Running and glycogen stores

crazyjerseygirl

I mentioned to a friend that I am running a 5K on Monday. He suggested that I "eat my carbs" before the run so I've got lots of yummy glycogen to burn. I suggested that because I'm overweight I don't want to consume ready energy, I want the run to consume some fat stores and that I'd rather eat protein afterwards to replenish any muscle loss.

Any insight? Feel free to link to science, I can understand it but am woefully ignorant on where to find exercise science for fat people

PeachyPlum

Just to clarify... you want science, not woo.

Or have I got it backwards?

macgurlnet

I wish I had the science for you

I don't think you need to carb up for a 5k unless you want to, though. I only carb up if I'll be doing 6+ miles and I'll do carb-heavy dinners the two days before.

Do have a little something before the run, though.

~Lyssa

mwyvr

Whether you need to eat before the run or not is a very personal thing. For a 5km, I wouldn't eat anything.

What you need to eat depends on your running pace and your goals. If you are an elite athlete looking to put in a PR or a race win, you very well might engage in carb loading in the days leading up to a race. For that person the run is basically a sprint for 99% of the population.

If you are an elite ultra-marathoner (a completely different kind of race) a great many don't engage in carb loading at all - quite the opposite.

But we are not talking about elite runners here. If you are a heavier person like me and are simply heading out to enjoy the run, the camaraderie, the music (if there is some), run a pace that doesn't destroy you, and finish... then do whatever you've been doing so far. It's always a mistake to change a winning formula with the unknown just before a race/fun event.

There's plenty of evidence out there showing that if you don't load up with carbs before hand, and you aren't pushing your body into anerobic territory by going all out (whatever all out for each individual is), that you'll mostly be burning fat stores. Especially for a shorter duration event like a 5km.

Fat burning is what most of us here want, and what many elite endurance athletes want too. Happy coincidence!

Just as an example, not as evidence: At noon I headed out for a 16km run; earlier in the morning I had one small handful of almonds and my morning cup of coffee (no sugar, ever; 1.5 teaspoons of half and half = 15 calories).

It was a hilly run, quite warm. No bonk.

crazyjerseygirl

PeachyPlum wrote: »

Just to clarify... you want science, not woo.

Or have I got it backwards?

:P what? No 5K cleanses?
I was curious though. Friend is super athletic co-worker, I think the stuff he learned was legit, but for athletes, not for folks like me. (He was basically a double knee injury from NFL drafts) so his advice is sometimes a tad...off

mwyvr

Make no mistake Crazy Jersey Girl, YOU ARE AN ATHLETE.

The difference between your friend's version of athlete and your version is his vision will be more about instantaneous power, speed over short distances.

Your version is more of an endurance athlete.

The two different types of athlete very often require different advice.

LKArgh

This will be a 5k run not a marathon. I am also assuming you plan to enjoy the run, not break a world record or something. So, just go there and run and have fun and there is no need to worry about special nutrition.

coreyreichle

Yeah, you don't need to carb up for a 5K. You won't even finish off your glycogen stores by the end, assuming you run a decent time (Sub-40 minute 5K).

If you're going longer than an hour-ish, that's when you need to start looking at nutrition pre-exercise, and during exercise. I don't even pack gatorade on my bike unless I'm going out longer than an hour.

rybo

Its a 5k there's no need to carb up. Eating or not eating before hand doesn't have the impact on where calories come from. The level of exertion does. You will use your glycogen and a little from your fat stores but overall it's still calories burned.

Unknown

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scottb81

The body of an average person stores enough carbs for around 90 min to 2 hours of steady (fairly hard) running. So really, there is no physiological reason for anyone, elite or not, to carb load for a 5K race. All it will do is leave you with a little extra weight that you don't need.

crazyjerseygirl

Thanks all for the reality check. I've never eaten pre-race before, but friend is being good with the advice, this just sounded off.
I'll eat my normal breakfast and run!

spzjlb

mwyvr wrote: »

Make no mistake Crazy Jersey Girl, YOU ARE AN ATHLETE.

The difference between your friend's version of athlete and your version is his vision will be more about instantaneous power, speed over short distances.

Your version is more of an endurance athlete.

The two different types of athlete very often require different advice.

That's a nice post. Thanks!
OP - enjoy your run!

cwolfman13

the only way I would ever figure to carb load for a 5K was if I was genuinely going to be competing...those elite 5K specialists basically sprint the thing and I could see carb loading being beneficial in that scenario...if I was going to do that, I would carb load...but just going out and running a 5K, no need; it may be a challenge for a novice runner, but it's not a particularly long distance.

Eat like normal and go out and enjoy your run...have a good time, that's what it's all about.

glevinso

cwolfman13 wrote: »

the only way I would ever figure to carb load for a 5K was if I was genuinely going to be competing...those elite 5K specialists basically sprint the thing and I could see carb loading being beneficial in that scenario...if I was going to do that, I would carb load...but just going out and running a 5K, no need; it may be a challenge for a novice runner, but it's not a particularly long distance.

Eat like normal and go out and enjoy your run...have a good time, that's what it's all about.

A few weeks ago I ran 18:17 in a 5k and won the race (ok there were only 50 people in the race and only one guy challenged me). Regardless my point simply is that I did the race on ZERO anything at all eaten before hand. No water, no coffee, no food. The last thing I want is to have something in my belly when going that hard and that fast. I'll puke otherwise. 5k is too short for anyone to need anything at all in terms of "fuel". Also no reason to "refuel" after a race that short. You don't burn that many calories.