Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Beyond Bananas and Bagels: 6 Foods Every Endurance Runner Should Consider

Pasta, Bagels, Peanut Butter, Bananas, Gels, Energy Bars…all items likely to be found in the runner’s kitchen leading into race day, and each for good reason, as they contain certain macronutrients to potentially boost running performance. But to help ensure a strong training season long before race day, runners need a well-rounded nutrition strategy.

Now, I’ll preface this post with full disclosure on my scope of practice: I am a Certified Health Coach, Personal Trainer, and running enthusiast. I’m not a registered dietician so I won’t spell out ideal macronutrient percentages, meal plans, and food timing. I’ll leave that up to your coaches and/or doctors. Instead, based on my work with clients, nutrition research, and my own experience, I offer 6 foods that are especially important for endurance runners:  

Spinach – Why? IRON!
Iron is a major component of our red blood cells which help to carry oxygen to our muscles. Obviously, this is especially important for endurance runners; the iron demand is higher, thus can be depleted faster. It's estimated that over 50% of endurance runners have depleted iron stores. If training runs feel increasingly hard and/or you become fatigued more quickly, the cause may be depleted iron. Not a fan of spinach? Other great sources of iron include red meat, oysters, clams, muscles, sardines, and egg yokes.

Tip: Chase your iron-rich meal with some O.J. as research shows that vitamin C will help your body absorb the iron.

One important note about iron supplementation: iron can be dangerous in too high amounts, so always check with your doctor before taking iron in a pill form.

Greek Yogurt - Why? CALCIUM AND PROTEIN!
Not to oversimplify, but okay... Calcium strengthens bones. Protein builds and repairs muscles. Strong bones and muscles are essential “equipment” for endurance runners. Any weakness can, at minimum, impact running performance and at worst, lead to injury.

Tip: Stir in some mandarin oranges. Just as with iron, vitamin C can help calcium absorption.

Quinoa - Why?  PROTEIN AND CARBS!
I’ve already mentioned the benefits of protein above and quinoa is a plant-based source of a complete protein. So let’s turn our attention to carbs. Carbohydrates are an important macronutrient for both quick and stored energy. Carbs can get a bad rap because over-consumption turns to extra sugar in the body which can be stored as fat. Consumed in the right quantities and quality however, carbs are an important part of a balanced meal plan, especially for runners who demand more energy during training season. Aim for a balance of unprocessed sources: quinoa, potatoes, rice, fruit, etc.

Tip: Your muscles and liver can store up to 2000 calories worth of energy from carbs which will give you plenty “in the tank” for runs shorter than 90 minutes. Longer than that, determine your personal plan for consuming additional simple carbs during your run (honey, jelly beans, gels, etc.).

Salmon - Why? PROTEIN, FAT, VITAMIN D
Runners need good healthy fat. Unsaturated sources have been shown to improve metabolism (aka energy), heighten brain function, protect joints, aid recovery, and boost immunity; I don’t know of a runner out there who couldn’t benefit from all of that! As an added bonus, Salmon is a good source of Vitamin D which is linked to increased muscle strength (of course, few runners are deficient in Vitamin D since the main source is sunlight).

Tip: If you’re not a fish fan, other sources of healthy fat include nuts, seeds, olive oil, and avocado. Just watch your portion sizes as fat grams are more calorie-dense.

Almond Butter Why? ALL OF THE ABOVE ON ONE SPOON!
Nut butters contain a near perfect ratios of carbs, healthy fats, and protein. Peanut butter is usually a staple in a runner’s diet, but other nut butters can be less inflammatory to the gut. The reason is that a peanut is not a nut at all; it’s a legume…a bean…and well, you know what beans can do to your gut. Not ideal for running.

Tip: Almond butter makes a great pre- or post-run snack. Spread it on a rice cake with bananas one hour before or immediately following a long training run to boost both energy and recovery.

Cherry Juice – Why? RECOVERY!
Cherries contain nutrients and antioxidants that work to reduce muscle soreness and inflammation, thus helping runners recover after a long training run. Look for organic, pure, 100% tart cherry juice, not the watered down cherry-flavored juice “look-alike”. If you don’t like the tartness of cherry juice, watermelon also contains anti-inflammatory components.

Tip: Post-run recovery drink – blend equal parts tart cherry juice, almond milk, and ice!

Final Thought…
As endurance runners, we are great at developing training plans to get us to race day in top form. To maximize this training, we need to give the same thought and attention to our nutrition plans. Food has the power to energize, strengthen, protect, and restore the body…what everyone needs, but most especially runners! My final and most important tip: don’t test any new food strategy on race week, only during training. I don’t want you cursing me out on race day because your new “Greek Yogurt Spinach Quinoa Cherry Juice” smoothie recipe is not settling!

Happy running…and eating!

p.s. Consult a registered dietician if you want a customized nutrition approach.