Clyde Wilson was a naval service member who enjoyed weight training and working out, when his doctor on the USS Carl Vinson informed him he was on the verge of needing medication for high blood pressure and cholesterol.  After making a transformative change in his nutritional habits, he went on to study chemistry and cell biology at Stanford and now teaches there and the University of California San Francisco Medical School.  In addition, he runs The Center for Human Nutrition and Exercise Science in Palo Alto, California.

This month, we asked Dr. Clyde to weigh in about the lethargy many runners struggle through after a long run.

1.  When many runners finish a big long run, often they report feeling extremely lethargic and low energy for much of the rest of the day, even after eating.  From a nutrition perspective, what may be going on here?

 Athletes need to replace their carbohydrate losses from training at a rate that their muscles are willing to absorb those carbohydrates.  If you burn 1000 calories in a workout, roughly 800 calories of which are carbohydrate, and attempt to replace all of those carbohydrates at one sitting, the over-flow of calories into your bloodstream will send more than half of it to fat cells, where the carbohydrate will be converted into fat. 

Therefore, eating enough calories is not enough. 

The calories have to go into lean tissues to actually help you recover.  Not eating enough is another way to fall short.  So the athlete has to eat enough carbohydrate, but spaced out over time or eaten with vegetables so that the carbohydrate calories enter the body at a rate muscle is willing to absorb them.  Protein helps re-build lean tissue but is unrelated to the feelings of lethargy after hard training.

2.  What are some best bet tips on things runners can do after the run to avoid that day-long bonky feeling?

December 2011 Mom on the Run: 10:30 - The New 10 Minute Mile

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A few weeks ago, I completed my first race, the Marsh Madness 10k in Palo Alto, California.  I ran the race with my dad and had a lot of fun - so glad I did it.  We finished around 65 minutes, for an average of 10:30 minute miles.  Post-race, I have a few reflections.

1.        Up until the day of the race I did all my runs by time.  If I needed to run 3 miles, I ran 30 minutes, with the assumption I was running 10 minute miles.  My pre-baby average run was probably somewhere around 9 minutes (or 9:30) per mile.   I know what 10 minute mile feels like, or so I thought.   In reality I was probably running slower, maybe even 11 minute miles.  What used to feel like 10, is now 11.  This is probably true with other things; what used to fit like a size 6 is now a size 10, but we won’t get into that.   So because of this flawed assumption, I wasn’t able to make my goal time of 10 minute miles.  My main take away is – know your distance, so you know your pace.  I started wearing my Garmin again. Running with my Garmin now informs me when my pace is changing.  I thought I was in tune with that, but obviously not.

2.      Run with a friend/family member if possible.  I already knew this, but was reminded of this on race day.  I asked my dad to join me so I would have company, but he actually encouraged me to keep on pace  (yes, I would have finished even slower if it wasn’t for him).   Now I just need to find a way I can run with someone for at least one of my training runs each week.

3.       Small races are a great way to check your progress, and give you official timing on your runs.    It would have never occurred for me to do that- I thank the FNF coaches for that!  And even through the pace isn't as fast as I thought, I feel like I am making significant progress.  A half marathon doesn't seem that out of reach anymore.

This is the general race weekend final instructions note. 

Remember to lay low and stay off your feet the days before the race (no Expo attendance for longer than 1 hour). Your reward is race day itself and the challenge of running. . . .

Make sure you get outside and feel the air.  Go for at least a 20 minute walk or jog on either the day before, or two days before (or whatever is on your schedule).

Think about what you did, not what you didn’t do in your training.  When you go to pick up your  race number or run into old friends, family etc. everyone will want to ask about your training so they can tell you about theirs.  Forget about theirs and don’t compare yourself to anyone.  The training plan that you completed has been highly successful for many runners.  So when “joe cool” tells you he did ten 25 mile runs just remember all the good workouts you have completed.

Night Before, Morning Of

Have a full meal the night before.  Try and consume some complex carbohydrates (pasta).  Do not over eat, but make sure you fill up.

On race day eat some calories early in the 400-500 range of carbohydrates including the sports fluid you drink.  For mid-morning race, you may want to have a few extra calories because of the late start or have a snack in the 100-200 calorie range wants you arrive at the race site.  Drink gatorade (or any sports drink that doesn’t include protein) and/or water frequently to assure you are hydrated (clear urine is a good sign).  You should stay well-hydrated throughout the morning before the race.  At some point prior to the race stop drinking so you can empty your bladder before the start.  It is important to refrain from over-consumption of water alone, as that will drain your body of needed electrolytes.

I suggest you take some throw away warmups to the start especially if it rains.  This could be an old t-shirt or old sweat pants.  Also old socks will keep your hands warm. Some runners will even wear the t-shirt for the first couple miles of the race until they warm up and then pull it off and throw it away.  This is a good strategy to prepare for all temperatures.

Take a bottle with gatorade/sports drink to the start with you and right before the gun goes off drink 4-8 ounces.  This is your first water stop.  If you drink close enough to the start you shouldn’t have to pee – the fluid should only drip through your kidneys because most of your resources (blood) will be in your legs and out of your gut.

