Tropicana Magazine Mar-Apr 2018 #117: Edge Of Excitement

THE SUSTAINABLE DIET
| HEALTH
In endurance sports competitions, “hitting the wall” is a much-feared
phenomenon. Amongst runners, this challenge is particularly real during
the second half of the race. It is a condition characterised by sudden
fatigue and loss of energy due to the depletion of glycogen stores in the liver
and muscles.
Glycogen is the body’s most preferred form of energy. When glycogen
stores are depleted, the body turns to fat as its next energy source. However,
fat is less efficient as an energy source because the body has to work harder
to convert fat into fuel. With all these physiological changes happening
inside the body, runners may start to feel lightheaded, tired and demotivated
to complete the race; they are basically “hitting the wall”. Applying the right
nutrition strategy will help runners avoid or minimise these effects.
PRE-RUN
The Day Before
Contrary to popular belief, there is no good reason to feast the day before
your run as it may overwork your digestive system and disrupt sleep. Instead,
aim to top up your glycogen stores and stay hydrated by choosing highcarbohydrate,
low-fat and moderate-protein meals the day prior to the race.
This can be achieved by eating a higher-than-normal amount of bread, pasta,
rice or other carbohydrates at every meal.
And just for one day, you don’t need to feel guilty reaching out for the salt
shaker as you’ll need to boost your sodium intake in anticipation of the loss
through sweat the next day. Gas-forming foods such as baked beans, pulses,
cruciferous vegetables, bran cereals and spicy foods should be avoided. Stick
to foods that you are familiar with; it is not a good time to be adventurous.
• Cereal with milk and banana
• Roll with peanut butter
• Oatmeal with banana
• Toast with honey or jam
• Milky drink
• Fruit smoothie
4 HOURS OR LESS
On race day, eating a carbohydrate-rich meal two hours before your run
helps to ensure an optimal fuel level.
Try any one of these pre-run meals at least two hours before flag off, and
optimise your hydration level by accompanying the meal with one to two
cups of water (240ml per cup).
DURING THE RUN
Whenever a run goes beyond an hour, refuelling should be taken into
account. The general rule of thumb for a marathon nutrition strategy is
to refuel carbohydrates every 40 to 45 minutes, which means that you
may need five to six refuellings to cover the full 42-kilometre distance
adequately. Water, electrolytes and carbohydrates need to be replenished,
but carbohydrate is the main refuelling energy nutrient during a marathon.
Guidelines from The American College of Sports Medicine recommend 30
to 60 grammes (120 to 240 calories) per hour.
In a tropical country with a warmer than average climate such as
Malaysia, glycogen stores tend to empty more quickly, which means
refuelling may need to be done more often, possibly every 30 minutes. There
are a few refuelling products that you can opt from, with pros and cons
attached to each option.
85 MARCH/APRIL 2018 | TM