Fitness for EveryBODY LLC

This is the fourth of six blogs written for the awesome folks at FitMKE. I’m very excited and honored — this is a big deal.

Even after racing for years, I still find a few surprises when it comes to race day. In this fourth of six blogs, I’ll share a handful of my favorite foods and better yet, some to avoid. Here’s your chance to create a flawless race day nutrition strategy!

TIP #1 — Before Race: Eat a light morning meal regardless of race time.

The day of your race is last place you want to try something new, especially for breakfast. What you eat hours before, can literally make or break your race. The morning of your 5K, eat 2-4 hours before starting time. Avoid overly sweet or highly caffeinated drinks as they could set havoc to your tummy and make your nerves unravel. Opt for quick, easily digestible carbohydrates and proteins. High fiber and fatty foods may add one more bathroom break to you activities, so stick with the tried and true foods you’ve eaten during training. If you’re not sure what to eat, refer back to my previous blogs leading up to race day.

I’ll never forget the morning I forgot to eat breakfast! Can you believe that? With frazzled nervous and a disorganized plan, I completely skipped my most important fueling of the day. At mile 2, I “bonked” and trudged my way to a disappointing finish. Ever since that race, I’ve planned breakfast and packed my race bag the night before.

Coach Amy’s Favorite Pre-Race Breakfast: 2 slices of toast + almond butter + sliced banana + sprinkling of cinnamon or cocoa powder

TIP #2 — During Race: Use those water stops and stay hydrated.

We’ve talked about water and hydration in every blog thus far because it’s extremely important.  Since weather conditions and your rate of perspiration have a lot to do with the amount and frequency of hydration, as a general rule of thumb, the hotter the day and/or the more you perspire, the more hydration you’ll need.

Take full advantage of those water stops and drink 4-8oz of water every 10-20 minutes. The cups most races provide are just the right size for handling and quantity. If you need a break from running or aren’t out to break records, walk the water stops and soak in the event, especially if it’s your first.

Coach Amy’s Favorite Race Beverage: Water + Grape Nuun (electrolyte enhance drink tab w/o sugar)

TIP #3 — After Race: Replenish glycogen stores and re-hydrate for quick recovery.

Congratulations! You’ve finished, now on to the post-race celebrations and food! As soon as you can, drink water. (I promise you won’t float away.) Within an hour of finishing, or as soon as your stomach settles down, eat a small carbohydrate snack to replenish glycogen stores. You have, after all, just used quite a bit of energy, especially when racing for more than 30 minutes and/or running hard.

During your first post-race meal, eat a protein with a carbohydrate (fruit, veggie, grain, starch…) at a ratio of approximately 1:3. Some studies have shown that by doing so, your body is more receptive to glycogen re-synthesis which means a quicker recovery, less soreness and less fatigue.

Coach Amy’s Favorite Post-Race Snack: Snickerdoodle cookie + 1/2 banana squished on top (messy, but delicious!)

Coach Amy’s Favorite Post-Race Meal: Homemade Nachos — tortilla chips + pinto beans + chicken + red peppers + light sprinkling of cheese + TONS of salsa + avocado

Coming up… DAY AFTER RACE Nutrition: Getting Re-energized and Deciding Next Steps

A lot of folks have asked when I’m coaching another running clinic/workout. Well, I’ve got terrific news. Dave Jesse and I have joined forces again for workout challenge this weekend!

Join me for this and other waist-slimming upcoming events to get you back on track and ready for summer… plus a FREE “Kicking the Sugar Habit” guide to help you lose those extra pounds!

REGISTER HERE for all Classes & Series

Adventure Trail Running Workout – CO-ED
Date/Time: Saturday, May 5, 8:00-9:30am
Location: Valley View Park – Small Road entrance
Cost: $30/person and BRING A FRIEND for $10
Join Coaches Dave Jesse and Amy Friese as they lead you through a trail running workout – the latest fitness running craze. Hurdle fallen trees, climb hills, and quick step rocks (all outdoors). You’ll be amazed at how much fun you’re having during this intense running and strength-based workout to shed fat, increase endorphins and quicken your race pace.

Brew City IMPACT Weekend Classes – CO-ED
Date/Time: Saturday mornings, 7:00-8:00am
Location: South Shore Park (beginning May 12)
**There is no 7:00am IMPACT class on May 5.**
Cost: $20/person and BRING A FRIEND for $10
Weekends are the perfect time to rest but before you do, take advantage of a workout that will challenge and indulge every muscle. Saturday CO-ED workouts are especially unique because we pull together the best exercises from the prior week’s workouts, giving you exactly what you need to fit into those jeans and break through the frustration of not knowing what or how to lose those last few pesky pounds!

Brew City IMPACT Outdoor Series – Women Only
Date/Time: April 30-May 25, 5:30-6:30am
Location: South Shore Park
Cost: $185 for 9 classes — $235 for 12 classes
Even though we’ve started this series, it’s never too late to join Brew City IMPACT! Ah… the splendor of it all. Sand, grass, playground, hills, curbs, rocks and my favorite… stairs! Each workout is unique and created to burn fat, tighten and tone muscles and reduce stress. Be a part of group and get amped up for another outdoor season filled with fresh air, expert nutrition advice and friendly group support.

REGISTER HERE for all Classes & Series

I know how busy you are, so to ensure you don’t miss out on these healthy events, I’ll send you one more reminder tomorrow. And if you have any questions, please give me a call or shoot me an email. I’m always here to help.

PS. If kicking the sugar habit is on your “To Do” list, this FREE Guide is just for you!

