Macros for runners/training

organic_homestead · February 2016

Last year I started low carb living. I had great results and was working out. I trained for the annual half marathon that I've run the past few years. I had my best time ever (beat last year by 10 min!); but starting at mile 9 I was having some pretty awful gastro discomfort and the rest of day my bowels were a mess.
I continued low carb and my weight training after the run, fell off the wagon a bit over the holidays and picked it back up in January.

Right now I have my macros set at:
C-15%
F - 65%
P - 20%

I've started up my running and will be full on training mid-March. Before then I want to adjust my macros. I feel that LCHF doesn't seem to work well with my digestion when running. Even today after a 4 mile hard run, I've had some tummy trouble.

I'm wondering if there are any serious runners here who do monitor their macros what your percentages are. I'm also wondering if anyone has specific meal plans they follow? It's hard to change my brain to "it's ok to eat a piece of bread" and if I had a plan to follow or better macros to suit my running plan, it might help with the head-game.

Thank you!

DrifterBear · February 2016

Wow, low carb with distance training? I've run 8 marathons and haven't paid too much attention to macros. I focus on balance, can't imagine running without carbs! I usually have a little extra bread or whatever the night before a long run and have a bagel or bread with peanut butter about an hour before going long. Plus training longer than 90 minutes I do gu or sports drinks during.

I don't know if your issues are due to high fat, but it could also be due to hydration. Salt replacement is super important for endurance training but can also do nasty things if you get it too concentrated.

organic_homestead · February 2016

I think my gastric issues are from all the salads. I think last year I may not have paid enough attention to my diet the week of the race. On my long runs I do gu chews. I'm just looking for suggestions on what carb ratio I should look to do. I've run this race 4 times, I know the route well. I'm looking to fine-tune my nutrition as I feel I can improve my time even more this year if I can keep from tummy troubles.

robertw486 · February 2016

If you're concerned with the fueling aspect, I'd just experiment. Most reasonable run paces will burn some carbs, and glycogen storage is replenished with carbs.

I work out more on the elliptical and bike due to previous back problems, and eat about 40-50% of my calories in carbs. I'm not opposed to eating more fats, and not super strict on it. But I have noticed that if I eat carbs prior to workout I seem to improve at the higher output levels. In my case I often work out with very little recent fuel, as I eat very light early in the day and eat the majority of my calories late in the day. So for me it might be both timing and carb ratio.

For the gastric issues, only you can figure that out. I know years ago my wife tried Atkins and couldn't deal with all the fats for long.

shawnathan9 · February 2016

Interesting. I don't train for half marathons but just ran a 13 mile run just as I felt like I could keep going on my cardio day. I'm close to a 80 carb/ 10 fat/ 10 protein vegan diet. I seem to feel like I often carb load through the week and eat one big meal a night with tons of fruits through the day.

My 13 mile time was 1 hour 40 mins.

I've noticed that the those elite Kenyans seem to eat a high carb low fat diet and do not have tummy aches. My own experience is the same. My. Movement is very regular due to my eating habits.

organic_homestead · February 2016

shawnathan9 wrote: »

I've noticed that the those elite Kenyans seem to eat a high carb low fat diet and do not have tummy aches. My own experience is the same. My. Movement is very regular due to my eating habits.

LOL, my body type is QUITE different from the elite Kenyans. I'm Caucasian northern European with a body type probably more apt to weightlifting than actually long distance running - i.e. bigger in the glutes and quads. But it is a fun run and it's the only half I do. The rest of the year I do strength training.

But I do have Kenyan friends and last year before my 10K race I ate Ugali (African cornmeal mush similar to polenta) and stir-fried greens and had my best 10K time ever! I told them I needed to eat at their house every night before a race!

I definitely agree that a low-carb diet does not go hand-in-hand with running; but it's hard for me to get away from the mind-set of "I can't eat bread, rice and pasta!" I know it's all a mind game. And I know as I ramp up my running, I will need to increase my carbs, I just think I need to do it with grains and not fruits and vegetables. It's the fiber in fruits & veggies that keep me regular NOT the grains!

Happy Friday!

kristinegift · February 2016

Gastric issues are most likely fiber. But for long distance training you want carbs. I eat usually 50-60% carbs, 25-35% fat, and the rest protein, for marathon training and just life living

I love my carbs!

erimethia_fekre · February 2016

Ran marathons and an ultra and you just don't get the same energy and recovery as you would from carbs. Your distress is likely caused by the high fats. It's good for energy if you're not putting yourself through a lot of distress but not optimal for when you really are putting your body through the ringer.
Up your carbs. The fact that you're running that much will not have you tipping the scale if that is a concern of yours but in all honesty you shouldn't care about that number at that mileage

tkillion810 · February 2016

Most long distance runners/endurance athletes benefit from a diet of 60-65% carbs. Carbs = energy = improved performance (especially if incorporating tempo/speed work) + improved recovery time. Long term low carb eating can cause some stress on the body.

