Tips on Energy Supplementation

Now that we are running 6 miles or more on Saturdays, it is important that we learn about the options we have to re-energize our body. There are sooooo many options that it might seem overwhelming to some people. The good side is that because there are so many options, it is very likely that you can find exactly what you need.

Ok. So let's start by saying that a runner's world is more than just getting out the door to run. You could do that, and that is ok. But, if you are running consistently 3-5 times a week, every week, you know that what you eat and drink, the weather, the shoes, your apparel, stretching, and sleeping can have an impact on your run. In other words, blisters in your feet - ouch! Strained muscles - ouch! Hitting the wall - ouch! You don't want any of these to ruin your training or your life... taking the kids to the zoo with a blister in your foot doesn't sound fun to me! If a runner wants to make the most out of a run it is important to consider all those things I mentioned before. But let's focus on nutrition and the role it plays.

Maybe you have heard other runners say the phrase "hit the wall". Hitting the wall is when your body literally runs out of fuel, and your body feels tired and fatigued and your brain is not computing well. You shut down and crash. So what is the fuel you need? Your muscles, brain and nerves need glucose to work... glucose is your fuel. Some of it is in your blood, but the majority is stored in your muscles and liver as glycogen. There is a limit to how much glycogen your body can store. So when you run out of it, you hit the wall - ouch!

How do you know your body is about to hit the wall and how to prevent it? As a common baseline you will hear that around 60 minutes into your workout your body will have depleted it's glycogen reserves. Another nice fact to know is that if you are a beginner runner, your body will deplete it faster than an experienced runner.

What does this mean? If you are working out for an hour, you will do ok with your reserves, so make sure you hydrate appropriately and make sure to have something to eat after you are done to restore your energy, and you should be fine. If you are working out for more than an hour you need to refuel your body throughout your workout with more glucose. An easy way of doing that is with carbohydrates. Don't wait until your body has reached it's limits. Have you felt you are dragging your body or you can't think or calculate well your laps or time running? You might have been close to your limits. Make note of how much time you have been working out and start to refuel around 15 minutes before. Keep refueling in frequent and small doses. This might be every mile or every two miles, depending on each runner and what the fuel is.

Now that we know why we need to refuel and when we need to refuel, we need to learn what we can use to refuel. From powerdrinks, gels, bars, sports beans to gummi bears, crackers, cookies, pbj, etc. The options are practically limitless. This is the bottom line: you need carbs... what type of carbs to eat is for you to find out. Are you the candy type or the bar type? Are you the organic type? Are you the drink type? You need to experiment and find out. Some people do ok with only sportsdrinks, some people need more fiber to keep their sugar levels at a steady state and prevent sugar highs and lows. Others do well with a combination of these. So don't limit your options to bars or gatorade. Before these products were so easily available people would use bananas, crackers, nuts, honey, etc. They are carbs too!

Another important note is not to over do it! You don't want to eat too much and then go running to the porta-potty, or be propelling yourself with gases, or cramping due to carbs overload. Listen to your body. That is another beauty of runnning. You have to get to know your body and feed it what gives it life, forcing you to stay away from lots of foods that just numb you and slow you down. So choose well and remember to refuel your body after every workout to keep it running.

Here are some links to articles that I found very useful and have good info:

• Carbs on the Run
• Running Times Guide to Energy Bars
• Design Your Running Diet
• The Best Foods for Runners
• Ask the Dietician: Hydrating and Fueling for Half Marathon

Other supplementary articles:

• The Right Stuff
• Re-Fueling the Runner: Post Workout Nutrition
• Fueling the Runner: Benefits of Food Logs

Wow... hope this sheds some light into the vast world of nutrition. This is just the tip of the iceberg. There is much more to consider, but as long as you follow this guidelines and have a healthy balanced diet you will do great!

Choose to be strong, choose to be healthy and lets live a full life! God bless and have a peaceful run!