I laid down in the grass and put my feet up on a picnic table bench, and when I tried to get up 10 minutes later, both quads cramped up. OUCH!

I would definitely do it again! :) Here's a Shout Out to Brian Woods and Adam S. for their work volunteering at the race! Thanks, so much!

Final Results: Placed 121 of 236 with a time of 3:20:26 (12:55/mile).

Footnotes in the Results PDF: (REVISED COURSE - 2011 was a revised course from previous years due to the Minnesota State Government Shutdown which closed Minnesota State Parks.  An alternate location was used for the race - Afton Alps Recreation area.  This was 7.75 mile loop and was a more difficult course than the normal course which resulted in slower than normal times.)

What to Buy a Geeky Runner Dad?

It would be so easy to rack up a large balance on my credit card, to buy the toys and essentials that a geeky dad might like to have.  On the other hand, I'm relatively frugal, perhaps a miser when it comes to spending money.  With Father's day this weekend and my birthday coming up in July, I figured I would list a few of the things I've been eyeing and restraining myself from buying!

Guitar Lessons, JamPlay Style
About 10 years ago, I bought a Mitchel acoustic guitar from Guitar Center with the intent of being proficient enough to play a song or two.  You would think that in 10 years, I would have picked up some substantial skills.  Alas, the opposite is true, I know barely enough to strum a few chords and pick a few measly licks.  JamPlay is an online guitar lesson site that I've been very impressed with.  At $19.95/month or $139.95/year, it is quite affordable and offers a lot more flexibility than in-person lessons. (Visit the Store for a gift card!)


ASUS Andriod Eee Transformer Tablet!
This tablet is by far the coolest thing I've seen in quite some time. It's a 10" multi-touch tablet with Wifi, GPS, accelerometer, 32GB of memory, and touts the Andriod 3.0 operating system, the same one that runs on my hacked MyTouch 4G phone.  Why not an iPad2, you ask?  Apple just isn't my thing, I guess.  I've been a Linux geek for too long to look back now.

What sets this tablet apart from other devices out there?  There's a detachable  keyboard and battery (purchased separately) that converts the tablet into a laptop! There are times when I like to have a keyboard, and times when I don't.  This manages to do both!  Trust me.  So cool!  It's a bit expensive, though... I may end up just having to save for a while to buy this one.

Learning Chinese from a Pod
Really, you ask?  Chinese?  Yes!  I don't know how to really explain it other than that general desire to continue learning, exploring, and connecting with other people.  What better way to do this than to learn the language and eventually travel there!

I have fortunately found a very good website for this very task: ChinesePod!  My free trial account (which I encourage you to do as well) has long since expired, but I learned what I needed to know: it is a quality program that offers downloadable content, interactive on-line lessons, a supportive community, and access to teachers!

The Basic package costs about $14/month, but the Premium package at $29/month includes a cool Andriod application!  I haven't found a way to purchase these as Gift Cards, but it's still a cool site that I would love to subscribe to.

Running Gear
What kind of runner wish list would this be without some running gear?!  First up, the "Ultimate Direction FastDraw Plus Handheld Bottle", now on sale for $13.95 at Zombierunner.com.  I'm enjoying my Nathan waist pack, but as with all waist packs, they get a bit annoying, bouncing all around.  It isn't until after about 30 minutes of running does it seem to settle in, or perhaps I don't find it as annoying by that time.  Regardless, I'm starting to dig the idea of running with less around the waist and having the bottles in my hands.  A pair of these would allow me to try that out!  You would be enabling scientific experimentation!  O.K. Perhaps it would be more subjective observation.

The next item on my running gear wishlist is this cool adaption from Hydrapak called the GelBot.  Yeah, I know, how many water bottles can a man have?  Just check it out:

I have to admit, I grabbed this idea from trail runner Scott Dunlap's blog about this very product.  I'm not a big fan of the litter you create by using gel packs, so if there's a way I can be more "green", I'll do it!  Combine the FastDraw bottle holders with the GelBot bottles, and you have a fast exchange at aid stations and no trash!

Now, I haven't put on enough miles to think about using this next product for unsupported runs just yet, but I do run as a mode of commuting to work, and I'll be ramping up this effort this summer.  However, it often means I have to carry my clothes or rain gear with me.  I can leave certain items at work or the YMCA locker room, but I can't always plan ahead for these things.  I would love a flyweight or midweight fast-pack. I did find this useful review article from Running Times that's more to the point.  The Osprey Talon 33 looks more to my liking!

Another item by Nathan Sports would help me out quite a bit, actually, a smart-phone armband called Frequency.  I use my Andriod phone for its GPS, music playlist, and periodically a picture here and there.  The GPS isn't all that accurate when taken from my waist pack, though.

The Wallet That Beats All
I did buy myself an early gift, a new wallet from ALL-ETT.  It's a simpler than most, with only four pockets for credit cards, and two sleeves.  One is larger for receipts, and one for cash.  Made out of nylon spinnaker cloth, the same material they make sails out of, it is extremely lightweight, durable, and water resistant.  This is my third one in about seven or eight years.  Don't tell my dad yet, but I bought him one too!

Happy Father's Day!
I'd say that's a pretty good list for now.  I'm hungry and tired, and it's time for bed!  Enjoy your Father's Day weekend, running dads. I hope you spotted something useful in this list and can give a big hint to your loved ones!

Race Report: 2011 Spring Superior Trail Race 25K

(Image from STR Website, without permission.)

