Pre-Run Pasta
This is my favorite go-to spaghetti, and it just happens to be a perfect pre-race meal for all you fellow half-marathoners out there. I got the recipe from my mom who concocted it from what I’m sure are about 10 different recipes ripped out of various sources and marked up to no end. Gotta love the woman. I’m drawn to this spaghetti because it’s not too saucy, it’s packed with flavor, it’s spicy, it’s quick to make, and it doesn’t leave me feeling like I need to take a 13.1-hour nap instead of run 13.1 miles. Wins all-around.
The beauty of this pasta is in its simplicity and freshness. And speaking of freshness, I’m sad to say that the batch you see here was 2011’s last hoorah. This dish relies on juicy tomatoes and just-picked herbs. Luckily, I caught the end of the summer tomato crop, and my basil and parsley were still going nuts in October. As for simplicity, the base makes the pasta what it is: you start by sauteeing garlic, chile flakes, green onions, and tomato paste in olive oil. What you end up with is a cooked-down pan of flavorful oil that coats every strand of spaghetti. (I’ll note here that this dish has a healthy kick of heat, which I like. If your stomach lining hasn’t yet been burned off by sriracha as has mine, go easy on the chili flakes and see if you want to dial it up next time.)
Next comes the pasta itself. 100% whole wheat is key here for the texture, flavor, and extra boost you get on your run. (My favorite is DeLallo.) It gets tossed with the oil mixture, taking on its beautiful orangey-red color and soaking up all the flavor. Throw in the fresh tomatoes, basil, parsley, and a heap of Parmigiano-Reggiano, and you’ll be deliciously fueled for your morning race or whatever other Saturday pursuit you so choose (like a Minecraft marathon… eh hem, BILL).
And just to show the proof in the pudding (er, pasta), I’m even smiling after the race:
