Fuel

Gruel.  The breakfast of champions? 

For those who have read me for any amount of time have known I've been a Honey Nut Cheerios guy for years and years. Before that, Honeycomb.  In the last week (a little less), I've been trying something new. 

Oatmeal. 

I could say it is in a quest for being healthier, and in a way it is. The reality is: my fuel for long runs still comes up short. But I listen to people in the training group who say "oatmeal was a game changer for me".  This was after a 20 mile run where I struggled the last few miles (granted, they were all up hill). 

So, I consulted a running expert: Morty. I don't now he used it to fuel for running, but I knew he ate it daily. 

Growing up, we never ate oatmeal. Now and then my mother made us Malt O Meal or Wheatena. Both would have a generous helping of brown sugar to make it palatable. 710 goes through instant oatmeal kicks, but I've never really tried. 

With Morty's guidance, I got oatmeal and a topping - granola. 

This is tricky. Most granola has nuts in it - and worse, almonds. I'm not a fan of the smell or taste of those. But I found one with no nuts and some dried-ish fruit. 

I went further with toppings though: real fruit. Fresh blueberries and dried cranberries. It helps. 

Oatmeal has the consistency - and possibly taste - of wallpaper paste. The fruit gives it some flavour, the granola some texture. 

I can't say it's "yummy" (besides never using that word), but it's not unbearable either. The first few days it filled me up. The following day I was starving an hour later......and it wasn't even Chinese oatmeal!

I'm not noticing anything as of yet in terms of fueling, but I've only done 3-5 mile runs since starting this routine. Tomorrow is 10 mile race, so we'll see. 

My thought was to do this three weeks prior to the marathon to adjust my body (and poops) well in advance of that run. 

Here's hoping for a 'game changer'. 

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Additional Note:  I don't wanna say "told ya so", but..........

Yesterday's post on apps and such spying on or listening to us might be too on the mark. I inferred they were already spying / listening, and to pick on on app seems ludicrous. 

My normal blog volume ranges between 1,800 - 2,300 hits per day lately.  Yesterday?  8,970.  It seems the NSA and all had their agents turn their eyes on me for calling them out.  

That's my story, anyways. 

Song by: Echo & the Bunnymen