All posts tagged with: Nutrition

Hurray! It’s race week. After 17 weeks of training it all comes down to the big day. Hopefully you have made it through training with little or no injuries, or you’ve taken some time off to recover. Remember to get lots of sleep this week, start carb-loading by Wednesday evening, make healthy eating choices, and drink lots of water. If this is your first marathon, or if you’re a veteran, here are some important tips for race day:

1. Wake up early. At least 3 hours before the race so you can hydrate, have breakfast, and arrive at the start line without being rushed. Suggested breakfast: 1 cup of oatmeal with honey, banana, and a 30 oz sports drink.
2. Wear your training gear! Remember, don’t try anything new race day. Wear the same shirt, shorts, socks and shoes that you wore during your training on race day. Remember to use lots of Body Glide.
3. Make sure you have your timing chip on your shoe and your race bib on your shirt before you leave the house. Also make sure you bring your ID, medical card, $20 cash / credit card, hydration belt, and nutrition.
4. Arrive at the marathon start area one hour early. Go to your corral and gear check 30 minutes before start time. Use the washroom. Be ready and in position 5 minutes before start time.
5. Focus on your goal. Set three goals: to cross the finish line, the time you tell your friends that you expect to finish, and your whisper time. Your whisper time if the time you quietly tell yourself as you approach the start line.
6. Listen to your body. It will tell you when it needs nutrition, hydration, when you need to slow down, or when you can speed up. If the pain becomes unbearable, take a walk-break, but keep going. You may need to stretch along the route, especially if it’s a hot day and you become dehydrated.
7. Start off slowly. Most runners make the costly mistake of leaving the start line too quickly. This causes burn-out early in the race. Check your pace 1km into the course; you should be at your exact pace time, otherwise, adjust your speed.
8. Take your walk breaks. If you trained with 10:1 or 20:1 walk-breaks, use them on race day too. Again, nothing changes race day. It’s like any other training run, except today you get a medal at the end of your run.
9. Take advantage of hydration and nutrition stations. Get a drink and fuel your body. 42.2km is a long ways to go and your body needs the energy to get there. Once depleted, it’s almost impossible to boost energy or hydration levels mid-race, so stay on top of it.
10. Upright and standing! Remember, as you approach the finish line to give your biggest smile and throw your arms above your head. You want to show the crowd you are a confident marathon runner and to have a photo finish that you can treasure for the rest of your life. Don’t worry about stopping your pace-watch – do that when they are putting the medal around your neck.

After you’ve crossed the finish line, keep walking, catch your breath, and get a drink of water. Take a moment to recall the great moments of your race. Enjoy the time of being together with other marathoners, friends, family, race organizers and volunteers. Celebrate your success and proudly wear your medal the entire day!

With the marathon less than two weeks away, it’s time to start thinking about race day, and everything you need to do to prepare for the big day. The night before the big race you’ll be full of emotions, nervousness, excitement, and more. The most important thing to remember is not to try anything new on race day; stick to everything you’ve been doing during your training and you’ll have a great run.

The definitive pre-race checklist for marathon runners:

1. Pick-up your race package. Try to get your race package as early as possible to avoid the last minute frenzy, which can increase your stress level. It’s also important when you pick up your race package to confirm your name/bib number and that you are seeded in the right corral.
2. Know the course. Study the course map so you know where there will be water, electrolyte, gel, aid, and washroom stations. Know where there are hills. Even better, drive the race route so you can visualize your run so there are no surprises.
3. Check the weather. Weather will play an important roll on race day – from how much hydration you’ll need to the type of clothing you will wear.
4. Prepare your gear. Charge your pace watch and iPod, have the Band-Aids and Body Glide ready to go, and grab your sunglasses. Pin your race bib to your shirt and attach the timing chip to your shoe. Load up your hydration belt with water, ID, emergency contact information/medical card, cash, gels, and hydration. You’ll be in a hurry race morning and you don’t want to forget anything! Remember, don’t change anything on race day – stick to the gear you’ve been training in for the last 17 weeks!
5. Follow your nutrition plan. Carb-loading should happen starting 5 days before the race. The night before should be a lighter meal. Stay away from alcohol, deep-fried and fatty foods, and refined sugar. Stick to whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein, and pasta. Add an extra of extra salt to every meal because your body will need it on race day.
6. Encourage friends and family to come. Seeing people along the race route is exciting. Try to get them to bring signs with inspirational or humous messages like, “Run Like You Stole Something”, “Worst Parade Ever”, “Don’t Stop, People Are Watching You”, “Keep Going, You’re Almost There”, “Way To Go [Name]”, etc. Cowbells and noise makers are also welcomed.
7. Get extra sleep. The most important sleep is two nights before the race. You want to try to get nine hours of sleep. Most likely you’ll be too excited or nervous about the race the night before that you won’t sleep as well, plus you have to get up early to make it to the start line.
8. Set the alarm clock. Sounds obvious, but you don’t want to sleep in. Keep your mind at ease and set two alarms or have a friend call you to make sure you are up at the appropriate time on race-day morning.
9. Relax! Have a bath, watch a movie, or search for funny videos on YouTube. Do whatever you can to take your mind off the race and to enjoy the quiet evening.
10. Know your post-race strategy. Clearly communicate the night before where you’ll be meeting up with friends and family at the finish line, especially at larger races. See if someone can bring a bag with your dry clothes to change into, water, and post-race nutrition. Know how you’ll get from the finish line back home or to the hotel, especially knowing larger races won’t be accessible by car.

