
by Nancy Clark, MS RD, CSSD
If you are a solo runner, you know the benefits that come from fueling your body wisely. When runners gather in teams, however, they can easily be swayed to participate in group meals that may focus less on nutrition and more on fun foods. (Nachos and wings, anyone?) Coaches may find it hard to convince all of their runners to fuel responsibly. Yet the team that fuels wisely will have an edge over the team that eats a sub-optimal sports diet, particularly when traveling to competitive events.
Running teams and their coaches—as well as individual runners – want to seriously acknowledge that smart food choices can help them get to the next level. Nutrition is invaluable for optimizing performance as well as health throughout a long season. When all athletes pay attention to what, how much, and when they consume foods and fluids, their chances for enjoying a winning season get stronger.
Preparing for Game Day
The day before the competitive event, runners should:
For a 150-pound runner, the goal is to eat about 1,800 to 2,100 calories from grains, fruits, veggies, sugars, and starchy foods to replenish the muscle and liver glycogen stores that got depleted during training sessions. That’s no Paleo or Keto diet!
More precisely, the target is 3 to 3.5 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight (6-8 g/kg). For a 150-pound runner, this means about 450 to 525 grams carb the day before the game to refuel—plus for two to three more days afterwards. Divided into three meals plus two snacks, we’re talking oatmeal + bagel for breakfast, sub sandwich + fruit for lunch, a pile of pasta with dinner, plus some pretzels and dried fruit for snacks.
Every meal should be carb-based. Runners who fill-up on excessive protein at meals, plus choose protein bars and shakes for snacks, commonly eat only half this recommended carb intake. While protein helps build and repair muscles, it does not fuel muscles. We know that players on teams who start a game with low muscle glycogen tend to run less distance and be slower than carb-loaded players. This is particularly noticeable in the second half of the game. As a runner, you don’t want the same drop in performance to needlessly happen to you.
Race Day Fueling
A pre-race meal, eaten 3 to 4 hours before start-time will optimize liver glycogen stores that can drop by 50% overnight. Anxious runners who sleep poorly could burn even more. A pre-event meal helps fuel high intensity sprints; it delays fatigue so that you can perform better. An adequate pre-event meal is particularly important for late-morning or afternoon start times.
For a 150-lb runner, “adequate” means 300 to 450 calories from grains, fruit or other source of carb that settles well and digests easily. This could be a bagel and a banana; oatmeal with raisins and maple syrup, or two packets of Nature Valley granola bars. More precisely, target ~0.5 to 1.5 g carb/lb. body weight (1-3 g/kg).
• Runners want to tank-up with water, sport drink, coffee or a familiar fluid in the 2 to 4 hours pre-game. This allows time for them to void the excess fluid.
During endurance events
The overall nutrition goals during long runs and marathons are to:
After warm-up and again every 30 to 45 minutes, runners want to consume about 100-250 calories from carbohydrate (~30 to 60 g carb) to help keep you feeling “sharp.” Sport drinks and gels can be handy sources of carbohydrate at this time. Most gels offer 25 grams carb. Runners who poorly tolerate gels can get the same benefit from natural foods (banana, raisins, honey). Real food works just as well.
Post-race Recovery
Runners need less time to fully recover if they do a good job of fueling and hydrating before and during the event. This is particularly important in tournament situations and back-to-back games.
Sports Nutritionist Nancy Clark, MS, RD counsels both casual and competitive athletes in the Boston-area (Newton; 617-795-1875). Her Sports Nutrition Guidebook can help you eat wisely yet simply and win with good nutrition. For more information, visit www.NancyClarkRD.com.