Dave Z. H. - Ultramarathon: Pre And Post Racing Nutrition Guide

SNACKING UP

ULTRAMARATHON

PRE- AND POST-RACING NUTRITION GUIDE

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE HIGHEST PERFORMANCE DIET FOR TODAYS AMATEUR AND PROFESSIONAL RUNNERS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SNACKING UP

P roper diet is a major factor in determining how well you run and must always be an integral part of your training .

First , let's look at a fundamental principle of endurance sports . It is a fact that your muscles will become stronger the more you do an activity . It is also important to note that when your muscles are sore you should give them time to heal with easier workouts . Training hard does make your muscles stronger , however , without going soft the following days you will not notice results ( hard/soft/hard/soft ).

Now physiologists have debated for a long time that if you eat carbohydrates after a hard training session , you will recover quicker . Latest tests have shown that if you consume extra protein , your muscles will recover even faster . Eat a protein/CARB combination within one hour after running to give yourself the best results .

Eat before you run

Generally speaking , you will perform better with a lighter stomach . However , if your running will last more than an hour , then you will need to eat something in advance to ensure you provide your body with its muchneeded fuel . The liver controls your blood sugar but it is limited . If you can eat something ( very light ) before long workouts , this will keep you going . However , everyone is different some people might be able to eat loads before a run while other people can't stomach any food before a run .

W hat to eat

As you guessed , it's true that you do not have to eat a healthy balanced diet to run , but the benefits of doing so will show in your running performance .

Here are some dietary guidelines :

* Eat balanced amounts of carbohydrates , protein and ( Yes !) monounsaturated fat if possible

* Eat more carbohydrates if you increase your training

* Do not overeat or skip meals . Breakfast is particularly important .

* Avoid junk food if you can .

The recommended calories

Here are some figures of what a healthy active runner should be aiming to consume for their caloric intake . A runner should eat :

5065% carbohydrates

1525% fat

2025% protein .

If you follow these guidelines , you will not only perform better you will start to feel better as well ! Thank you for purchasing this book it is my sincere hope that it will answer all your questions in pre and postracing nutrition .

I m not running in the Olympics , and besides , I run for 90 minutes a day . Why should I even bother with a diet ? That much running will burn anything , right ?

Wrong .

Before we start discussing nutrition for runners , it is vital to deal with the myth that athletes can eat anything as long as they are working out enough .

In his book The Last Pick , athlete and philanthropist Dave McGillivray ( race director of the Boston Marathon ) revealed how he also adhered to this myth . To quote the man : If the furnace was hot enough , it would burn everything .

However , at the age of 57 , he was diagnosed with coronary artery disease much to his surprise .

Even doctors have lent credence , in the past , to the idea that since running for miles on end keeps weight , blood pressure , heart rate , and cholesterol levels in check , it should give license to athletes to eat as they please . This way of thinking is being set aside for a smarter approach to the nutritional needs of athletes .

However , recent research shows otherwise . The study in question ( published in the current edition of Missouri Medicine ) took 50 volunteers who had run at least one marathon in the last 2 . 5 decades and compared their health with a control group .

Another study from last year ( published in the British Medical Journal ) compared the carotid arteries of 42 volunteers ( runners who had qualified for the Boston Marathon ) with their less active spouses . The assumption behind the study was that the runners would have a better atherosclerotic risk profile , but the results showed otherwise .

There is another line of research that is seeking to establish that extreme endurance exercise can give rise to heart problems instead of preventing or treating them . Some cardiologists are adopting the theory that after a certain point , heavy workouts can cause heart disease instead of preventing it . The possible conditions include coronary artery disease , myocardial fibrosis , and even sudden cardiac arrest .

While there may not be conclusive evidence to establish this link , the reports of runners having heart disease are increasing by the day .

But our concerns are not to do with the extremity of the workout ( which is beyond the scope of this presentation ), but more with the runners diet . In this respect , all experts are unanimous that a highcalorie burning workout doesnt mean that you eat without shrewdness .

For these reasons , you need to learn about proper nutrition that ensures your longterm health as well as success as a runner .

F ood is important to an athlete overall . However , it's even more important when you are running long distances and training for a road race . What you eat before your long run will help determine how well your race goes .

You need to start thinking about what you are eating two days before your long run or road race . In particular , you should be thinking about carbohydrates . Runners need to increase theircarb intake , but not theiroverall calories . It is a mistake that many athletes make . They feel that carboloading means that they can eat all the pizza and pasta that they can handle .

In reality , it pays to increase the percentage of carbs that you eat during the time . If you are eating more meat than your carbohydrate source ( such as rice ), eat more rice than meat during this period . Good sources of carbs to eat are pasta , rice , potatoes , and other starchy vegetables .

Right before your long run or road race , you need to try to stay away from foods that are high in fiber content .

Also , make sure that you are staying wellhydrated the few days before your long run or race . You also want to try to stay away from consuming a lot of alcoholic drinks . Alcohol can cause dehydration and you don't want this during your long run attempt .

The morning of your long run or race , you should eat at least an hour before you start . If possible , eat two hours before hand . Make sure that you are still eating plenty of carbs and protein . Many runners will eat a bagel or a piece of toast with peanut butter . Others will eat a bowl of cereal . If you do eat a bowl of cereal , watch the fiber content .

I like to eat a Power Bar before I head out on my long run . I also do this before any race that I run . It has all the nutrients in it that I need and it adequately fills me up without being too filling .

Regarding water intake the morning of , you will want to make sure that you are staying wellhydrated . However , another mistake that runners make is to overhydrate . It could cause you to have to stop to go to the bathroom during your run . A good rule of thumb is to drink 16 ounces of water about an hour before you plan on heading out . Then , stop drinking water until about 1015 minutes before you start . At that time , drink about 6 ounces to make sure you are hydrated enough to begin .