Any endurance runner who has ever run a race knows the feeling of hitting the dreaded “wall.” First, the legs start feeling weak and breathing start getting heavy with the abdomen and chest helping to inhale air into the lungs. Then, there is a tinge of mental doubt that the runner can even finish the race, so he or she slows down just to try to lengthen the endurance of the run. For most athletes, this is a “wall” that they will strive to get over during every single race, because the “wall” defines the amount of potential energy that each runner has by limitation of energy available to perform. In other words, the higher the potential energy, the less likely a runner will become fatigued and the more likely a runner will overcome the “wall.”
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So, contrary to most athletes’ belief of eating whatever is most convenient, knowing exactly what to consume before a race is especially crucial for an athlete to reach his or her desired goal and to avoid the nutritional restraint of hitting the “wall.”
According to most physiological studies of endurance athletes, the nutritional guide to increasing potential energy in long distance runners is to intake more carbohydrates, moderate protein, and low fat. Because the body uses fats for energy at rest and carbohydrates for energy during moderate to intense activity, it is important for athletes to understand what source of foods to ingest for adequate nutrient intake. There is a need …show more content…
The report, “Protein requirements for endurance athletes” by Mark Tarnopolsky, shows that muscles oxidize roughly 1 to 6 percent of energy from proteins during endurance races. The prolonged intense sessions that long distance athletes take part in break down muscle, which needs to be appropriately replaced during recovery sessions and pre-race meals (Tarnopolsky). The study performed at The University of Kiel also, shows that type III athletes should consume up to about 11 percent of energy from protein (Shroder). So athletes should be consuming 12-15 percent of total calories per day. Some protein-rich foods include lean meat, mostly any fish, eggs, and dairy sources that contain all the important amino acids; thus, they are whole proteins. A few other good sources of protein are tofu, dried beans, and nuts. Just like with carbohydrates, the food labels on the products will tell you the amount of proteins per serving. Endurance athletes should ingest 3 to 5 servings a day and about 1 serving before a race (Burton). However, many athletes participate in protein supplementation, which is usually done inappropriately. These athletes who supplement protein are over-consuming protein, because protein is not a major source of energy used during performance.
So, contrary to most athletes’ belief of eating whatever is most convenient, knowing exactly what to consume before a race is especially crucial for an athlete to reach his or her desired goal and to avoid the nutritional restraint of hitting the “wall.”
According to most physiological studies of endurance athletes, the nutritional guide to increasing potential energy in long distance runners is to intake more carbohydrates, moderate protein, and low fat. Because the body uses fats for energy at rest and carbohydrates for energy during moderate to intense activity, it is important for athletes to understand what source of foods to ingest for adequate nutrient intake. There is a need …show more content…
The report, “Protein requirements for endurance athletes” by Mark Tarnopolsky, shows that muscles oxidize roughly 1 to 6 percent of energy from proteins during endurance races. The prolonged intense sessions that long distance athletes take part in break down muscle, which needs to be appropriately replaced during recovery sessions and pre-race meals (Tarnopolsky). The study performed at The University of Kiel also, shows that type III athletes should consume up to about 11 percent of energy from protein (Shroder). So athletes should be consuming 12-15 percent of total calories per day. Some protein-rich foods include lean meat, mostly any fish, eggs, and dairy sources that contain all the important amino acids; thus, they are whole proteins. A few other good sources of protein are tofu, dried beans, and nuts. Just like with carbohydrates, the food labels on the products will tell you the amount of proteins per serving. Endurance athletes should ingest 3 to 5 servings a day and about 1 serving before a race (Burton). However, many athletes participate in protein supplementation, which is usually done inappropriately. These athletes who supplement protein are over-consuming protein, because protein is not a major source of energy used during performance.