In the world of nutrition for runners, carbohydrates are the king. Without them, we couldn’t survive all those long runs, tempos, interval training, and races. Despite their importance, or perhaps because of it, carbohydrates are one of the biggest nutritional topics runners ask. Not sure how much, when and what kind of carbs to eat? You have come to the right place.
Protein 101 for long-distance runners
What are carbohydrates?
Carbohydrates, along with fats and proteins, are one of the three major nutrients. They include monosaccharides such as glucose and fructose, fiber and starch. Your body breaks down carbohydrates into sugar (also known as glucose molecules), so your cells can use them for energy. If your body does not need this energy immediately, it stores it in the form of glycogen in your liver or muscle for later use. As a long-distance runner, it’s important to have enough glycogen available when running, training, or racing.
How Much Carb Do You Need?
Runners need a lot of carbs to support their activity levels, but the actual amount you need each day may vary depending on your body and your training schedule. Most experts agree that you need 2.5-4.5 grams of carbohydrates per pound of body weight. If you run a lot of mileage a week or have a few more intense sessions during your training cycle, you’re aiming for the upper limit of that range and you’re training more moderately during the off-season. .. There is no problem if the daily intake is close to the range of 2.5 to 3.5.
For example, a 130-pound runner trying to eat 3.5-4.5 g / lb daily during a training cycle would need to consume 455 g. Up to 585 grams. Per day. For a 150-pound runner, these numbers range from 525g to 675g. The approximate carbohydrate counts for some common foods are:
- 1c. Brown rice: 45g
- 1 medium baked potato: 30g
- 1 medium banana: 30g
- 2 pieces of bread: 40g
- 2 tbsp jam: 30 g
- 1c. Cooked oatmeal: 30 g
- 1c. Pasta: 45g
- 5-6 Dried dates: 30 g
When should I eat carbohydrates?
As a runner, it’s important to eat carbs all day to ensure you have enough to support your workout, but “booking” your run with carbs is a great way to facilitate your workout. is. This means consuming more carbs in the hours leading up to your run and the subsequent 30-60 minutes. Ideally, you should aim for 0.5-0.7 grams of carbohydrates within 30 minutes of finishing your run. That is, a 130-pound runner should eat 65-91 g after running, and a 150-pound runner should eat 75-105 g.
If you’re running for more than 90 minutes, you’ll also need to consume carbs to prevent the glycogen store from bottoming out before you reach the finish line. Ideally, after an hour of running, try to consume 40-60g of carbohydrates per hour.
For longer races such as half marathons, marathons and ultras, carb loading helps to secure sufficient energy resources on the day of the race. Efficiently load carbohydrates by consuming 4-5 grams of low-fiber carbohydrates per pound of body weight daily for 72 hours until race day.
What kind of carbohydrate should I eat?
As a runner, your diet has room for all kinds of carbohydrates. Ideally, most of your carbohydrate intake should come from nutritious sources such as fruits, starchy vegetables, and whole grains, but there are also times and places to consume low-nutrient carbohydrates. I have. Before hard runs and races, you should avoid high fibrous carbs. Eating cookies and cakes from time to time can help you reach your daily carb goals.
What you should not eat after running
Choosing which carbs to eat all day, before training, or while running requires trial and error to determine what is best for you.Your main goal as a runner is to make sure you are eating Sufficient Carbohydrates, and that you eat a lot of healthy and nutritious foods.
