On Monday I spectated my umpteenth Boston Marathon and despite the rainy weather, it was as awesome and inspiring as ever. So of course my dietitian brain is thinking now about race recovery, and hoping all of the runners are giving their bodies the best chance at recovering well from a very difficult and taxing course. The best way to do that is of course, rest, but nutrition comes in a close second.
Often when talking about nutrition for recovery we/I emphasize the nutrition to prioritize taking in within 30-45 minutes of finishing a workout or race, and that’s still really important. However, when it comes to a race like a marathon, nutrition you’re taking in during the days and weeks to follow matters just as much. I think it takes about a month, sometimes more, for all of the body’s systems to fully recover from a marathon. They are hard. And whether it’s the cardiovascular system, endocrine system, musculoskeletal system, etc., doing the recovering, they all need adequate nutrition in order to do their jobs and recover from the serious stress that is running 26.2 miles. And they are all recovering post-race (not just your muscles!). Here are a few things to keep in mind.
Protein is your friend
This probably comes as no surprise, but protein is the most important nutrient to make sure you’re getting enough of to help your body recover and rebuild damaged cells. Prioritize including a quality protein source with every meal throughout the day, as well as snacks. Consuming protein consistently throughout the day helps the body maximize absorption, because it can only use so much at one time. Some of my favorite protein sources are:
Turkey sandwiches
Baked salmon
Shredded chicken thighs (on a salad, in a grain bowl, in a soup, etc.)
Scrambled eggs on avocado toast
Tofu, veggie and rice bowls
Greek yogurt
Baby bell cheese with fruit for snacks
Burger and fries
Fruit smoothie with whey protein powder
So are carbs
Carbs are also essential for recovery, both immediately after a race and in the days and weeks following a marathon. We not only need them to replenish all of the glycogen stores we used up while running, but to continue to fuel the body’s normal everyday activities so it can focus on recovery with the protein we’re taking in. If not enough carbs are consumed during the recovery period, the body can take energy from other nutrients, like protein, as well as muscle tissue, to ensure it can perform those every day tasks. What that leaves for recovery is next to nothing (and often, nothing!). Consuming enough carbs has a protein sparing effect, meaning protein is literally spared from being used as an energy source so it can focus on the important tasks at hand (like recovery).
Honor your hunger
After a marathon, it’s normal to feel extremely hungry. Often that feeling doesn’t even kick in until the days after the race, and it’s essential to honor that hunger and eat to satisfaction. When this happens, it’s simply your body’s way of telling you it’s trying to get some serious work done and it need some assistance (in the form of nutrition!). It’s around this time that I notice some runners getting judgmental about these hunger cues – “well, I didn’t do anything today, I shouldn’t be feeling this hungry anymore “- and ignoring them. Or “holding out” until mealtime. This can be stressful on the body, especially after a stressful event, and ultimately slow recovery. Something I like to remind my clients of is that the body doesn’t operate on a 24-hour time clock. Meaning, it doesn’t reset at midnight and forget what it did the day before – recovery nutrition is a fluid process that is almost constantly happening, not just on days when a hard workout or race takes place.
I hope this was helpful! For more information on working with me, please visit my website.
Great information. I'm a professor of KINE at a college in Texas. I have taught for years about "protein sparing'. This is the first time I have seen any reference to it and explanation about it in many years. Thank you!