Nutrition Makes All The Difference: How Close Are You?

by: Joella Baker

  

Last year, Jim Carr, after running a nice race at Erie approached me about his nutrition, specifically his race day nutrition. After reading his email, I simply wrote him back and said, “You’re not even close”. That has now become a “running joke” so to speak among our group. However, the truth is, he wasn’t close. The day, even the week before Erie, he wasn’t getting the balance of nutrition he needed. He wasn’t eating enough calories and especially on race day, he wasn’t even close to where he needed to be with calories and protein and carbs to keep his energy up during 26.2 miles. After discussing some food choices and various strategies, Jim made some changes to his nutrition and we also made some changes to his workouts. In then end, from September to December of last year, Jim dropped 11 minutes off his marathon time and qualified for the Boston Marathon.

Over the last few weeks, I continue to hear folks complain about how tired they are in the mornings, how they feel as if they’re losing steam on their workouts and they just are out of energy. Of course, my first question is always, “What did you eat and drink this morning?” So many people head off to their morning workouts without ever eating or drinking a thing. This is by far one of the worst things you can do. In order for your body to work properly during those early morning workouts, you must get fuel and fluids in you. While we’re sleeping, our body is still burning calories and using the fuel up from the previous day. In addition, the fluids we drank the night before are being absorbed and processed and although we may wake up and use the bathroom first thing in the morning, when you wake up, your body is in a slight state of dehydration from not drinking for 6-9 hours or however long you may sleep. Therefore, if you’re waking up in an already dehydrated state, without any fuel and you head to Run Club, how do you think you’ll run? Probably not too well, unless you’re some freak of nature.

Before an early swim, spin or run when you’ll only be doing an hour long workout, you don’t need to eat a huge breakfast, but you do need something. A few things to try. Water or Gatorade or some type of drink with some electrolytes and carbs in it. The water is extremely important. Get the fluids in and get your body out of its dehydrated state.

For fuel, you can try something small like a Honey Stingers Waffle, a Gu, a Hammer Gel or some Chomps. If those don’t work or aren’t available, then try some other food. A slice of bread or toast with peanut butter. A banana, some yogurt. I have a Chobani yogurt every morning before I leave the house. And a piece of cinnamon swirl bread in my car on my way to the YMCA or the Park. I’m getting carbs and protein in. I have my second breakfast when I get home. Either way, you need to find something to eat before you head out the door. Simply not eating is not an option.

For those of you who say you can’t stomach food that early in the morning, well, start slowly. By taking in a Gu Chomp or a Honey Stinger, you’re getting started. After 1 week, take two of these. These little boosts of carbs can make a huge difference in your energy and performance every morning. Just like running, biking or swimming, you need to train your body to eat correctly. Therefore, you have to start somewhere. We never start new runners out with a 5 mile run, do we? No, we have them walk and run and slowly back down the walking and add more running. By doing so, you’re building up your endurance. Your digestive system is similar. Training your body to take in food every morning may take time, but once you get used to it, you’ll be thrilled with the results.

Also, don’t forget that after you workout and you head home or to the office to eat your second breakfast. Most weekday mornings will be small meals pre workout. The post workout meal is just as important. Getting back and eating something high in protein with some carbs will allow your body to build more muscle and recover more quickly, so don’t skip your real breakfast just because you ate something small before your workout. Starving your body will only result in more problems down the road.

Weekends are an entirely different story. Your weekend workouts tend to be longer in nature therefore, more fuel is required. You can choose to take in your calories before you workout or before an during. Remember, the longer you plan to workout, the more you should eat that morning. This may require you to wake up earlier so you have more time to process that breakfast before you head out to run, bike or swim. Furthermore, this practice will allow you to determine your pre-race meal and nutritional needs. The worse mistake you can make it to simply not eat before you head out on a long workout.

Ok, the moral of this whole article is to learn from guys like Jim. Understand our bodies need water and fuel to function each day. Once you add in all the other stuff we do, we need even more than the normal person. Don’t be one of those people who “aren’t even close”. Eat, drink and workout. Once you know what you need nutritionally, you’ll see a big difference in your workouts and your races.