Remember, many things can happen on race day that you may not expect, or are out of your control. Stay relaxed, be in control, and put trust in your training.

Nutrition is an important element for long distance running. Eating the right foods will fuel your body, giving it the energy you need to go the full distance. Understanding what foods to eat, and when, is critical.

Carbohydrates, a sin word for some, are one of the most important energy sources for muscles.

“The body stores carbohydrates in the form of glycogen, in your liver and muscles,” explains Running Room founder and CEO, John Stanton. “A small amount is stored in the form of glucose in the blood.”

Carbohydrates help to avoid depleting muscles of glycogen. It’s important to eat carbohydrates, after a long run or race. This is why many post-races serve bagels in the finishers’ nutrition area.

While carbohydrates should be the main part of the meal, making up 55-65%, protein should be up 10-15%. Turkey or chicken are good sources of high-protein. Fats should be less than 30% of total intake – and less than 10% on the day before a race or long run.

“Try to incorporate foods that are high in iron including red meats, dark green vegetables, breads and cereals to help keep the body full of nutrients and vitamins,” suggested John Stanton.

If you are traveling or eating out the day before a race or long run, avoid deep fried foods and high-fat meals. There is very little energy and this will easily hamper your race performance.

Variety is the key to eating healthy, and moderation is important. The Canada Food Guide is a good source for health eating.

Almost every single long-distance runner gloats about the same thing, ‘I can eat whatever I want!’. And generally speaking it’s true, runners pretty much eat whatever they want.

It is important to know that runners generally eat a very healthy, balanced diet. They have to. Their bodies are machines that burn and consume a massive amount of energy and calories. Long distance runners need to fuel their body with a wide variety of foods from each of the major food groups.

In the days leading up to runs 21km or greater, and especially leading up to major races, it becomes increasingly important to eat the cleanest diet possible, and to store protein, carbs and nutrients in the body.

The most common myth amongst non-runners is that marathon runners can eat whatever they want, whenever they want, after all, ‘you just ran a marathon!’ Let’s put it into perspective.

The average marathon runner will complete the 42.2km (26.2mi) course in approximately 4 hours, burning a total of about 2,400 calories.

A McDonald’s meal consisting of 2 cheese burgers, 6 chicken McNuggest with sweet & sour sauce, large fries, large Coke Zero, and 2 apple pies, is equivalent to 2,100 calories and 100g of fat!

In other words, it would take almost a full 42.2km marathon to burn through one McDonald’s meal! And to top it off, there is not enough nutritional value in that one meal to fuel the body for an entire marathon.

Next time someone suggests that a marathon runner can eat whatever they want, whenever they want, thing again!

However, this being said, yes, marathon runners will usually indulge in some tasty treats once their hard work is done. And yes, McDonald’s does carry healthy meal options like apple snacks and salads… for those that want/need to eat healthy.

Photo Credit: BMO Vancouver Marathon

For those running the BMO Vancouver Marathon this Sunday, May 6, 2012, or for any marathon in face, nutrition plays a key roll. After weeks and months of training, tapering week is about rest, mental preparation and paying attention to nutritional intake.

It is important to focus on maintaining the recommended daily intake of cabohydrates throughout the week to ensure your body has stored enough energy for race day. If you prepare correctly throughout the week there is no need for a massive carb-load the night prior to the race.

During tapering it’s important to decrease portion sizes of meals and snacks because you are running less km’s and will burn less calories.

On race day, stick to your typical long-run meal plan. A good meal plan for race day includes:

• 1 cup of oatmeal with honey
• banana
• 30 oz sports drink

Throughout the race the average person will need to consume 30-60 grams of carbohydrates (1-2 gels), plus water.

