Hello Runner,
Welcome back to your weekly moment of endurance nutrition!
Happy Weekend!
How are you? I hope you're well and that your first week of the year was great!
My week was good... I met new people, did a lot of work (I'm changing some things on my website), finished a great endurance course, and did my first long run (15k).
I confess that after kilometer 12 it was painful. My left leg started to ache and swell a lot.... I dragged myself through the 15k.
But I was happy with the nutritional strategy I followed, which didn't lead to GI issues.
Speaking of GI issues, today's topic is how to train the gut so that you don’t suffer from them.
Did you know that gastrointestinal complaints are very common amongst endurance athletes/runners?
An estimated 30 to 50% of distance runners experience intestinal problems related to exercise.
A while ago, I explained the GI issue and also how to prevent it in the newsletter. In case you missed it, here's the post:
Today's focus is on methods you can apply to train your gut for long races.
So let’s take a look!
METHODS
Training the Gut Insights
The gut is an extremely adaptable organ and can be “trained” in a similar way to the way we train muscle.
There are 4 benefits you have by training your gut:
Improved gastric emptying
Improved intestinal absorption
Improved stomach comfort
Reduction of GI problems
We know that fueling during a race (especially during half-marathons, marathons, and triathlons) can be problematic as it is not easy to eat and drink whilst pushing the pace in these events.
→ Commonly, runners report stomach problems in an attempt to do so, especially when they have never trained their gut before.
So the choices are to fuel less and risk running out of energy and being dehydrated, or to fuel more and risk developing an unpleasant stomach.
The ideal method is to strike a balance between intake and stomach comfort.
Methods
There are some methods you can use in order to strike this balance. Here they are:
Training with large volumes in the stomach
Increase carbohydrate intake in the diet
Training immediately after a meal
Simulate the race with a race nutrition plan
→ From a practical point of view, these methods can be applied for 5-10 weeks at least once a week. But the applicability can vary from person to person.
→ It may be best to pick one longer training session per week.
→ To simulate the race with a race nutrition plan, it’s best to pick the training that is closest to the race that you are preparing for.
→ About the volume of food and carbs, everything is individual and will vary from runner to runner.
If you need to train your gut for long races, now you know which methods to try.
For more details on how to apply each method according to your diet or nutritional plan, you need to contact a professional.
Training your gut can take time and be exhausting. With the help of a sports nutritionist who understands the matter, the process will become less tiring and faster.
Track of the week 🎧️
This week's Track of the Week is one of my favorites when cycling.
This song is very exciting and also great for running!
I've chosen the track We Got the Power (feat. Jehnny Beth) [Claptone Remix] by Gorillaz, Jehnny Beth, and Claptone.
Wishing you a great weekend and week ahead!
Here’s to health and good runs⚡️
Ana Paula Alonso