FAQ

FAQ’s

How did you become a runner? I was a bit overweight in middle school due to a combination of bad eating habits (Burger King everyday!) and not being active. At the beginning of high school, I became involved in extracurricular activities and eventually joined the track & field team. As I mentioned in my About Me page, at first I wasn’t able to run very far or fast. As a freshman, I remember worrying about being able to complete a 400m (.25 mile) race! As the years went by, I slowly built up mileage and confidence and recently finished my second marathon (26.2 miles). My advice is to start slow, build mileage gradually, and enjoy the process.

How many miles do you run each day? My daily mileage varies greatly. During marathon training, my long runs get up to 20-21 miles and I run 6-13 miles on the other days. When I’m not training for a marathon, I stick to about 40 miles per week, averaging about 4-6 miles per day with a ~10 mile long run on the weekend.

What kind of marathon training program did you follow? For the 2010 NYC marathon, I made my own training program which can be found here: https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B15F9QS_YnaKYzU3ODc1ZGYtYWQ5Ny00MDM1LWFlNTktZDI4YTYzYjA5MDNh&authkey=CIbT9J8E

It’s a mixture of Greg Mcmillan philosophy (the progression long run), CPTC workouts (track intervals and tempos), and what I know works for my body (high mileage, rest day every 7-10 days).

Where do usually run? Now that I live in Satatoga Springs, I like to run in my neighborhood or in the local state park. And from time to time I will run on the treadmill – I’m not a fan of icy roads! When I lived in Brooklyn I did most of my running in Prospect Park and Central Park was my go-to when I lived in Manhattan. I am also a big fan of the “run commute”. While living in NYC, I would run to or from work occasionally (it was a 7-10 mile route depending on which way I went).

 Do you do any strength training? Err….I’m working on this. I know it’s not a very good excuse, but it’s tough to find time for weightlifting when you’re running 50+ miles a week.

How many calories do you eat per day? I don’t count calories, but sometimes I estimate to make sure I’m getting enough. On light exercise days I probably eat around 2,000-2,400 calories and on long run days it’s closer to 3,000. Everyone has different calorie needs – some need less, some need more – depending on age/gender/activity level.  I recently read Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook and I found it to be very insightful and practical. She backed up her writing with plenty of research and studies. Beyond advocating a balanced diet full of fruits, veggies, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and lean protein – Nancy really emphasizes the importance of carbohydrates for endurance athletes. I highly recommend the book!

What do you typically eat in a day? Breakfast always includes  coffee and some kind of fruit. Depending on the day I’ll add yogurt, oatmeal, granola bar, or a small bagel with peanut butter. Lunch is usually a salad or sandwich – I try to fit in veggies whenever I can. In the afternoons I’ll have a snack of greek yogurt with fruit or maybe some potato chips.  🙂 🙂 Dinner depends on the day – it might be a salad with a fried egg, turkey chili, homemade pizza or something more elaborate if I have time! And I have a sweet tooth, so you can always count on a few cookies or ice cream for dessert!

What are your favorite foods? I love greek yogurt (esp. Fage 2%!!), apples, berries, nut butter & raspberry jam on grainy bread, any type of legume (beans and nuts!), crinkle cut french fries, and ice cream. And good beer. That totally counts as a food.

What’s the best meal you ever had? Hmm, this is a tough one. I think my most memorable food experience was with my Italian professor in Italy. She took us to a place called Teatro del Sale in Florence for lunch and it was AMAZING! The restaurant operates like a private eating club, but a year long membership only cost a few Euros for students. The dishes just kept on coming out of the kitchen – I was thoroughly stuffed after the first course, but everything just tasted SO delicious that I just had to try everything. Awhile ago I had some homemade macaroni and cheese that was out-of-this-world.

How can I eat well without breaking the bank? See my post about Cheap Eats – focus on inexpensive proteins like dried beans, peanut butter, and eggs. And buy produce in season! Local apples will taste better and cost less than raspberries from Chile! Also, the more food prep that you do at home, the more money you can save. For example, soaking and cooking your own beans takes more time, but it’s very cost effective. If your local grocery store has bulk bins – take advantage! That way you can purchase only when you’ll use. Plus it’s often less expensive since there’s no fancy packaging. Finally, check out weekly sale circulars and use coupons. It’s the only way that I can afford Whole Foods 🙂

I work long hours and don’t have time to prepare healthy food. Any advice? If you have time on the weekends, cook up a big batch of rice & beans, hard boiled eggs, lasagna, stew, or other tasty dish. Enjoy the meal for dinner on Sunday and then pack up the leftovers for the week ahead. Rice and beans can be eaten with roasted veggies one night, turned into burritos the next night, and added to bulk up a soup on the third night. Hardboiled eggs can be a quick breakfast, a salad topper, or an egg salad sandwich. And if you have to grab something quick – fast food restaurants are offering some decent options these days. Try an egg McMuffin or a fruit & yogurt parfait from McDonalds or a veggie & cheese sub from subway. You can even make a healthy choice at a convenience store – try mixed nuts, low fat milk, a box of raisins, or some pretzels dipped in mustard.

Disclaimer: I am not a registered dietician. The information on this blog is only a reflection of my personal experience and knowledge.