Running nutrition

Thursday, January 24, 2013 · Mike Davis

This is from an old post, but I believe there is great value in the information so I am re-posting it. The most underestimated area of running is nutrition. You can train, hydrate and even get ample rest, but if you leave out proper nutrition, you will suffer greatly in any run of 3 miles or more. Depending on the length of your long run or race, nutrition importance begins 3 days before your long run. A little thought and preparation will help fuel your body for that weekly long run or big race! Our glycogen level (stored energy), is what our running muscles require to perform when we run. Our intake of carbohydrates plays an important role in our bodies’ storage of glycogen. This is where the carb loading theory has come in and I’ll address that in a bit. Our bodies always have some level of glycogen but not nearly enough to sustain a run exceeding even 3 miles. Increasing carbohydrates in our diet is a must in any good training plan or if you are running any substantial mileage. So are all carbohydrates equal? Glycemic value and your body’s ability to store certain carbs for a longer period of time is key to answering that question. If you were to look at the glycemic index, you would see those carbs that are higher in sugar content are higher on the index and foods such as oatmeal are low. Low is good as those carbs take longer to burn in your body, giving you stored energy. Stored energy gives your muscles the fuel that lube’s your joints and sustains your running muscles as your miles increase. As I said, the theory of carb loading in preparation for a long run or a big race has been around for some time. Yes, carb loading is very effective if done right. If you have a run of 8 miles or greater, plan a few days ahead to star loading up on those good carbs (low glycemic value). Start 3 days before your run with a mix of 85 percent carbs to 15 percent proteins, continuing 2 days out with the same combination. The day before your run, cut back on your overall intake, but stay with the same ratio. Day of the run, eat some stomach friendly carbs about 2-3 hours out. You have now given yourself the best opportunity to run strong and steady. Just before you head out for your run, check your weight, if you have put on 4 pounds, you have prepared well! Foods that should be part of your running diet. - Oatmeal - Wheat pasta (Al dante) - Whole wheat bread - Plane Greek yogurt - Regular pasta (Al dante) - Regular yogurt - Beans There are many more, but these are some of the best foods to add to your running diet and especially a few days before a long run.