Active Community : Popular Threads - Sports Nutrition for Runners

GI problems while running

wende61 — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 21:35:34 GMT

Help! I just finished a half marathon ... had to relieve myself in the bushes at mile 10 due to diarrhea - ugh. This is not a first. I had taken two immodium pre-race and two more at mile 6. Am scheduled to run my first full marathon in 3 weeks.Desperately seeking advice!

Coffee--good or bad?

Kaenman — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:30:21 GMT

I read that coffee boosts metabolism and can give higher performance on an endurance run. I drink mine black and a drink a lot! What are the positives? What are the negatives?

Should low calorie 'sports' drinks have a place at marathons?

Martin Spierings — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:26:56 GMT

Here's an article I wrote for a local paper. What do people think?

In the Long Run: A time and place for 'sports' drinks

There are so many "sports" and "energy" products out there that I don't blame athletes for getting confused sometimes.

It seems preying on this confusion is the very intent of marketers desperate to find a point of difference for their product.

A wealth of independent scientific research and knowledge is available on sports nutrition and physiology, but it too often gets buried and muddled under the weight of money, marketing and promotions.

At the California International Marathon in two weeks, Ultima Replenisher will be available on the course as the official sports drink of the event.

On the company Web site, a professional triathlete admonishes other sports drinks for using sugar and salt and flaunts Ultima as being packed full of electrolytes.

While excess consumption of sugar -- a carbohydrate -- in your day-to-day diet is bad for your health, it is widely accepted that carbohydrate supplementation during prolonged exercise delays the onset of fatigue.

Kind of a useful thing during a marathon, don't you think?

Just as bizarre is the demonizing of salt -- or sodium chloride -- which is also an electrolyte. Most of you know during exercise you lose sodium chloride in the form of sweat. Replacing this sodium is recommended by scientists to avoid muscle cramps and hyponatremia [a condition of low sodium which has in some cases led to death in marathons].

Otherwise, low concentrations of other electrolytes are found in sweat, so it follows that sodium may be the one electrolyte of some use in a drink designed for endurance sports. I agree sports/energy drinks are over consumed in America by the general population but let's not forget why and for what they were developed for in the first place.

While I understand money margins are tight for race directors, professional athletes and coaches, they have a responsibility not to mislead the athletes they serve by promoting products that make unscrupulous claims.

Martin Spierings won the Santa Cruz Sprint Triathlon this year and coaches endurance athletes. His column on running and triathlon appears monthly in Outside. Contact him at www.tricoachmartin.com or try the discussion on his blog at tricoachmartin.blogspot.com.

Spierings, M. (2009, November 20). In the Long Run: A time and place for 'sports' Drinks. Santa Cruz Sentinel. Retrieved from http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/sports/ci_13830540

How do I delay the onset of tired legs over long distances?

PeteTheRunner — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:15:55 GMT

I'm training for my second marathon and will have completed the required base mileage. I think it's referred to as 'glycogen depletion'?? or whatever happens to the muscles over long runs that causes us to slow. I was wondering if there is any dietary regimen, stretching regimen etc. in addition to a training regimen that anyone has found successful in delaying that feeling of 'heavy legs'.?

Any decent energy bars out there?

Ericd3043 — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 03:42:07 GMT

I went to the store thinking about getting a few for before/ after races. The selection was HUGE.... and I was lost. Any suggestions/ recommendations?

Whey Protein question

cyndi t — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:51:28 GMT

I just switched brands of Whey Protein powder from Designer Whey to Isoflex. Does anyone have any experience with whey isolates? Do you find better muscle recovery with isolates if you use it? I believe I've already seen an improvement (but its just been a few days) with stomach upset. Appreciate any feedback.

Cyndi

Decafienated GREEN TEA

bcarvings — Wed, 24 May 2006 00:54:00 GMT

Hi,
I heard that there are two ways to decafienate green tea, and that one way removes 70% of the antioxidants. Does anyone know if the loose decafienated green tea at wegman's is decafienated in the way that retains 95% of the antioxidants.

Also is there a website I can buy decafientated green tea from? Also what are the two types of decafination called, and I want decafienated green tea that sells it with 95% if its antioxidants.

I heard green tea improves your endurance up to 24% if you consume 4-6 cups throughout the day. So that is why I am asking about green tea...

Thanks again

Best Training Diet Idea??

SMBYRNE — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:32:45 GMT

What is the best diet to follow while training for a half marathon that allows you to loose weight.

What to eat after a workout

marcerella02 — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 21:40:23 GMT

I am fairly new to running- well- very new- been doing it 3 weeks.

I try and work out between breakfast and lunch so that i'm not starving and not full.

I am working out to mainly just get in shape- I would love to loose that extra 5-10 lbs but that is not the main reason i am working out. I was wondering what the best foods are to eat after a work out.

Losing toenails from running.

Karen69396 — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 01:16:20 GMT

I have been training for a 10K and am at my race distance. I lost my one toe nail it swelled up and turned black first then it was numb and the nail came off. A new one has grown in since then and is a little sore after my run but is still black too. My shoes feel fine. It is my right foot. Could it be because that is maybe my dominent foot? How do you make the nails stronger or prevent this from happening?