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Run Fast Eat Slow

After a good long run we cycled towards the Pijp and we are at Scandinavian Embassy. Their fantastic carrot cake and coffee have just been placed in front of us. The well-deserved reward, but also the first thing we eat after the effort. As soon as the carrot cake has been eaten, the conversation turns back to nutrition, as is often the case. For two years now we have agreed that nutrition is so extremely important that it has more effect than training. You always resolve to do it right and actually do it now and a few weeks later you have the same conversation again. If only there was a Personal Body Plan for runners or at least something that could lead us the way. Would Run Fast Eat Slow be the key then?

What?

Run Fast Eat Slow is the book by Shalane Flanagan & Elyse Kopecky. Elyse is a nutritionist and it is difficult to describe Shalane in one word. She won bronze at the Beijing Games (2008), runs the marathon in 2.22 and can be regarded as the best American distance runner of the last 20 years. Elyse helped Shalane a lot with her nutrition and she still does. In the past, Shalane found cooking boring and boring, but now she sees it as part of her training. The recipes are not too complicated, do not have a lot of (different) ingredients and do not take too much time. There is also quite a bit of background information about, among other things, the foods they often use and what works for runners.

Run Fast Eat Slow
Photographer: Peter Yang

Why?

It's not that I eat really unhealthy, I gain weight quite easily so I'm careful with it. However, it is often uninspired and you could characterize it as lazy. I actually always cook for the week since I like to eat hot or healthy at lunch and that always comes down to a combination of meat + rice / pasta + vegetables (such a stir-fry vegetable bag from the AH) and then some sauce with it. In addition, I do take snacks to the office, but often on the way home I feel kind of hungry and then you can easily go to the AH To Go again. So it can all be a lot better and more fun. I've known for a few months that this book was going to be released and I was curious then. Curious about the content and wondering if it could help me on my way.

How?

It's more than a cookbook. They try to convey the way of eating, which they call "indulgent nourishment". Which means as much as eating your favorite foods to fuel your body, for me that is sweet potatoes (for who doesn't?!), avocados, mangoes, eggs, et cetera. They also don't want you obsessively counting calories, fat, and carbs. There is nothing about this in the recipes either. It's about eating natural products with which you can nourish your body. A lot more fun and easier than when you start counting how many carbohydrates or fats there are and how many you can still eat in a day. This would also take the fun out of it for me. Shalane has no problems with her eating habits to get to race weight, it's even easier than before. The recipes are obviously designed for runners, but as I see it, they are suitable for anyone who wants to eat/live healthy. The book does not have a tight schedule and it is not intended to be. It is mainly intended as inspiration. You are also encouraged to make lots of your own and try variations!

Run Fast Eat Slow
Photos via RunFastEatSlow.com

In Practice

I have now made recipes from the book for two weekends: meals, salads and snacks/snacks. What is striking is that the recipes are generally not too complicated. In addition, a limited number of ingredients are generally used for all recipes. What always struck me with recipes from Jamie Oliver, for example, is that there are often a myriad of ingredients, most of which you will never use again. A shame, but above all expensive. Duration also counts here. For lunch, all evening meals and snacks during the week, I spent a maximum of 45-50 euros in the first two weeks, including ingredients that I will use much more often, such as some herbs. Of course it takes more time than a 1-pan dish, but it is also more fun. It may be because I just started or because I see it more and more as part of my training, but for now I really enjoy doing it. If you enjoy doing something, it is of course also much better to persevere!

Conclusion

I'm excited about the book, I've already started talking about it to a dozen people. It's not just the concept that gives you insight into what a top athlete eats that's so beautiful. It's the whole look of the book. It is often made clear why this recipe is in the book and what effects it has. For now, it's my bible for when I make food for the whole week and weekends. I can only recommend this book to anyone who wants to eat healthy without counting calories, carbohydrates, fats, etc. plus without really wanting to impose restrictions on themselves. For me it seems to be a guideline to eat structurally better. Hopefully in a few weeks I will also have the feeling/understanding that preparing good food is also just part of my weekly training program.

Run Fast Eat Slow
Photos via RunFastEatSlow.com

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