So, I ran a lovely 10k yesterday, my first in a month after I had a low energy blip. On the advice of my sports massage guy, I slightly increased the amount of carbs in my diet, as he felt it was rather low for a regular runner. Just the odd jacket potato and tuna for lunch here and there instead of my usual salad, the odd baked sweet potato and feta for tea. Now, it could be coincidence, but I do feel I am recovering better from my long runs now. Today I am looking at a beautiful blue sky and longing to run again! I feel like I could, but recovery days are important so I won’t. A lovely walk in the sun will have to do. But it is great to not feel at all wiped out after a long run. I took it nice and slow and it was really pleasurable, even the last km! 😂
Second revelation: a generous teaspoon of peanut butter in your porridge is a game changer for porridge! OMG delicious. 😁
Thirdly: how gorgeous is this autumn! Picture taken at my run yesterday at around 8am. Gladdens the heart.
Hope you are all doing well.
Sadie-runs xxx
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Thanks Ted. 😁 I don’t eat meat (other than a bit of fish now and again), so always looking for ingenious ways to get more protein. Honestly, it tastes much better than it sounds! 😘
Shows how different we all are! Ted. I feel the same about your maple syrup 🤮I’m not as polite as you 😀. But whatever goes in it, there’s no doubt it’s good fuel/food.
In the past I always worried that too many carbs would heft the old weight on, but since increasing them, not only do I recover better from my runs (with more energy on the run to boot!), I have lost 2Ib. Poor carbs, much maligned, but so crucial for runners like you say.
I added peanut butter and honey - salt and sweet = yummers.
I trust the peanut butter was crunchy 😀. That adds a whole new dimension!
Second favourite is banana and some cocoa.
Have you tried overnight oats? I often make it before work and have for lunch (so a bit of a misnomer). I use approx 15g oats, 100g Greek yog, 40g raspberries as a base and add as and if I feel.
Hi Irishprincess I eat and run on a lower carb diet and it’s never affected my performance so it obviously suits me which is key. I think the bad press comes from the excess ‘unsuitable’ simple carbs that many people eat day to day.I feel the message is getting mixed and lost. Just my thoughts, not wanting to be controversial. Loved your running posts from your recent holiday. Made me think of venturing out that way.
Thanks Annie! And yes, it was crunchy. 😁 I have tried overnight oats (great for summer!) And oooh banana and cocoa sounds fab!
Well, whatever works for your body! I just found more carbs helped me. It can be trial and error with nutrition, sometimes. And there definitely good carbs and bad carbs, and I am sticking to the good ones, obvs. 😁
Hi AnnieW55 that's really interesting. Do you eat a lot of protein? I think you're right about the bad press and there are so many bad carbs easily available.
I use carbs to feel full as I'm one of those people who have to eat every couple of hours but funnily recently I've been trying to cut back a bit and focus more on protein but once the cold weather starts I'll be on carbs again 😏
Whatever works for us I guess.
Glad you enjoyed the posts. I'd definitely recommend Croatia to anyone. Lots of good running routes 🙂
I tend towards higher good fats, medium protein, lower good carbs. Protein is around 1-1.2g/kg of body weight. I’m not obsessive about it, it just seems to work out that way. However, as I’m going to be sedentary for a while that will drop a bit. Generally speaking, too much protein turns to glucose in the body and ends up being processed like carbs.My fats are always full fat to avoid the various fillers that are put into low fat stuff. I know reduced fat cows milk is just that with nothing added but MrAW prefers it so we go with that. Good fat is filling, like protein.
Our bodies are amazing, individual things. The old “one man’s meat is another man’s poison” really is true. You need to eat regularly and I regularly forget to eat😀.
Yes I'm a full fat person too. I was starting to lose too much weight when running longer runs and generally doing more exercise and switched to full fat a few years ago. It's worked beautifully! And so much tastier 😋
Sadie, look what you started when you mentioned carbs!
Yes. There are good carbs and bad carbs. Another truism for me is that as you get older your tastes change. Who would’ve thought that the younger milk-chocoholic me would actually now prefer 99% dark chocolate!
