Week 6: Pre-run fueling with homemade PB bars! | Feed Your Runner

Read about Clayton's training trip, our current favorite audiobook, & Jackie's helpful graphic. Plus this week's yummy picks, grocery lists, & nutrition tip!

Hi friend,

Welcome to February!

Clayton spent last weekend in Boston on a training trip. He’s the kind of runner who likes to memorize every turn and know which tangents to take, so having that time to train on the course will prove invaluable! He drove the course and ran most of it, even though it was a little tricky with slushy conditions and lots of red lights. Now we’re happy to have him home!

This week the girls and I listened to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe as we drove in the car. Wow, it was even better than I remembered! One day we drove to the park and then just sat in the car listening to the story because we were all so enthralled. :) Highly recommend as a kid-friendly and thought-provoking read-aloud!

I’ve been thinking about this graphic that Jackie shared with me, and I thought it might be a helpful visual to share here. I love that all foods fit into the different phases of training, and each have their purpose and their time to shine.

We’re in the training cycle portion, with lots of carbs, protein drinks before bed, and carb mixes during workouts. Only 10 more Mondays to go before the Boston Marathon!

Take care,

Ashley

Breakfast

Clayton runs twice a day, and his morning run is usually 10-12 miles. So breakfast is a big event! We aim for protein and lots of carbs, particularly carbs now that his training is intensifying. In addition to this week’s options, we’ll serve things like toast, hash browns, and granola each morning.

Lunch

Clayton usually eats big breakfasts (post morning run) and big dinners (post afternoon run), so we keep lunch time pretty simple. His typical go-to is turkey sandwiches with pretzels or chips, or mac-n-cheese if our 4-year-old has her way. We’ll include a serving of tuna this week for omega-3s as well.

Snack

I’m so excited about these bars! Thanks to Annie and Olivia for making a permanent place for this family favorite!

My aunt Tawny shared this recipe with me while Clayton was running in college, and they’ve become a staple in our freezer ever since. It’s one of his favorite things to eat pre-run! They were also my favorite middle-of-the-night snack while I was soothing a crying baby, so no matter what phase of life you’re in, I hope you try them out.

We’ve swapped the chocolate chips for red and green m&ms at Christmas time, and this week I will try adding some freeze-dried strawberries for some Valentine’s day fun!

Dinner

Monday: easy mileage

I love serving a bowl-type meal on the night before a workout because Clayton can load up on the rice base to get the carbs he needs.

Tuesday: workout

We love post-workout omega-3s!

Wednesday: easy mileage

You can swap the quinoa for rice if you’re looking for more pre-workout carbs!

Thursday: workout

Korean inspired ground turkey bowl leftovers.

Since we’re now serving this meal post workout, we’ll serve more ground turkey in addition to the rice in order to meet Clayton’s recovery needs after a hard workout.

Friday: easy mileage

Crockpot Southwest chicken bowl leftovers.

Saturday: long run

Clayton alternates between running 20 or 25 miles on Saturday, usually with speed work built in. I know it sounds crazy to feed him soup after an effort like that, but here’s how I’m going to make it filling:

1. Stir in Greek yogurt to his bowl to make it extra creamy and add some extra protein.

2. Add an additional can of beans for protein and carbs.

3. Serve it with several pieces of bread or toast for additional carbs.

Sunday: recovery day

Crockpot creamy white chicken chili leftovers.