Runner's World Cookbook Review

True story. The other day I sent an email to Runner's World requesting a review of my novel; On the Lips of Children. They should be interested, right?

Well, just moments letter an email appeared from Runner's World. Yep, those guys.  How cool, a response?! It read:

Hello Bloggers: Runner’s World magazine is releasing its first cookbook on October 1, just in time for the fall marathon season...

That’s right. They wanted to send me a book, I would be sending them nothing. In other words, “Don’t you know who we are? You review us, mister, we don’t review you.”

Of course, it was all just coincidence. Either way, I was flattered and happy to be asked.

Days later, the Runner’s World Cookbook was dropped off by a super-duper cute and dreamy UPS guy. 

Here are my thoughts:

This is not just a book, its’a  full color, hardcover, coffee table sized book. Solid.

My new book and new shoes, getting cozy

Then I started to read, and I have to say the plot is terrible, and really, well..,

But it’s a cookbook. And not just a cookbook, but more a nutritional guide.  A cookbook for runners is a perfect match. For example, Scott Jurek and his diet go hand in hand. Scott could sell his bile to the rest of us to use as GU at mile 21 of the marathon. Since that may not be available, check the Runner's World Cookbook out for some Scott Jurek recipes.

"If Only I Wasn't Vegan, I could have had some Long Run Cakes With Peanut Butter Cream Cheese"

As it says in the book, and I paraphrase, we need to eat right to run, and some of us run just to eat.

Eating right is a discipline I certainly haven’t mastered. I eat plenty of good food. Nuts, lean meats, vegetables, whole grains, but I also add the terrible stuff. Pizza, ice cream, chocolate with licorice chaser. Frosted strawberry pop-tarts are a pre Long-run staple.

There’s a foreward by Deena Kastor that discusses how her diet in the 2004 Athens Olympics help her become the first American to medal in the marathon since 1984, and how eating well does not just cultivate a solid running base, but builds relationships

After the foreward, there’s a section on “How to Eat Like A Runner”.

 As I skimmed the plot looking for the good parts, my eyes were drawn as much to the recipes as to the ingredients used. This is where the charts were helpful.  There is a bread and pasta guide, a ‘how to get your rainbow of fruit’ guide, a how to use healthy oils guide, and a guide to sources of protein divided by veggie, meat & poultry, and seafood

 

But it's the recipe key that makes this book stand out for runners. Colored tabs on the top of the page designate if it is best for a Prerun Meal, a Post Run meal, if it can be prepared Fast, if it's Vegetarian, Vegan, Low Calorie or Gluten Free. 

My premise that all I needed to know about running nutrition is chocolate milk and tart cherry juice has been destroyed.

If you are looking to make some tweaks in your training and lifestyle changes, this would certainly be an essential tool to have. It has my full endorsement. Thanks Runner's World, for the copy. The book is due out October 1st. Check it out on Amazon, or  for more information and excerpts, click here.

I hope I can learn to use it as a resource. I really need to. Here's a short clip of me gorging after my last long run.

 

Magic Elixers, Running To Eat, and Throwing Up In My Mouth

I may be the only person in the world who sometimes gains weight while running marathons. My appetite goes through the roof after a run, especially a long run, and these cravings last for days.  So I eat.  I try to eat healthy, and in fact, I do eat healthy.  Meaning I eat whole grains, low fat meat, lots of fruit with yogurt, always go for some post-run recovery foods, and drink plenty of water.

But, I also eat unhealthy  (Huh?) meaning I love pizza, a nice Five Guys Burger, ice cream, chocolates, and diet coke. My favorite is pizza followed by Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream. All that leads to gaining weight at times while I am training.  I really think there is an ideal 'running weight'   Yes, I hate to see the emerging middle-aged guy paunch appearing, my little baby bump.  (which I often rub and tell my kids it's their little baby brother MAX who is on the way)  but what I mostly hate is lugging around the extra few pounds on my gut during races. While you would think 4 to 5 lbs doesn't' make a difference, ask yourself what 2 pounds in each shoe would feel like.

Bates Burgers

I understand about all the negative spiral of eating sugar and fats and thus craving sugar and fats, and I am a great victim. 

On a related note, I had a REI member yearly rebate and  a 20% off coupon, so went and grabbed a ton of supplements, some proven and true, but others just as an experiment.  FRS energy chews and Gu have been staples in my training diet, but I have never tried Hammer Recoverite, Gu Chomps, and Hammer Gels.  The Hammer Gels are supposed to be more natural without the sugar and thus no sugar spikes.

 My stash from REI

After trying them all, the Recoverite did show a noticeable improvement for recovery over chocolate milk so I am a believer. The chomps are dangerously yummy like fruit snacks but it's difficult to tell if they helped my run. Both of these I will try again. However, the Hammer Gu's made me throw up in my mouth. And I am not talking about the "wow, what you said was so gross I threw up in my mouth"  but the kind where you think "wow, I have bile in my mouth while running and now it needs to go back down the hatch."

So, I was thinking about doing a giveaway for the two Hammer Gels I have left. I can mail them to you in an envelope, but my guess is they would be smashed before they arrive, and surely you might suspect I had mailed the bile and not the Gel, cause in the end, there's not much difference is there. 

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