Fuelling up for your fun run

Sunday 1^st April, what is so special about this date? It’s the annual ‘Run for the Kids’ fun run!

Sadly this year I will not be participating but I know many of you out there will be.

So here are a few tips to make sure you are happily fuelled up and ready to go.

(You can apply these tips to any exercise you do)

#1 – Avoid the grog

This is very important. I know it’s a Saturday night, I know you’re having dinner, I know dinner tastes better with a glass of wine or a beer, but IF you are going to have that 1 glass, make sure you have ONLY 1 glass or better yet avoid it altogether. Alcohol will dehydrate you and it’s extremely important to keep yourself well hydrated if you want to perform to your maximum capability.

#2 – Pre-exercise hydration

On most occasions, sweat loss during exercise cannot be replaced at the same rate so it’s critical to ensure you are well hydrated the before you exercise. Being dehydrated can lead to fatigue, dizziness and headaches.

#3 – Making sure you have enough fuel

A pre-event meal can be the difference between shaving those extra few minutes off your personal best time or improving your endurance. A meal or snack 1-4 hours before you start exercising can fuel or restore your glycogen stores and prevent you from being hungry when you are actually running (this has happened to me more times than I can count – it’s very distracting).

#4 – Knowing how much is enough

The amount of carbohydrates or energy you need to perform at your best varies for different exercise intensities and durations. The below table is a guide to show you how many grams of carbohydrates your body requires to replenish depleted stores. By identifying which training platter best suites your personal program, your weight and how heavy you trained that day, you can calculate the amount of grams needed per day.

Usual Training pattern	Carbohydrate need per day	Example (weight 60kg)
Sedentary/ low
training < 60mins per day	3 - 5g per KG of body weight	20 min power walk
low - moderate intensity		use lower end of rec
		3 X 60 (kg) = 180g daily
		express pump class
		use higher end of rec
		5 X 60 (kg) = 300g daily
Moderate
training up to 60mins per day	5 -7g per KG of body weight	50min run
Moderate - high intensity		use lower end of rec
		5 X 60 (kg) = 300g daily
		Body Attack class
		use higher end of rec
		7 x 60kg = 420g daily
Moderate Endurance
Team Sports 60-180min	7 - 10g per KG of body weight	10km run in 60mins
Long runs		use lower end of rec
Moderate - high intensity		8 x 60( kg) = 480g daily
		football match
		use higher end of rec
		10 x 60 (kg) = 600g daily
Heavy Endurance
training < 4-5 hrs per day	10 - 12g per KG of body weight	you get the point......
marathorn training
Moderate - high intensity

#5 – Which foods?

Now that you know how many grams of carbohydrates you require, what foods should you be eating to reach those goals?

Below are a few examples of foods which equal 20g of carbohydrates

1 slice thick bread	½ long roll	1 dinner roll
½ bagel	1 scone/ muffin	1 uncle Tobys fruit muesli bar
2 thin pancakes	1 cup cooked porridge	1 cups Kelloggs cornflakes
2 weet bix	2 tblspn Milo	300ml sport drink
400ml milk	½ cup corn	1 apple/pear/orange
2/3 cup baked beans	200ml fruit flavoured yogurt	1/3 – ½ cup muesli
½ cup cooked pasta/rice	8 Arnott’s water crackers	1 medium sized potato

Sample meal plan for sedentary/low training after low intensity exercise lasting less than 60mins (180g)

Meal	Sample Meal Plan	Carbohydrates (g)
Breakfast	· ½ cup muesli · 1 tub Jalna premium vanilla yogurt	49g
Morning Tea	· 1 banana (medium 16cm 110g) · 1 mug hot chocolate (250ml) skim milk	52g
Lunch	· 1 multigrain roll with tuna, lettuce and tomato	32g
Afternoon tea	· 1 mug tea (250 ml) skim milk · 1 apple (small 92g)	12g
Dinner	· 1 cup mashed potatoes with butter and milk · ½ cup steamed broccoli · ½ cup chopped carrots · 1 lean grilled rump steak · 1 mug green tea · 1 Arnott’s choc chip biscuit	35g
	Total	180g

Race (event) Day -

I know the fun run is held early in the morning, so you probably won’t have time to eat a proper meal 3-4 hours before the event as recommended.

As running will ‘jostle’ your tummy, my advice would be to eat 1-2 hrs before, something which will be quickly digested and won’t sit in your tummy for long. A piece of fruit, a tub of yogurt, cereal bar, small amount of juice (yes pretty much the only time I will say juice isn’t THAT bad for you), a slice of white toast with jam (yes again, one of the VERY FEW TIMES I would recommend white bread, white bread digests quicker because of the low fibre content – you don’t want food still digesting in your tummy once you’ve start running).

If you wake up late and only have 1hr before the race begins, then I would suggest a sports drink or jelly lollies.

GOOD LUCK!

RECOVERY – yeaaa!! So you’ve finished the race, now what?

Recovery is super important, just like cooling down or stretching after exercise, your body will be able to recover quicker if you feed it right.

#1 – Avoid the grog.....yes again.

Drinking alcohol has been shown to impair rehydration and the replenishment of your glycogen (energy) stores by taking the place of more nutritious food and drinks. Also, most sports are associated with soft tissue damage. If you do by any chance hurt yourself (fingers crossed you don’t), having alcohol in your system can increase swelling around the damaged area which impairs the healing process.

#2 – Replenishing your carbohydrate stores

Again, it is important to eat enough carbohydrates to restore what you have used.

#3 – Rehydrate

....With water or if you have been exercising for over 90mins in warm temperatures, the use of a sports drinks or electrolyte formulas could help replenish loss fluids and salts.

*recommended carbohydrate amounts are from the Institute of sport, FIFA and Clinical Sports Nutrition Textbook