Before several of my races, I've used a 10 day fat loading followed by a 3 day carb loading plan. For 10 days I have about 65% fats then three days before race I change it to about 70% carbs intake. This trains the body to burn on the fat and helps avoid hitting "the wall" that most runners find - without causing added stress to the body that a long term high fat diet can do.

robertw486 · February 2016

tkillion810 wrote: »

Most long distance runners/endurance athletes benefit from a diet of 60-65% carbs. Carbs = energy = improved performance (especially if incorporating tempo/speed work) + improved recovery time. Long term low carb eating can cause some stress on the body.

Before several of my races, I've used a 10 day fat loading followed by a 3 day carb loading plan. For 10 days I have about 65% fats then three days before race I change it to about 70% carbs intake. This trains the body to burn on the fat and helps avoid hitting "the wall" that most runners find - without causing added stress to the body that a long term high fat diet can do.

Just curious, but is this an adaptation of the "train low, race high" train of thought? I've seen it done with both carb levels as well as carb timing, and it seems to make some sense.

TavistockToad · February 2016

I'm training for my first half marathon on roughly 45% carbs, 35% fat and 20% protein. So far so good!

Rabidrunner · February 2016

I've just recently changed my dietary approach to better my running, with great success. Previously I was a low-carber; it's easy for me to cut carbs and I don't miss them too much. However, after some significant time spent researching, I decided to put my carb fears aside and see if increasing my intake would help my times.

Yikes! I was not expecting the result I got. I went from low carb (<20%) to a more balanced approach of about 50 or 55%. One week in to this I ran another 5K and ran almost 0:45 faster PER MILE than previously. On top of that, I was coming off two weeks off due to injury (I ran the week leading up to the race). It was so effortless!

I'm yet to extend this test to a half marathon. There's one I may run in a couple of weeks but I'm plagued by injuries again so I'm not sure if I will run it or not. I did, however, run a 10-miler last Saturday, also with good results. I was aiming to run 10min miles, ended up at 8:45 and that was with two stops at water fountains along the way.

In summary, I'm a total carb convert. I would note that I am careful with the carbs I have chosen to add back in; oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, sweet potato, etc. I'm not talking potato chips and donuts kind of carbs

Now, the big question, effect on weight.... I don't know. Due to injury I have two completely fluid filled legs, everything from the knee down looks like a water balloon. So I can't tell what my true weight is. My best guess is either no effect or still some small losses.

janejellyroll · February 2016

Sez3199 wrote: »

I've just recently changed my dietary approach to better my running, with great success. Previously I was a low-carber, it's easy for me and I don't miss them too much. However, after some significant time spent researching, I decided to put my carb fears aside and see if increasing my intake would help my times.

Yikes! I was not expecting the result I got. I went from low carb (<20%) to a more balanced approach of about 50 or 55%. One week in to this I ran another 5K and ran almost 0:45 faster PER MILE than previously. On top of that, I was coming off two weeks off due to injury (I ran the week leading up to the race). It was so effortless!

I'm yet to extend this test to a half marathon. There's one I may run in a couple of weeks but I'm plagued by injuries again so I'm not sure if I will run it or not. I did, however, run a 10-miler the week before, also with good results. I was aiming to run 10min miles, ended up at 8:45 and that was with two stops at water fountains along the way.

In summary, I'm a total carb convert. I would note that I am careful with the carbs I have chosen to add back in; oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, sweet potato, etc. I'm not talking potato chips and donuts kind of carbs

Now, the big question, effect on weight.... I don't know. Due to injury I have two completely fluid filled legs, everything from the knee down looks like a water balloon. So I can't tell what my true weight is. My best guess is either no effect or still some small losses.

As a veteran of a donut run (10 miles, 8 donuts along the way), I want to share the good news that donuts are also fantastic carbohydrate sources for running.

Rabidrunner · February 2016

Whatever works for you is wonderful. To each his own.

dsg2000 · February 2016

I've run several marathons and I've always had off-and-on gastric issues. I wasn't paying much attention to my macros or calories, so given that I love my carbs, you can be sure there was plenty of carbs in my diet.

I've gradually and after much, much frustration come to the conclusion that a lot of the gastric issues were caused by two reasons: being slightly overweight (I was and am in the "normal" weight range, but in the upper portion of that) and simply running too fast for what my body could sustain. From what I've read, when you're running at hard effort your blood is all being redirected to your muscles and less goes to your stomach, meaning that you can't process food/liquids like you normally do. The fact that you had this happen after a hard training run might indicate that that's the issue.

This isn't to say that your issues may not be caused by having a low-carb diet (salads also did a number on my intestines until I started running in the mornings), but that simply upping your carbs may not be the answer, either. You could test out a higher-carb diet, but if you're currently feeling fine on your runs and don't crave carbs afterwards, then I wouldn't be too sure that the answer is simply a matter of upping your carbs.

Macros for runners/training

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