With
the fall racing season in full swing many of you will be in your taper
phase of training and may be unsure
about how your diet should change
during this period. Paying attention to nutrition is important in a 10K
race as well as
in longer distances like half and
full marathons. It is important to continue to eat a healthy, balanced
diet during the last
2-3 weeks of your training without
making too many changes. This taper phase is the time to rest and
recover and build up
your carbohydrate stores in the form
of glycogen. Building up your muscle's supply of glycogen is
accomplished by reducing
your physical activity and keeping
your diet as stable as possible. Carbohydrates still need to account for
over half of your
daily intake even though you may be
eating less due to the decreased activity. Eating whole grains, low-fat
yogurt and a variety
of fruits will help meet your
carbohydrate needs.
Some athletes may restrict the amount of
calories and or carbohydrates
too severely in fear of weight gain,
but a slight gain of 2-4 pounds is normal during the taper period as
this means you are
building your glycogen stores. A
majority of the gain is water weight as 60% of water is stored with
glycogen. These stores
will be used to fuel your race;
you're topping off your fuel tank! During taper, eat only what you're
accustomed to. Now
is not the time to throw in anything
unusual or exotic. Don't experiment with foods, drinks, energy gels,
bars, carbo-loading
formulas, vitamins, minerals, or
anything else that you haven't tried before.
Most runners do well
with a moderate
consumption of pasta, rice, or
potatoes 1-2 nights before their key race rather than the traditional
big "carb"
dinner the night before the race.
The day before your big race strive to eat high carbohydrate mini-meals
every 3 to 4 hours.
This will eliminate feeling too full
the day before. Limit high fiber foods as these often contribute to GI
distress; something
you definitely do not want the day
before your race. Make sure you remember to include your nutrition when
packing your race
bag and that your carbohydrate
source for the race is what you have been training with. Remember
nothing new; only use what
is tried and true.
Excellent Carbohydrate Sources:
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| · Whole
grain breads, pasta, rice· Beans,
lentils and legumes· Starchy
Vegetables (peas, corn, potatoes)· Pretzels,
animal or graham crackers, low fat crackers and cookies | · Low-fat yogurt and milk products· Fresh or fruits canned in light syrup· Oatmeal and other cereals made with whole grains· Granola or protein bars made with whole grains, nuts, fruit |
Mini Meal Ideas During Taper Week
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- Whole wheat pasta with
tomato sauce, lean beef or chicken and frozen veggies topped with low fat cheese
- Canned beans, rinsed
and then spooned over rice, pasta, or salads
- Baked potato topped with cottage cheese,
or low fat cheddar cheese and broccoli
- Chicken, beef or pork stir-fry, using pre-cut
veggies from the market, salad bar, or freezer over rice or noodles
- Beef or chicken fajitas
with whole grain tortillas, your favorite veggies, and low fat cheese
- Deli sandwich with fruit
and low-fat yogurt
- Oatmeal topped with nuts and dried fruit
- Cheese
or peanut butter with crackers, fresh fruit
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Visualize your success -- and get there by training SMART
Kendra
has worked with athletes of all ages and abilities over
the past 6 years to help them
optimize their nutritional status to reach their goals. She graduated
from Kansas State University
in 2002 and received her Master's
Degree in Clinical Nutrition in 2009. She is a Certified Specialist in
Sports Dietetics
(CSSD) and enjoys working with the
running community in Charlottesville, Virginia as well as training for
marathons and other
long distance events.
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