New Video Series and Food Log!
First off, I hope your February 2015 is off to a great start! I apologize for my hiatus in blog posts, but I will admit that I feel much better expressing myself through video, pictures and podcasts rather than writing.
So with that in mind, I’ve started a video log series documenting my quest to run an Olympic Trials Marathon Qualifier this year. I’ve targeted the LA Marathon on March 15th (which also happens to be the US National Championships!). To qualify, I’ll need to run a sub 2:18:00. Check out my YouTube channel “Vo2max Productions” for workout videos and new episodes. Here are some of the ones I’ve posted already in this “Training for an OTQ” series:
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOQg96TGSW8[/youtube]
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoE_fgy-_HI[/youtube]
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OAIorQgES4[/youtube]
After the LA Marathon I plan to get back into ultras with Comrades and UTMB later in the year. Right now the focus is on getting some speed training back and working on some pretty high intensity workouts. In terms of volume, I actually ran the most mileage I’ve run in the last 2 years (120 miles/week) just last week as well (it helps when you’re running on flat roads and can crank faster!). Finally, as a little experiment to examine my diet (actually this was Sandi’s idea!), I decided to take a picture of pretty much everything I ate during last week’s 120 miles of training. Here is the result:
Food I Ate During A 120-mile Training Week:
NOTE: I actually left out a few things….like drinking more of those green juices that Sandi makes for me most days….actually drinking multiple cups of water in addition to the coffee, tea and beer…taking my vitamins (iron, magnesium, vitamin D, vitamin B12) and grabbing handfuls of chips at random times etc… So this is not a perfect sample…but it’s pretty close!
Typical Breakfasts:
Typical Lunch/Afternoon Snacks:
Typical Dinners:
Typical Midnight Snacks:
Conclusion: I’m basically made out of breads, almond butter, Ugo Bars, Avery Beer, Coffee and Gogi Berries, with the occasional chocolate, avocados, chips, veggies, tofu, tea and honey thrown in!
Thanks so much for following along. I wish you all the best with your running and future races!
Cheers,
Sage
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About the Author (Author Profile)
2-time Olympic Trials Qualifier, Mountain runner, Author of "Running For The Hansons," trail runner, videos for Vo2max Productioins, LLC.Subscribe
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awesome! love the food log … the only way to spice it up would be to include the occasional “VO2Max recipe of the week”!
Hi Sage, great journal of food. I am wondering after running so much how are you surviving and thriving on so less quantity of food. It is working for you so keep going. thanks for putting together this blog. Best of luck for LA Marathon.
Wow Really!?! How is that enough calories? Have you plugged this data into a cronometer for energy, micros, and macros? Keep up the great work!
Man how can you drink alcohol in the middle the night and get a decent sleep? I find that it raises my heart rate and inhibits my deep sleep.
Hey yeah, well for me midnight isn’t the middle of the night! I find that one beer (or one glass of wine) actually helps me fall asleep and relax (not sure if it raises my HR though). I mainly like the taste though and hops help reduce inflammation. Everything in moderation!
I haven’t. Yeah, I was actually surprised how little it was in terms of calories. Usually Sandi and i eat out once a week for dinner and restaurant food for sure is generally more calorie dense (and not as healthy) as cooking at home. When I was in my early 20’s I used to eat whole pizzas for dinner, a huge stack of pancakes for breakfast and a rather large lunch (plus snacks). I think over time my metabolism has slowed a bit and the body is really used to running 100+ mile weeks so I actually don’t get very hungry usually either.
Thanks Patrick! I agree!
Thanks! Yeah, I just think my metabolism is used to eating smaller amounts and running a lot. If I dropped my mileage to less than 70 miles a week and ate the same amount I’d gain weight. I also don’t ever get really hungry like I used to. In the summer Sandi and I did a 10-peak mountain traverse at 12,000′ and I went 8 hours on 1 energy gel (100 calories). I got a bit hungry on that adventure and it wasn’t ideal!
Hey Sage, Thanks for creating inspiring blogs and videos this year i have mad e the goal to run a Marathon thanks to you even though i’m only 16 i have been running 140km a week for 4 weeks now and i have settled in nicely hoping to run under 3:30 for my first one ild like to see more videos on the arthur lydiard method since im from New Zealand and since ive just read one of his books distance training for young athletes by garth gilmour.
Cheers.
I’m similar in that I eat very little meat, but supplement with whey protein. Do you add anything extra like that? I always figured my hard workouts are quite catabolic.
BTW, I also like a beer or glass of wine before bed, the depressant effect makes sleep easier. Reading boring physiology books works as well. Cheers!
Thanks for sharing your food log!
You ate a whole pizza and a half during this time (much healthier than the pizza you used to eat though) and you always have 2nd helpings (and thirds) for dinner! I think you just don’t realize how much you can eat or how many carbs/calories are in your beer! The food log is a little deceiving! 🙂
+1 for “VO2Max recipe of the week”!
Hi Sage this is the best episode I’ve seen so far, love the honesty on the poor sessions 🙂 – I’m from South Africa and also running the Comrads – I hope you going to do a Volog? This series encouraged me to know that bad sessions are part of the process! Got my qualify er for comrads tomorrow eek! Keep the videos coming!
Also feel free to contact me if you need any info on accommodation etc.
I really want to thank you for posting this. If anything, it shows me that there isn’t a need to greatly increase my caloric intake when my mileage increases. I’ve already enjoyed eating smarter foods with less “heavy” proteins. Is there a diet book, like Jurek’s, you’d recommend? Good luck on your upcoming races and I look forward to the qualifier coming up. Thanks for the posts. Darren Vancouver, Canada.
it’s amazing how you log over 100 miles of running and all you eat is bird food.
That looks like an awesome spread of food! I’m in Jamaica right now – have you looked at Jamaican food? They have so many great vegetarian dishes. One Love.
Hey thanks! Jurek’s book (Eat and Run) doesn’t talk about diet all that much…it has a few recipes and some good running info/stories though!I basically just try to eat a lot of veggies and fresh fruit…then get in some healthy fats and proteins (i.e. mainly from almonds, tofu, beans, etc.).
Hey great to hear! Hope to see you at Comrades! Best of luck with your training!
Ha ha, good call!
Hey great to hear! Most important thing at your age is to keep things fun and to stay healthy! I had only run one half marathon at age 16 and didn’t do a full until I was 21. Variety is key too! Best of luck!
you know me too well babe!
thanks for following along!
I’ve taken whey before. I’m really not too concerned about protein…but for sure after long runs and hard runs I’ll make a point to have a dense meal. I’ve taken whey before…I think nowadays my body is pretty used to running a lot so I just don’t need as much (i.e. 100 miles a week is not that stressful on the body because it is my normal now). I’m all for trying to chock up antioxidants mainly and then balancing the carbs, fat and a little protein.
Sage,
Great video series! As a runner and coach, I love training videos/philosophy. Bill Squires was my coach for over 20 years back in the 70’s-90’s, and I had many training talks with Jack Daniels when I ran for Nike in Eugene (80’s). 🙂
Also, the food log is brilliant! Would love some recipes as well (avid “chef”). Do you include any dairy/eggs in your diet (I’m vegetarian as well)?
So many questions…
Best wishes at LA!
Oh, and Hokas are incredible! 🙂
Cheers!
Hey thanks so much Kim! That is really awesome to hear – you have quite the running history (and a great coach!). I really like the recipe idea…Sandi and I do eat some eggs at times (I also indulge in real cheese every now and then). For the most part we have almond milk though. Thanks again for all the support and glad you like the HOKAs!