Yikes! Christmas is upon us. Athletes are already in training for the London Marathon, or perhaps it’s Manchester or Brighton. Or thinking further ahead to my own city’s events at the Edinburgh Marathon Festival late May. There is no need to feel guilty about indulging a little more than usual – it is Christmas. Indeed some Christmas foods are very beneficial for exercise. There are also healthier alternatives which are equally as tasty.
As for running, you may already be marathon training for one of the events above or one of many other races throughout the UK or beyond.
Christmas Dinner
Whether it is turkey or a vegetarian alternative such as a nut loaf, both are excellent sources of protein – providing stronger muscles and repairing muscle damage. The roast potato is a great source of the runner’s favourite – carbohydrate. Shake your part boiled potatoes in a pan with a splash of olive oil before placing in the roasting tin and if desired ,paint them with a touch more olive oil and add some fresh rosemary sprigs. They will still roast and crisp perfectly, without the need for duck fat and much healthier and tastier than ready made roasties from the freezer.
Cranberries contain no fat and are a great source of vitamin C, keeping us healthy over the winter months. Make your own cranberry sauce, thereby ditching the excess sugar found in shop bought varieties. Go big on the veg, carrots, parsnips and if you really can’t abide Brussel sprouts, try part boiling them, then frying them off with a little olive oil, with chestnuts and pancetta. Delicious. Just remember to drain the excess fat before serving.
Dessert next! If you still have room for the Christmas Pudding, we use a recipe with no added sugar. Everyone in our family agree it is the finest Christmas pudding they have ever tasted. Try swapping double cream for whipping cream (around one third less calories and equally as tasty) or single cream with around half the calories of the double. Italian gelato has less fat than ice-cream generally and many argue it is far tastier.
Alcohol. Try lower alcohol versions (ABV) when consuming lager or beer. Mulled wine contains vitamin C in the form of fruits and antioxidants in the form of cinnamon and cloves. Add sparkling water to your wine to make a spritzer. Champagne has a lower sugar content than white wine. Onto the spirits and vodka and gin (not in the same glass!) along with a low calorie tonic will contain fewer calories than a beer or wine. There are also many zero alcohol beers, wines and spirits available too. It is often difficult to taste the difference between them and the alcoholic versions. A few ideas to consider, just don’t try them all at the same sitting!
Okay, so you may still over-indulge a little. Why not. It’s Christmas after all. But there are still sensible choices you can make to make it an exceptional, memorable and equally a tasty dinner.
Running over Christmas
There is always time for a run over Christmas. Think about running a 5k parkrun on Christmas Day or on the Saturday before or after Christmas. Check out parkrun’s near you by visiting
If you are fortunate to have more time, then there are many race listings to choose from over the festive period. They do not all require running dressed as a Santa Claus!
Sometimes you may need to adapt your running schedule to fit in family and friends. Absolutely fine. Remember missing a run or two isn’t the end of the world and indeed sometime electing to run shorter distances or reduce mileage will benefit you in the long run, by giving you an enforced break and some much needed rest. Be organised – if you are aware there are days when you won’t have much time, use these for shorter more intense workouts to keep up the fitness.
Alternatively, catch up with friends or family by running with the ones that also love running. Followed by a coffee and mince pie. A much better alternative to a night at the pub! If the weather is bad, head to the gym and use the treadmill for a change. Running provides some ‘me’ time during what can be a stressful time of year and is excellent for your physical and mental health.
Post Christmas Marathon Focus
Christmas is the alert that marathon training is upon us. At the time of publication London Marathon is 18 weeks away, Manchester Marathon 17 weeks away, Brighton Marathon 16 weeks. Edinburgh Marathon Festival events are 22 weeks away.
If considering a plan to improve your performance at these events or any other distance event, please get in touch.
Services – liveforrunning.co.uk
Give yourself a Christmas present or surprise your loved one with a gift. Purchase a marathon, half marathon, 10k or 5k training plan. These plans will take into account your commitments over Christmas and beyond and are built specifically for the individual, giving you peace of mind that the plan is right for you. There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to becoming a better runner.
