Steem Running Project: Nutrition for Race Recovery

Hello there runners! I missed you all last week, but definitely enjoyed my much-needed vacation. I am happy to be back to talking about my favorite subject—food! ;) Since we are right in prime racing time I thought it would be a great opportunity to talk about some ideas on how to eat to recover from a race or other high intensity event. It is still fresh on my mind after finishing my half marathon last weekend.

@run.vince.run touched a bit on nutrition in his article last week for @runningproject on recovering from a marathon. He also had some great information on what happens to your body following such an effort (article link at the bottom of the page). Whether you are recovering from a full marathon, half, or even a really high effort 10k or 5k it is important to make sure you are refueling correctly to give your body the energy to rebuild. Since recovery takes anywhere from a few days for shorter distances to multiple weeks if you have completed a marathon race or more, paying attention to what you eat for more than just the day of the race can be beneficial to the healing process.

So you have just crossed the finish line, what comes first? Water! One of the biggest nutrients depleted during an event, even if you have tried to stay hydrated along the way, is water. I know many of you are in areas like I am in which the weather is heating up making it doubly important to take in enough fluids. However, even if you are in colder conditions you may not realize how depleted you have become. Grab that bottle of H2O at the finish line, but then also make sure to continue to hydrate throughout the rest of the day. If I am running in higher temperatures I try to weight myself before and after an event. Each pound of weight loss generally corresponds to an equal measure of water loss, so I replenish accordingly.

Next up—calories! There is a reason why most races hand out bananas at the finish. Besides water loss, your body has most likely also been depleted of stored glycogen so eating some high carbohydrate foods within 30-60 minutes of finishing can help your body start replacing energy and nutrients.  I have seen recommendations in support for consuming straight carbohydrates after strenuous bouts of running and also for having about a 4:1 ratio of grams of carbs to grams of protein for best recovery. It seems as though either option, as long as you are consuming some fuel pretty close to the completion of the event, can ensure that your body will be able to start the process of replenishing stored glycogen.

My personal preference is generally to consume something light right after the event as I am usually not too hungry after intense running, but then within an hour or two after I consume a full meal complete with not only carbohydrates, but also some protein and healthy fats. If you feel hungry right after crossing the finish line, then you may be more inclined to ingest a more balanced meal or snack right then. If you really can’t stomach anything solid right after your race, liquid calories in the form of a sports drink or smoothie can also be a great way to make sure you are getting in those much needed nutrients right away. Depending upon the length of your race and the temperature, you may want to do a sports drink or something to replenish electrolytes like potassium, sodium, and magnesium in addition to solid food, as well.

So you’ve got in your calories post-race, throughout the rest of the day’s meals you want to make sure to include lots of high-quality, nutrient-dense whole foods. Remember that whole runner’s rainbow series? Yeah, those types of things. ;) The amount of calories you need is very individual depending upon your size and the time spent in activity (obviously you’ll need more calories after a marathon than a 5k), but you still want to try to make those calories count. Try to add a few foods from each color of the rainbow throughout the rest of your meals and snacks for the day. Those leafy greens and vitamin C-rich foods can be especially useful in supplying antioxidants to help keep your immune system strong as vigorous activity can depress the immune system and create free radicals. Think about having a salad with a squeeze of lemon with lunch and dinner, or a nice bowl of vegetable soup. Foods high in anti-inflammatory properties like ginger, pineapple, cherries and other berries can also be beneficial for recovery.

While carbohydrates may be king right after activity, make sure to get some good quality protein in the days following your race to ensure enough amino acids for your muscles and other tissues to be able to regenerate. You do not need to eat a 16-ounce rib eye steak, but having a palm-sized portion of protein-rich food at each meal should do the trick. On a personal note, I think going on vacation did hinder my protein consumption for the first few days after my latest half marathon. Being on a plane and the first few meals at the resort left me lacking in my vegan protein sources like beans and lentils, and I think that definitely contributed to the lingering soreness I had as my leg muscles were trying to repair from the stresses of the downhill run. Luckily by the second day I was away a wonderful sight appeared at the salad bar—chickpeas! Vegans generally have no problem obtaining enough protein, but we do need to make sure to get in varied sources to ensure we consume essential amino acids that our bodies cannot produce on their own.

Though the first few days after an endurance event are crucial, continuing to eat well-balanced meals beyond that time frame not only helps the body totally recover and replenish from the previous event, but also prepares you for the next! If you tend to race frequently, it is especially important to pay attention to your nutritional intake to keep your body as healthy as possible. Your body will generally let you know by way of excess fatigue, unusual soreness, illness or even injury if you are putting too much stress on it without proper recovery or fuel.

What is your favorite post-race meal?

For more information about @runningproject please see the latest status report: https://steemit.com/runningproject/@runningproject/the-steem-running-project-8th-status-report-upvotes-forever-in-all-posts-of-our-approved-runners

Also see the latest update on the 5k training program here: https://steemit.com/running/@runningproject/the-running-project-5k-training-program-week-12-final-week

The latest gear update to keep those feet healthy here: https://steemit.com/runningproject/@runningproject/my-current-shoes-altra-provision-3-0

Some ideas on how to recover from a marathon: https://steemit.com/runningproject/@runningproject/marathon-recovery-from-runningproject

And don’t forget to vote for your favorite author of the week: https://steemit.com/runningproject/@runningproject/vote-your-running-author-of-the-week-the-steem-running-project-wk15-by-runningproject

Posted by @plantstoplanks on behalf of the @runningproject