Wonderful picture, which makes me feel like getting out to the country. I don't know if I'll be able to run but your post definitely has motivated me to get out. And will also try peanut butter in porridge Thank you for the tip!
Hello Elfe5! I'm doing alright but haven't been able to run as much lately as I would like to despite a great summer: usual tiredness due to work but also a bit more with the new thyroid chemical medicine. Sometimes I feel really sluggish and a bit of pain in the right glutes which feels like a bursitis... So, I've been running more slowly than when I reached the 10K last May and twice a week at best. I felt a bit discouraged not to reach a level of comfortableness again after an awful bronchitis in June as well (you know what it is like as you had one sometime ago). As it's holiday now, I'm going to stick to the 3 runs this week focusing on 5kms and see how I feel. What about you? I seem to remember you also had some trouble with a knee? I hope you're doing fine, gambolling on Dave Brubeck and that the Scottish weather still offers some sunny days!
Oh Anthie, I’m sorry to hear about those health frustrations. I found it took quite a while after the pneumonia- I felt really tired for a long time, but it eventually came right. I hope you feel better soon - in the circumstances I think you are doing really well to hang on in there.😄
I have just made it back to running for 30 mins, so I will consolidate for a few weeks. Yes, I’m still gambolling ( slowly) to Brubeck. Desert Island Discs keeps me happy too! Take care, enjoy your holiday xx😃
I managed 6,5 km this morning, feeling fine and not limping during the cool down walk lol. The glutes were alright but I'm stretching every day or so... So I shouldn't complain really. I know it takes time, especially when you've never been an athlete in the the first place! I only wish I were just as motivated to do the marking I've got to do as I am for the runnning
I'm glad to hear you are back to the 30 minute runs! Take care as well and I'll keep an eye for your posts xx
Ha ha! It certainly divides opinion! I cannot get enough of the stuff! And thank you. 😘
Yay, so good to hear from you Sadie. You seem to be loving your running at the moment, and so encouraging for the likes of me!! Interesting tips about carbs, I’ve been thinking for a while that we need to watch what we shovel into our faces must have an impact on our running. Thank you for being our guinea pig too
Hello Neil. 😁 It’s only really since I started upping the mileage that I started to think about food and the impact on running. I was a pretty healthy eater before, but realised I could be better - mostly a wee bit more protein and a wee bit more healthy carbs. Like I said, it’s trial and error really! I love food. I run to eat. 😂 And yes, I am back in love with running. Hoorah! Hope all is well with you, VRB. xx
Lovely photo and lovely post Sadie. I'm looking at my nutrition too as I can get light headed before/during/after runs. I found an online company that deliver porridge topping (nuts, seeds, dried fruit), overnight oats, bar and bread mixes and healthy snacks. I am tucking into raw apple and peanut butter right now after a hilly 6km. Yummy!
Loving the musings - and you're the second person to mention peanut butter and porridge as a combination this week (must give it a go!).
Your photo looks so inviting. Feel as though I keep missing the good weather days - they're either rest days or the weather improves as soon as I stop running. Determined not to be put off though.
Simple goals is definitely the way to go for me at this time of year. Getting out and running on dark evenings is sometimes challenge enough!
I am always looking for new ways to spice my porridge up. My boyfriend is Scottish, and generally horrified at what I do to my porridge. 😂 So annoying when the sunny days coincide with rest days pfffft. But let's face it, we are going to have to be prepared for running in all kinds of weather over the next 6 months. I for one am not looking forward to it, but am going to get out by hook or by crook. I try and look on the bright side – hot bath and hot tea after cold run is lovely.
Lovely photo! And great to hear you're enjoying your running more. I've just had a delicious scone after this afternoon's forest walk, so hoping to be well carbed-up for my interval running session tomorrow! No peanut butter in my porridge ... can't stand peanuts in any form, so I'll stick to my berries Tom Venuto, who wrote the excellent "Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle" and "The Bodyfat Solution" recommends 50% calories from fibrous carbs, 30% good quality protein and 20% good quality fats as a starting point for most people interested in health and fitness. I don't think my scone would fully meet with his approval!
