Post workout: Chocolate Milk, Bananas, Protein Bars/Shake, Fruit Popsicles, Granola/Cereal Bars, Fruits, Trail Mix, Peanut butter and jelly sandwich, Electrolytes Race Day Pre-Race Dinner: You should eat a well-balanced meal that is high in complex carbs that has a little in fat and protein. Pasta is a great source of carbohydrates. Don't experiment. While we all love to try new foods and taste new flavors, it's best to stick with what's familiar and what works for you the night before the race. If you had marinara sauce the night before your last successful long training run, don't try something heavy and different on this night. A new food or spice could upset your stomach or leave you feeling "off." Eat a nutritious meal composed of whole grains (whole wheat pasta or brown rice); grilled or steamed vegetables or a salad (lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, and light dressing); and a small amount of protein such as grilled chicken, fish, or lean red meat. Again, stick with what's familiar: If you've found that too much fiber was problematic for you on your training days, then you may want to eat a white-flour (not whole-grain) carb source Race Day Breakfast Eat 2-3 hours before your race. Something very light. Oatmeal, bananas, cereal bars, protein bars, waffles, whole wheat toast or bagels. Low fat mile, bagel, yogurt, something familiar, avoid fatty foods. Example: 1 cup of cereal with milk or yogurt, 1 slice of toast, and 1 piece of fruit Or 1 medium bagel with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter and 1 to 2 cups of a sports drink Or 2 pieces of toast or bread, 1 ounce of lean meat of cheese, and 1 piece of fruit Race day lunch (Pack your lunch) Stay away from greasy foods. A sandwich with lean meat, a small plate of pasta with sauce, even a granola bar with a bottle of sports drink. Other examples: peanut butter and jelly sandwich, turkey, tuna, or chicken. Post race: Gatorade, electrolytes, fruits, do not eat a huge meal. Avoid: Anything you are not familiar with. DO NOT EXPERIMENT ON RACE DAY! Long Runs Before: It s most beneficial to eat a full meal three or four hours before you head out to slog through many miles. Go for something easily digestible, like a banana with peanut butter and a highcalorie sports drink. After: As with speed work, make sure to eat within half an hour of your finish. Go for 200 to 300 calories and try to include an avocado or walnuts, which have been shown to reduce inflammation caused by all that pounding the pavement. Then sit down to a bigger meal a few hours later and continue snacking every two hours or so for the rest of the day.
Easy/Recovery Runs Before: For a morning jog of no longer than 30 or 45 minutes at a relaxed pace that is, one you could talk through a glass of water might be all you need ahead of time, provided you had a decent dinner the night before. But if last night s meal wasn t filling, or if you ate it early, downing a banana will replace glycogen stores in your muscles to stave off sluggishness. If you re heading out in the afternoon, have a snack with about 50 grams of carbs in it like a granola bar an hour or two beforehand. After: There s no need to take in calories immediately, but try to eat a snack or your next meal within an hour or two. Skipping a solid post-run meal could lead to lethargy or sugar cravings later in the day or down the road, even sickness or injury. It's also a good idea to get some fiber and some protein to continue helping your muscles rebuild from prior hard training days. Speed Workouts Before: It doesn t matter whether you re tackling hill repeats or a fartlek any kind of speed work will zap your energy stores, so some pre-run chow is a must. Take in 200 to 400 calories (depending on your size and how long before the run you re snacking) of easily digestible carbs, such as toast with jelly. A sports drink or gels between intervals. It s been shown to improve performance up through the last rep. After: Eat within 30 minutes Tips Hydration!!!!! Make sure you are drinking enough water. Guide to drinking water Body Weight Number of bottles/per day 100-129 lbs 5 130-149 lbs. 6 *Add one bottle if the temperature is over 90 degrees *Avoid (In Season) Soft Drinks Don t skip a meal. Make sure you eat 3 good meals each day. If you skip a meal then you will have a tendency to snack on unhealthy snacks to get your energy needs. 3. Snack Smart! When you do snack. Make it a healthy choice. There are a lot of health snack options out there depending on what you like to eat. 4. Eat a variety of food. Make sure you are eating carbohydrates (Rice, potatoes, beans and pasta) proteins (Chicken, Beef, and Fish), fruits and vegetables. 5. Fruits and Vegetables! Eat at least 5 different fruits and vegetables a day 6. Multi-Vitamin Take a one-a-day multi vitamin
