Training and Nutrition For A Half
lindaamarie
Posts: 114
I've been looking up training tips for a half marathon and I've been getting the same 12 week program so I'm pretty sure I'll do that one but the nutrition part is what I'm not sure about. What kind of foods do any of you runners eat?
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Replies
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I eat all kinds of foods, and try not to go too low on any of them. Runners need carbs for fuel, protein to repair muscle, fat for healthy joint function, so going super low on any category isn't a good idea.
Apart from that, you need fuel to run. Don't train for a half while trying to lose 2 or more pounds a week--been there, briefly. It was too much of a deficit. I switched to aiming for a pound a week, and did much better (lost 35 pounds in 6 months). If you don't have a lot to lose, try aiming for half a pound a week--you'll still lose steadily, just slower, and your body will thank you for the fuel.
And yes, you do need to eat your exercise calories.
About a week or so before the race, I go to maintenance calories to make sure I'm fully fueled, upping carbs the last couple of days. Keep hydrated, follow your training schedule, and have fun!0 -
And yes, you do need to eat your exercise calories.
ohhh man I hate eating my exercise calories haha
THANK YOU!!0 -
My goal is to not eat dairy, white flour, white sugar, added fats, or processed foods, but I do this whether I'm training or not (altho I'm always training). Of course, make sure you meet your nutritional goals (whatever they are) I don't eat back all of my exercise calories. Some days I burn 2000 calories, added to my 1400 regular calories? not happening. I'm not trying to lose weight , though, so the strategies might be different. I also never "carb load".0
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make sure you meet your nutritional goals (whatever they are) I don't eat back all of my exercise calories. Some days I burn 2000 calories, added to my 1400 regular calories? not happening. I'm not trying to lose weight , though, so the strategies might be different. I also never "carb load".
This! I don't eat them all back. It's just some times impossible on long run days. Recovery after a long run, I make sure my meals are 4:1 carbs to protein, other than that, my goal is 40/30/30 for carbs/fats/protein macro levels. And I'm also not trying to lose weight and never really got into the whole carbo loading before a run.0 -
I eat pretty normally... higher protein than some, but nothing too crazy. I eat out periodically, I eat a lot of processed/prepared foods. I'm a regular guy when it comes to my diet... I don't worry about clean/whole foods or whatever other buzz word you want to throw in. I tweak it a bit the couple of days before a big race based on what I've seen works for me (how I feel, sleep well, good performance, etc), but nothing crazy.0
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I eat pretty normally... higher protein than some, but nothing too crazy. I eat out periodically, I eat a lot of processed/prepared foods. I'm a regular guy when it comes to my diet... I don't worry about clean/whole foods or whatever other buzz word you want to throw in. I tweak it a bit the couple of days before a big race based on what I've seen works for me (how I feel, sleep well, good performance, etc), but nothing crazy.
Okay good, I'm glad to know that I can most eatly normal through out training!!0 -
I eat pretty normally... higher protein than some, but nothing too crazy. I eat out periodically, I eat a lot of processed/prepared foods. I'm a regular guy when it comes to my diet... I don't worry about clean/whole foods or whatever other buzz word you want to throw in. I tweak it a bit the couple of days before a big race based on what I've seen works for me (how I feel, sleep well, good performance, etc), but nothing crazy.
Okay good, I'm glad to know that I can most eatly normal through out training!!
I should probably add that I'm not looking to win any of my races. I race to have fun and to be my previous times, so squeezing out every last ounce of performance from my diet isn't important to me. I'd rather eat relatively normal, enjoy myself, be able to go out eat with my kids, etc even if it costs me a few minutes on the finishing clock.0 -
In regards to eating back all of your exercise calories, one thing that I have found has helped me as my runs got longer was to anticipate how many calories I would burn on my long run day, and the day before, eat a portion of these calories to carb load. Helps my energy level on my long runs!!0
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a good balance of carbs (lots of whole grains), proteins, healthy fats, fruits and veggies and dairy for calcium is a good place to start for nutrition. I take fuel with me on long runs of over 15k, (while marathon training) when I started doing halves I started fueling after 10k. Do try out anything you may want to use as race fuel WELL before the race, your long runs are a great trial period. I am partial to the gummies myself, particularly sharkies and gu chomps. Though I have lots of friends who swear by the gu gels (the consistency is too weird for me).
