Coffee Chat - running

 

During our last couple Sunday group coffee chats I was asked a little on running and nutrition. More specifically questions on nutritional intake during marathon and ultramarathon events. So, I thought this would be a great topic for my next journal entry. As a disclaimer this will not be the same for everyone and I am far from knowing it all, still so much to learn, but there are some general concepts that will align with the vast majority.

 

Not all running events are the same, nutrition intake during a 5km, 40km, 125km, 160km or 320km foot race are entirely different. Running on flat pave versus mountain running training is not the same and nutritional intake will vary (not a lot, as the body is essentially reaching for a high energy fixs no matter where you run of the elevation).

 

The 5km race your looking at fuel for 25 minutes; 40km mountain race your looking at fuel for 4 hours, 125km race you need fuel for 15 hours, 160km you need fuel for about 28 hours and a 320km race you need fuel for closer to 3.5 days. When I fuel for a 5 or 10km race my fuel is mostly coming from storage (the body stores about 60-90minutes of glycogen, so only hydration is required along with a hydrant/ electrolyte. When running 4 hour races, I focus on glucose and fructose intake, pure energy intake is what I seek from the 2^nd to 4^th hours, so that would involve energy gels (I’m currently trying flavored pure honey energy packs), plus always water with electrolyte additive. 125 race is the longest solo race that I have competed in, when I ran this race I was a firm believer on natural food, as I focused on recovery at the same time. From what I have learnt that thinking was pulling energy from my body during the race, because to utilize the whole foods, especially during these extreme running events – you want digestion to occur and nutrient absorption. Not every body is the same, but the general consensus during running or physically demanding events is to avoid slow-digesting foods and intake foods high on the glycemic index list (simple carbs). OR…revert to the energy gel, which vary in contents, also one should ensure that glucose, fructose, sodium and potassium levels are being maintained (and optimum levels of each). Just a quick tidbit on hydration and electrolyte intake, balance is critical, even the body is amazing at regulating on its own on a daily basis; during extreme activities and body demand one can not just allow the body to regulate. You can actually dehydrate yourself while taking on adequate quantities of water with too much salt (electrolytes). The body will altogether stop up taking the excessively saline fluids because it recognizes the salt overload, therefore you will dehydrate due to having too much slat in your stomach not because of a lack of water.

 

There are options in the running world, with electrolyte drinks with carbs for fuel. Within the medium-high glycemic index spectrum we eat apple sauce, bananas - ripe, potato chips, boiled baby potatoes with salt, pop (I don’t drink much of this in the real world-but in the running world this is good energy), rice pudding, pastries with jelly, watermelon. Those are just some examples – you want simple carbs and to stay hydrated – you want to keep nutrients flowing. Always maintain good hydration levels – along with proper electrolyte levels – too high of electrolyte level will cause dehydration, as mentioned above.

 

Part of the issue with gastral intestinal complications and digestion when running is that the body is more focused on the blood flow to the muscles than it is to digestion. Also digesting food while running is counterproductive, as your nutrient intake items are to provide immediate energy for your muscles, feeding your body the wrong foods during extreme physical exertion will pull energy in the wrong direction and or create nausea, vomiting or unwanted squatting in the bush. So asking your body to digest during running is not wise, but you must understand that you still need about 100 calories per hour, your salt and H2O in a balanced quantity and quality – learning how to achieve all this will be the difference between a DNF (did not finish), puking your brains out or even taking yourself into a ugly hormonal imbalance (and literally despising running, because of what “it” did to you or finishing with minimal or minimized recovery and loving what you just accomplished.

 

There is an extreme amount of information and a science to get this all right and perfect. Oh ya, what I did want to mention is that in all honesty the race starts way before you toe the line. The preparation and training, depending on the result you expect and length of the race your running may start 3-4 years in advance and the nutrition aspect obviously plays a huge part in your training success, healing, building, mental preparedness. But the night before your run is also key to building your glycogen storage for the next day and your fueling and hydration 2-4 hours for the toe hits the line is also not something that you don’t want to not think about.

 

There are a lot of dynamics to understand in running to become the best you can. Things to consider, type of run and distance, performance, efficiencies, good recovery, nutrients – how much, best source, timing of all the above, pre-run preparation (when to start), tapering training prior to race to have your body healed to it max, body joint support tape, training and type of training (working on cardio, strength, mobility, stability and strength in big must and small muscles) on and on.

 

As I was preparing this entry, I thought this topic or extent of what I wanted to include may bore many, but it was a little project and reminder for me as to the knowledge that I’ve gained and how much I have put into learning a sport that as a spectator may seem so simple. I think there is a lot more simplicity as a younger running, especially when competing in short races. But as I age and still wanting to run longer higher elevation races it’s a must to learn and be prepared. I didn’t even dive into your gear, and proper runners or quantities of water and nutrition to pack on these long runs when you are without aid stations or support for 40 or more kilometres in mountainous terrain.

 

In the end, I have used so many terms in this journal entry that we touch on daily in kung fu. There are so many correlations when we speak of mastery in our lives, kung fu, running, or whatever your thing is.

 

June 9 (day 135) 

Acts of Kindness recorded - 350, 

Push-ups - 12555, 

Sit-ups and or equivalents - 14645, 

Rehab - Squats and step-ups started May 28th - 910, 

Kilometers (intentional extra mileage) - 916.7,

Meditation/ inversion table (min.) - 732, 

Stretching/ rolling (min.) - 691,

Sparring/ grappling (min.) - 78, 

# of forms re-familiarized - 7.0

Form reps - 246, 

Form time (min.) - 693,

“Mastery” recite (min.) - 94, 

Blogs - 19

Abdominal hernia repair May 8th, 2025