Nutrition/Running: fueling plans for fall
Fall racing season is upon us. That said, I have zero races planned for the rest of this year, which is partly by choice and partly the way my schedule is working out. After I got sick in May, which I’m presuming was COVID, it took a long while for running to feel good again and my interest in training for anything really waned. I did see a lot of runners hobbling around with their medals after the Bronx 10-miler on Sunday and felt a bit envious, so I’m sure I’ll be signing up for some races next year. Anyways, I guess what I’m trying to say here is that even though training and racing haven’t been top of mind for me, they have been for some of my clients and I’m sure some of you guys.
Which is why I’m talking today about fueling plans, which can absolutely make or break training and races.
Fueling runs during training
Consider this your every day, somewhat foolproof plan that you follow on most days. This plan should ensure that you’re eating ENOUGH, including adequate carbohydrates with meals to fuel your training, adequate protein to help the body recover, and adequate fat to help meet the high energy demand of training (among many other functions). This may sound basic, but endurance athletes can have such high energy demands that unless they’re paying attention and have a plan, can fall short in meeting their needs. It can take as little as a 260 calorie deficit per day, and sometimes less, for the body to experience low energy availability. This can increase risk of injury, and if prolonged, cause RED-S and the myriad of physiological and psychological problems associated with it.
Some questions to ask yourself when developing an everyday fueling plan:
Am I eating within 30-45 minutes of my runs? (if not, do it!)
Is there a time of day when I get really hungry? (if so, insert snack!)
Am I including carbs with every meal and snack? (if not, why?)
Am I sleeping ok? (if not, maybe you need a bedtime snack or a technology-free evening routine)
How have my runs been feeling? (if not great, make sure you’re eating beforehand)
Do I have a regular period? (if not, see an MD and a registered dietitian!)
Pre-run fueling plans
Since not every training run is the same in structure, length and start time, you may want to have a couple different pre-run fueling plans in place. For example, what you eat before a shorter, easy run may need to be different than what you have before your long run in because you need more gas in the tank for a longer effort. This requires experimentation to not only get an understanding of what works best for your stomach, but what type of foods you need for different scenarios and how long you need to digest them. More information about pre-run fueling can be found here.
Post-run fueling plan
I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to prioritize eating after your runs within 30-45 minutes. This is a time when your body needs nutrition and is most susceptible to using protein to help rebuild and repair broken down muscle cells, and carbs to help restock glycogen stores. Having a plan in place, especially if you’re away from home or finish your runs far away from home, is key. For example, if your track workouts are a 30 minute drive away from home, pack a smoothie in a cooler or bring a bottled protein shake with you to have when you finish your workout before you drive home. If you live in Manhattan but finish your run in Brooklyn, finish your run at a breakfast destination before taking the subway home. More about post-run refueling here.
Race day fueling plan
In addition to fueling during the run, this will probably end up being a whole separate post. But! You should be practicing race-specific scenarios with your fueling before and during long runs now so there are little to no surprises with your body, digestion and energy levels on race day.
…life fueling plan
Fueling plans can also be for other parts of life! For example, when your schedule gets wonky or busy, or you have a long travel day. Having a fueling plan can help you ensure that you’ll be well-nourished no matter what happens, and energized for your runs and other life activities. Since cooking and grocery shopping are usually my domain, I joke with my husband that he needs a fueling plan if I’m going to be away for a few days (ok, not really a joke lol)!
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