What a blast!  For my first trail race, I couldn't have picked a more technical and beautiful trail to run!  Jason, a friend and runner, and I agreed ahead of time that we would try to run the race together, just enjoying the experience and give each other support along the way.  The plan worked beautifully, and I believe I am fully hooked on trail racing now.

The weekend started with me leaving work early on Friday to head home and pack.  I was to meet my parents at 3:00 PM in Hinkley, MN to drop off my car and carpool with them up to Grand Marais.  I had made good time in the car and was only a couple of minutes late.  We stopped by Dairy Queen for a late lunch and headed North.  We did catch an outstanding meal in Beaver Bay at a little place called Northern Lights Cafe.  I had the Norwegian Salmon with a mango fruit salsa, greens, bread, and garlic herbed butter.  Yum!

We continued North and stopped by the Onion River Road, where the Oberg mountain turn-around was locate, and at Caribou Heights to scope out the Start and Finish lines for the race.  They were very close to each other by car, so Mom and Dad would have no problems driving to Oberg to meet me at the half way point during the race.

It was a lot of fun spending time with my parents on the road.  We hadn't "road tripped" since I was probably in college or even high school, so we were able to catch up on all matters of old and new family news.  We crashed that night at the Best Western, right on the lake for a somewhat restful night.  I tossed and turned a bit, but I managed to sleep through most of it.

Jason and I met up at the starting line the morning of the race.  We both debated with ourselves about what clothes to wear and equipment to carry for the trip.  Jason tried a jog test on a new waist belt he had just purchased, but it bounced around like crazy.  He opted to simply carry his water bottle as I had planned.  I put on my fuel belt to carry my phone, which I planned on taking pictures with and perhaps stuff some gels into.  I had two additional water bottles, small ones, just in case my large one ran out.

Jason and I have similar plans for pace, and we set at a comfortable speed, if not a bit optimistic.  My legs felt fresh and strong for much of the first half of the race, and we fell into pace with a small group of runners: Kelly, Kim, Ed, Jim and Steve.  Things went well for our group, as we called out branches, trees, rocks, and other hazards for those running behind.  Positions shifted more out of courtesy and safety than competitive spirit, but at some point, I found myself out front.

The next thing I knew, I had picked up my pace and was flying along the trail.  What a feeling!  We had come off of a long ascent and were on the back side of the hill, running down some long switch backs and into to some boggy areas with plank bridges.  Whooosh!  The scenery flew by, and I believe I yelled some profanity comparing the hell that is road racing verses the beauty of the trail.  I whooped and hollered, and had another runner doing the same in short order!  I made some drastically good time, and even though I walked up Oberg Mountain, my legs still felt pretty strong.

I ran in to the Oberg Mountain aid station feeling fresh, but I took my time there, eating potatoes in salt and grabbing some more water.  Jason wasn't far behind, and he saw that I wanted to get going again.  He loaded up on a peanut-butter and jelly sandwich and a banana.  In hindsight, I should have fueled up more, but I wasn't expecting two and a half hours of running to sap me out badly.

My parents were waiting at the aid station, and they were having a great time talking to other parents and spectators.  They told me of a woman they met who was crewing for her boyfriend, a pacer for the famed Scott Jurek.  They didn't catch his name, but I'll take a look at the roster to see if I can't figure it out (could it be Dusty Olson?).  She asked about me, and Mom and Dad filled her in about my Grandma's race.  When she learned that this was my first trail race, she declared that I would be hooked.

When I saw them, I quickly handed them my coat and fuel belt. I wanted to take on the second half without them.  When Jason entered the aid station, he left his coat with them, too. They didn't realize it, but I had just enlisted them as my crew. :)  They told me about the declaration, and I grinned affirmation.  Yes, I think I'm hooked.

Right away on our return trip, I recognized my mistake in pushing it so early in the race.  My legs were drained.  Jason, Steve, and I plodded on and back into the woods, up the hills that I had just blasted down.  My left hip was starting to fatigue, followed a few miles later by my right hip.  Jason was tired and trying to look around at the scenery to enjoy himself a bit, but each time he let his mind wander, he would trip. He had dropped back at one point, and I thought I had lost him for a while.  Steve and I talked some more, and he was kind enough to share a Hammer gel with me -- since I had forgotten to grab some for the run back.  It definitely helped.

Jason soon rejoined us, and Steve went off ahead shortly after Jason tripped badly one more time.  Jason and I slowed down to a walk for much of the switch backs in the last three miles of the race.  Better safe and slower than fast and broken.  We stopped at a summit overlooking the hills and valleys for a picture, and Ed joined us for the picture.  We again stopped at the bridge right off Poplar River that runs past Caribou Heights.  I tightened up the laces on my shoes, since they were feeling really sloppy.  I was beginning to feel the heat of blisters forming and lamented the fact that I should have done this adjustment back at Oberg.

The last half mile of the run was all road, and for some reason, my body was giving up.  I just couldn't keep going.  I wanted to stop and walk, but with Jason's encouragement, I kept going.  One stride at a time, we kept on jogging right up to the finish line.  We held our hands up and crossed the finish line together in 2:55:20!

At the finish line! (Photo courtesy of Jason Tintes.)

We hung out at the finish line, and my parents went to the lodge to get some food.  There was chili, fruit, and water for the racers, and I downed an entire orange in about two minutes.  I was so famished!  I had laid down in a grassy patch in front of the conference room with my water to let my body recover, but when I tried to get back up, my hip flexor cramped up, twice!  About fifteen minutes later, my thigh cramped up!  I definitely left all my energy out there on the trail!

Would I do it again?  Hell yes!  The wheels in my head are now turning over the new data as I start to plan trail training runs and camping!