My Runger Monster

Have you heard the term RUNGER?  It's the incessant hunger that happens when you start increasing your running mileage and are hungry all the time.  Of course, it also occurs when you're training a lot for other sports, but swimger, triathlonger, ski-inger, water pologer, etc, just don't have the same ring to them.

This whole phenomenon was a big change for me.  Anyone who knew me prior to my workout days knows that I was never famous for my appetite, rather my lack thereof. When I was a child, I thankfully never had to finish everything on my plate.

And I never did.  Somehow I always had room for dessert, though.

As a broke frugal student I would eat before heading out with friends and would not be hungry when we got to the restaurant.

Boy, did I love plaid shirts and denim overalls. Viva las 90s.

Once I started to actually work out, I found myself eating more.  When I was training for sprint tris and half marathons I would get a bit hungrier than normal.

And then I started training for a full marathon and I became HUNGRY. So hungry, I awakened the Runger Monster.

At first, its constant need to feed was a fascinating novelty.

When I went back home early in the summer, I was in full-on eat-all-the-things-all-the-time mode.  I went to hang out at my sister's and could not have been happier when it was finally dinnertime.

I had seconds but the Runger Monster was still not satisfied.

My Runger Monster even hitched a plane ride overseas with me in August to stay close by.  With all the sightseeing we did, TriGuy, our friend John, and I would need frequent breaks to rehydrate.  I would always order a little extra.

Actually, a lot extra.

That guy sure is hard to please.

Once I had finished my marathon and my training ended, my appetite naturally went back to normal. My Runger Monster went into hibernation. I was pretty relieved because the whole need to constantly eat was annoying and frustrating.

I took a hiatus from exercise in October and most of November...and December.  And a fair amount of January.

But, spring is coming and I am starting to train for the Heroes Half Marathon in April.

Maybe I should run a little faster.

So, how do you deal with your Runger Monster?  Not a runner? Tell me what your monster is.

UPCOMING POSTS: YOGA, RUNNING, BIKING

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