Eating well during your running training sessions or competitions is essential to your running success. Nutrition should be as much a part of your running lifestyle as your workout and sleep. We’ve brought you 10 running nutrition tips to get you off to a good start!
1. Eat meals at regular times
This allows the body to provide a regular energy intake. It can thus adapt and better manage the digestion of food.
2. Have breakfast
Too many athletes still skip breakfast. The importance of carbohydrate and protein intake at breakfast affects the entire course of the day. If intake is too low, alertness, attention, and concentration will decline, partly due to hypoglycemia. These phenomena will be more pronounced if the time between breakfast and lunch is too long or if you train at midday. The smooth running of the running session will be affected, as will recovery at the end of the activity. The next meal will not be able to compensate for the deficiencies caused by missing breakfast.
3. Have a varied and balanced diet
A varied diet covers almost all vitamin and mineral needs. The goal of nutrition is to maintain good health and also optimize a runner’s physiological capabilities.
4. Hdrate before and after the race
Drinking regularly is the best way to avoid dehydration. You should hydrate before, during, and after your running workouts or competitions. Proper hydration will allow for better recovery. The consequences of dehydration are reduced performance, muscle injuries, digestive problems, etc. Water is the only essential beverage for good hydration during your running activity; however, for “running” efforts longer than 1 hour, “energy” drinks can provide a real boost.
5. Fuel your muscles with every meal
Running requires a lot of energy, so it’s important to remember to replenish it regularly. The foods that provide this energy are starchy foods, which are rich in complex carbohydrates. For maximum effectiveness, they should be spread throughout the day, i.e., at each meal.
6. Don’t forget fruits and vegetables
They are low in calories but provide a nutritional value in vitamins and minerals, which will have a direct impact on proper nutrient absorption. They are also rich in fiber, thus facilitating intestinal transit.
7. Eat before exercise
The meal before a running workout or competition will affect your performance. An insufficient diet can lead to hypoglycemia, while an excessively large or rich diet can lead to digestive problems. Therefore, it’s important to choose a complete and easily digestible meal.
8. Eating during exercise
Hydration and nutrition during running are key factors in avoiding dehydration and energy loss, which can lead to a drop in performance during your runs. There are three key elements: water for hydration, sodium to compensate for sweat loss, and carbohydrates to compensate for energy loss.
9. Don’t forget to recover after your run
Once a competition or training session is over, runners tend to forget to recover. However, after any effort, the body needs to regain its balance. Therefore, you must be vigilant and compensate for all fluid and electrolyte losses and replenish energy reserves, which are so precious for resuming your running training the next day.
10. Be careful with alcohol
Alcohol is not recommended for runners. The calories it provides (7 kcal/g of alcohol) are not usable for muscular effort. Alcohol reduces physical capacity and increases the number of toxins the body must eliminate. In addition, it accelerates dehydration and alters sweat regulation. Note that alcohol is considered a doping agent by some federations.