ALWAYS eat breakfast, especially before your long runs, and especially before your race. I am partial to an ancient grains bagel with peanut butter and a banana and a big glass of water before my long runs. I gave this advice to a friend of mine who was running her second half marathon while I ran my second full. She told me her stomach "wouldn't take it" and ran with next to nothing in her system. By the end she felt horrible and her mom had to assist her back to our hotel...she's quickly jumped on the eating breakfast bandwagon!
Do eat back a portion of your exercise calories, I don't tend to eat back all of them on days when I burn more than 2000, but also make sure you are very conscious of your hydration. A good rule to figure out how much liquid you lose is to weigh yourself right before and right after a long run. It'll give you an indication of how much you need to drink back to stay hydrated!
and as always, feel free to add me! I love to run and provide motivation to other runners!0 -
a good balance of carbs (lots of whole grains), proteins, healthy fats, fruits and veggies and dairy for calcium is a good place to start for nutrition. I take fuel with me on long runs of over 15k, (while marathon training) when I started doing halves I started fueling after 10k. Do try out anything you may want to use as race fuel WELL before the race, your long runs are a great trial period. I am partial to the gummies myself, particularly sharkies and gu chomps. Though I have lots of friends who swear by the gu gels (the consistency is too weird for me).
ALWAYS eat breakfast, especially before your long runs, and especially before your race. I am partial to an ancient grains bagel with peanut butter and a banana and a big glass of water before my long runs. I gave this advice to a friend of mine who was running her second half marathon while I ran my second full. She told me her stomach "wouldn't take it" and ran with next to nothing in her system. By the end she felt horrible and her mom had to assist her back to our hotel...she's quickly jumped on the eating breakfast bandwagon!
Do eat back a portion of your exercise calories, I don't tend to eat back all of them on days when I burn more than 2000, but also make sure you are very conscious of your hydration. A good rule to figure out how much liquid you lose is to weigh yourself right before and right after a long run. It'll give you an indication of how much you need to drink back to stay hydrated!
and as always, feel free to add me! I love to run and provide motivation to other runners!
I really believe this is a matter of personal preference. I CAN'T eat breakfast on race day or I WILL end up sick. However, knowing I'm starting the race fasted I'll eat a bit sooner and a bit more often during the race than I might otherwise.0 -
I'm Currently training for a 5k mudd run and I am eating 40% carbs 30% fat and 30% protein of my total intake. This normaling puts me at around 1 gram of protein per pound of body wieght. I probably wouldn't eat more than that because it cause your liver to over work and will stop up the pips. Good luck on the marathon.0
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a good balance of carbs (lots of whole grains), proteins, healthy fats, fruits and veggies and dairy for calcium is a good place to start for nutrition. I take fuel with me on long runs of over 15k, (while marathon training) when I started doing halves I started fueling after 10k. Do try out anything you may want to use as race fuel WELL before the race, your long runs are a great trial period. I am partial to the gummies myself, particularly sharkies and gu chomps. Though I have lots of friends who swear by the gu gels (the consistency is too weird for me).
ALWAYS eat breakfast, especially before your long runs, and especially before your race. I am partial to an ancient grains bagel with peanut butter and a banana and a big glass of water before my long runs. I gave this advice to a friend of mine who was running her second half marathon while I ran my second full. She told me her stomach "wouldn't take it" and ran with next to nothing in her system. By the end she felt horrible and her mom had to assist her back to our hotel...she's quickly jumped on the eating breakfast bandwagon!
