All in Snack
On the eve of what the weatherpeople are calling the storm of the century, I can't help but long to be back in Hawaii. Tomorrow we'll get to relive the Ironman race on the NBC broadcast, but what they won't show you are the the little bits of paradise just steps off the race course.
Last spring I read a few articles about elite athletes crediting beet juice for their improved times. There’s this one about marathoner Ryan Hall in Outside and this report from the London Olympics in the NYT. But I first heard about the wonders of beet juice in 2007 from one of my training partners. 
Snack: Grilled cheese with sliced pears
Timing: I eat this snack as my second breakfast since it is savory and my first breakfast is always sweet. It would also make a good afternoon snack, eaten a few hours before running.
Why I like it: It allows me to eat a comfort food in between workouts without feeling sluggish.
Last day to enter contest: Monday Aug. 13, 2012
Win a case of ZICO coconut water!!
Laurel and I still train together every day, even though she’s working out longer and harder than ever to prepare for the New York Ironman, while I’ve scaled back since I’m 4-months pregnant. Our eating habits are wildly different now, too. Laurel’s 18-mile runs leave her hungry for thousands of calories, while I actually need to slash my normally enormous in-season calorie consumption.
Case in point: Our recent favorite smoothie creations, below.
Read them, try them, or just glance at the titles, then comment below on which one you like best or tweet your response to @athletefood. No need to leave your email address in the comment, we'll track you down.
We’ll select one reader randomly and reward the lucky Athlete Food fan with a case of ZICO coconut water.
—Bec
If you haven't gotten a chance to check out our recipe in last month's Triathlete Magazine, here it is!
The recipe is based on our original granola recipe, but we've added a savory kick and toasted coconut flakes.
As we dial up our training in anticipation of racing season, we’ve noticed the one flaw in our favorite Pre-Workout Snack: Portability. Come spring, we squeeze in extra rides, swims and Pilates classes, so we don’t always make it home between training sessions.
