Nutrition for the Long Run

I’m sure that you’ve heard about it - Glycemic Index (GI). It’s typically an a term that diabetics would be familiar with, but probably a term that distance runners should also be familiar with.

Glycemic Index (GI) is a scale that rates carbohydrate-rich food by how much they raise blood glucose levels. Have I lost you yet? In simple terms, foods that have a high GI ranking will raise your blood sugar levels quickly, whereas a low GI will raise your blood sugar levels slowly. In runners terms, if your blood sugar levels rise quickly, you will have alot of energy for a short period of time and then it’s gone.

For a long run, you need your energy to last so it’s optimal for your blood sugar levels to raise slowly which in turn will provide your body with the fuel that it needs to complete the run.

By choosing low to medium GI foods (the lower the better), you also lower your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes plus control your appetite. Here are some examples of low GI foods:

• Breakfast cereals based on oats, barley and bran
• Breads with wholegrains, stone-ground flour, sour dough
• Fruit and vegetables
• Basmati or Doongara rice
• Pasta, noodles, quinoa
• Salad vegetables with a vinaigrette dressing

Typically, the longer you cook your food the higher the GI, so try your pasta “a la dente”. Try experiement with substituting out some of the high GI foods that you eat with lower GI food during your marathon training so that there will be no surprises on marathon day.

Running and Weight Loss

Running is a great calorie burner.  If I remember back that long ago, I believe that was why I started running - to burn calories.  And over the years, although I always struggle to maintain my weight, I probably weigh a bit less than when I began running.  On average (depending the runner’s weight and a couple other variables), a runner will burn approximately 100 calories per mile.  What better way to keep your weight in check.  But how many of us don’t fuel our runs properly because we are trying to lose weight.  I admit to being guilty on occasion.  Okay, maybe more than on occassion.  I remember very recently hirting the wall on a longer run because I failed to include any carbohydrates in my diet during the 24 hours previous to my run.  I ended up walking home which took well over an hour. 

The point that I’m trying to make is that if you want to get the most value out of your run or your training program, you have to fuel your runs.  Like your car needs gas to run, your body needs fuel (nutrition) to run as well.  It’s still possible to minimize calories and lose weight but pay attention to when you eat.  Eat well during the most active part of your day.  If you do your run in the morning, try toast and peanut butter before your run.  If your run is at lunch, then eat half your sandwich before your run.  Enjoy an earlier dinner and cut out the night time snack.  Brush your teeth, go for a walk, go to the library and read the latest issue of your favorite running magazine.  Whatever you decide to do…. just step away from the kitchen.

Consider this…  cutting out 100 to 200 calories out of your nighttime snacking can lead to 10 to 20 pounds of body fat shed in a year.

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