A good diet is important for distance running. It will help maintain a healthy weight and improve performance. Running is hard enough without having an upset stomach. I know some people get triggered when someone tells them what to eat. I’m not a dietician and my diet is far from perfect.
I am not going to:
- pretend I understand food science
- recommend a specific diet, there are a lot of different ways to eat healthy
- cover anything too obvious, we all know that bacon is unhealthy
I am going to:
- suggest some practical and easy methods to consistently and affordably eat well
- make some general suggestions on what type of food to eat before, during and after a run
- share what food I’ve chosen to eat regularly and what food I avoid or limit
Runner’s Diet
A runner should have a diet that is high in carbohydrates, especially during training season. They’re important for energy and endurance. Protein, like chicken or turkey, is important for recovery. Other than that it’s a good idea to have a balanced diet of healthy foods like nuts, vegetables, eggs, etc. There are a lot of different food options that work.
Before a Run
If you go on a morning run, it’s best to eat something light and plain. For example, a banana and a piece of white bread (white is easier to digest) or a bagel. I like to eat dry foods more, things like cereal don’t sit well with me on a run.
If you’re going on a run later in the day, it is best to eat a meal at least two hours before. It will give your body time to digest the food. Again, plain food is better, something like chicken and rice.
During a Run
This can vary, but generally speaking, I eat on runs that are 8 miles or longer. I will usually eat granola bars, gels, or gatorade. During a marathon or half-marathon, I’m more regimented and I eat a 100 calorie gel every 45 minutes. You’ll have to do some experimenting and figure out what works best for you.
After a Run
It’s good to eat protein for recovery after a run, especially a long one. I like to have a meal prepared ahead of time so I can just heat it up when the run is over. I don’t have a lot of energy afterwards and if I don’t have food prepared I’m more likely to go out to a restaurant.
Carb Loading
This is basically a strategy where a runner will increase their carb intake for a few days so they will have more energy for a long run. If you regularly eat carbs then you don’t have to worry about carb loading for run under 90 minutes. It’s not complicated, just up your carb intake for 4-6 days before the long run or race. More information can be found on this post – Simple Carb Loading Strategy.
Water
I’m not going to go into a big rant about hydration here, I just want to give two quick tips. Don’t go to bed dehydrated the night before a run, it can cause a headache in the morning. Also, make sure you are hydrated during your run because it can affect your performance. Being slightly dehydrated can cause me to “hit the wall” or to have side stitches.
Consistently Eating Well
It’s important to have a routine that you can stick with for the long term. Find a way to minimize the prep time, cook time, and clean up time. Work on making the whole process more efficient. I will usually cook a large amount of food and eat it that day and the following two days.
Get used to going to the grocery store and cooking.
Buying healthy food is easy, if you can do it regularly you’re halfway there. If you don’t have time to go to the store you can always get groceries delivered, it’s free delivery in most areas if you spend a certain amount. I definitely prefer to get them delivered, it saves so much time and energy.
Have a Go-To Meal
It’s a good idea to have a go-to meal that is somewhat healthy, cheap, and easy to cook. It makes it easier because you don’t have to think about what to cook or how you’re going to cook it. My go-to meal is: vegetable broth, carrots, zucchini, cabbage, tofu, rice (or pasta) and ground chicken (or ground turkey). It’s really easy to cook, there aren’t many dishes, and like I said, I eat it that day and the following two days. This article that shows exactly how to prepare it.
Food I Eat Regularly
Again, this diet isn’t perfect and I’m not suggesting that anyone copy it. I’m listing what I eat to give some general ideas.
- Ground Chicken / Ground Turkey – It’s low in fat and easy to cook on the stovetop.
- Tofu – A good source of protein that’s cheap and has a long shelf life.
- Rice – It’s cheap and simple to make in a rice cooker.
- Pasta – I usually eat egg white or vegetable pasta.
- Bananas, oranges, apples and grapefruit juice – Fruit is good for running, especially bananas, a lot of races have them available.
- Applesauce – I eat it as a dessert. It’s an easy way to eat fruit because it’s cheap and has an extended shelf-life.
- Vegetables – I usually stick with carrots, zucchini and cabbage.
- Almond Milk – A good milk alternative.
- Assorted Nuts – A good snack food.
- Potatoes – I like potatoes but I usually eat carbs like rice or pasta because I can mix meat with them and make it a meal.
- Bread and Bagels – It’s nice to have a carb that doesn’t require cooking, especially for the morning before a run. I think they’re fine in moderation.
- Eggs – I eat eggs on and off. They can be kind of boring but they’re cheap and easy.
- Non-Dairy Ice-Cream – This is a reward type of food for me, I sometimes eat it after a long run.
- Hot Sauce or Cayenne Pepper – This makes boring foods a lot more exciting for me. Overly spicy foods should be avoided before a run though.
- Coffee – I drink coffee constantly.
- Sparkling Water – I don’t drink carbonated beverages before a run, but other than that they’re great. You get the carbonation without the sugar or aspartame.
Food I Rarely Eat
I don’t have any foods that I completely avoid. I do make an effort to only eat certain foods on special occasions. For example, I usually won’t eat dessert (like pie or cake) unless I’m at a nice restaurant or it’s a holiday. I eat out at all kinds of restaurants, but it’s usually only once or twice per week. I eat very little dairy or red meat. I don’t drink a lot of alcohol.
