After my post about beets a few weeks ago, I thought I’d try incorporating them into my pre-workout fueling routine to see if I felt any benefits. I have been training for another half marathon in Hyannis on May 27th, so there have been plenty of opportunities to slip a few beets in before a workout! The hardest part I’ve found is the early morning long-runs. I have resorted to using beet juice at those times because having too much fiber tends to be a problem for me right before I run. I’m getting used to the taste of the juice, although I have to say it’s not for everyone. I have done a little experimenting to try to incorporate the juice into other things for those who aren’t too keen on the flavor. If I come up with something good I’ll let you all know.

One of may all-time favorite pre-workout snacks has become a salad with beets and poached eggs. Leafy greens also happen to be pretty high in nitrates, giving me an even bigger boost. Why the eggs? The addition of poached eggs is delicious, plus spreading high-quality protein intake throughout the day in moderate amounts is helpful for muscle recovery later on. I have been eating this salad a couple of hours before my favorite cross-training workout at a local martial arts dojo.

So what are the results? I can’t say that I have noticed an overt difference or that workouts have magically seemed easier. I can report that I have gotten stronger (I have upped the weights I am lifting) and I’m also faster (my last training run on Sunday was my best yet!). Is this just a result of smart training OR have I been able to train at a higher level than before because of the beets? It is impossible to know for sure in my experiment of one, but I do know that adding a few beets in has been delicious and easy. I’ll let you know if it results in a PR on Sunday!