Over the years, as my body has grown accustomed to long distance running and endurance, it is true, endurance training is highly addicting.. but why?
Yes, on many levels there are hormones and enzymes in your brain and body that love it and keep you wanting more. Everyone has their own personal thoughts and feelings.
But I've noticed, in myself, during on and off season training, my stomach is what drives me the most. Now its not just the justification of gorging 3000-4000 calories a day, (that of course is fun) but its the way my body reacts to food is a whole other story.
During my off season, I wasn't running as much, and therefore I wasn't as 'hungry'. I feel like I've reached a point in my training, where my body just knows how many calories it needs to sustain itself. On my off season, I probably have 1000-1200 a day. Mainly I just don't "feel" like eating more. I get full, I stop. Yes, I get hungry like most normal humans, but the main reason why I don't eat more is because food just "taste" ok. Imagine eating something that didn't "taste" good. You'd obviously just eat enough to sustain life, and stop.
Even some of my favorite foods are just "good". Food was becomes something I had to do for survival because everything I ate was 'bleh'
why?
When I do long runs, my body gets so hungry, so drained, the tiniest morsel of the most mundane food tastes Phenomenal!! As I chew, every taste bud is dancing erotically on my tongue, and every bite is almost orgasmic. Then consuming the food re-energizes my soul, my mind, my eyes, my ears, everything. Everything just tastes so g o o d!
Its like playing a Super Mario Brothers with only 1/4 a heart left, then you find that Magic Mushroom, and *BAM* 20+ full hearts back.
It wasn't like this all the time. It took years to get to this point and realization.
When I don't have my long runs, I miss the "taste" of food the most. I do love training on the road for hours, being at peace with the world and myself. But that meal at the end is what really drives me home. I 'crave' to crave food.
what's drives you home? :)
When I was running longer mileage in cooler weather, say 15 or more, I would look forward to having a chocolate donut and a hot chocolate right after the workout from Dunkin Donuts. I can somewhat relate to your cravings. It's been a while since I've run that long though because of some left knee issues.
ReplyDeleteI remember bonging years ago at the end of a long run and then devouring Hostess cupcakes with water shortly after. But that's a different issue. I was totally depleted.