It’s the season of rejuvenation and growth, baseball and barbecues! We’ve opened up our windows and put away our snow boots and de-cluttered our homes. Hooray, for Spring! It’s also the perfect time of the year to breathe new life into our bodies and clear our minds!

It’s in harmony with the season that we want to grow, stand up tall, and strengthen our roots. So many of us start the new year at full speed, and by this time of year, we are already on overload! As with any big cleaning project, we need to look around, take a deep breathe and dive in, one step at a time. Start by sweeping out any negativity that is looming around, and end with the clarity of what balance looks and feels like in your life. Life balance is a bit like laundry or yard work. We can’t exactly ignore it, and there’s always more to do, but it sure is gratifying to have clean socks and fresh-cut grass! Take time for yourself and adopt the mentality of living only in the present. There’s a quote by Jeb Dickerson that says, “I need neither future nor past, but to learn to take today not too fast.” Let it soak in and resonate in your daily life.

A big part of achieving the balance we strive for starts with cleaning from the inside out. Our bodies store the “heavier” foods we take in throughout the winter months and this can wipe out our energy levels and leave us feeling a bit bah, and sluggish. It’s a great time to clear out the toxins and take advantage of the colorful, nutritious foods that Spring has to offer! Here are some seasonal fruits and veggies to look for in your local market:

• Apricots
• Asparagus
• Artichoke
• Avocado
• Basil
• Green Beans
• Mango
• Spring Greens
• Sugar Snap Peas

This is the third of six blogs written for the awesome folks at FitMKE. I’m very excited and honored — this is a big deal.

Secrets revealed! Here are several of mine that led to PRs (personal records) in two 5K races earlier this year. They’re a lot simpler than you’d think and extremely beneficial. Practice makes perfect, so get a leg up on optimizing your preparation by experimenting with these tips leading up to your race.

THREE DAYS BEFORE RACE: Decrease overall calories as you decrease mileage = Taper.

Tapering, slowly decreasing your mileage and calories, is important because it allows your body time to store energy and rest before a race. Even though a 5K is not as taxing on glycogen stores as a half or full marathon, cutting back on extra calories will further ensure favorable race day performance. About three days before race day, I keep carbohydrate intake to approximately 60% and eat up fresh  veggies, fruits, sprouted breads, quinoa pasta, and sweet potatoes. I spend the remaining calories on fats and proteins, at 20% each.

One component I have to constantly remind myself about is that it’s completely normal to feel “fat” or sluggish during my taper. Why? As we train, water and glycogen gets stored in our muscles, and it’s exactly what we want for race day since it gives us that extra push to finish strong and recover quick.

TWO DAYS BEFORE RACE: “Fluid-load” and get extra rest.

As much as I love a cold brew, beer, energy drinks, and alcohol don’t fit the bill here. Instead, drink as much water as you can until you urine is pale-yellow in color. Dark urine = dehydration. We need an ample supply of water for normal skin, muscle, brain and organ function. Add the demands of racing and we need even more or our bodies will pay the price. If you’re unsure and have questions, click here for a free Sports Drink guide to demystify when water or a sports drink is the best option for you.

Get in your zzz’s two nights before your race. If your race is Saturday, hit the hay a little earlier than usual on Thursday night. Not only will you be rested and energized for your race, you’ll feel great the next day in general, too. I remind myself by setting an alarm on my phone, “Go to bed, Speed Racer! Rest now = fast race on Saturday.” Sure, I get a good giggle out of it, but it works well in slowing me down to sleep.

ONE DAY BEFORE RACE: Eat clean and decrease high fiber and fatty foods.

Eating clean means sticking with foods that had roots or a mother, and avoiding processed junk. I learned the hard way to avoid high fiber and fatty foods the night before a race. They did exactly as they were intended and got things moving… during my race. Not what I’d consider optimal but definitely a lesson learned that I can laugh about it now. So, enjoy that pasta dinner on Friday, but skip the extra bread and olive oil dip.

BONUS TIP: Lay out your gear and pack your race bag the night before, including but not limited to these items:

• racing shoes
• racing clothes
• hat
• sunglasses
• pre- or post-race snacks
• race number and pins
• change of clothes post-race if you plan to stick around or go elsewhere before heading home
• sunscreen
• lip balm
• i-Pod
• 2 filled water bottles (sports drink and water)
• Body Glide if chaffing is an issue. Yeah, it happens.

Following each tip while counting down those three final days before your 5K will set you up for success. I promise you’ll learn what works just as much as what doesn’t work. Take it all in stride, pay attention and run with purpose. Make it fun and make it count.

Coming up… RACE DAY Nutrition: The Nitty Gritty to a Killer 5K. Even after racing for several years, I still find a few surprises when it comes to race day. In my fourth blog, I’ll share a handful of my favorite foods and better yet, some to avoid. Don’t miss your chance to gain insight that could help you figure out your very best race day nutrition strategy. Chemistry set not required. 

To be a successful runner, it takes a balance of nutrition, training and rest. FitMKE and I would love to help you be the most successful you can, by offering a free boot camp class called Brew City IMPACT. I guarantee laughter, increased heart-rate, sweat and lots of fun as you progress from a warm-up, to agility training, strength, cardio work and finally cool-down and stretching. Each segment will be specifically programmed to meet your needs as an athlete. SAVE THE DATE – Saturday, May 26, 9:00-10:00am at South Shore Park in Bay View. PLEASE RSVP HERE IF YOU PLAN ON ATTENDING!