Nutrition

Eating the right food after a run can have a big impact on the effectiveness and speed of your recovery, and can stave off muscle soreness and improve your overall performance.

After a run you should try to consume carbohydrates, protein and fluids. Your body eats into its energy stores and so replenishing these with carbohydrates in the recovery period after a run is really important. Helping muscle recovery is essential and that’s where having protein comes into play. Finally, drinking lots and getting some fluids and electrolytes back into your body is key. The following are a few ideas of post-run foods to help aid your recovery.

1. Chocolate Milk

Chocolate milk has the perfect mix of carbs and protein as well as fluids and electrolytes and will not only help with recovery but also tastes delicious! Chocolate milk rehydrates, helps revitalise glycogen levels and stored carbs and the protein helps rebuild and recover muscles after exercise. On top of all that chocolate is a known mood improver!

2. Oily fish

Oily fish can work as a larger main meal or as a post-run recovery snack. Fish like tuna, salmon, mackerel and sardines can minimise muscle soreness, improve joint health and are extremely important for muscle recovery. They all contain omega-3 and anti-inflammatory compounds which can really aid in all exercise recovery. Try adding some fish to your next post-run recovery meal to reap the benefits.

3. Fruit

Having a diet packed with fruit can really aid all forms of recovery. Bananas are easy to digest and help replenish lost electrolytes, oranges will improve your vitamin C content which can help with muscle damage while berries are rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants are key for clearing the muscles and helping you feel fresher on your next run. Try adding these fruits to juices or smoothies to break down the fruit faster.

4. Yoghurt

Yoghurt can make a good addition to your post-run routine. Low-fat natural yoghurt provides a good source of calcium, Vitamin D and also offers a good amount of protein. Try adding granola for additional fibre and carbs, honey for natural sweetener that gives you an instant energy hit or berries for the additional benefits of antioxidants.

5. Quinoa

Quinoa is one of the most protein-rich foods you can eat so adding this to your post-run food options is highly recommended. Not only does it contain protein but also iron and other nutrients that can really aid a runners recovery.

6. Mixed nuts and seeds

Nuts and seeds should be a staple part of any runner’s diet. They have a ton of benefits from vitamins, minerals, protein, healthy fats and fibre. Almonds, for example, are a great source of Vitamin E and can help lower cholesterol while most nuts contain magnesium which can help with muscle cramps.

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Tips and tricks for properly fuelling yourself before taking on your next triathlon event.

Plan your meals

One of the easiest ways to keep a track of your nutrition and to make sure that you have sufficient levels of energy is to plan your meals in advance. Although meal planning is a bit of a faff, it will ensure that you can get the right amount of energy and carbs in before a workout and the right amount of carbs and protein in for recovery after a workout.

Quality diet

After you’ve decided that a meal plan is a good idea, you’ll need to work out what meals to put into it. Make sure that your meals contain lots of carbs to keep your body fuelled for all the extra training that you’re now doing. A mixture of both simple and complex carbohydrates is always a good place to stay. Simple carbs are found in foods like fruit and milk and sugars, while complex carbs can be found in foods such as pastas, rice, beans and vegetables. You’ll want to try and focus more on your complex carbs as they are slower to break down and so your body will burn through them at a slower rate and therefore they have more of an effect.

On top of this, make sure you’re having a good amount of fruit and veg and other nutrients such as protein to aid in muscular recovery.

Poor digestion? Drink water. Bad skin? Drink water. Feeling fatigued or nauseous? You guessed it, drink water. As basically the solution to just about every problem, its important to keep yourself dosed up on water.

The amount of water that someone should drink per day varies from person to person. It can rely on a persons size, sweat rate, activity levels, and even the weather. The easiest way to see if you’re properly hydrated is to check the colour of your urine. If your pee is consistently straw coloured then you’re on the money. If it’s clear and you find yourself going to the toilet many many times per day, then you might want to slow down on your water intake.

Follow the 10% rule

There’s not harm in having a some cheat foods every now and then. The 10% rule is the idea that 10% of your daily calories can come from treats or deserts, crisps or biscuits. As long as you’re keeping a healthy balanced diet, you can be guilt-free about that evening glass of wine or that bar of chocolate after dinner.

Pre-race food

Your pre-race dinner is an important one. If you have too many carbs then you can end up feeling sluggish and lethargic and the last thing you want to do is go swimming while feeling stodgy. So make sure your last supper is a nice balanced meal with an standard balance of proteins and carbs and fats. You will want to avoid foods that are high in fats and fibre. This will keep your gut happy and consequentially, keep your whole body happy when it comes to race day.

Your pre-race breakfast wants to take place 2–3 hours before the race begins, giving yourself ample time to digest and deal with your food. Again, avoid fats and fibre on the morning of the race so you’ve got a happy gut when you’re on the starting line. Most runners will have a bowl of porridge and a banana to get them up and ready for the big race.

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