Do eat back a portion of your exercise calories, I don't tend to eat back all of them on days when I burn more than 2000, but also make sure you are very conscious of your hydration. A good rule to figure out how much liquid you lose is to weigh yourself right before and right after a long run. It'll give you an indication of how much you need to drink back to stay hydrated!
and as always, feel free to add me! I love to run and provide motivation to other runners!
I don't think I could've even ran a 5k without breakfast haha. And I heard those gel packs taste awful, I don't know if I could overcome the taste and texture just to get energy!0 -
a good balance of carbs (lots of whole grains), proteins, healthy fats, fruits and veggies and dairy for calcium is a good place to start for nutrition. I take fuel with me on long runs of over 15k, (while marathon training) when I started doing halves I started fueling after 10k. Do try out anything you may want to use as race fuel WELL before the race, your long runs are a great trial period. I am partial to the gummies myself, particularly sharkies and gu chomps. Though I have lots of friends who swear by the gu gels (the consistency is too weird for me).
ALWAYS eat breakfast, especially before your long runs, and especially before your race. I am partial to an ancient grains bagel with peanut butter and a banana and a big glass of water before my long runs. I gave this advice to a friend of mine who was running her second half marathon while I ran my second full. She told me her stomach "wouldn't take it" and ran with next to nothing in her system. By the end she felt horrible and her mom had to assist her back to our hotel...she's quickly jumped on the eating breakfast bandwagon!
Do eat back a portion of your exercise calories, I don't tend to eat back all of them on days when I burn more than 2000, but also make sure you are very conscious of your hydration. A good rule to figure out how much liquid you lose is to weigh yourself right before and right after a long run. It'll give you an indication of how much you need to drink back to stay hydrated!
and as always, feel free to add me! I love to run and provide motivation to other runners!
I really believe this is a matter of personal preference. I CAN'T eat breakfast on race day or I WILL end up sick. However, knowing I'm starting the race fasted I'll eat a bit sooner and a bit more often during the race than I might otherwise.
Eating during the race is what's going to get me. I just don't know how I'm going to do that haha0 -
bumping for later because i am runnning a half marathon in may. on that note, i am only running 3 times a week. i cant fit in more because of my life schedule. ill be back0
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You'll have to learn a little bit about what works for you nutrition-wise during training. I can't eat a lot before a long run, but I have to eat something (usually an apple or banana, maybe wheat toast with peanut butter when running over 15 miles). I don't cut anything out, I just eat what I normally eat. I'm not able to eat back all my calories on 20 mile days, but I will eat more on other days, especially if I start to feel lethargic while running. I am also not really trying to lose weight. If it helps, my macros are set to 40/30/30, and I try to eat 110-120 g of protein a day.0
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Try experimenting with the gels before the race if you're worried about eating while running. My sister eats skittles or mini snickers while whe runs, but I have a hard time chewing while running, so I prefer the gel packs, although it has taken a while to find my favorites.0
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I'm Currently training for a 5k mudd run and I am eating 40% carbs 30% fat and 30% protein of my total intake. This normaling puts me at around 1 gram of protein per pound of body wieght. I probably wouldn't eat more than that because it cause your liver to over work and will stop up the pips. Good luck on the marathon.
Tell me how your mudd run goes!!! I want to do one of those really bad but I can't get anyone to do it with me haha0 -
I agree with the posters that say they eat pretty "normal." I think that a well-balanced mix of nutritious foods works for anyone, runners or not. But it IS important to be deliberate about what you eat before you run (and even the night before you run for long runs/the actual race). Everyone is different so you need to figure out what works for you, but I generally stick to high carb, somewhat high protein (I've heard a 4:1 ratio recommended, sounds good to me), low fiber stuff before a long run or a race. My pre-race meal of choice is a bagel with peanut butter and a protein bar or shake. The night before I'm more flexible, but I try not to overdo it on the veggies.0
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You'll have to learn a little bit about what works for you nutrition-wise during training. I can't eat a lot before a long run, but I have to eat something (usually an apple or banana, maybe wheat toast with peanut butter when running over 15 miles). I don't cut anything out, I just eat what I normally eat. I'm not able to eat back all my calories on 20 mile days, but I will eat more on other days, especially if I start to feel lethargic while running. I am also not really trying to lose weight. If it helps, my macros are set to 40/30/30, and I try to eat 110-120 g of protein a day.
