Meb Reflects on His First Trials, Talks Nutrition and Fitness
by: Generation UCAN (Sponsored Post)
June 28, 2012
Take a look at Meb Keflezighi's recent performances (PR's in his last two marathons) and it's hard to believe he's 6 weeks away from possibly putting on the USA singlet for the last time .
"99.9 percent my last Olympics," says Meb.
It was at the 2000 Trials in Sacramento that Meb first earned the chance to represent Team USA on the world's biggest stage - winning the 10,000m championship by 0.02 seconds. "It was like what's going on with the women's 100m right now," says Meb of his photo finish. "When I made the team, I just remember feeling like a huge weight was off my shoulders."
Fast forward 12 years and Meb is a veteran of several big races. He remembers the various emotions he was feeling leading up to the starting gun in 2000, and his advice to first time competitors is to stay consistent with their routine.
"There's nothing different that you should do when you get to the Trials. If you're healthy and you were able to train, just go out there and perform. Visualize and have that belief that you can PR, or make the team."
With his spot in London already secured back in January, Meb was a spectator in Eugene last weekend as Galen Rupp, Matt Tegenkamp, and Dathan Ritzenhein all went under his 10,000m Olympic Trials record set in 2004.
"It was exciting to be there for that and watch them run."
Though he watched his 10,000m record fall, Meb, a fiery competitor, is not yet ready to pass the torch to the young stars in the sport.
Nutrition Helping Meb Stay on Top
"When you're 25, you can eat anything and get away with it and I was 25 when I made my first Olympic team," laughs Meb, who will be representing the U.S. for the third time in his career. "I'm definitely much more aware of my nutrition now than I was before."
Generation UCAN - Meb's go-to sports nutrition product for training and races - is big reason why he's maintained peak fitness at age 36.
"Since I've been using Generation UCAN for my workouts, I've noticed improvements in both my performance and metabolic state. I eat a lot and it's helped keep me lean as my metabolism has slowed down."
"It helped me recover day-in-day-out, get in shape faster, and do more work with a limited amount of time to train for the trials," says Meb, who set a PR and won the 2012 Marathon Trials in Houston. "As soon as I finish my cool down after a hard workout, I grab the packet, mix it, and put it in my system and it settles really well."
Healthy, Steady Energy Backed by Proven Science
The key ingredient in Generation UCAN's sports drink mix is a slow-burning, complex carbohydrate called SuperStarch (derived from non-GMO corn starch). SuperStarch delivers steady energy for 2-4 hours without spike and crash by stabilizing blood sugar and slowly time-releasing glucose into the body at the rate the muscles need it, rather than overwhelming the body with sugars. It also allows the body to burn stored fat for fuel by minimizing insulin spikes, giving runners an additional powerful energy source (their own fat) and helping them lean up and improve body composition.
"We've always thought of energy as being like we need sugar, we need it now, we need it rapidly," says Dr. Cathy Yeckel, PhD, a researcher at Yale University. "This turns everything on its head. The SuperStarch gives little bits of energy over time and keeps the system stable."
UCAN has no added sugars or caffeine, is gluten-free, and passes through the stomach quickly, causing no GI issues. SuperStarch is a healthy and natural carbohydrate source originally designed for young children with a rare blood sugar disease. One single serve packet should be mixed with 8-12 ounces of cold water and consumed 30-45 minutes before a workout. There are also protein-enhanced flavors that will optimize post-workout recovery.
"When I won New York and saw the packet Generation UCAN, I said how appropriate is that," recalls Meb. "This represents a new generation where you believe you can do things."
*Read more about this unique carbohydrate at GenerationUCAN.com
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