I had multiple new athlete intake calls this week, and it surprised me how many of the runners were not expecting to talk about eating/hydrating. So I have decided to take it to the pen and paper (aka keyboard) and give some simple advice and tips on fueling around running. Because 1. I love food and 2. Fueling appropriately is a complete game changer.
I’m going to do my best to not get too technical on you. But here we go...
The Science
We all know our body needs food and drink to survive and function. We also all know that exercise of any type requires energy and burns energy. What I am not at all going to talk about here is the idea of calories in/out or weight. I have very strong feelings about that topic which we can discuss at a later date… but let’s just say I believe every body is a runner’s body. Ok cool, moving on.
At a basic level, our body needs energy/glucose to run/exercise.
There are three different tools that our body uses to supply that energy to the working cells. One mechanism is used for immediate quick-release energy (think 15sec sprint), another mechanism is used for that constant steady-state exercise, and another mechanism is used for the in-between. If you want more details on this specifically, you can either reach out to me or to a dietician (which I am not)!
The bottom line is that your body needs glucose/fuel to run. It can use stored energy, but the common term “hit the wall” is what happens when you run out of that stored energy. Running is hard enough as it is, let’s not make it worse.
So what should you do…
Pre-Run
Eat something. I’m talking about a regular old run here, not necessarily a race. So I like to think quick and easy carbs. Something not too heavy, not too time consuming and not too difficult. My favorites are bananas, graham crackers, pop tarts, teddy grahams, a honey stinger waffle… But just be sure to fuel every run, even the early ones, even the late ones, even the I-only-have-20-minute ones.
Mid-Run
Mid-run fuel starts to come into play when you are running an hour or more. At that point your energy stores will start to run out, and you will hit the wall if you don’t continue to take in glucose. Taking something in roughly every 30 minutes if running over an hour is my go-to process. With the first intake being at the 30min mark, not waiting until the hour. There are close to one million things made and sold to runners for this. If you are new to mid-run fuel, I say go to a local running store and try out a few different brands. For this we want fast and easy-digesting. Think runner gels, chew blocks, gummy bears, applesauce pouches…simple and sugary.
Post-Run
Just because you are done running does not mean that your body is done. The post-run is where the magic happens. Where you recover and grow. Your body needs continued carbohydrate/glucose and protein within an hour of your run in order to best recover and strengthen. This can be more of a meal-meal, but if that is too complicated think an electrolyte drink + a protein shake, or eggs, or peanut butter toast… It doesn’t have to be fancy, but it should be more of a well-rounded meal.
Hydration
It’s summertiiime, and the livin’s easy.
But the sweat is for real. I actually had to pause in the middle of my post-run Starbucks order this morning to wipe the literal dripping sweat out of my eyes.
When you run you are losing more than just water. So you need to take in more than just plain water. Especially in the summer months, you want an electrolyte replacement. During the warmer months I actually tend to have an electrolyte replacement before my run, during if I am running over an hour, and after. My favorite pre and post-run choice is liquid IV (because it also has sugar, aka glucose, aka energy). My favorite mid-run choice is nuun tablets. That being said, there are again a ton of options out there in the world. It can be as easy as a gatorade, but please add some electrolytes into your life.
Okay, so, to summarize what we have learned here - eat, drink and run merry!
Have more questions? Reach out to your girl! Happy Running.
Xo,
Your Favorite Mess Coordinator, Teddi
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