episode 21: How I Think I Cut 20 Minutess off My Marathon Time, Part 1

I wanted to improve my running in 2012, so I set out to provide my body with better fuel.

Here is a look back at what I did differently last year. Part 1 is on changes I made in diet and Part 2 is on my training. Many baby steps, experimenting and regressions.

Things you should know

-I’m not a nutritionist.

-These are personal experiences that helped me shed fat and run faster, and it may not work for you.

-On average I ran 50-60km per week in 2012.

-I am 5 feet 9 inches tall.

-I was 160 lbs in January 2012 and now 148 lbs.

-In December 2011 I ran the Taipei Marathon in 3:49. A year later I ran the same race in 3:27.  

I live in Taiwan. Its health industry is still at its infancy. It takes a bit more effort compared with some western cities where juice stands, organic grocery stores and health-conscious restaurants are readily available. Additionally, I don’t enjoy cooking, which means I eat out (a lot), and the local cuisine is not known for its health benefits.

While I’m eating healthier, pizzas, potato chips, ice-cream, cookies, candy bars, you name it still go into my tummy occasionally. I really admire people that can stick to healthy eating every day.

January and February – done with smokes and cleanse

I was not a real smoker but had been a social smoker for 15+ years. Had my last cigarette in early February on a ski trip, and never looked back. Never was addicted to tobacco, so the habit was extra pointless in the first place.

I did the lemon juice/cayenne paper/maple syrup/salt water flush cleanse. I aimed for 5 days, but fell off the wagon on the fourth night. During the cleanse, I was either tired or hungry.

I was gently riding on a stationary bike and was overcome by hunger. I went home, had a banana and an orange. Then I proceeded to fry up some rice and inhaled it. Afterwards, I devoured a couple of candy bars, a bag of chips and a grill cheese sandwich. It was the worst easing-out in the history of cleansing.

March – responsible alcohol consumption

I had limited drinking to weekends for years, but still tend to overdrink at times. I finally found a balance to truly enjoying a few drinks instead of depending on alcohol to have fun. Becoming more aware of and comfortable with who I am really helped in this department.

April and May – lemon water and healthier breakfast

Read a wonderful article about the benefits of lemon, and began drinking lemon water the first thing in the morning 4-5 times a week. I learned more about the importance of maintaining a slightly alkaline pH level and it has been an obsession since. (If you tell me something is alkaline, I’m sold immediately and it’s going into my mouth asap.)

I began having only smoothies and fruit for breakfast and eliminated greasy traditional breakfast from my repertoire (that was real tough!!). There are no healthy options within a three mile radius of my office, so it is difficult to eat healthy for lunch and dinner but I at least make sure only good things enter my body in the morning.   

June – chia in green tea and no more milk

I first ate chia in 2011 but mostly for long runs and races only. This summer I added the seeds to green tea and now drink it every other day in the morning about an hour after breakfast.

Around the same time, I read articles about the harmful effects of dairy. I cut out milk and yogurt and eat a lot less cheese.

July – mixed nuts and coconut juice

Almonds, cashew, walnut, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds became my mid-morning or afternoon snack. I still eat the occasional candy bar and chips though (sigh…).

Instead of energy drinks after workouts, I drink coconut juice, when available.

August – daily detox tricks and mineral supplements

Two things: scrape tongue first thing in the morning and exfoliate with dry brush before shower.

I discovered the wonderful benefits of magnesium and zinc, and started taking quality supplements for the two minerals every other day and never both on the same day.

September – oatmeal, super foods, green smoothies

Occasionally for lunch and dinner at work, I would just eat a nice bowl of oatmeal. I really tried to eliminate one more unhealthy meal from my daily diet.

At the end of summer, I also incorporated other super foods such as cacao, quinoa and spirulina (doesn’t taste good), and started blending green smoothies daily in the morning (now we have even started to grow our own sprouts).

October – 3 weeks of discipline

For three weeks I found the discipline to eat well. It began with a friend deciding not to drink for a couple of months, so in support, I didn’t drink for almost 3 weeks. Meanwhile, my daily diet consisted of:

Breakfast: lemon water, green smoothies and fruit

When I get to the office: green tea with chia

Mid-morning snacks: mixed nuts

Lunch: a typical dish would be stir-fried quinoa with egg and flavored with turmeric and an assortment of spices and steamed vegetables. Sometimes with chicken and different kinds of shrooms.

Afternoon snack: Fruit

Dinner: oatmeal, and usually before 630pm. (I slipped a few evenings for sure)

Weekends: my wife would make different tasty dishes with wholefoods and lots of vegetables.

Prior to October, I was already running a lot, but I hardly lost weight or fat due to my poor diet. During the month, my body got lean and running improved by leaps and bounds.

November and December– bad and good habits.

Bad habits die hard, especially with the holiday season temptations. I feel that I had relit the flame of my metabolism in the previous month, so my weight stayed put despite a bit more junk food and being less diligent about packing my own lunches.

I added steamed sweet potato (the purple ones that the Japanese elders eat) to my snack menu at the end of November. And I reduced chemical consumption such as chapstick, deodorant, face wash, soap.    

Takeaway

Plenty of bumps along the way, and I’m not there yet. Ideally, I would like to become a vegan, but I remain vulnerable to juicy steaks and creamy cheese cakes.

I, however, have experienced first-hand the miraculous result of healthy eating, and realized that food can be rich, tasty and healthy all at the same time. Look forward to more progress in 2013. It’s still very much a work I progress.

You can also follow my running adventures on https://www.facebook.com/pages/3-dudes-on-ultra-mission/271137916280936 or https://twitter.com/williewenli