Nutrition for Runners

By Allison Buck

To be in the best possible shape to run, a balanced diet of carbohydrates, proteins and fats, and required vitamins and minerals is necessary. Nutrition recommendations are just that. They are based on generalities, which will change slightly from person to person, depending on the health of the individual, weight concerns and average daily exercise expenditure.

What constitutes healthy nutrition for runners?

Runners get their energy primarily from carbohydrates; therefore carbohydrates will make up a significant portion of a runner’s diet. Anywhere between 50 to 70 percent of the diet should come from carbohydrates, depending on the weight of the individual and according to their exercise schedule. For instance, long distance runners tend to carb-load the night before a big run in order to pre-store the needed energy their body will expend the next morning. If weight is a concern, individuals can limit more carbohydrate heavy meals to a few hours before a long run and keep their other meals focused on proteins, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates.

All carbohydrates turn into glucose (blood sugar) when digested. This is what the body uses as fuel. There are two types of carbohydrates; simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are the type that has given carbohydrates a bad name. They are digested quickly and therefore lead to a spike in blood sugar. This can cause mood swings, cravings (which lead to weight gain if consistently satisfied) and even withdrawal symptoms if a person suddenly changes their diet to limit them. Simple carbohydrates include naturally occurring sugars like fruit, juice and honey; as well as refined foods such as white bread, white rice, baked goods made with white flour, candy and sugar. Aside from fruit, simple carbohydrates are not particularly healthy or beneficial, lacking vitamins and minerals.

Complex carbohydrates take longer to digest. They help to keep you full for longer and do not cause the same fast spike in blood sugar. Complex carbohydrates are commonly packed with fiber, and are high valuable nutrients. These include foods such as whole grain breads, cereals and pastas, as well as legumes and vegetables.

Protein is also used for energy, but more importantly for runners it helps to repair tissue damage. The recommend amounts needed varies depending on the individual and how active they are, but typically falls somewhere between 10 to 30 percent of the diet. The body does not store unused protein, so if a person does not get adequate amounts in their diet, their body will start to break down their muscle mass to fill protein needs. This is why it is particularly important for runners to make sure they are getting enough protein. An important consideration is to make sure protein source is low in saturated fat and cholesterol. The best natural food sources for runners are lean meats, fish, low-fat dairy products, poultry, whole grains and beans.

Healthy fats are an important part of any diet, allowing for proper growth, healthy skin, bones and heart, as well as improving the absorption of fat soluble vitamins. Fat helps to keep you feeling satiated and full, which helps to limit calorie intake. A good standard should be a diet of less than 30 percent fat. Try to limit saturated and trans fats and aim on fulfilling fat needs with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated (omega 3 and omega 6) fats. Limit animal fats, rather focusing on things like olives, cold-water fish, and nuts. With fat, the important thing to consider is the source and quality of fat. For instance, there are a lot of omega-fortified foods on the market these days but one tablespoon of hempseed oil (which is easily incorporated into a salad dressing) provides an adequate daily recommended amount of omega 3 and 6 essential fatty acids.

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Other special considerations for runners

Antioxidants: Exercise creates free radicals in the body which can damage cells. It is very important to include antioxidants in the diet (especially when adding an additional exercise regime), which neutralizes these free radicals. Here are some common antioxidants to include in your diet and a few suggested sources:

• Flavanoids/polyphenols: red wine, dark chocolate (now this is a nutrition recommendation I can get behind!), purple grapes, tea, pomegranate, cranberries, soy. 


• Lighan: whole grains such as barely, rye, oatmeal, flax. 


• Lutein: dark green vegetables such as spinach and broccoli 


• Lycopene: tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit. 


• Selenium: lean red meat, eggs, chicken, fish, shellfish. 


• Vitamin A: carrots, tomatoes, peaches. Vitamin C: citrus fruits, strawberries. 


• Vitamin E: nuts, whole grains, vegetable oils, seeds.

Iron: Iron is the mineral which delivers oxygen to the cells in the body and without it you could feel fatigued and weak, especially during exercise when your body needs more oxygen. The best food sources of iron are lean meats, shrimp, scallops, leafy green vegetables and nuts.

Calcium: Calcium is a particularly important mineral for runners because of its role in bone health. It prevents osteoporosis and lessens the risk of stress fractures, which are a common risk of running. When looking to add calcium to the diet focus on low-fat dairy products, eggs, beans or green leafy vegetables.

Vitamin D: Vitamin D is not only an important vitamin on its own, but it also aids in the absorption of calcium. UVB rays in sunlight are the best natural source of vitamin D. Thus, many runners who run outside do not worry about a lack of vitamin D. Depending on where you live, for instance here in Canada, a large portion of the year a daily outside run will not allow for enough UVB ray exposure to fulfill vitamin D needs. Additionally, sunscreen limits the absorption further. Vitamin D supports for bone health, and is thought to actually help increase speed and strength of muscles and therefore increase athletic performance. It has also been reported that it lowers risk of cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

Potassium: There is a reason that bananas are one of the most common post-run snacks provided to runners in the recovery tent at the end of a race. Not only are they easy to digest, but they are one of the best sources of potassium available. Potassium is an electrolyte that works with sodium to help to balance fluid levels in your body and keep your electrolytes stable. Every cell contains a ‘sodium potassium pump’. Most sodium in your body is outside of your cells, most potassium is inside of your cells. The pump action occurs because each mineral tries to move from the higher concentrated area the less concentrated area. This process speeds up during physical exertion. This change in potassium levels can cause muscle cramps, bloating and the weakness, or “wobbly legs”, a lot of runners feel at the finish line. A banana and fluids help to balance the minerals within about an hour.