it seems like most people are using 40/30/30 so I guess I'll try that!0 -
a good balance of carbs (lots of whole grains), proteins, healthy fats, fruits and veggies and dairy for calcium is a good place to start for nutrition. I take fuel with me on long runs of over 15k, (while marathon training) when I started doing halves I started fueling after 10k. Do try out anything you may want to use as race fuel WELL before the race, your long runs are a great trial period. I am partial to the gummies myself, particularly sharkies and gu chomps. Though I have lots of friends who swear by the gu gels (the consistency is too weird for me).
ALWAYS eat breakfast, especially before your long runs, and especially before your race. I am partial to an ancient grains bagel with peanut butter and a banana and a big glass of water before my long runs. I gave this advice to a friend of mine who was running her second half marathon while I ran my second full. She told me her stomach "wouldn't take it" and ran with next to nothing in her system. By the end she felt horrible and her mom had to assist her back to our hotel...she's quickly jumped on the eating breakfast bandwagon!
Do eat back a portion of your exercise calories, I don't tend to eat back all of them on days when I burn more than 2000, but also make sure you are very conscious of your hydration. A good rule to figure out how much liquid you lose is to weigh yourself right before and right after a long run. It'll give you an indication of how much you need to drink back to stay hydrated!
and as always, feel free to add me! I love to run and provide motivation to other runners!
I really believe this is a matter of personal preference. I CAN'T eat breakfast on race day or I WILL end up sick. However, knowing I'm starting the race fasted I'll eat a bit sooner and a bit more often during the race than I might otherwise.
I agree it's a personal preference; I also don't eat before a 1/2, but in training for my first full, I am having to train myself to have a little something before. This is what your training program is for . . . to find out what works best for you.0 -
Try experimenting with the gels before the race if you're worried about eating while running. My sister eats skittles or mini snickers while whe runs, but I have a hard time chewing while running, so I prefer the gel packs, although it has taken a while to find my favorites.
I have a hard time doing anything while running haha I can kinda talk at best. What are the better tasting gel packs?0 -
Eating during the race is what's going to get me. I just don't know how I'm going to do that haha
I just stick with Gatorade or whatever kind of sports drink they give out. Even for a full marathon I find that it's usually enough as long as I ate before the race.0 -
I don't think I could've even ran a 5k without breakfast haha. And I heard those gel packs taste awful, I don't know if I could overcome the taste and texture just to get energy!
I like the gels, but I don't do all my runs with them, just a few to make sure my body reacts well to them. I want them to be a boost, not something I depend on. The texture is weird, but whatever. Tangerine or strawberry banana powergel is the least gross for me. You probably don't really need them for a half.0 -
I agree with the posters that say they eat pretty "normal." I think that a well-balanced mix of nutritious foods works for anyone, runners or not. But it IS important to be deliberate about what you eat before you run (and even the night before you run for long runs/the actual race). Everyone is different so you need to figure out what works for you, but I generally stick to high carb, somewhat high protein (I've heard a 4:1 ratio recommended, sounds good to me), low fiber stuff before a long run or a race. My pre-race meal of choice is a bagel with peanut butter and a protein bar or shake. The night before I'm more flexible, but I try not to overdo it on the veggies.
why not a lot of veggies the night before?0 -
Eating during the race is what's going to get me. I just don't know how I'm going to do that haha
I don't usually eat during a half, unless it's a trail b/c I know I'll be running for a really long time. I do always try to have 250-300 calories of quality carbs/protein 1.5-2 hrs before any long run. During a race, if I need to eat, I eat dates or pb&j (not pb&j for a road race though). I either drink water with a little salt, or I make Brendan Brazier's lemon-lime sports drink from Thrive.
