On the Menu | Runners of Hong Kong, what kind of carbs are you eating? This newbie wants to know
Char siu rice? Pineapple buns? Running influencers tout the benefits of bread and pasta, but that is not what this new runner is looking for
I have recently taken up running again, which, of course, means that the whole world will now need to hear about it.
It all started with being peer-pressured into doing a 10k race next month at Hong Kong Disneyland. The last time I ran such a distance was nearly a decade ago. Ah, to be young and not know what sural neuritis is.
Begrudgingly, I realised I probably needed to get my cardiovascular system up to scratch to survive the ordeal. And strangely enough, the most peculiar thing happened: apart from Strava memes and running shoe comparisons filling up my Instagram explore page, I started to enjoy the process of putting one foot in front of the other again.
So much so that in a moment of madness, I decided that the time was nigh to sign up for my first half-marathon. Apply now, think later, right?
Well, dear reader, I got in, and for the first time, I am Googling terms like “energy gels” and “carb-loading”.
As someone who eats plenty already for work, you would think this would be a cakewalk, but I have never been a big rice or pasta fiend. At a buffet, the term “low-value carbs” was always the mantra, with luxurious proteins and fresh vegetables the main priority.