Sodium: Sodium is another mineral and electrolyte that is a concern for runners. Along with potassium it keeps fluids balanced in your body. Sodium has had a lot of attention in the running world due to marathon runners suffering from hyponatremia; where there is a lower level of sodium in the blood than normal. Hyponatremia occurs through dehydration (due to vomiting and diarrhea), or over-hydration. If runners, especially during long distance races like marathons, consume excess water they can actually lower their sodium levels to such an extent that they experience hyponatremia. This can lead to dizziness, seizures, nausea, coma and even death. The important thing is not to be so concerned with dehydration that you over-hydrate, thereby depleting sodium levels. Weigh yourself before and after a workout, so you develop an understanding of how much fluid your body needs. Sports drinks are popular because they contain sodium and are supposed to be properly balanced. But as long as you don’t over-hydrate you should be fine with water and shouldn’t have to add extra sodium to your diet or fluids. Too much sodium is a health concern in itself.

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Recommended Pre-Run Foods

Ideally, it is recommended that a pre-run meal is consumed 2 hours prior to the run. As many runners prefer a morning run, this may not be a feasible schedule for many to follow. Breakfast is commonly called the most important meal of the day. For runners, even those who prefer early morning runs, this is especially true. If you are a morning runner, the key is to have a small breakfast pre run and then a post run recovery snack.

Both meals together (or as one larger meal pre-run with the two hour before goal if you have a running schedule that allows for it) should equal approximately 500 calories maximum. A pre run meal truly is fuel your body requires to maximize your athletic potential. Carbohydrates replenish muscle glycogen, giving the energy needed to run and protein helps to repair muscle tissue, and healthy fats helps to keep your body full and your heart strong.

Before a run, you want to eat light meals that will not impede your run. The focus is on food that is easy and quick to digest, so your body can take what it needs from the food without causing digestive issues. Depending on the individual and their digestion, gaseous and high fiber foods should be avoided pre run and, for some, even the night before a run. High carbohydrate, low fiber foods, like certain bagels, pasta, cereal, or rice can be a perfect base for the meal. An ideal sample pre run meal, if consumed within 2 hours of the run, is cereal, milk and half a banana. If the thought of stomaching a meal prior to a run is unappetizing, a great alternative can be to have a liquid meal in the form of a smoothie.

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Recommended Post-Run Foods

After a long run, the goal is to replenish depleted resources and give your body what it needs in order to repair muscle damage. It is important to get healthy carbohydrates, as well as a high quality protein. What and how much you eat will depend on the length and exertion level of your workout.

If you had a short run, refueling your body is not of great concern, but as always, the important thing is to listen to your body. If you’re hungry, chances are your body was lacking in carbohydrate stores before your run! Eat something high in carbohydrates and fiber to fill you up. In the future, be sure you pay more attention to proper pre-run meals. Some people feel sick after a run, or are short on time and making a meal is not their priority. It may seem easier to just skip the post-run snack, but it is important, so find ways to fit something in. If nauseous, focus on foods that take longer to digest, whole grain crackers and cheese, a banana, a whole grain bagel with peanut butter - something to give your body a dose of carbohydrates while settling your stomach. If you’re short on time, feel free to drink your post-run meal. Smoothies are great options as with yogurt, kefir or protein powder, they can easily provide a good source of protein, and by adding fruit, will supply carbohydrates, antioxidants and vitamins.

After a long or hard run, and definitely if you exercise for over an hour, refueling your body is much more important. The recommended ratio of carbohydrates to proteins, that is idea for refueling, is 4:1. This gives you just enough protein to repair your muscles, without getting too much, which can actually impede glycogen replenishment. After high intensity or endurance exercise, there is a short window of approximately half an hour after completion, to maximize refueling. An energy bar, smoothie or sports drink are very popular choices with many runners because of this. They are quick and easy to prepare, eat and to digest. An hour after this, it is important for you to have a full meal, again following the 4:1 ratio, be it a breakfast, lunch or dinner. If you run at night, and don’t want a large meal right before bed, adjust your schedule opposite of those morning runners. In this case, the pre-run meal becomes more important. Be sure you feed your body what it needs to perform to peak, and then a smaller snack post run will be adequate.

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Special recommendation to long-distance runners

Long distance runners, such as those who are running half or full marathons, will have special dietary concerns. It is when you are training for, or running these long distance runs, you will need to focus more closely on your diet the night before the race. Load up on the easy to digest carbohydrates your body will need for energy during your long run! If running for longer than an hour, it is important to consume water or sports drinks to keep up necessary energy and hydration, and have a source of easy and quick to digest carbohydrates throughout the run. Some runners prefer pre-packed bars or gels; others are known to reach for quick digesting sugars like gummy bears or other candies. A great, often overlooked, mid-run snack is a handful of raisins! The important thing is to ensure that your body is consistently hydrated and nourished during the run, and properly fed after the run.

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Allison Buck is a freelance writer and exercise enthusiast who keeps up to date with the latest news about nutrition and fitness. She can be reached at allisonbuck@rogers.com