Marathon Brain

Categories: ING New York City Marathon, Marathon Recovery, Puma

This is my brain.

This is my brain post marathon.

We all know that blood is diverted from the stomach and digestive tract and sent to working muscles during a race but how about after you’ve crossed the finished line?

The days following my Marine Corps Marathon adventure have been a blur. I’ve been much more of a scatterbrain than usual:

• I jammed the wrong top on a water bottle. I tried 3 times to get it to screw on correctly like it does every other day to no avail. Rather than realize I had the wrong top, I sent it to school with Thing 1 that way.
• I cannot zip Thing 2′s jacket to save my life. That was no issue last week either.
• I’m forgetting appointments, drop-offs, pickups. I’m pretty sure I’d leave my head in a Target shopping cart if it wasn’t attached.

After a little consultation with Dr Web MD, I learned that the brain’s anterior cingulate cortex assesses pain and it’s operation is affected by mood: everything hurts more in a depressed runner and vice versa. If that isn’t an argument for going in with a positive attitude and bright outlook, I don’t know what is.

Fine. That’s how you push thru marathon pain but on what can I blame my post-marathon mental disarray? Fatigue? BrainDOMS? Glycogen depletion–still??

Have you experienced this? Or am I extra weird?

Good luck to everyone running INGNYCM this weekend!

Did you miss my Puma giveaway?

Recovering? Eat This

Categories: Marathon Recovery, Pineapple, Recipes, Sweet Potatoes and Pineapple

One of  my favorite things to do to expedite recovery after a grueling workout (besides foam roll til the cows come home) is to eat fresh pineapple. On its own, added to my recovery shake or worked into a side dish, I love it. Besides being delicious, pineapple is a great inflammation fighter. It contains a natural enzyme called bromelain that helps reduce swelling, inflammation, excessive coagulation and bruising.  I find that when I have pineapple after a hard workout, I have less muscular soreness the next day. Pineapple is also packed with Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that boosts immunity, helps build and repair tissue, metabolize fat and cholesterol and a host of other great things.

Compliments of domestic diva Martha Stewart, here’s a great way to enjoy pineapple with another superfood: sweet potatoes.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Pineapple

Serves 4

2 sweet potatoes

1 medium pineapple, cored

2T vegetable oil

1/4t cayenne pepper

Coarse salt to taste

Peel the sweet potatoes and dice into 1″ chunks. Do the same with the pineapple.

Toss both with the oil and spread out on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper and salt.

Roast at 450 degrees F for 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes, until golden.  Serve it as a side dish, add it to a salad whatever!

Enjoy!

Good luck to everyone running the Blue Ridge and London Marathons this weekend!

Who else is racing?