Giving up Fluff-a-nutter? • September 20, 2006 | 6:54 p.m.

I wanted to do the “Today Runs a Marathon” series because I hoped that the training would leave me in excellent physical shape. I was sure that the habit of sustained and regular aerobic exercise would change my life. And I knew that a segment on nutrition was planned. But in truth, I didn’t really consider that marathon training would involve changes to my diet that would also have a really positive impact. I have notoriously given little weight to nutritional concerns, though I’ve gotten more aware of them over time. Here is a short history of my dietary evolution:

• 10 years old: I ride my bicycle to the supermarket with my friend Maria to buy, and then completely consume a container of cake frosting. No cake, just frosting. We ate the frosting in heaping spoonfuls, until it was all gone — and we were still standing in the parking lot.
• 20 years old: Out on my own, I buy boxes of toasted almond bars and eating them with complete abandon, maybe after dinner, maybe before.
• 25 years old: I quit smoking, gained 10 pounds, still eating whatever I want. And I drink lots of coffee.
• 30 years old: I eat an entire box of macaroni and cheese for breakfast while pregnant.  At least by this time, I knew I was doing something really bad. But I did it anyway. I also fit in some fruits and vegetables to make up for the mac and cheese.
• 35 years old:  I know what fat grams are and I understand the concept of a calorie. I can tell you how many calories and/or fat grams commonly eaten foods contain. I know Fettucini Alfredo is really bad for you, and I rarely eat it. And I know soda is sugar water, so I don’t drink it often.  But I still love sweets. And coffee. I am very addicted to coffee.
• 40 years old:  I’ve had cancer. I am concerned about nutrition. I try to eat fruit and salad, though I don’t much like them. I have a friend who reminds me that sugar is not your best friend, if you’ve had cancer. Fluff-a-nutter sandwiches to him are gross. I try to feel the same way, but I still like them.
• 41 years old: I slowly run up a steep hill as part of my marathon training, trying hard to just keep going. Why didn’t I eat some fruit before trying this run? Why did I eat all that chocolate in the office yesterday afternoon?  I should have had some protein.

Now I am ready to take on nutrition.  I am so ready that I’ve allowed Madelyn Fernstrom, a nutritionist and “Today” contributor, to peer into my fridge and read my food journal.  She has brought my truly appalling eating habits into focus, reminding me that what I eat really does affect my energy level, my mood, my thinking, my sleep; in short, my life.

Why wouldn’t you want to follow the rules? Bending them once in a while to enjoy a bowl of ice cream or a piece of chocolate is still OK.  But if you want to run a marathon, if you want to be at your best, think clearly, sleep well, and be happy, you probably should look closely at the fuel you are putting in your body. I plan to pay much closer attention to this aspect of my life and to make the choices that will pay off for me on marathon day.

Nutrition aside, training is continuing to go well, for the most part. I did manage to do a 20-mile run last weekend. I participated in the New York Road Runners training run which included Gatorade and water stops as well as some well placed Port-a-Johns and bagels at the end. This is a great way to get the miles in without all the fuss that goes with a long run. But I have to add that at the end of the run, I accidentally dropped my iPod while fidgeting with my jacket and bag. When I bent down to pick it up, I felt such a pain in my legs that for half a second I considered leaving it on the ground. I did eventually get upright again, iPod in hand. I can tell you that the simple act of bending over takes some doing, after a 20-mile run. I still struggle to get the long runs (and sometimes the short runs) in during the week, particularly now that September is in full swing — piano lessons, ice hockey, roller hockey, gymnastics, school, life ... Phew!

Lessons from the road • September 14, 2006 | 5:37 p.m.

On Sunday, my training plan called for a 17-mile run. And once again, I can say that this is the longest run I’ve ever had to do. With a run of this length, the simple act of putting my sneakers on and going for a run becomes a little more complicated. First of all, there is the question of where to run. Living in a densely populated area, I had a hard time laying out a course without running into areas where I didn’t want to be, running near highways where I’d be breathing car exhaust, or running along busy roads and risking getting run over. Then there’s the question of whether there will be an opportunity to buy water and Gatorade, if I need to, along my route. And that, of course, leads to finding a bathroom along the way. 

So I decided to drive in to the city and run the Central Park loop a few times, knowing that it is 6 miles long. I planned to run the loop three times and go home proud of myself for completing the extra mile. I expected that I would easily find a bathroom, so I didn’t worry too much about that.  I did stash some Gatorade before I started my run, so that I could get to it when I came around the loop.

A run of this length requires keeping my mind either busy or idle for three or more hours. I started by listening to music. For the first hour, I played a few favorite songs. When the beat was right and it kept me moving, I played that song until I was sick of it. But eventually, I was sick of all of the songs on my iPod. Out of boredom, I switched to an audio book. That kept me going for another hour or so. Eventually, I was sick of the iPod altogether and put in my pocket.

Around the time I hit 14 miles, I couldn’t go another step until I found a bathroom. After 15 minutes of frantic searching, I finally came upon one. I started up again and ran for a mile or so still blissfully thinking that I would finish. Then with two miles left, my legs turned into 300-pound stones. My run came to a screeching halt and I was forced to walk from 110th Street back to 80th Street, where I met my husband and we hopped into a cab and headed back to the car. The difficulty I had finishing this long run made me realize that I am not “trained” yet and if I don’t get my butt in gear, my children will watch me fail miserably on television on November 5.

I believe me children should learn to accept failure, if they want to become a happy and successful. But that’s not necessarily the lesson that I’m trying to teach them right now.  At this point, I’d rather teach them about determination, concentration, and perseverance. And those will be the lesson that I hope to teach them when I go out next weekend and attempt to run 20 miles.

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