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Runners Diet: What to Eat Before, During and After Running
•3 minutes reading
3 minutes reading
There is something magical about this time of the year when warm temperatures make us want to start running (or get back into it more consistently). The good news is that with a little nutritional planning, you can easily do better!
Here are a few tips for eating wisely before a 5K ... or 25K race!
The first thing to do is to determine your goal for the day: the distance to cover. As you may have guessed, running a 5K does not require the same nutrition/preparation as running a half marathon, a marathon or even more! However, before we talk about specifics, regardless of the distance, a common rule of thumb applies – which we affectionately call "RPM".
R
for remain well hydrated at all times, drinking water or a rehydration drink, as needed.
P
for pick familiar foods that you know will be well tolerated by your digestive system.
M
for must eat wisely
Drink 400 ml to 600 ml of water in the two hours before the run and make sure you eat something based on the time you have before the race. Here is a small chart to help you make the right choices.
| Pre-race time | What to eat |
|---|---|
| More than 3 hours | Standard meal |
| 2 to 3 hours | Light meal |
| 1 to 2 hours | High carbohydrate, low fat snack |
| Less than 1 hour | High carbohydrate snack (e.g. a banana, a fruit bar, etc.) |
Drink 150 ml to 350 ml of water every 15 minutes, depending on your personal tolerance. If the race lasts more than 60 minutes, it is best to take a sports drink in addition to drinking water. The objective of a beverage specially designed for athletes is to compensate for water, energy and electrolyte losses through sweat.
Choose carbohydrate-rich foods to replenish your energy reserves and protein-rich foods to repair your muscle fibers. For optimal recovery, it is best to eat a meal as soon as 30 minutes after exercise. If this is not possible, try to have a snack and eat a meal within two hours. And above all, drink water (and a sports drink if necessary)!
Some planning is required for distances over 10 km (or more than 60 minutes of endurance training). However, this little extra effort may pay off! Except for a few details, this way of eating applies equally if you decide to run a distance equivalent to 15 km, 21 km, or 42.2 km.
Do what is called a glycogen overload, which means that you want to maximize your carbohydrate consumption in order to maximize your muscle energy reserves. The greater muscle glycogen reserves you have, the less likely you are to become exhausted quickly. Hence, sports nutrition guidelines suggest eating 9 g to 12 g of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight. And most importantly, avoid drinking alcohol, which can significantly impair your performance.
Drink 400 ml to 600 ml of water in the two hours before exercise and make sure you eat well.
| The best time | What to eat |
|---|---|
| More than 3 hours before the race | Standard meal |
| 1 to 2 hours before the race | Snack rich in carbohydrates and protein, low in fat |
Drink 150 ml to 350 ml of water or sports drink every 15 minutes, depending on your personal tolerance. In addition to drinking water, a sports drink is essential to compensate for water, energy and electrolyte losses through sweat.
We also suggest taking between 30 g and 60 g of carbohydrates per hour, depending on your digestive system's tolerance; it can be with solid foods (cookies, bars, jujubes, etc.) or semi-solid foods (e.g. gels).
Choose carbohydrate-rich foods to replenish your energy and proteins to repair your muscle fibres. For optimal recovery, it is ideal to eat a meal 30 minutes after the race. If this is not possible, try to have a snack and eat a meal within two hours. If you feel dehydrated, drink water alternating with a sports recovery drink.
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