Description

YOUR Marathon: Run, Refuel, Recover

Do you ever think about WHAT and WHEN to eat AFTER a marathon? 

Many runners will consider what to eat BEFORE and possibly DURING but often food for recovery is neglected. BUT efficient and optimal recovery is important for enhanced performance, so here we consider:

• WHY a recovery strategy is important after a marathon event
• WHAT nutrition factors to consider for recovery following a marathon 
• WHEN and HOW MUCH to eat for optimal recovery from a marathon 

Show Notes

 (09:44)

WHY is a recovery strategy is important after a marathon event?

In a nutshell, the reason that a recovery strategy is so important is so that enhanced performance can be achieved during any subsequent running training or running events. 

When speaking about recovery, this includes nutritional AND lifestyle approaches to support an efficient and speedy return to optimal running after a marathon.

If recovery is appropriate then it is known to support:

• Glycogen repletion 
• Prevent or delay the onset of fatigue during subsequent training  
• Muscle and body protein remodelling
• Metabolic and muscular adaptation stimulated by the exercise e.g. increased mitochondria production and increased production of contractile proteins (the proteins that support the muscle contraction and relaxation process)

(17:58)

“Carbohydrate (CHO) is a limiting factor in running performance” So, how does CHO fit into a recovery plan?

The key purpose of carbohydrate intake in a recovery plan is to replenish both liver and muscle glycogen stores as quickly and as efficiently as possible to try and prevent, eliminate, or at least limit the risk of:

• Fatigue
• Muscle injury
• DOMS
• Poor muscular and metabolic adaptations

To name but a few.

It is well known that high intensity endurance exercise is fueled primarily by carbohydrate in the form of glucose. But DID YOU KNOW that when there is an increased demand for glucose by the working muscles, blood glucose levelsare maintained largely from the breakdown of glycogen stores in the liver, therefore an optimal recovery plan must ensure that sufficient carbohydrate is consumed to replenish the liver stores as well as the muscle stores of glycogen.  

(25:10)

Where does Protein fit into a Marathon recovery plan?

Protein intake following a marathon is crucial for muscle building, muscle remodelling, muscle repair, and of course overall muscle recovery.  

BUT during a marathon, if carbohydrate intake is inadequate, protein (primarily from muscle) will be broken down to be utilised as an energy source, which will compromise the muscle repair, rebuilding, remodelling and recovery POST exercise.  

DID YOU KNOW that absolutely if carbohydrate intake is suboptimal (below 1g/KgBW/h) DURING exercise it is thought that adding protein to a carbohydrate snack or meal or beverage AFTER a marathon is known to increase the rate of the glycogen resynthesis. This is thought to be due to the protein effects on insulin, leucine and phenylalanine i.e. support these in driving the glucose into the muscle cells. 

So, what does muscle remodelling actually mean?

Muscle remodelling is a word that is often used but seldom explained but what it means (in simple terms) is the breaking down of old and or damaged muscle proteins, and the rebuilding of new ones and