Fuelling for your Run

 

Why we need to do it!

If you are training for over an hour at a reasonable effort rate then your body will run out of stored carbohydrates. When this happens your body HAS TO either stop or slow down. 

 

​Why does this happen? Your body needs to break down molecules  in order to form ATP molecules. These ATP molecules are the key to every function in your body. Without it your muscle cells cant contract. Your body can use carbohydrates, protein (from your muscles) as well as carbohydrates as fuel. Protein is a last resort (starvation). 

 

Your body stores between 1500-2000kcals of carbohydrates and a lot more fat, estimates range from 50,000 to 500,00 for obese people.  So depending on how fast and how long you are running for you are likely to run out. Your legs will feel heavy, you will be more irretable, concetration will be harder too. 

 

This happens to all humans & mamals as it is physiological/chemical process. it has nothing to do with diet, lifestyle, opinions, will power or determination. Many people think if they're tough they will get through. The point is, you dont have to go through it. Why would you carry a heavy rucksacck when running (unless you have a specific reason, training for SAS or Marathon De Sables). Not eating is like running 100 meters backwards every km's while trying to get a good time. IT is never going to benifit you and is always going to hinder you.

 

 

WHAT SHOULD YOU EAT?

Thats entirely upto you. Everything gets broken down to Glucose (the molecule your body uses). The more complex the carbs you consume the longer it takes to get absorbeed and transported into the bloodstream and then onto the working muscles that need it. Glucose goes in very quickly, Dextrose, maltose, sucrose, lactose (anything that end in ose is a sugar) takde a little bit longeer (not much), more complex carbs have to broken down even more before they can be absorped so they take longer to get into your system. Combining sugars with more complex carbohydrates, protein or fat will slow tdown there absorption rate as well.

 

* Sports drink

* Banana

* Sugar Sweets

* Bread

* Sports gels

 

All of these are virtually the same, lots of sugar and very little anything else. When choosing the fuel we takee its really down to taste and practicality. How much can you cram into your pocket or carry etc.  Before your big run (8 weeks) start trying different fuels and finding which ones wor for you.

 

REMEMBER

* You wont toughen up as you do more runs, you wont get used to it and it wont get easier, eating is important!  

* Eating before will not help (eating before hand (ensuring your carb stores are full) will massivly help compared to not eating before, but we will assume for

   this article that everyone eats before they do exercise)

* Sugar takes between 5-15 minutes to kick in (get absorbed). It is therefor vital you consume it before it starts to run low.

 

 

As a guideline eating 150kcals 30 minutes of exercise. In a 2 hour run thats 400kcals, Start at 40mins with 100kcals, at 65-70mins 200kcals and 1t 1:45hrs with 200kcals. and every 30 minutes after that. You are basically trying to replace what you use up. So if you burn 1000kcals you need to replace as many of them as you can.The longer you go on the more you need to replace. 

 

 

MY TRAINING FUEL (solo Marathon or 100km plus bike ride) - 4 Hours

 

* Nutella Bread balls (400-600kcals)

 

Nutella on white bread (no crust) a slice of white bread (without crust) has about 80 kcals, nutella makes it less dry and more editble, it adds another 30-50kcals and some fat to slow down the absoption rate of the sugar in bread. The crust make it drier and thus why it is removed.

 

* Bread balls  (400-600kcals)

  Same as nutella bread balls, but less messy. They can be thrown into pocket without a bag etc and u can squeeze them super small

 

* lucozade  (250kcals) 2 bottles

   Easy shape of the bottle to carry, good size/weight

 

* Bananas - 120kcals (x2)

 

* Sports gels - 500kcals  (SIS) x 4

 

* Fizzy strawberry strips - 200 - 400kcals

 

* Fizzy cola bottles    -  200 - 400kcals

 

* star bursts                 - 500kcals

 

Total Kcals=Approx  3000kcals

 

 

IRONMAN NUTRITION 

 

10 x sports drink      1300kcals

6 banans                  750 kcals

1 x salt drink             0kcals

6 gels                       700kcals

10 bread slices        (800kcals) with nutella (400kcals)

sweets (jelly)           (2000kcals)

Star Bursts              (1000kcals)

Coca Cola    (x6)     (900kcals)

 

Total Kcals - 8000kcals 

 

 

More on ATP and Fuel Sources

http://www.humankinetics.com/excerpts/excerpts/the-bodyrsquos-fuel-sources

 

CRASH COURSE - Muscle contraction

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqy0i1KXUO4