I've not had a lot of luck tolerating the different energy gels, chews or commercial sports drinks. I don't prefer processed foods anyway (for health reasons) so I'm not too sad about that.
If you like to use the commercial energy gels, here's a neat comparison chart outlining the viscosity and the ingredients (and what the ingredients are for)
http://fellrnr.com/wiki/Comparison_of_Energy_Gels0 -
I agree with the posters that say they eat pretty "normal." I think that a well-balanced mix of nutritious foods works for anyone, runners or not. But it IS important to be deliberate about what you eat before you run (and even the night before you run for long runs/the actual race). Everyone is different so you need to figure out what works for you, but I generally stick to high carb, somewhat high protein (I've heard a 4:1 ratio recommended, sounds good to me), low fiber stuff before a long run or a race. My pre-race meal of choice is a bagel with peanut butter and a protein bar or shake. The night before I'm more flexible, but I try not to overdo it on the veggies.
why not a lot of veggies the night before?
I eat veggies all the time, so I have no problem with this, but I hear that if you don't eat a ton of fiber, the day before a long run is not the time to start. I assume because it cause gi distress during the run (need to poop). This has never been a problem for me. Ever.0 -
I agree with the posters that say they eat pretty "normal." I think that a well-balanced mix of nutritious foods works for anyone, runners or not. But it IS important to be deliberate about what you eat before you run (and even the night before you run for long runs/the actual race). Everyone is different so you need to figure out what works for you, but I generally stick to high carb, somewhat high protein (I've heard a 4:1 ratio recommended, sounds good to me), low fiber stuff before a long run or a race. My pre-race meal of choice is a bagel with peanut butter and a protein bar or shake. The night before I'm more flexible, but I try not to overdo it on the veggies.
why not a lot of veggies the night before?
I eat veggies all the time, so I have no problem with this, but I hear that if you don't eat a ton of fiber, the day before a long run is not the time to start. I assume because it cause gi distress during the run (need to poop). This has never been a problem for me. Ever.
Ooo okay. I'll have to remember that because I definitely don't want to have that problem!! haha0 -
Try experimenting with the gels before the race if you're worried about eating while running. My sister eats skittles or mini snickers while whe runs, but I have a hard time chewing while running, so I prefer the gel packs, although it has taken a while to find my favorites.
I have a hard time doing anything while running haha I can kinda talk at best. What are the better tasting gel packs?
My favorites are Louis Garneau LG. For me, they have the best texture, and all of the flavors I have tried have been really good. That being said, I have found they are a bit harder to find. GU is my second fave, I have only tried 1 or 2 flavors that I didn't like; texture is good, but not as good as the LG. The absolutely worst I've tried are the PowerBar; didn't like flavor or texture at all!!0 -
I am also training for my first half. I went to a sports nutritionist and she has me on a very simple, but structured eating regime. She told me at least 120 grams of protein (as mentioned earlier for muscle repair) and lots of complex carbohydrates, also unlimited fibrous vegetables, and limited fruits. Also, be sure to eat protein with any fruits, or sugars in order to avoid spikes in your blood sugar. Seems to be working for me, I am up to ten miles and haven't had any problems!! Good luck!0
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I try to keep my proteins and carbs as even as I can. Most of the carbs are from fruit and vegetables and a small amount of whole grain bread.
I read an article today that said , salmon, lean beef, broccoli, peanut butter and small whole wheat bagel, berries, bananas low fat yogurt and water!
That's pretty close to mine except I add eggs, avocados and chicken.0
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