Marathon Training = Munchies

I've noticed that lately Run, Eat, Play RVA has been more like Run, Run, Run RVA. I apologize to all of you non-runners out there for my endless prattling about boring topics like marathon training, hydration belts, bonks, and shoes. If you can't already tell, the thing about marathon training is that it pretty much takes over a person's life.

This is not to say that I haven't squeezed in some "playing" and I certainly have been doing more than my fair share of "eating" lately too. 

Especially the eating. 

As I alluded to in past posts, being in marathon training mode has caused me to have an insatiable appetite and brought on some intense food obsessions. Strangely enough, most of these obsessions are with foods that I would not have touched with a 10-foot pole in the past.   

Example 1 - Key Lime. Prior to last August's trip to Key West, I wasn't that big a fan of Key Lime flavored items. Probably because pretty much the only thing I'd come into contact with before then was fake, neon green "key lime" pie. But once I got a taste of the real thing, I was hooked. Luckily (?) for my waist line, I discovered Key Lime near the end of the season last year. 

This summer, my newfound love of Key Lime has turned into a complete obsession. Wherever we go, if there is a Key Lime flavored item, I must obtain it. It's gotten to the point where local cupcake shop Carytown Cupcakes actually Tweeted me to let me know that Key Lime was included in this week's featured flavor list.

I'm not a big fan of baking, but in June I unfortunately discovered how easy it is to make Key Lime Pie. Since then, I've somehow restrained myself and baked only two. At Broad Appetite back in June, I nearly fell over myself to get to the King of Pops cart to get a Key Lime Pie Popsicle, which I then raved about non-stop for the rest of the day. Oh, and have you had Oikos Key Lime Greek Yogurt? That stuff is (forgive the 90's slang) DA BOMB. Especially if you stick it in the freezer and then enjoy. 

Other favorites have been Bev's Key Lime Pie ice cream:

...with graham cracker crust crumbles, natch.

And Dixie Donuts' Key Lime donut:

Even my wardrobe is Key Lime inspired.

Peanut butter has also become a food that I just can't resist. This is something that I go in phases with; I can remember times in my childhood when I absolutely hated peanut butter, but then I went through a major peanut butter sandwich phase in high school. I haven't really eaten much as an adult, but since "becoming a runner" it has become a staple in my "running nutrition" palette (a term I use incredibly loosely because let's get real... I don't really do running nutrition in any way, shape or form). 

My traditional pre-race food item is half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on wheat bread, but these days, I find myself reaching into the cupboard, opening the peanut butter jar, and just eating a spoonful. I have never ever done that before. I have also started to eat half a peanut butter sandwich at random times (like at 8:30 at night as a before bed snack) and go for the peanut butter flavored ice cream, milkshakes, and chocolate bars. 

Drug  Protein of choice

You know what else I love? I LOVE EGGS.

Yes, from my head down to my legs.

Omelets, scrambled, over easy, over hard, eggs in a frame, in purgatory, deviled, hard boiled, on a salad, on a sandwich, on a burger, in my pasta, in a breakfast skillet - I don't care, just give 'em to me. 

Dinamo's Eggs in Purgatory are more like HEAVEN.

And then there is avocado. Like Key Lime, I would not come near avocado until fairly recently. But now, if it's included in a dish, it's a given that I am going to be ordering said item or making said item. Guacamole is my absolute favorite form of avocado consumption; I made a huge bowl of it this past weekend for a picnic gathering and I swear I ate more than half of it on my own. Nevermind the fact that I had eaten a big old bowl of it the day before during a quick trip to D.C. with my good buddy Shannon. 

I also love it in a salad or on a sandwich, but the major coup in my culinary world is getting a burger with guacamole AND a fried egg on it. Talk about heaven!

Then there are the snacks. I can't stop eating Mi-Del Ginger Snaps or Quaker Popped Mini Rice Cakes in the Sea Salt & Cracked Black Pepper flavor (use of the word "crack" is totally appropriate there!). I can't keep tins of mixed nuts around the house because every time I come into eye contact with a nut of any variety, I can't resist the urge to eat a handful. Or two. Same goes for ice cream. A few weeks ago, I bought Turkey Hill's new Natural Vanilla with Sea Salted Caramel Swirl. Eating one serving at a time was out of the question. It was just too delicious. One day I just decided to sit down with the container and finish off the entire thing just so I could get it out of my house. 

With all of these addictions, it is no wonder that I've gained a solid 5 lbs since marathon training began. I never thought that I'd be a victim of marathon weight gain, especially since running has done nothing but help me slim down since I started three years ago. But it's real and I don't like it. Even though I love avocados and key lime and eggs and peanut butter, I'm going to have to reduce my consumption of these items before things get away from me...

but first, I just have to have one more Key Lime cupcake...