Post-race, carbohydrates, protein and water are required immediately and up to two hours after crossing the finish line. Chocolate milk, bagels and blueberries or bananas are great recovery foods.

After running a marathon, like the BMO Vancouver Marathon, it’s important to pay close attention to post-race recover. Here are five easy things you can do to help your recovery time:

1. As soon as you cross the finish line hydrate. You’re body burns an average of 1 cup of water per 15 minutes of exercise. Sports drinks with electrolytes will help your body absorb and retain water.
2. Within the first 30-60 minutes of finishing the marathon it’s important to start replenishing the body with much-needed nutrition. Start with lean proteins to help rebuild muscles, carbohydrates to replace fuel burned during the run, and fruit like blueberries and bananas to replenish sugars and vitamins. A banana, chocolate milk and a bagel make a great combination.
3. Rest your legs. Elevate your legs to flush out the legs. Epsom salt baths and a massage after the run or the day after will do wonders to speed up the recovery time.
4. Stay warm. Have a change of clothes ready that are warm and dry. If you stay damp and get chilled you can easily get sick.
5. Stretch your muscles. From the legs to your shoulders, you have put a lot of stress and tension on your body. Stretching will help ease muscle cramping, pain and increase flexibility.

Supplements are an important part of preparing for, and running a marathon. There are three types of supplements and nutrition: sports beverages, gels and bars. Each play an important role during a long run.

Sports Drinks:

• Replaces fluids lost through sweat, respiration and urine.
• Typically is high in salt; as the body heats up, the body releasing water (to cool down the body), along with salt.
• By the time you are thirsty, it’s already too late – you need to hydrate continuously.
• At 30’c (85’ F), at 50% humidity, the body looses 2-4 lbs in sweat per hour of exercise (and a marathon can go from 3.5-4.5 hours!)
• Contain carbohydrates – for the first hour of a race the muscles are fueled by glycogen; after an hour the glycogen is depleted and the carbohydrates in the sports drink are needed to increase blood glucose.
• It’s not recommended to drink pure water on long runs or high heat over an hour – the body cannot absorb quick enough.

Gels:

• Dissolve within minutes in the small intestine, giving the body instant energy.
• Drink water immediately afterwards to get full effect.
• During long-runs, take one gel every 45 minutes to maintain constant energy levels.
• Contain sugar, salt, amino acids, caffeine and anti-oxidants.

Bars:

• Slow release into the body providing long lasting energy; harder to digest as it breaks down in the gut.
• Contains fat, protein and fibre, which will provide energy over long periods of time.
• Better choice for longer events and recovery – not during races.
• Requires significant amounts of water to process.

For best results on race day, experiment with different types of hydration and nutrition during long training runs. Each person reacts differently to the various products. Find out what brands and flavours work best for your body prior to race day. Stick with the successful formula towards the end of training and most importantly on race day.

The night before a marathon you’ll be full of emotions; nervousness, excitement, happiness and more. Start off with having a lean, healthy dinner high in carbs and protein, such as pasta with tomato sauce with chicken. Sprinkle on some extra salt – your body will need it the next day. Remember to have water throughout the evening to hydrate your body.

It’s very important to set-out all your gear. It’ll help you be ready in the morning so you not forget any important items rushing out of the house to get to the start line on-time.

Here’s a check-list of items you’ll want to have ready to go:

• Water belt with bottle(s) filled with water and / or Gatorade
• Gels, shot  blocks, and / or sport beans
• Charged iPod and head phones
• Sports watch
• Advil
• Band aids (to cover your nipples to prevent chaffing)
• Put your timing chip on your shoe
• Pin your race bib on to your race shirt
• A large garbage or recycling bag with holes cut into it so you can wear it to keep warm at the start line
• Sunglasses

Remember, race day is not the day to try new things. Rely on your training and stick to what you know. Wear what you’ve been training in and what is comfortable. Use nutrition that you have used during training – experimenting on race day can be detrimental to your race.

If you have bag check or support staff, here are some extra things you will want to have packed:

• Water
• Protein bar
• Towel
• Socks
• Advil

Go to bed early so you can get a good night sleep and be refreshed for your big day! Go out, have fun, and enjoy your run.

In British Columbia, we are very lucky to have fertile land, clean, fresh water, and an ideal climate to grow bountiful crops to enjoy throughout the year. In recent years, it has become increasingly important to reduce our carbon footprint by making sustainable choices. Not only will it help the environment, but your health can improve by choosing high-quality, natural foods and preparing them yourself.