Yes - the colours this autumn are stunningly beautiful! It's a delight to get out and enjoy it
Thanks AP! Autumn is the most photogenic of the seasons, I think. The light is just beautiful. And scones? Great running fuel! Peanuts are not for everyone. I also like almond butter but my goodness is it pricey. I like the sound of that Venuto felly, but I fear I would not have the discipline to follow such guidelines! I am mostly veggie, so suspect I get most of my daily needs in terms of fibrous carbs.
And thanks - am really enjoying the runs again. My blip was only for a week or so, but it was most worrying! But I have learned that how to deal with a slight loss of mojo now, so that was a valuable lesson. Gawd, so much to learn about running! xx
Peanut butter in porridge??!! So far I have put grated apple, grated pear, various defrosted berries, mashed banana, and mixed seeds into porridge. ( Not all at once!😂) Peanut butter I must try - savoury porridge tunes in with my Scottish ancestors! 😃
I know it makes me sound like an old hippy, but I love trees. When you photograph them, they almost look like portraits. And lovely to hear from you! I was just thinking of you today, and how it feels like an age since I last heard from you! Hope you are well. You are so on your porridge game! Seeds are a fave of mine too - pumpkin and chia a current favourite addition. xx
No, no you have to hug trees for hippy status! 😂 Autumn trees are wonderful.
I’m ok thanks. I’m feeling pleased because I have just made it back to those 30 min runs after my knee injury, so time to settle into some consolidation for a few weeks. 😀
Sadie. I love your pictures. I love your run reports. I love sharing your experiences, growth and positivity. BUT. I will not be looking to you for food advice or for recipes any time soon. Peanut butter in porridge? what are you thinking? peanut butter should be banned altogether, and certainly not introduced to a perfectly good breakfast!
A lovely photo Sadie. Is this one of your London parks? I’m glad to hear that you’ve found an answer to your lack of energy. It’s a long time since I’ve had peanut butter bu it might have to go on the next shopping list. I used to love peanut butter and banana sandwiches mmm. Peanut 🥜 🍌 🥪 ❤️
Oh Sadie!! That is a glorious scene there!! I can imagine running there must have been fantastic!! I’m glad you're feeling much better having made some adjustments to your diet. Go you!! Run on Sadie!! 😍😍🤩❤️
It was truly life-affirming! We have been treated to a beautiful autumn, and I am so glad that now I am a runner I can truly take advantage of it! And diet: yes, all it took was small tweaks. Thing is, not sure whether it was coincidental that my energy came back or it was a result of the extra carbs and protein! Ah well, i am enjoying food and running right now, so that's what counts. xxx
Sounds like your change of diet is definitely doing the trick! Beautiful pic of a beautiful Autumn, we are very lucky at the moment, these days are perfect for us runners 😊
Your post made me smile, so heart warming & lovely that you’re getting so much pleasure out of your runs xx
Mmmmm...peanut butter and porridge, guess what I’m having for breakfast tomorrow?!!!
I even enjoyed my intervals this morning! In the dark, too! Lorks, what is Sadie-runs coming to?! Hope you like the peanut butter in porridge – it seems to divide opinion! Bit like Marmite. Hope all is well with you, lovely Bev-lar. xxx
Thanks JoJo. Funny how small tweaks to diet can have such an effect. One year on and still loads to learn about this lovely running malarkey! Not a fan of porridge?! What?! It’s great stuff! (Mind you, took me a while of grimly eating it before I became a convert - and I do have to pimp it up!) 😂
Well, it wasn’t a particularly joyful run, so wouldn’t know what to say. It was kind of perfunctory. 😊 Hot bath after felt great though, and I was happy to get a long run in. Two days rest now, as I feel I need it. xxx
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Thank you for the tip!
Maybe a *temporary* setback... :/
Being tired is not an excuse...😴!
A slow and slippery return run !
Willow 2k Sola 3k after work 
Cheeky nearly negative splits! 😅🏃♀️
