Route for Saturday, February 4, 2012: Chapel Hill (Backroads Antiques) - 19.1 Miles
Head north on Montgomery to Poor House Rd. At the end of Poor House, turn right. Continue on Oktoc for 1/1.5 miles to Chapel Hill road on the left. Stay on Chapel Hill until you reach a "T", where you will turn right and continue on this road (Old Crawford Road??) until you reach an intersection with Robinson Road, turn right. About 1-2 miles later, you will reach Harris Road, on the right. Continue on Harris until you reach the next intersection with Chapel Hill road. Turn left and head back to Oktoc; turn right. Take Oktoc back to Poor House and this road back to Montgomery and Home.
NOTE: for those who do not wish to run this far, there are several options: (1)8.8 miles, by doing the Poor House Loop in reverse, (2)an out and back, turning around wherever necessary, (3)13+ miles, by parking a car at the end of Poor House, beginning and ending there, but doing the rest of the route. Submitted by Marcie White

Top 10 nutrition tips for Marathoners

Thanks to Karen Koch for this recent entry to BoardtownWiki's Nutrition pages. This comprehensive article will be useful to those seeking their best performance in training and running the marathon or half-marathon. Check it out.

Taken together, this article and the many others that comprise BoardtownWiki Nutrition are a great resource for answering a wide range of questions relating to diet, weight management and training.

3 Fueling Strategies for the Fit Female-- Fit females recognize the importance of challenging your body and nutrition. Throughout your training, you are discovering and cultivating yourself into a better athlete, and each day you strive to meet nutritional goals, goals of your workout, and nourishment of your soul. These are three ways to help fuel your inner athlete while maintaining this balance.-- 1.)Variety is the spice of life—As an athlete you realize the importance of nutrition. Food is the source of fuel for our bodies, and food should be something that is enjoyed, not dreaded. A variety of fruits and vegetable every day, whole grains, choosing fat free and low fat dairy, enjoying a variety of protein such as legumes, seafood, lean meats, poultry, eggs, and soy products, and focusing in on healthier fats such as polyunsaturated and monounsaturated can really keep your motivation level up when food choices are enjoyable. You can also incorporate new, interesting foods into your diet that maybe you haven’t considered before, and make sure to shop for foods that are in season, not only are they usually cheaper, but they are packed with flavor. Just because food is healthy doesn’t mean it has to be boring. Experiment with fresh herbs and seasonings to spice the variety up.-- 2.) Mind your vitamins and minerals—It is important to remember your vitamins and minerals. An adequate intake of iron, calcium, and B vitamins can help the fit female maintain her performance and achieve her goals. Low iron stores is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies seen in female athletes. Iron is responsible for the transport of oxygen throughout the body including transport to the muscle. Without adequate calcium and Vitamin D, there is an increased risk for low bone mineral density and stress fractures. B vitamins help convert food to fuel. B vitamin intake is important to ensure optimum performance and endurance, and it also help repair muscle tissue. -- 3.)Eat for your exercise—be sure to take in an adequate amount of food appropriate for your training needs. Maybe, even consider a pre-exercise meal. Choose foods that are moderate in protein, low in fat and fiber to minimize GI distress and concentrate on foods that are high in carbohydrates. Carbohydrates will provide you with a lasting energy source. Also it is important to ensure adequate hydration. Drink about 14-20 fl. Ounces 2-3 hours prior to your workout. If you incorporate nutrition into your workout and focus on the importance of vitamins and minerals, then your workout and goals can be achieved all with good health. --Written by Emily Keith - MSU Dietetic Intern--for more, visit: http://www.powerbar.com/articles/504/3-fueling-strategies-for-the-fit-female.aspx