Nutrition for Endurance Running
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By Stephanie Wills
I recently received the book “Born to Run” by Christopher McDougall as a gift from my wonderful husband. After devouring it in about 3 days, it has proven to be one of the most exciting and inspiring books I have ever read! I always enjoyed running but now I absolutely love it! 

runnAside from the fitness and enjoyment factor, I must say though that the nutritional aspect of running, in terms of performance, recovery and improvement, has been the most interesting and fascinating learning experience of all (especially being involved in the health industry!) So in honour of the up-and-coming 2011 Comrades Marathon, I'd like to share some of the exciting new nutritional tips and information that I've recently discovered. 

Why is good nutrition so important?
I am a firm believer that the higher the quality of our diets, the better our bodies are able to function and perform. This is especially important for endurance or super-athletes with rigorous training schedules and enormous energy requirements. If one can repair damaged muscle tissue and recover quickly, more workouts can be scheduled, performance will significantly improve and the competition will be left in the dust! 

So what does a nutritious diet look like?
Everyone is unique, so it is important to figure out what carbohydrate-protein-fat ratio you need to be able to run at your optimum. The next most important thing to consider is the source from which you get all your nutrients from.

chiarunning2What's surprising to most people is that although the pre-packaged, manufactured sports bars, protein powders, energy gels etc are convenient and promise to fulfill your needs as an endurance athlete; there are actually simple, healthy alternatives from natural, raw and organic foods that can produce amazing benefits! One such example is found in the diets of the Tarahumara (pronounced Tara-oo-mara), a tribe of super-runners found deep within the Copper Canyons of Mexico. Their predominantly plant-based diet includes; pinto beans, squash, chili peppers, wild greens, pinole (toasted corn meal), and chia seeds; the combination of which seems to give them enough fuel to run up to 160 kilometers a day! 

I'm not suggesting you drastically alter your normal way of eating; I'm simply highlighting the fact that a diet that focuses on fresh, natural and unprocessed whole-foods (fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole-grains, high quality protein etc), is a powerful way to enhance your running performance and get the results you want. 

Natural alternatives to performance-enhancing sports foods
• Pre-workout energy bar – the yummiest and easiest recipe I've found are the 'Apple Cinnamon Energy Bars' from Ironman Brendan Brazier’s book The Thrive Diet. In a food processor, process the following ingredients until smooth, then either roll into balls or shape it into a bar: 1 small apple, cored, 1 cup soaked pitted dates, 1/2 cup soaked or cooked quinoa, 1/4 cup almonds, 1/4 cup ground flaxseed or chia, 1/4 cup hemp or raw protein, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg and sea salt to taste. 
iskiate2• Iskiate – or as McDougall calls it, “10,000-year-old Red Bull!” – is where the Tarahumara get their unlimited supply of energy from! Simply mix together 2-3 tsps Chia seeds, the juice of 1 lime or ½ lemon, 2 tsps sugar (optional) in a small sports bottle and you have the perfect nutrient-rich energy drink. Chia seeds are hydrophilic which means they can hold about 10x their weight in water. For athletes, this is a great way to sustain hydration during exercise as well as help maintain the electrolyte balance. Chia also digests slowly, providing a continuous supply of energy as you run, and even provides a substantial amount of antioxidants to prevent free radical damage to muscle tissue. 
• Energy gel – what’s important is that your energy gel supplies a quick dose of complex carbohydrates as well as the two essential electrolytes, sodium and potassium. Ultra-marathon runner Anna Hughes makes her own with 20 dates (carbohydrate), 1 stalk of celery (sodium), 1/2 ripe banana (potassium) and 1/4 cup of water. Blend together slowly until you get a gel-like texture. If you're not a fan of banana or celery, substitute with Himalayan rock salt (another excellent source of electrolytes) I would just add some mint or lemon juice for a bit of flavour. 
• Recovery Drink – making your own recovery smoothie is the perfect way to get in all the necessary nutrients quickly and in a highly digestible form. It should include a high quality source of protein to help repair broken down muscle tissue, quality carbohydrates to quickly restock depleted muscle glycogen stores, essential fatty acids, electrolytes and preferably the minerals calcium and magnesium for smooth muscle contraction.

banana-smoothieMy favourite recovery smoothie is: 1C water (hydration), 2T Chia seeds (protein, essential fatty acids, calcium etc), ½ banana (carbohydrates, potassium), raw honey (extra sweetness, boost immunity), small handful of goji's (antioxidants), 1 scoop raw protein powder (alkaline, highly digestible and minimally processed) with a sprinkle of Himalayan salt (electrolytes) all blended together. Sometimes I also add 1tsp Cacao powder (magnesium, iron), 1tsp maca (adrenal nourishment, strength, endurance), 1T coconut oil (MCT for energy, metabolism-boost) and use almond milk instead of water for a real chocolaty recovery treat! 

Supplements
You may wish to consider:
• MSM – my favourite anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, recovery-enhancing, joint-supporting, collagen-repairing, energy-boosting supplement in our shop! Standing for methyl-sulfonyl-methane, MSM is a naturally occurring sulphur with the toxicity rating of water (which means zero!) For more info read the article entitled “SMS, MMS… no MSM!”
• Superfood Green Powder – with just one scoop a day, a high-quality, nutrient dense green powder can provide sustained and steady energy throughout the day, enhance digestion and gastrointestinal function, improve circulation, regulate blood sugar levels, enhance your mental clarity, boost your immune system, assist in the removal of toxins from your body, enhance athletic endurance and recovery, greatly increase your sense of well-being as well as provide essential support for healthy ageing! So exciting!
omega3bottle• Omega 3 fatty acids – we simply do not get enough in our diet! Adequate amounts of EPA and DHA (the active ingredients in Omega 3), are essential for their anti-inflammatory benefits, joint lubrication and protection, blood pressure regulation amongst countless others. 
• L-Glutamine - found abundantly in skeletal muscle and blood plasma, glutamine is also used as metabolic fuel for your immune cells. Because endurance running depletes glutamine from your plasma, supplementing with this amino acid may ward off colds and muscle soreness induced by heavy exercise.

Be inspired to eat a simpler, more natural diet and have faith in the power of quality nutrition to enhance your athletic performance. And of course best of luck to all the Comrades runners (hopefully I'll be there next year!)