Training Resources

Here are miscellaneous articles and info on training. Some old, some new. We want to keep this area fresh and post the latest thinking, so if you find a great resource let Mike know about it.

Eating Smart for Peak Performance and Health

by Vince Digneo

Your dietary habits throughout your week have as much influence on your ability to race and train as does your race day eating strategy. The information gathered below is a synopsis of the December 2000 issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. The issue included a comprehensive review of "Nutrition and Athletic Performance" which was co-authored by the American College of Sports Medicine, the American Dietetic Association, and the Dieticians of Canada. I've summarized the highlights of the paper below. In particular, I've converted many of the values to calories/pound, the measurement that is most meaningful to American readers. At the same time, the grams/kg measurement used by the metric world is retained, and also converted to calories/kg. The following is very academic but clear in its direction: your performance and health during training and racing rests on your ability to eat smart and healthy. PERIOD.

Daily Nutrition Needs

Carbohydrates: 6 to 10 g/kg body weight, or 24 to 40 calories/kg. American = 2.7 to 4.5 g/pound, or 10.8 to 18 calories/pound.

Protein: For endurance athletes, 1.2 to 1.4 g/kg (4.8 to 5.6 calories/kg). American = .55 to .65 g/pound, or 2.2 to 2.6 calories/pound.

Fats: Should not be restricted to less than 15 percent of total calories. An average of 20 to 25 percent calories from fat is okay. Fat is not a poison! Your body needs it like proteins or carbohydrates -- you just need to be smart about the type you take in and how much you consume.

Pre-Exercise Nutrition Needs

Before a race, long run, or workout 3-4 hours before: The BEST results have come from 200 to 300 grams of carbohydrates (800 to 1200 calories) in meals 2 to 4 hours before exercise.

1 hour before: Studies have produced mixed results. Early research suggested that taking carbohydrates 1 hour before exercise led to low blood sugar and premature fatigue. However, more recent research shows no effect or a positive effect from a small amount (60 to 200 calories) an hour before exercise.

Morning races: The above carbohydrates strategies are particularly important for morning races, which follow the overnight fast of sleeping.

Glycemic index: Current research has produced mixed results on the question of the glycemic index of pre-exercise meals, and whether or not glycemic index affects performance.

During-Exercise Nutrition Needs

Carbohydrates needs: Research indicates that runners and multi-sport endurance athletes need 30 to 60g of carbohydrates per hour. That's 120 to 240 calories worth given a range of workouts from 1 hour to 2hours (ours would be longer!). This "has been shown unequivocally to extend endurance performance."

During exercise, carbohydrates should come primarily from glucose. Fructose doesn't work as well. It doesn't matter how you get the carbohydrates -- from drinks, gels, or bars. But you must consume the right amount of both carbohydrates and fluids which for our purposes is:

  • Approximately 120 to 240 calories every 40-50 minutes.
  • Approximately 8 ounces of fluids every 20 minutes.

And you must take the carbohydrates and fluids from the beginning of the exercise. Don't wait. Protein, fat, and fiber are not necessary during exercise, and may slow the absorption of the carbohydrates that you will ultimately use as fuel.

Post-Exercise Nutrition Needs

The basic post-exercise formula: Try to consume 1.5 g of carbohydrates per kg of body weight (6 calories per kg) during the first 30 minutes post-exercise. American = .7 grams of carbohydrates per pound, or 2.8 calories per pound. Repeat again every 2 hours for 4 to 6 hours post-exercise.

Timing is important. Getting carbohydrates fast produces the best results. "The highest reported rates of post-exercise glycogen resynthesis" occurred in individuals fed every 15 minutes for 4 hours after exercise (they received .4 grams carbohydrates/kg body weight, or 1.6 calories per kg. American = .18 grams/pound, or .72 calories/pound). If you don't eat in the first two hours, the rate of synthesis will be lower.

[Note: Fast resynthesis is most important if you intend to do more exercise in the same day or next days. That is, if you're in a heavy training mode. If you're going to take a few days off after a marathon or other hard training, on the other hand, it doesn't matter so much. The body catches up on its own as long as you're consuming enough carbohydrates.]

Again, glucose is more effective than fructose when seeking immediate synthesis. Over 24 hours or longer, this probably makes little difference. Glucose is the key to glycogen repletion. Adding protein does not improve glycogen storage. However, adding protein might be good "for muscle protein repair and to promote a more anabolic hormonal profile."

Fluid Consumption Needs

Before: Drink 400 to 600 ml (14 to 22 oz) of water or sports drink two hours before.

During: Drink 150 to 350 ml (6 to 12 oz) of sports drink every 15 to 20 minutes. Start drinking shortly after you begin to exercise. Don't wait.

After: Drink at least 16 to 24 oz of every sports drink for every pound of body weight lost. Metric: Drink 500 to 700 ml of sports drink for every .5 kg of body weight lost.

Note: These amounts are greater than the fluid weight you have lost. Reason: You will urinate away some of it. The principle: You should aim to slightly "overdrink." Select sports drinks that include sodium, or otherwise get some sodium, as with pretzels, chips, salty soup, etc.

Carbohydrates concentration of sports drinks: Sports drinks should be 4 to 8 percent carbohydrates by concentration.

Sodium and sports drinks: Sports drinks with sodium are recommended for exercise more than 1 hour to improve taste and drive to drink.

Sweat rates: Are highly variable. But can exceed 1,800 ml per hour. How much is that in fluid ounces?

Hyponatremia: A handful of marathoners and triathletes have died from hyponatremia, or low blood sodium. This results after long, hot races wherein the athletes have consumed only water, and not sodium-containing sports drinks. Women appear to be more at risk than men. To guard against hyponatremia, drink sodium-containing sports drinks.

Doing the Math

Here's the optimal glycogen resynthesis formula for a 150-pound athlete. The athlete should consume a carbohydrates snack every 15 minutes for 4 hours. That's 16 snacks. Each snack should contain calories equal to .72 x 150 pounds, or 108 calories. When you multiply 108 calories times 16 snacks, you get a total-4-hour carbohydrates hydrate intake of 1728 calories.

OK. We know this is a bit academic but it spells it out, clean and simple.

Vince Digneo is the head coach of the Tattersols women's running team, one of our team partners. Vince is a veteran run and triathlon coach, and is a wealth of information. Check out Tattersols here.

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A: We encourage following your own plan, but the team doesn't offer this specific service. Athletes have different needs, from those who want daily input from a coach to those who want guidance about periodizing a season. In all cases, Team Sheeper membership can complement individual training plans:

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