Fitness Insights by Jamie Atlas

Endurance Racing Peak Performance Nutrition Plan:

Training:

Because you will be running / resting / running, breakdown your runs into smaller sections and run twice (or three times) during the day.  This will also help with carb access conditioning (see below).

Endurance Running - even Spidey does it!

Nutrition:

Carb Access Conditioning

To train the body to be more like a fat burning machine than a carb burning machine.  To do this, eat a higher protein meal the night before and have a protein heavy breakfast the day of a run.

We do this to condition your body to access the fat not the carbs.  The three days before race day you can begin eating a higher carb diet which will load the muscles and make you feel like you have all the energy in the world.

Vodka - sure, it may look like water. But water it ain't!

Hydration – to maximize water intake, follow these rules:

• Add a small amount of sea salt & carb to your water when drinking during the race.
  • (A mix of 1/8 Gatorade to water should be perfect, but mix it to taste)
• Drink your water at room temperature unless feeling overheated – having cold water can cause water retention in the stomach (which does not feel good while running)
• Drink small amounts of water frequently to maximize absorption through the system.
• When in training, try this drink mix to make sure your body recognizes it while in the race.  During training, drink it only in the second half of your run so as not to interfere with the carb access conditioning.

Test and re-test

In practice towards the end of your training run try different foods – some people prefer goo, some people can drink juice, others prefer protein bars.  Your body will be different so experiment to see what feels best – take notes so you can see what worked well for you.

Refueling – 1:4 protein to carb ratio

Following a run of longer than 45 minutes you have two windows of opportunity to refuel your muscles.  The largest one is within 20-30 minutes of finishing your activity, the next is open for the next 2 hours.  You should be eating small amounts constantly every 20 minutes until 2 hours after stopping your activity.

Try to take in a mix of 1 protein to 4 carbs.  The mix does not need to be exact, but there must be protein present in order for the carb to be used as part of the process of refueling.

If your system can handle it, flavored milk can be a favorite of some athletes (Michael Phelps’ post-race drink is usually a giant container of chocolate milk!)

The bottom line

When it comes to a recovery nutrition plan for endurance athletes is to replenish glycogen stores, body water and electrolytes.

Whether this is accomplished by using a formulated sports drink with the necessary nutrients, a homemade “smoothie” or through whole foods is the choice of each individual athlete. Individual preferences will guide you towards proper recovery, but follow the general recovery nutrition guidelines to ensure that your nutritional goals are met.

Want to read more about running and race performance?  Try one of the links below:

Outdoor running vs Treadmill Running – which is better and why

3 exercises that are guaranteed to help you run better

Figuring out why your knee hurts when you walk/run – (hint:  it might not be the knee’s fault)

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