Nutrition

Nutrition

Nutrition has a big impact on allowing you to train consistently and effectively to produce the desired adaptations in response to training. If you want every training session to count, you need a good nutrition strategy NOT only for race day but all the other days including rest days.

Signs you might not be eating enough:

Fatigue
Struggling to complete a session
Long gaps between meals
Missing meals - can delay recovery

There should be no conflict between eating for health and eating for performance.

Don’t start on a restrictive diet when you are marathon training
Latest data: recommends a regular diet, meat/gluten, and carbs, some vegetarian plans, seek specific resources
Everyone has different nutritional needs due to differing resting metabolic rates.

Carbs are a vital source of fuel, 55-65% carbs, 2.3-5.5g per pound of body weight per day. It is common practice to carb load in the lead up to an endurance event.

Proteins: for strength and repair, 0.6-0.8g per pound of body weight per day

Fats: seeds, nuts, feta

Fuelling your runs in general

When to fuel: the longer the run the more important it is to have a fuelling strategy
Short workouts under an hour: no fuel is necessary
Good times to go for a run in the morning: within one to three hours of breakfast, Afternoon: leave 1-2 hours for digestion
Energy while running: Energy gels: GU (try but you might not get on with them), trail mix, nut butter, bananas
Race day breakfast replenishes glycogen levels in the liver
Caffeine can improve performance, but don’t take exclusively in gels, change to caffein free gels
Lots of fruit can upset your stomach

Fuelling during the long run

This needs to be regular and consistent

The body can process @ 60g of carbs per hour

Post-run fuelling

Eat a substantial healthy meal within two hours of a long run.

Why is Hydration important

Don’t need to worry if you are running for less than an hour, during the run only drink when thirsty
pre-hydrate before a run, small sips as opposed to chugs, and replace lost fluids after the run.
Important for Thermoregulation of the body cools you down
Aids circulation
Lubricates your joints
drinking a sufficient amount to avoid thirst provides the required hydration balance, runners who only drank when thirsty drank 500ml + per hour
The GI tract can only process 700-750 ml per hour otherwise the fluid will just be sloshing in your stomach

Dehydration

Dehydration is when the body doesn’t have sufficient fluids to function correctly
Can cause heat-related illness, reduce athletic performance and physiological function
Symptoms may not be obvious until severe dehydration occurs, dark urine, headaches, elevated heart rate, etc
Current sports science literature suggests a small amount of dehydration is acceptable, depends on the individual.

Overhydration

Mild overhydration, can leave you feeling bloated and can reduce athletic performance
Extreme over hydration results in hyponatremia, potentially lethal, the body becomes saturated, the water ratio is unbalanced, can be avoided by sipping regularly

15 June, 2020

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