Nutrition: Filling up Before your Long Run
Ready to hear something crazy? You may want to sit down for this…here it goes:
You should eat before your long run
Crazy, I know, but let’s talk facts. A lot of runners get into the sport to lose weight. On the surface it makes sense, we burn a lot of calories running; So the leap to “I should do my long runs fasted” seems like the perfect storm of calorie burn and weight loss. The only problem is this…your body doesn’t work like that. When we run long distances or we workout at a high enough intensity we burn carbohydrates not fat. As we run, if we don’t have enough carbs in our system our body goes for the next best thing: Muscle. So while you think you’re torching the pounds off your body it’s not the pounds you want. Your body needs those carbs stored in your muscle and in your blood to keep you going for those tough miles and to limit breakdown of muscle. If you want to lose body fat you should actually do more strength training and walking; but that’s a post for another day.
So now that we’ve digested those facts, lets talk about how to properly fuel before your long run and the best foods to keep you hitting your paces.
Eat between 200-300 calories 1-2 hours before your run. You’ll want to have a small meal that provides a mix of carbs and proteins to give you energy and help your muscles recover. A 3:1 carb/protein is a good estimate (ex: Toast and eggs would be a solid example)
Try to eat carbs that are slower digesting for long lasting energy. Think of things like oatmeal or sweet potato’s. Try looking at foods that are lower on the glycemic index for more ideas…but also consider the amount of fiber. You don’t want a lot of hard to digest stuff in your tummy when your body needs to prioritize energy and blood flow to your running muscles.
If you struggle with cramping try foods with higher potassium content. Great examples would be sweet potatoes (it’s kinda a super food) or your classic banana.
Need a meal in a hurry? Make a smoothie. If you don’t have the time, smoothies can be a great way to get all your nutrients while also making it easier on your stomach to digest.
Practice eating now so your stomach can perform at its best when you race. By eating, your stomach has something to do during your run. This means some blood flow and energy will hang back to keep your stomach and intestines working. In turn this helps your body better manage taking in nutrition while you actively run (Honey Stingers, Gels, Gatorade, etc..).
One last point: For all those that say “I don’t eat before races; why should I train to run with food?” Think how much better you’d be with food. You’re body needs that fuel and if you run/race in any distance over 5k you definitely need the fuel in one way or another.
For more fueling ideas, Check out Eat Slow, Run Fast
It’s a great cook book with tons of pre and post run meal ideas that are easy to make and full of nutrients.
