A Mini Marathon Must (Part 3):
What should I eat before, during and after the 10k mini-marathon?
You should ideally take in carbohydrates 60-90 minutes prior to exercise. This can be a bit of a balancing act between making sure you have enough energy to complete the event and making sure you don’t eat too much or worse still - the wrong kind of food. So what are the wrong kinds of foods to eat before exercise? If you eat foods that are high in fat or protein or foods with a lot of fibre in them a few hours before exercise then you are much more likely to cramp up and to get a ‘stitch’ which is an acute pain in the stomach. Obviously also if you eat a huge meal before exercise you are likely to feel sleepy, sluggish and bloated.
I personally like fruit before exercise. It has plenty of carbs and is easy for the body to assimilate. I don’t like using sugary drinks or pouches of sugar gels during exercise. It shocks the body and then there is a low after the ‘sugar rush’. Fruit gives you fast burning carbohydrates: apples, bananas (even though they have some fibre in them), I often mix these fruits together in a smoothie on the morning of an event or a big training session (juiced hard green apples which have a low G.I. rating, juiced celery blended with a banana and/or avocado to thicken it up). My body is used to this so I’m okay with it however if you are used to corn flakes every morning before your training runs then don’t do anything new on race day. Stick with what works for you in training and never try anything new on race day (See mini-marathon musts - Part 2.). If you are trying something new like a banana instead of a bowl of cereal then introduce it slowly. Perhaps start with half a bowl of cereal and half a banana.
As I mentioned in my first mini-marathon blog you should drink plenty of water before during and after every exercise session. The longer your training session the more likely you will be to need more carbohydrates during it. If you are doing a very long exercise event or training session then you may also want to get some salts in as you’ll lose plenty through perspiration. This isn’t necessary for a 10k run.
After exercise it is ideal to get some more carbohydrates in immediately. Fruit again is ideal straight after exercise. Fruit is also very high in water content so it naturally supplies the body with water as well as carbohydrates. Carbs immediately after exercise allow the body to recover quickly and start to restore itself. If you exercise and forget to nourish the body afterwards then your body knows it is running on empty and can go into shock to protect itself as it will feel like it is ‘starving’. Protein is also ideal straight after exercise to repair and muscle damage. This is vital because the muscle fibres take a hammering during a run and need protein to repair themselves.
Enjoy the event!
Michael T. Rossney
The Energy Coach Consultancy & Training
Mobile Phone: +353879608833 Email: michael@theenergycoach.ie
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