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What's in Your Running Pantry?

There are many similarities between a standard healthy nutrition plan and one for runners. However, if you want to get the most out of your running, it makes sense to focus on a healthy diet generally, plus increase your water intake and monitor how much protein you eat.

These additional elements will mean you are better prepared, recover better and avoid the risk of over-fatigue, illness or injury.

Enjoy your running and your nutrition!

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Fueling for Peak Performance

Top Runner Foods:

Fruit and Vegetables

Everyone should be focusing on a minimum of the “five-a-day” fruit and vegetable strategy – but runners should try to get even more, because their energy and overall nutrition requirements are greater. Choose darker varieties, as they contain more nutrients – for example, broccoli has far more iron in it than iceberg lettuce. In addition to vitamins and minerals, fruits and vegetables also contain antioxidants which help neutralize free radicals (damaging particles) that result from exercise and metabolism.

Lean Protein

Try to include protein with each meal. Both animal and plant sources (beans, nuts and grains) of protein are suitable for meeting your protein needs. By avoiding the fatty cuts of meat and concentrating on skinless, low-fat varieties, or alternatively fish, you’ll be providing your body with the necessary building blocks for repair. For a runner in heavy training, as much as 1.5g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight may need to be consumed per day – which is a lot to get through, so you’ll need to work at keeping your protein intake at the correct level.

Brown Rice or Quinoa

Similar to pasta, rice and quinoa are also excellent “long-distance” foods, and are both easy to prepare and readily available. Opt for boiling or steaming rather than frying; otherwise you’ll be adding a load of unnecessary calories. Try to select whole grain brown rice which will provide more fiber – further helping the slow-release energy process. Quinoa is naturally a whole grain and a great way to get added fiber, protein and calcium.

Cereal Bar

Cereal bars. For an easy-to-pack, generally healthy snack, a cereal bar is extremely handy. Cereal bars have a long shelf-life, and compared with many other foods (such as bananas), they don’t object to being bashed around in your gym bag – so they’re excellent standbys. However, not all cereal bars are equal – some have as much fat and sugar in them as chocolate bars! So read your labels with care and choose varieties that have as few ingredients as possible – which means that they’re less likely to be laden with additives and unnecessary chemicals. A great and convenient way to help you choose a great cereal bar would be to look at the NuVal score on the price tag. Remember, the higher the number, the more nutrition!

Glucose Drinks

Glucose drinks. Sometimes perceived as “the enemy,” glucose drinks actually do have a place in the runner’s nutrition plan. In addition to supporting your running in long distance races, a glucose drink can be a convenient way to get some of the necessary carbohydrates after a training session. The first 15 minutes after you finish exercising is the “golden window” for optimum refueling, when your body is most receptive to restocking your fuel tanks and does so at a faster-than-normal rate. If you consume a glucose drink after your run along with healthy food choices, you will maximize your refueling during the golden window, and also commence re-hydrating at the same time!

Water

Water. Although not a “food” in the strict sense, water is a key component for everyone – and runners in particular. As a runner, you lose a considerable amount of fluid through sweating and through your breath – so even in cold weather you will still have to focus on hydration. Your goal should be to continually top off your fluid levels as you run, and drinking water is the easiest way to do this. A minimum of two quarts (16 cups) per day should be your basic target, and more in hot weather and on training days.

Other Breakfast Cereals

Other breakfast cereals. Second-best to oatmeal but still an excellent runner’s food. Cereals such as muesli and items containing high wheat ingredients (shredded wheat, Fiber One, All Bran, etc) are great choices. Check the ingredients list for added sugar, fat and sodium; there are many cereals without these that can be consumed as excellent pre-event foods. Try to avoid sugar-coated-type cereals and many of the varieties that are marketed toward children, though, because nutritionally they are extremely poor and will not ideally prepare you in the morning for your training or race. A great and convenient way to help you choose a great cereal would be to look at the NuVal score on the price tag. Remember, the higher the number, the more nutrition!

Oatmeal

The number-one breakfast food, oatmeal consists of unprocessed oats – and nothing else! If made with skim or low-fat milk, it will provide the optimum mix of protein, fiber and slow-release energy. Whether you’re eating oatmeal pre-race, pre-training run or – even better still – as a regular daily starter, you can’t beat the original breakfast food to get you going each morning.

Watch out for oatmeal look-alikes, though, such as instant (pre-sweetened) varieties or “oaty”-type cereals, because although they are a far healthier option than many sugar-laden cereals, they are a less suitable choice than pure and simple oatmeal. Try topping your oatmeal with dried fruit, nuts, chia or flax meal for an added nutritional boost!

Bananas

The original snack food, readily available and requiring no preparation, the banana is the healthy equivalent of fast food. It is ideal for rapid refueling and comes in its own biodegradable wrapper!

For slower-release energy, choose greener fruit; if you’re after more of a quick energy “hit,” then choose browner, riper fruit. The different color indicates that the banana has more fruit sugar – which makes it better for a post-run snack.

Whole Grain Pasta

Pre-race pasta parties are popular for a reason – and that’s because if you’re competing in a race such as a marathon, pasta (namely carbohydrates) can make the difference between hitting the wall or steaming straight through it!

Pasta (especially whole wheat) is an easily digestible, extremely varied dish that provides slow release-energy – which is exactly what a marathon runner needs. Even if your event of choice isn’t the marathon, pasta is still an excellent, low-fat staple to eat – and combined with low-fat protein such as lean chicken or tuna, it makes an excellent runner’s refueling package.

About the Hy-Vee Dietitian

April Graff, MS, RD, LD, received a bachelor’s degree from Minnesota State University, Mankato, in dietetics and Spanish and her master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stout in human nutritional science.

April also completed her 10-month post-graduate dietetic internship through the University of Wisconsin-Stout. April is a member of the American Dietetic Association, Minnesota Dietetic Association and South Central Dietetic Association.

Through Hy-Vee, April offers group and individual store tours, personalized nutrition counseling, various nutrition-related classes, on- and off-site presentations as well as answering questions you may have.













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