PERFORMANCE
Marathon nutrition special
Registered Nutritionist, Lucy-Ann Prideaux
www.simply-nutrition.co.uk
NUTRITION Q&A Q
Q
Lucy-Ann Prideaux is a regular speaker at RF training breaks with The Running Inn. Every month she’s here to answer your nutrition questions
Q
I’m doing my first marathon this month. I read that I should cut back on carbs for a few days
before I carb-load – but someone at the running club said that advice is out of date. What’s the best way to prepare the week before the race?
The “old-style” seven-day carb-loading regimes are indeed outdated. A three- day carb-load, with no prior carb depleting, is now considered effective and practical. Remember you are tapering your
training leading up to the marathon, so as long as you are eating normally, or slightly exceeding your carbohydrate requirements 48 hours prior to racing, you will be carb-loading effectively. A greater percent of your calorie
intake should come from easy-to-digest nutritious carbohydrates (e.g. fresh fruits, oats, oatcakes, rice, barley, quinoa, millet and root veg), and less from meats, fish, and fatty foods. Plan your three-day menu in advance, and aim for six to seven smaller meals to continually top-up energy stores. The night before the race eat a normal-size meal, and on the morning of the race eat a simple high-carb breakfast, three hours prior to the start, of plain oats, with milk or water, chopped banana and a little plain yogurt.
30 n RUNNING FREE
Can you advise what I should drink before, during and after the marathon?
There are hundreds of hydration drinks on the market aimed at the sports enthusiast, so it’s easy to become confused over what, and how much, to drink when you’re running. Hydrate with water and water-rich
fruits and vegetables the day before. Then around 15 minutes before your race take on board an 8oz glass of water (240ml). Of course you’ll need to be suitably prepared with fluids and gels to take for the run. During the run, aim to drink around 250 to 330ml water every 30 minutes, and then after an hour, drink the same amount of seven percent CHO solution (to effectively refuel and rehydrate). Drinking very large amounts of water only, especially over a short space of time, will cause lots of unnecessary loo stops, and in very long runs or races this also puts a runner at an increased risk of
hyponatraemia.This is when too much water dilutes the blood, as the water “pushes” vital electrolyte salts out of the body. The range of fluid absorption rates varies from person to person, as individuals have very different capacities to absorb fluid. For most athletes, absorption rates will be in the region of 600 to 800ml per hour, best taken in 20 or 30 minute blocks. Ideally, you need to calculate your own sweat rate, and fluid absorption capacity. After your run, taking conditions and temperature into account, the amount of water and electrolytes that need replenishing will largely depend on how much a person has “sweated out”. Consuming 150 percent of the weight lost during a run is a good place to start. Choose a well-formulated recovery drink, or take a chicken or vegetable broth, or make up a miso soup. Choosing a tasty, flavoursome drink
that you like will help immensely to effectively rehydrate. Coconut water is particularly effective for rehydrating, and some good brands on the market include Dr Martins Coco Juice, and Vita-Coco.
Can you give me some ideas for natural recovery food and drinks?
I’ve got five favourite ‘super’ recovery foods: cherries, sweet potato, live yogurt, miso soup and hemp seeds. Cherries and cherry juice contain vitamin C, iron and antioxidants called flavonoids, which are anti-inflammatory and immune-supportive. Cherries also contain a natural hormone called melatonin which regulates the sleep- wake cycle and promotes sleep. Sweet potato contains high amounts of beta-carotene and vitamin C, both important antioxidants for reducing muscle damage. A rich source of easily digestible carbohydrate, it fast replenishes glycogen. Live yogurt is made by adding live
bacterial cultures to milk, which help with digestion and immunity. It is also a complete protein food that naturally contains carbohydrate. Best blended with fruit.
Miso soup contains water and a balance of electrolyte salts. The additional tofu provides protein, and the wakame seaweed is rich in minerals. Hemp seeds are loaded with essential
fatty acids and are the richest plant source of anti-inflammatory Omega 3s. They also contain chain amino acids (BCAAs) for muscle recovery. There are lots of natural alternatives to
ready-made recovery drinks. A good blend to try: raspberries, blueberries or strawberries, ½ banana, a cup of almond milk or rice milk, and a tablespoon of shelled hemp seeds. This provides essential fats, protein and fibre. For a tasty green smoothie with a
savoury taste, blend a handful of spinach or watercress in a blender, with chopped apple, lettuce leaves, a slice of fresh peeled lemon or lime, a few fresh mint leaves, a thumbnail size of sliced fresh ginger root, and enough water to cover.
Meet Lucy Ann at the Running Free Workshop, with The Running Inn, to be held at evolve in South Kensington on April 12th, June 25th and September 17th 2011. Visit www.
therunninginn.com for more information.
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