I run so I can eat

I’d been training for Bloomsday since February … eating right (or at least not so wrong), cutting back on the booze (running is hard enough without a killer hangover) and ramping up the workouts (from 5 a month to 5 a week). So this weekend I gave myself permission to go a little crazy.

The “big race” was on the horizon and I’d been doing plenty of (Cliff’s Notes) reading about the nutritional needs of people who consider themselves runners. For the record I’m more of a fogger – that’s fast and jogger squished together – but I figure I’m still in need of nutrition advice because any time I try to run after eating nothing but cupcakes I kind of feel like complete and utter crap.

And, since trying to stuff too many pertinent factoids into my brain at one time tends to make me urpy, I decided to choose a few of the most relevant and go for it:
1.) It’s very important for an active body to have an ample store of sugars to draw upon on long run days (or something like that …).
2.) Every body metabolizes carbs at a different rate.
3.) Carbs and carbos might or might not mean something different to different people.
4.) It’s better to have too many carbs (or carbos) to burn than not enough (Amen).
5.) It’s a good idea to continue loading your body with carbs after the run just in case you accidentally burned too many during your heavy, sweaty, painful bout of physical activity.

A big pasta dinner at home with the boys on Friday kicked off my weekend of caloric debauchery. And from there, well, just see for yourself …

Behold (above) my Saturday morning breakfast. The BBIT (Best Breakfast In Town) at the Otis Grill. It was heavenly … a big jumble of hash browns, scrambled eggs, cheese, green peppers and onions, sausage, bacon and ham, with two pieces of toast. I almost cleaned my plate but wanted to leave room for ice cream. I mean, lunch.
And here’s a photo of my Saturday night dinner, the chimichanga (yes, it’s deep-fat-fried!) platter at Dos Amigos on Trent. Ay, ay, ay … I ate the whole thing! But I managed to leave a few fork-fulls of rice and beans. I totally could have finished it, but my running pants only have so much give.

And here’s a shot of my full-calorie liquid refreshment at the Blue Spark, Sunday morning after the race was over. I’m smiling because this Newcastle tastes fabulous with the Godiva dark chocolate Eric had waiting for me at the finish line, and because I’m on my way to a three-beer buzz.

I ate the two Sunday-afternoon Krispy Kremes too quickly to snap a photo. But they were both chocolate, and one came complete with Kreme-y filling …

Monday morning I fully intended to get back on the sensible-eating-plan wagon, but Mother Nature had a different idea. The crazy winds screwed with our power lines and we found ourselves without electricity at breakfast time – and my body was jonesing for some serious calories. So, since said body had been so good to me during the race, I rewarded it, just one more time.

Is there any better way to end a gut-busting bender than a trip to Dave’s Bar & Grill? (Yeah, that’s a cup of sausage gravy next to the fried potatoes.) I think not.