Nutrition for Runners

Whether this is your first run or you are a seasoned pro, submitting yourself to a long distance run means your body’s nutritional requirements will change. There are many things to take into account before you start training; schedule, fitness level, proper shoes, goals and milestones.

Here are some important nutritional considerations from our Naturopathic Sports Clinic for you if you are training for a long-distance run.

The body’s energy requirements increase when you become active, due to increased energy output and the need for tissue repair and growth
- You will be using up nutrients and vitamins at a quicker rate so make sure that your food intake reflects your needs
- Carbohydrates: Carbs may be your body’s quickest and best source of energy, but training for a run doesn’t mean you need to eat mountains of pasta and bread to ‘carb load’
  - Eat a balanced diet that includes healthy carbohydrates like whole grains, lentils and fruits.
  - Endurance athletes training up to 2 hrs/day require between 5-8g/kg/day of carbohydrates to maintain energy and perform optimally. This translates to 284 – 454g/day for a 125lb person.
- Protein: You don’t need to “protein load”; however endurance sports increase your protein requirements. Adequate protein is essential for muscle and tissue growth and repair, but is also important for your immune system.
  - Generally, regular endurance exercise ups your requirement to 1.2 – 1.6g/kg. That’s ~68 – 91g/day for our 125lb person.
  - You should consume 15 – 20g of quality protein within 2 hours post work-out to maximize tendon, collagen and muscle recovery.
  - Fats: 0.8 – 2.0g/kg focus on heart healthy omega 3 fatty acids and PUFA’s (polyunsaturated)’s and MUFA’s (monounsaturated) like olive oil, hemp and flax oil.
  - Immune system: Suppression of the immune system is often seen in endurance athletes. Ensuring adequate protein (especially Branched Chain Amino Acids), vitamins and nutrients will help keep your immune system strong.
  - Water and Electrolytes: Working out means you are sweating, which means you are losing water and electrolytes (mainly sodium and chloride).
    - Generally, 3L of clear fluids per day is necessary to maintain hydration. Be sure to replenish your electrolytes after a run with a sports drink or you can make your own!
    - Also make sure to avoid alcohol and coffee while training as these can dehydrate you.