Nutrition for Runners - Best Foods to Eat Before a Run
How does your body use food for fuel?
Running or jogging is a great way to get outside and exercise. It is a cardiovascular workout that also helps to shape and tone your major muscle groups. Many people know that it’s important to create a schedule and to stay motivated during running but what should you eat before a run? Whether you are preparing for a marathon or just trying to build up your endurance, it is important you give your body the nutrition it needs. Certain foods will metabolize quickly and easily, offering you fast energy when you need it. Other foods can take longer to digest and tend to feel heavy or sometimes give you heartburn while you’re running. So how does your body use food for fuel during a long run and which foods are best?
While you’re running, you’re body uses glycogen for fuel. Glycogen comes from eating carbohydrates which are quickly converted to glucose. Glucose is a simple sugar that is easier for the cells in your body to use. It is further broken down into glycogen and then stored in the muscles. When you run, you’re body will begin to release the stored glycogen for energy. Eating the right foods in conjunction with regular training will help increase your body’s efficiency at producing, storing, and utilizing the glycogen. Generally you’re body can store about two hours of energy before it needs a boost. Eating the right foods before a run helps prevent premature hunger as well as prevents fatigue from low blood sugar. Some runners complain of stomach cramps from the constant up and down movements; eating before a run can help settle the stomach by soaking up the gastric fluids. Also, some runners find they need to bring along a snack for midway through their run. Ultimately, every persons body stores and release glycogen differently so it’s important to experiment with the right kinds of food to see what works best for you. So which foods are the right kinds of foods before a run?
Great foods for running
Carbohydrates are great fuel for your body but it’s important to choose foods with a low glycemic index. Carbohydrates with a low glycemic index include multi or whole grain wheat bread, wheat pasta, bran cereals, oatmeal, and sweet potatoes. White bread and other refined or processed carbohydrates do little for your nutritional needs. Try eating a whole wheat bagel, sans the cream cheese, or a few pieces of whole grain toast before your run.
Bananas, apples, pears, grapes, and grapefruits are just some of the fruits that are great to eat before your run. Not only are they all low on the glycemic index chart, they are also full of vitamins and nutrients, like potassium in bananas, that will give you extra fuel for your long distance run. Fruits are also a great way help curb your sweet tooth, the sugar in the fruit is better for making energy and won’t make you crave more the way cane sugar or high fructose corn syrup would.
Beans and legumes are great foods to eat before exceptionally long runs. Not only are they packed full of fiber and protein, they also take longer to digest, so they will provide you with longer term energy. They are also a great source of folate, iron, potassium, manganese, and copper, nutrients that we often don’t get enough of. If that weren’t enough, beans are low fat and cholesterol free making them almost perfect as a pre-run food. Remember to soak the beans in water overnight or take a gas controlling medication to avoid gas while running.
Meal replacement and snack replacement bars are a great way to get good nutrition in a small package. Make sure to pay attention to the ingredients and nutritional value of the bar. Not all diet bars are good for you. Look for “partially hydrogenated” in the ingredients and avoid it like the plague. Try to find something that is high in protein and carbohydrates and low in sugar and saturated or trans fat. There are also meal and snack replacement gels on the market that are easily carried and easily digested by your body during a run.
During your run, make sure you drink lots of water to stay hydrated. This will ensure your food is more easily digested as well as replacing the fluid you lose while sweating. If you weigh yourself before and after a run and you’ve lost weight, that’s water you’ve lost and you need to replace that immediately.
What to avoid
Try to avoid foods that give you heartburn or indigestion, like spicy food or a lot of garlic. Running long distances will just aggravate the condition and possibly lead to cramps. Avoid caffeine, as it works as a dehydrator in your cells and make it difficult for glycogen to pass into your muscles. Also try to keep dairy products to a minimum as that can sometimes upset the stomach.
You may have to play around with different options to find out what works best for you. Once you find a good combination you can find similar foods to keep things interesting. For example, I find I run best after eating a whole wheat bagel with one tablespoon of sugar free fruit preserves. I can replace the bagel with whole wheat toast and a banana and get similar results. Running long distance can be easy if you have the right nutrition to keep your body fueled.
Sources
David Styles, Marathon Training