No need to run on empty
TRYING TO GET ON TRACK WITH YOUR TRAINING PLAN? THEN CONSIDER WHAT’S ON YOUR PLATE AS WELL, ANITA BEAN TELLS ELLLA WALKER
WHETHER you’re training for this year’s London Marathon (and beginning to panic), or just trying to get the new year off to a good start by going for the odd jog, you’re probably asking what you can eat before a run that isn’t pasta?
There are alternative runningfuel ingredients, and former bodybuilding champion and sports nutritionist and, Anita Bean, wants to prove that.
The health writer has put together 100 recipes geared towards the needs of runners – regardless of speed and ability – in her latest collection, The Runner’s Cookbook.
“A lot of athletes and runners don’t know what they ought to be eating – there’s a lot of conflicting information,” she explains. “Do I really need to take gels during a run? What’s the best way to fuel for a 5k or a marathon, or a half a marathon? What should I be eating straight after a run? Those are the kind of questions I wanted to address.”
Part nutrition guide, part cookbook, the recipes are simple, come with extensive nutritional information, and are tailored to a typical runner’s lifestyle – meaning they’re generally quick to whip up, and will keep you going... and going.
But what food mistakes do runners consistently make? And does all that exercise mean you can eat anything you fancy? Anita busts some myths and sets out some golden rules... Being a runner doesn’t mean you can eat whatever you like all the time “RUNNERS starting out often think running is a license to continue eating whatever they want. Runner’s weight gain is a real phenomenon, and that’s because many runners overestimate the amount of calories they burn, or overcompensate by consuming extra food after their runs,” explains Anita. “Or think, ‘I’ve run 10k today, so I deserve this chocolate cake’. Basically, it’s getting the balance between calories in/calories out wrong. And it’s fair to say some runners will find their appetite increases, but once you continue running regularly, you find your appetite will reduce.”
In fact, you ought to be even more careful about what you’re eating. “Cut down on highly processed foods: sugars, sugary snacks, crisps, high-fat, highsugar foods. Instead, ensure your diet contains lots of fresh fruit, fresh foods and more natural wholefoods. Whole grains, fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, lean meat, fish.” There’s no need to consume energy supplements “FOR the majority of runners, running for less than 60-90 minutes, you don’t need sports drinks or any other kind of sports nutrition products.” Don’t cut out carbohydrates “QUITE honestly, nutrition doesn’t have to be complicated and when you look at the diets of top runners, they’re eating a diet that includes carbohydrate,” states Anita. “If you’ve got a long or hard run ahead, you want to eat more carbohydrate – a fast fuel. It’s the muscles’ preferred fuel and produces energy faster than fat or protein. If you cut down on carbs, you’ll feel tired and fatigued to start with, but you’ll find that it may sustain you for long, slow runs, your low intensity easy runs, but a low-carb diet cannot fuel high-intensity runs.” Even Olympic athletes struggle with nutrition occasionally “AS a runner, Jo Pavey (who has written a foreword to the book) has said she’s found it really difficult to access proper nutritional information on what she should be eating, and she knows how important nutrition is. It can make a huge difference to anyone’s experience, so whether you’re a five-time Olympian like Jo, or starting out on ‘Couch to 5k’ programmes and anything in-between, nutrition really does make a big difference to how you feel, to your energy levels, your recovery, and your performance on runs.”
The Runner’s Cookbook: More Than 100 Delicious Recipes To Fuel Your Running by Anita Bean, photography by Adrian Lawrence, is published by Bloomsbury Sport, £14.99