Early Miles

I suggest that you start 30-60 seconds per mile slower than your Marathon Goal Pace (MGP).  You should run the 2nd mile at 15-30 seconds/mile slower than MGP.  Try to get on pace by the 3rd mile and stay on pace until 18 or 20 miles when the race starts.  I recommend this approach as it may activate (and utilize) a higher percentage of fat fuel over the first couple miles.  Remember we are trying to conserve glycogen and muscle for as long as possible.

Glycogen conservation is key as you can’t rehydrate during a marathon.  So drink early and often (4-8 ounces every 20 minutes).  It is better to consume enough fluid early and sacrifice the later stops if necessary.

Remember the 3 ‘C’s’

Confidence:  Have confidence in your ability and your training.   Remember all those hard workouts you did.  Remember those early mornings, late nights, sore calves, tight hamstrings etc. - they weren’t in jest.

Control:  You must relax yourself early in the race.  You absolutely must go out under control and run easy for the first 18-20 miles.  The marathon is evenly divided into thirds (in regards to effort):  1st 10 miles, 2nd 10 miles and 3rd 10K.  Save yourself for that last 10K by running easy in the beginning.

Collection:  Keep your thoughts collected and on your objective.  In the typical big city marathon there will be about 250,000 distractions along the way.  The further you get in this race the more you need to focus on yourself, goals and race strategy.  Don’t let the fans and competitors into your zone.

The Ebb and Flow

I said before that I can’t guarantee anything about the training or the Marathon race itself.  Well, I can guarantee this:  you will feel good at some point and you will feel bad at some point within the race.

Marathons always ebb and flow, runners never feel terrific the entire way.  We always hit little walls.  If you hit one just focus on the next mile, don’t think about the end of the race.  If you take each difficult moment one mile at a time you will usually feel better at some point.  It always comes back because. . .

You Always Have One Cup Left

That’s right – you always have one cup of energy left.  The difference is that some people find it and some don’t.  Remember what normal, untrained people do when they feel discomfort – they slow down and feel better.  You are not a normal un-trained person.

You are a marathon machine!

As a machine you will have to dig down at the end to determine if you will have a good effort that you can be satisfied with or not.

Whenever possible, pick up your bib number, timing chip, and goody bag the day before the race.  This way, you won't have to worry about rushing to get it on the morning of the race.  (Added bonus - you will be more likely to get your desired race T-shirt size if you pick it up early!)

Once you have your bib number, pin it to the front of the shirt you will wear on race day.  (Don't pin it to the back).  Most races will have boxes of safety pins for your use.  Take four so that you can fasten all 4 corners. 

Dressing The Part

For race attire, consider some "throw away" warmups for the start.  These will protect you from the elements if it is cold or rainy.  Old socks can come in handy for keeping your hands warm.  Some runners will even wear the t-shirt for the first couple miles of the race until they warm up and then pull it off and throw it away.  This is a good strategy to prepare for all temperatures.

Once the race starts, you WILL warm up.  Be prepared by wearing lighter clothes underneath your "thow away" sweats.  A good rule of thumb: Dress as if the weather is 15 degrees warmer than it is. That's how much you'll warm up once you start running.

Hydration

Drink Gatorade (or any sports drink that doesn’t include protein) and/or water frequently to assure you are hydrated before the race.  Clear urine is a good sign.  At some point (usually 10-20 minutes) prior to the race stop drinking so you can empty your bladder before the start.

Breakfast

We always recommend eating breakfast and an essential, light breakfast is important on race day.  2-3 hours before the race, try to consume 200-400 calories of food you are accustomed to and can easily digest.  Your body will need that fuel in the latter stages of the race. 

Don't try a new food the morning of the race.  Instead, experiment with different foods beforehand or stick to things that have worked for you in the past.  The best breakfast foods contain both complex and simple carbohydrates and high-quality protein (in small amounts).  Your breakfast should include some healthy fats, but also in small amounts.

Heading to the Start Line

There will often be race day traffic so allow plenty of time to get to the starting area.  You will need time to stretch out, do a warm up jog, and use the bathroom.  (Warning:  The lines for the bathrooms at road races are always long.  Don't wait until the last minute to go!)

Pace

Remember this is an endurance race and the key to success is pace.  As soon as the gun goes off remind yourself that you have a long race ahead of you.  Check your breathing, body tension and other physical markers to gauge your pace.  If you are running faster than a pace you can maintain throughout the whole distance, slow down immediately.  The goal of any successful race is to run every mile within 10% of your average pace.

Remember the 3 ‘C’s’

Confidence:  Have confidence in your ability and your training.   Remember all those hard workouts you did.  Remember those early mornings, late nights, sore calves, tight hamstrings etc. - they weren’t in jest.

Control:  Feel comfortable with the pace for the first 1-2 miles.  Stay relaxed and controlled.

Collection:  Keep your thoughts collected and on your objective.  In the typical big city race there will be thousands of distractions along the way.  The further you get in this race the more you need to focus on yourself, goals and race strategy.  Don’t let the fans and competitors into your zone.

You Always Have One Cup Left

That’s right – you always have one cup of energy left.  The difference is that some people find it and some don’t.  Remember what normal, untrained people do when they feel discomfort – they slow down and feel better.  You are not a normal un-trained person.

You are a running machine!

As a machine you will have to dig down at the end to determine if you will have a good effort that you can be satisfied with or not.