Choices Markets Dietitian, Desiree Neilsen and Antonio Cerullo have co-authored the book, “A Local Table, The Choices Market Cookbook”. The 160 page book is full of easy to follow recipes, colour photos and tips for seasonal meal planning in British Columbia.

Based on the information in the Choices Market cookbook, are ten easy steps towards sustainable nutrition:

1. Grow your own! Dig in, get dirty, and enjoy the freshest produce possible.
2. Avoid store purchased bottled water. Water is a natural resource in British Columbia. Purchase a filter jug and a reusable metal water bottle instead.
3. Avoid buying single packed items; multi or family packaged items use less packaging. Portion food into reusable containers.
4. Eat local at the peak of freshness. Try the 100 mile diet!
5. Eat organic. These foods preserve the health of the soil, air, ground water and genetic integrity of our food.
6. Choose sustainable seafood, such as the Oceanwise program from the Vancouver Aquarium.
7. Compost. Helps to reduce food waste and produces nutrient-rich fertilizer.
8. Eat vegetarian on occasion. Livestock production uses a significant amount of water and land.
9. Choose fair-trade. Sugar, cocoa, tea and coffee are often produced by developing nations. Fair Trade provides safer and more sustainable livelihoods.
10. Choose healthy meat from happy animals. Free range and organic meats ensure high standards and least environmental impact possible.

Contest

The BMO Vancouver Marathon is less than a week away, the months of gruelling training is done and it’s now time to prepare your body and mind for race day. Here are some helpful tips to prepare you for a successful race day:

1. Stick to your tapering run schedule. It’ll be temping to want to do additional training; you’ve trained for months and it’s time to store energy for the big day.
2. Drink an extra glass of water each day to increase hydration and cleanse the body.
3. Increase your salt level. Add an extra of extra salt to every meal. Your body will need it on race day.
4. Increase your carb in-take, including potatoes, brown rice and whole wheat pasta.
5. Reduce or eliminate all fat from your diet. Stay away from ice cream, deep fried foods, donuts, etc.
6. Stick to a clean diet of fresh, natural ingredients including fresh vegetables and leaner meats like turkey and chicken.
7. Refrain from alcohol, smoking and drugs.
8. Decrease your caffeine in-take. Don’t have coffee, energy drinks, or soda the last two days before the race.
9. Gear check. The day before the race affix your timing chip to your shoe, set out your running gear and pin your race bib to the front of your shirt. Don’t forget to include bandaids to cover your nipples to avoid chaffing.
10. Prepare your water belt. Fill your water bottles and have all your nutrition planned out including gels, sport beans, blocks and your other fuel-replenishing supplements. Pack extra Advil for along the race route and the finish line.
11. The night before the race take Advil to reset your body’s aches and pains from training and to start out race day feeling fresh.
12. Get as much sleep as you can the night before the race.

Processed granola bars are handy, but they are packed with preservatives and often have a high amount of sugars and fats. For healthy, active people, finding healthy alternatives is key. This homemade energy bar recipe from the BMO Vancouver Marathon will fill the hunger void and will fuel your body your your next athletic activity.

Filling:

• 1-Cup Dates
• 1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
• ½ Cup Water

Crumb Mixture:

• 1-Cup Flour
• ½ tsp Baking Soda
• 1/8 tsp Salt
• 1-Cup Butter
• 1-Cup Brown Sugar
• 2 Cups Rolled Oats

Directions:

Add dates, water and 1 tbsp of brown sugar to pot and cook gently until soft.

Mix flour, salt and soda.

Cut in butter, followed by sugar and oats.

Spread half the crumb mixture in an 8X8” pan.

Cover with date filling.

Pat remaining crumb mixture on top.

Bake at 325 ° F for 35-40 Minutes

Photo Credit: Jeff Vinnick

The Vancouver Sun Run is the largest timed running race event in Vancouver. It’s also celebration promoting positive community spirit. Last year, there were over 60,000 participants in the race.

The annual 10km Vancouver Sun Run winding through Vancouver promotes and raises awareness of the benefits of health and fitness and encourages entrants to embrace and celebrate a healthy lifestyle.

Since February 4, The Vancouver Sun Run InTraining clinics have been helping individuals and teams get ready for their big event on Sunday, April 17, 2011.

Not to worry, there are just over seven weeks left; lots of time to train and get registered for the big day.

Remember: It’s important to stretch after every single run, including training runs!

All participants will receive the commemorative cotton t-shirt and race bib.

Keep reading my blog for great nutrition and running tips in to the lead up to this and many other running events happening in metro Vancouver this spring.