Do Running Nuts Live on Berries?

As I’ve said, one of the questions that I’m asked most frequently has to do with whether my knees bother me because of all those miles. Probably the second most popular question I hear is, “You eat that?” This question comes about when I’m doing something as innocent as having a cup of coffee. It also happens if I’m enjoying a doughnut, putting cream cheese on a bagel, or having a glass of wine with dinner. Somewhere along the way, most people got the notion that being a runner means living off of the twigs and nuts that you gather out of your backyard. When running first achieved mass popularity in the ’70s, the sport was seen as part of a new movement for Americans who had decided that it was time to take charge of their health. So in the public mind running became associated with health food stores, megavitamin doses, and drinking nothing but carrot juice and purified water.
I think that’s too bad. Not because running can’t be an incredibly big step toward taking control of your health. No, the problem is that people who are new to running have been led to believe that starting an exercise program also means a simultaneous radical change in your diet. That’s not true, and it saddens me that some people might view running as off-putting because of this image.
That doesn’t mean that being a runner means eating whatever you want. Yes, I’m as wellknown in some circles for my legendary consumption of junk food as I am for my marathon victories. And as I’ve hinted, I still like to indulge myself occasionally. Eating is one of the major pleasures of life, and who doesn’t like to live a little now and then? But as you become fitter through your running, you’re probably going to be motivated to make changes in other parts of your life that will improve your health, such as getting more sleep and eating better. Running can help you to acquire an appreciation for simpler, heartier foods, which usually fuel you better and don’t bother you as much when you run. The upshot is this: Most runners find that they feel better if they make a few simple, healthful changes in their diets. But that doesn’t have to entail shopping only at the local organic produce shop. As most long-time runners will tell you, one of the great things about running is that all those miles often mean eating more and not gaining weight.