Distance running

However it’s known that distance runners need to get at least 60% of their calories from carbohydrates every day, with even more leading up to longer runs or races, such as marathons. Eating lots of carbs maintains muscle glycogen stores so you get the most from every run.

Carbohydrate loading can help to ‘top up’ glycogen stores so you don’t hit the wall during runs and you need to refuel your body as soon as you stop running to aid with the recovery process. Eating a small carbohydrate-rich snack prior to long runs or races can help you perform better, yet whole food can often lead to upset stomach; particularly when combined with pre-race nerves.

Nutritional supplements can help to meet your caloric demands without having to constantly prepare energy-rich foods plus you can monitor exactly how much you’re consuming. The higher protein content in most ergogenic aids can repair damaged muscle to help you grow stronger.

Other sports supplements are invaluable too as they are used to rehydrate and replenish lost fluids & minerals, provide valuable nutrients to increase immunity and even protect you from injury or risk of overtraining. Energy gels, bars and Ready-to-drinks are a must for distance runners as they’re easily digested so you don’t get gastrointestinal problems, particularly pre and intra workout.

Meal replacements and Nutrition bars are a quick and convenient way to get protein to working muscles and provide carbohydrates to top up glycogen. They can be useful when carbo-loading as it’s hard to get so many calories into the days leading up to an important event.

Staying hydrated is a must, particularly when running in hot weather. Electrolytes (salts) such as sodium, potassium and magnesium are necessary for maintaining fluid balance, blood volume and nerve transmission. These salts are released through sweat.

Sports drinks contain electrolytes to replace those minerals. Not drinking enough during long runs can lead to dizziness and headaches and even convulsions in extreme cases. Energy products, such as Caffeine, stimulate the central nervous system and can improve your stamina and performance.

Creatine was shown in some studies to have a positive effect on increasing work-output during aerobic exercise by decreasing lactic acid production so you can run for longer. It can also increase speed and power in your shorter, faster training runs.

Long distance running can cause general wear and tear on your joints, tendons and ligaments and so it’s important to take a Joint supplement to prevent injury that would sideline your training.

Your immune system can also be compromised as running long distances can lead to overtraining so a good Multivitamin can make up for any shortfalls in your diet and provide valuable antioxidants to scavenge free radical build-up. They are vital for serious athletes who need the essential nutrients involved in energy-producing reactions in the body.

Our Men’s Health and Women’s Health categories provide nutrients which fulfill specific nutritional needs of each gender, for instance female runners may require more Iron and Calcium; often depleted during hard training.