Deep thoughts on hydration

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The body performs much less efficiently because glycogen is harder to process in the absence of sufficient oxygen, not to mention the other vital organs and systems that rely on a fortified blood stream to keep the machinery operational.


In addition, the runner’s body is overheating. To cool it down, blood goes to the skin, reducing even more blood available to the muscles, which makes you even more dehydrated. Core temperature goes up, the heart stresses, and performance decreases.

What’s a Super Hero to do?


Why, Drink Up!

· Water is the preferred drink for workouts 90 minutes or less.

· Sports drinks and water are best for workouts  90 minutes or more

· Don’t rely on thirst to tell you when to rehydrate. You are already too dehydrated by the time you’re thirsty – and it’s nearly impossible to “catch up” while still exercising.

· Urine is a good indication of hydration – the clearer, the better

Race day nutrition

Pre-game Warm-up

Well, OK.

· Eat 2 to 4 hours prior to the race. That means waking up pretty early considering that most races start in early morning and that you need time to get to the race site.

· Eat hi-carb, but light: bagel with jam, Gatorade, banana, rice (maybe also a cup of Joe)

· Drink about 16 oz. Of water prior to the race

GAME ON!

· Drink water and sports drinks throughout the race. There should be tables with both all along the way.

· If race officials offer bagel bites, orange wedges, or the like along the way. Eat them. Orange wedges are quick delivery energy boosts. Bagels will sustain you for a few miles.

· Eat Gu and chase it down with water to avoid upset stomach and to facilitate processing

Game Over

· Drink lots of fluids, especially sports drinks, to restore depleted nutrients and glycogen

· ASAP: restore glycogen by consuming whatever carbs greet you at the finish line. Often there are bananas awaiting you. In New York, there are quite accommodating hot dog vendors, which normally I would avoid, but by the end of a marathon, I’d eat the dirty shoe off an armadillo.

Nutrition do’s and don’ts that you ALREADY KNOW!

Don’t

· Indulge in fats and salts - avoid these.

· Skip meals – it’ll mess with your glycogen stores.

· Stuff yourself. You’ll get constipated. Oy!

· Eat too much of one food – especially dairy. You will be flatulent and crapulent.

· Overdo caffeine and alcohol. As diuretics, they’ll steal your water. You’ll screw the pooch.

· Eat too much gassy foods (please!). It’ll suck for you and me. If you don’t heed this warning, your runs will be, well, the runs.

Do

· Eat a variety of carbs - rice, pasta, bread, cereal, bagels, fruits

· Keep meals and snack times regular. Your colon will appreciate this. If your meals are regular, you will be too!

· Try carb supplements like GNC and Gatorade

· Simplify. It may be easier to take a multivitamin instead of a medicine cabinet fill of pills. Add this to your diet. And make sure those pills are legal.

· Forget counting calories. ¼ plate is protein, the rest with veggies and bread.

· Have a few healthy snacks during the day.

· Be a vegetarian once a week. This will expose you to healthy foods, fortify you with nutrients and blow out your beef-filled colon.

CARBS

Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of energy. If food is fuel, carbs are the octane.

Despite the carbs’ bad reputation and society’s faddish tendencies toward protein-only diets, this will be the most important component to your diet. In fact, I believe carbs has gotten a bad rap. While it is indisputable that a high-carbohydrate diet leads to obesity, such a notion assumes (1) a sedentary lifestyle, and (2) an over-indulgence of carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates are consumed expressly to be burned. Burning calories and intense exercise requires greater levels of energy. Greater levels of energy require greater consumption of carbohydrates.

If the couch is your high-endurance treadmill, then a diet with fewer carbs is entirely appropriate. Unless the carbs are burned, the body, efficient as it is, will store them (You didn’t know that being a fat ass was a sign of efficiency, did you?)

There are two kinds of carbohydrates:

Simple Carbohydrates are digested quickly and supply the body a quick energy rush. Simple Carbohydrates should NOT be your source of energy. They are good for a cocker spaniel explosion of energy, but these carbs will not sustain you. They are not forbidden to eat, but your foundation of energy should be complex carbohydrates. Examples of simple carbs include honey, white sugar, brown sugar, syrup, fruit juices, milk and yogurt.

Complex Carbohydrates digest slower and release energy over a longer period of time. They also contain nutrients and some fiber. Complex carbohydrates should represent most of your carb consumption. Examples of complex carbs include grains, cereals, fruits, vegetables, beans, breads, brown rice, and potatoes.

When consumed, carbohydrates are converted into blood sugar – or glucose –which is stored as glycogen in the muscles. This is the main source of energy for exercising muscles. It is the energy that is depleted first (followed by fats). After 20 minutes of exercise, the body burns a combination of carbs and fat. Most people don’t exercise long enough to burn significant amounts of fat in a single workout.