Breakfast Sample Breakfast: 1 bagel with 2 tablespoons strawberry jam 1 medium banana 8 ounces fruit yogurt 8 ounces orange juice Snacks (throughout the day) Nutritional snacks such as fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grain sandwiches, smoothies, nuts, eggs, yogurts, dried fruits, dry cereal, whole-grain crackers, 100 percent juice boxes, string cheese, whole fruits, peanut butter sandwiches, whole fruited, Nature Valley Oats 'n Honey Granola Bars, Gatorade, and protein or health-food bars can all help to alleviate the dreaded energy slump. Healthy snacks will also ensure that your muscles and liver are always ready for further exercise, and additionally, you will have sufficient energy to get through day-to-day activities. Lunch/Dinner Top Food for runners: Salmon, Cherries, Kale, Skim Milk, Bananas, Soy, Oatmeal, Green Tea, Tomatoes, Whole Grain Pasta Add to your diet: Sweet Potatoes, eggs, almonds, whole grain cereal with protein, oranges, black beans, mixed salad greens, salmon, whole great bread, stir fry vegetables, whole grain pasta, chicken, mixed berries, dark chocolates, yogurt. Healthy Diet Eating healthy is an essential part of performing well. Learn what food helps and why. 60-70 percent of calories from carbohydrates (grains, pasta, bread, etc.) 20-30 percent of calories from fat sources (oils, avocados, nuts, etc.) 10-15 percent of calories from protein (fish, meat, chicken, beans, etc.) Carbohydrates As a runner, carbohydrates should make up about 60-70% of your total calorie intake. Without a doubt, carbs are the best source of energy for athletes. Research has shown that for both quick and long-lasting energy, our bodies work more efficiently with carbs than they do with proteins or fats. Whole grain pasta, steamed or boiled rice, potatoes, fruits, starchy vegetables, and whole grain breads are good carb sources. Protein Protein is used for some energy and to repair tissue damaged during training. In addition to being an essential nutrient, protein keeps you feeling full longer, which helps if you're trying to lose weight. Protein should make up about 10% - 15% of your daily intake. Runners, especially those running long distances, should consume.5 to.75 grams of protein per pound of body weight. Try to concentrate on protein sources that are low in fat and cholesterol such as lean meats, fish, low-fat dairy products, poultry, whole grains, and beans. Fat: A high fat diet can quickly pack on the pounds, so try to make sure that no more than 20-30% of your total diet comes from fats. Stick to foods low in saturated fats and cholesterol. Foods such as nuts, oils, and cold-water fish provide essential fats called omega-3s, which are vital for good health and can help prevent certain diseases. Most experts recommend getting about 3,000 mg of omega-3 fat a day.
Vitamins: Runners don't get energy from vitamins, but they are still an important part of their diet. Exercise may produce compounds called free radicals, which can damage cells. Vitamins C, E, and A are antioxidants and can neutralize free radicals. Getting your vitamins from whole foods is preferable to supplementation; there's no strong evidence that taking supplements improves either health or athletic performance. Calcium: A calcium-rich diet is essential for runners to prevent osteoporosis and stress fractures. Good sources of calcium include low-fat dairy products, calcium-fortified juices, dark leafy vegetables, beans, and eggs. Your goal should be 1,000 to 1,300 mg of calcium per day. Iron: You need this nutrient to deliver oxygen to your cells. If you have an iron-poor diet, you'll feel weak and fatigued, especially when you run. Men should aim for 8 mg of iron a day, and women need 18 mg. Good natural sources of iron include lean meats, leafy green vegetables, nuts, shrimp, and scallops. Sodium and other electrolytes: Small amounts of sodium and other electrolytes are lost through sweat during exercise. Usually, electrolytes are replaced if you follow a balanced diet. But if you find yourself craving salty foods, it may be your body's way of telling you to get more sodium. Try drinking a sports drink or eating some pretzels after exercise. If you're running longer than 90 minutes, then you should need to replace some of the electrolytes you're losing through sweat by drinking sports drinks or taking in salt during your runs
Iron-10 milligrams
Calcium-300 milligrams
Protein-100 Grams