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Running, running links and true stories are what this column is all about!
Go here for a complete list of running links. Look here for a really neat kids running site. Good for you! You've just finished your training run and feel pretty good about your efforts. Sweaty, but satisfied with how well it went, you head for the shower. Your lunch hour is almost used up and you only have enough time for a quick shower before you dash back into the fast paced life of the work place. Did you forget something? What about refueling your body? Taking care of your body with adequate fluids and food should be part of your training routine. Too often we runners shrug and say it's the run that counts, not the fuel we take in after a run. The truth is that after a run we have a window of opportunity to replace muscle glycogen stores that were used up on our run. Careful attention to physical performance is only half of the picture. To get optimal physical performance you must also pay close attention to the crucial pre- and post-workout meals. If you consistently miss the window of opportunity that is there after a workout to replace muscle glycogen that was used, you will set yourself up for poor training and racing results in the future. Researchers have done extensive studies to see how the body reacts to lack of refueling, little food intake and adequate carbohydrates after running.
Here, briefly, are the results of the study. A period exists after intense exercise where muscles are most hungry for glycogen replacement. This 15- to 20-minute time period after running is the most important time to consume carbohydrates. If you do not refuel your glycogen stores during this time you will notice a feeling of fatigue later on or at your next training session. Over a period of time, your overall performance will suffer. We store glycogen primarily in the muscles and liver. Once these become depleted your body cannot use it's fuel of choice and your ability to run suffers. You can not use hunger as a method to determine if you need to eat or drink after exercise. Since exercise depresses hunger, you must rely on what you know is best for your body and then do it. You should aim for 50 to 100 grams of carbohydrate consumption after a workout of thirty minutes or more. This is enough to replace the glycogen you have used up during exercise. Go To Page: 1 2
The copyright of the article Don't forget those all Important Fluids! in Running is owned by . Permission to republish Don't forget those all Important Fluids! in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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