It appears that most novice runners fall neatly into two polarised categories -- that which is blissfully unaware of the importance of nutrition and food intake on race day and that which obsesses about the topic to an unnecessary extent, conducting endless research online and attempting to earn a diploma in dietitics and nutrition in the process. The intent of this article is to construct a happy, middle ground and equip the runner with some basic knowledge of how the human body takes in and uses fuel during a run and of how to use this know-how to one’s advantage on race day.
You need to start by understanding the obvious fact that your body needs fuel just like an automobile to be able to perform.
This fuel is in the form of energy which is got from the metabolisation of food (carbohydrates, fat, proteins, water, vitamins and minerals) you ingest. One way in which the human body gets its energy is by converting carbohydrates in your food into glycogen (a variety of glucose) and storing it in the liver.
This glycogen is then transformed into energy and fed to your working muscles to enable physical movement. Energy can also be got by converting the fat in your body, though this is a more difficult process to do for the human body since it requires the generous presence of oxygen (aerobic reaction) which is not always possible in a running event like the marathon. Here’s the really important fact: Irrespective of what and how much you eat ahead of your race, an average runner’s body can only store sufficient glycogen to deliver between 1800 to 2000 calories of energy at a time.
A runner running at a decent pace will burn around 60 calories every km. Now do the math. Assuming there is zero nutrition intake during your run, your body will deplete its glycogen reserves between the 30th-32nd kilometre, somewhere around the 3-hour mark. This is what is famously referred to as ‘Hitting the wall’ in running circles. When this happens, expect sluggish legs, a sudden drop in running pace, and an overall sense of loss of concentration and negative emotion.
This is also the point when most novice runners start walking and eventually crawl to the finish line.
Now that we have got the science and the math out of the way, what are some practical things we can do as recreational runners to optimise performance?
A few tips to make the most of your race day:
Do not get carried away by articles written for a western audience on switching to a carbohydrate heavy diet in the days leading to the race or on the much hyped carb-loading dinner of pasta and potatoes.
Most Indian diets are rich by themselves in carbohydrates, be it Idli/Dosa/Pongal or White rice or Aloo Paratha.
Remember to have a balanced diet while you train and stay away from obviously unhealthy food like deep fried dishes, pastries and the like. Also, remember never to try any unfamiliar food the day before your run.
Eat your comfort food, preferably home-cooked, early enough and sleep well to ensure full digestion the next morning.
Experiment with various options during your training phase so you discover a magic formula which works best for you and then stick to it.
Finally, don’t give up that staple of most Indians, a cup of coffee, on race day. Caffeine has been shown to keep the body and mind alert and delay the onset of fatigue.
Ashwin Prabhu discovered running nearly a decade and many carb-heavy dinners ago and it has transformed his life.
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