Carbs: A Runner's Best Friend
Carbohydrates: an evil substance found in most foods that instantly makes you gain five pounds just by looking at them. Dieters hate them; supermodels avoid them like the plague. Carbs should be avoided at all costs. That’s not true, though. People view carbs as the boogeyman and blame them on all their health problems. What a lot of people don’t know is that carbs are essential in a runner’s diet and are one of the main ways that we get energy. This blog post will explain and explore the necessity of carbs in a runner’s life and work to dispel the rumors that carbs shouldn’t be consumed—ever.
Glycogen: Sugar Storage
To start talking about carbohydrates, it makes the most sense to start with the science behind its nutritional value. Carbohydrates are a form of sugar; the stored form of carbs and other sugars is called glycogen. During exercise, glycogen works to metabolize fat, which gives us the energy we need. In especially high-intensity workouts, carbs are responsible for quickly turning fat into glucose. When runners hit “the wall,” especially in the last six miles of a marathon, this is generally because they have depleted their glycogen storage. They are running on “empty.” Carbohydrates are incredibly important for a runner’s health. Not only runners, though—carbs are used for everyday energy: “Before you even lace up your running shoes, your body requires about 120 grams of carbs (about 500 calories) per day to fuel the brain, support the central nervous system, and maintain red-blood cell production and immune health” (Kitchen, 2019). Depriving your body of this incredibly important nutrient is not doing yourself any favors.
Common Sources of Carbs
Most people think about bread when they picture a high-carb food. While this is true, carbs are present in many other kinds of food. Now that we’ve discussed the importance of carbs in a runner’s diet, let’s talk about what kinds of carbs to eat and when to eat them. Breakfast is a great place to start. Sanford Health recommends the following sources of carbs: “granola bar, cereal with milk, oatmeal, a banana with peanut butter, toast." During a run, it’s a good idea to carry some Gu energy gels, energy bars, and even your favorite candy for an extra boost. Post-run, it’s important to replace your lost glycogen. There are a lot of foods you can try after a run to refuel. Chocolate milk quickly replaces lost carbs, rice and pasta are filling meals, and even an apple can help give you that boost you need.
Eat Carbs!
Everyone is different; what matters is that you experiment with what you need and eat what you need to keep you nourished and healthy. The next time you want to give into diets that promise to help you lose five pounds in five minutes by cutting out carbs, take a moment to think about what carbs do for you. Carbs are a necessary nutrient that help keep you running (literally) and support a happy, healthy body.
