Running Snacks

As those among us who unfortunately find ourselves living in Europe would know, Saturday’s sunshine was a fluke. For someone who was born along the equator, I find it almost impossible to believe that I’m outdoors running in a thin cotton T-shirt one day, and watching flurries of snow outside the window a short 48 hours later. So it was back on the treadmill yesterday for a 9mi (14.4km) run that was over before I knew it.

The returning cold and disappearance of light does several things to me, the worst of it feeling like I have no energy. I can only keep my fingers tightly crossed that we will see sun on race day, or else my engine may fail to start. On the other hand, it could also be because my lunches have been looking mostly like this:

Delicious…

But not exactly balanced.

During the medical check-up to get my clearance for the race, after going through my usual diet, the doctor advised me to eat less leafy vegetables. I thought my ears were deceiving me; surely I must be the first person in the world to be told this? She went on to elaborate that switching to starchy root vegetables and pulses will deliver the same vitamins and minerals, but also give me more energy, and reduce digestive distress which running can sometimes create.

I’m not in denial; I take enough photos of my meals to have all the evidence before me that I do indeed eat quite a diabolical amount of vegetables, and it does concern me what may happen on race day. I’m not willing to give up my favourite meal completely, but I am willing to tweak its contents to be more runner-friendly. This is a simple trick I’ve learnt that will help people lose or gain weight. It’s not about cutting out something completely, but making small changes to existing habits that will add up over the long run.

In this meantime, this runner’s been busy getting the energy from elsewhere…

Drink your food, eat your drinks

Earl Grey Muffins

150g flour
100g brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg 100ml milk
50ml earl grey tea, brewed and cooled (save teabag)
4 tablespoons oil
2 teaspoons vanilla essence

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
Mix dry ingredients in one bowl.
Mix wet ingredients in another bowl.
Snip open the earl grey teabag and add leaves into the wet ingredients.Yes, they’re edible. No, you won’t die.
Make a well in the dry ingredients, pour wet ingredients in, and fold. Don’t overmix.
Spoon into muffin pans, pop into oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

When I was in my early teens and had just picked up running, I recall eating a lot of bars. Energy bars, granola bars, trail bars, basically anything with the word “bar” in it. I realize now that it’s just mostly processed carbs glued together with a lot of corn syrup and sorely overpriced. If I’m going to be eating refined flours, I might as well eat a fresh homemade version of it, instead of something that’s wrapped in foil and been sitting on a supermarket shelf for the last 8 months.

Now if only someone can enlighten me on how to make muffins portable during a long run…