Nutrition Tips For Runners - Whitney Dagg
Whitney Dagg is not only one of New Zealand’s top trail runners, she also knows how to eat. With a Bachelor of Applied Science in Sport and Exercise Nutrition and a Diploma in Human Nutrition, and a string of wins and course records to her name, she is the perfect person to give some nutritional advice for your next backcountry running adventure or race!
Whitney winning the 2012 Routeburn Classic in record time
Eat Your Way to the Podium
We all know how important nutrition becomes during a long race. Having a plan in place that you know works for you enables you to race to your full potential, and may even give you an advantage over your competition.
Food is not only fuel for your working muscles, but it also fuels your mind, and in the latter stages of the race, those technical trails can seem to use more of your brain than you thought possible. Food should become the highlight of your day, and an incentive to get to the next aid station, not a chore that you dread as you force your dry muesli bar down with a gulp of sports drink. You need to be prepared to accept changes in likes and dislikes as your race unfolds. It is common for your favourite foods to become suddenly undesirable, and that’s when having a variety of options becomes extremely important. For longer races, make sure you have pre-educated your support crew on your nutrition plan. Make sure they know what foods to have available if your preferences change.
How much to eat
A general guideline is to aim for 60-90g of carbohydrate per hour. If you are a smaller, lighter runner, you will require 60-70g/hour, and if you are taller or larger you will require 80-90g/hour. The amount of carbohydrate that you can tolerate is very individual, and some smaller athletes can tolerate larger amounts. You need to decide on regular intervals that you will eat. It’s better to eat smaller amounts often; therefore it is a good idea to eat every 30-45mins rather than every hour. READ MORE >
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