Dear Coach Adam,

I am planning on getting in to town on the Thursday before the race and I was wondering if you could recommend some good and healthy places to eat while my family and I are in town.

James

Hanover, NH

Dear James,

I just wanted to clear up some word usage issues before we start. People are healthy; food is healthful. Now I can take off my pedantic pants and start talking about getting your healthful grub on. In order to organize my frantic thoughts on this subject we’ll start down in the Village of Oak Creek and move north through uptown and then head west through the rest of Sedona.

Desert Flour Bakery and Bistro (www.desertflour.com) – If you feel like you might be a touch low on delicious carbs then this place needs to be your first stop. The Desert Flour is one of those places that makes you want to order dessert first…AND last. Their meals and amazing and they are probably the most reasonable priced establishment in the entire area. They also have a great beer and wine list for *ahem* after the race.

Elote (www.elotecafe.com) – This is where you get the Mexican food that no one realizes that people actually eat in Mexico. This place is the real deal when it comes to a truly authentic Mexican cuisine. Most of the stuff you can’t even pronounce, so you KNOW it’s good. You’ll want to get there early because they don’t take reservations and the last thing you want to do is make your glycogen depleted body wait for calories.

Heartline Café (www.heartlinecafe.com) – This is the place for your post-race recovery and celebration meal. The Heartline is the most formal (OK, it’s “Sedona formal” which means you have to at least wear a shirt during dinner…ever outside on the patio).

Picazzos (www.picazzos.com) – What restaurant list would be complete without PIZZA! They offer an amazing thin crust for those people who want to avoid a carb coma. They also have salads, entrees, and gluten free options.

India Palace (www.cuisineofindia-az.com) – I know most people don’t associate Indian cuisine with marathons, but the lunch buffet makes for a perfect day-after-race recovery meal. I have eaten Indian cuisine all over the United States and throughout Europe, and this place is by far the best I have ever tasted.

I should point out that I have not been compensated or persuaded in any way as to which restaurants to include in this list. These are my personal favorites. Please feel free to email me if you need special suggestions (vegetarian, vegan, Kosher, steakhouse, etc).