Nutrition for Runners: 7 Best Superfoods for Running Fast

Why runners need strength training

There are two types of runners: some simply love running as it is, while others strive for certain athletic results. If you consider yourself to be the second type, then this article is just for you.

People in this group tend to use cross-training and strength training in their preparation process. This helps them become stronger and healthier and maintain a high level of performance.

For runners who only run, they are more likely to get injured as their mileage increases, and their performance does not increase as quickly.

Some of them believe that strength exercises will lead to weight gain and a subsequent slowdown in speed characteristics.

In fact, strength training aimed at developing running ability is one of the most effective elements of the training process of a good runner. And you don't have to train like a bodybuilder or powerlifter to get results. By following a few important rules, you can become stronger and faster.

Strengthening your hips and buttocks is the most effective way to strengthen your legs and avoid injury.

The stronger your muscles become, the more elastic and resilient your body will be while running. The constant impact that occurs when your feet touch the surface will no longer be so tiring. In addition, strength training will help reduce the impact of past injuries, as more developed muscles take some of the stress off the bones and joints.

This often allows us to eliminate the sources of many common and neglected injuries. For example, patellofemoral syndrome (also known as runner's knee), which can be caused by hip dysfunction (narrow or weak hips do not distribute load properly) leading to knee injury.

Attention!

However, this is not all the benefits of strength training! By periodically using them in your training, you have the opportunity to significantly strengthen your core muscles, which is especially important when running for a long time. Strong abs not only look good, but also improve your posture throughout the day and while running.

Whether you want to run pain-free or improve your time on your favorite distance, strength training can help.

Lastly, strength training will make you faster. They increase your performance, which allows you to put more force into pushing off the surface and run faster than usual. In addition, your muscle glycogen stores will increase, your metabolism will improve, your bone density will become higher, and your fat stores will decrease.

There are many examples of effective strength training. In the beginning, it will be very important to figure out which programs and exercises best suit your goals.

Your body will adapt to any type of challenge (whether it's free weights at the gym, bodyweight exercises in your living room, or kettlebell training).

You don't need a super complex program designed for an elite athlete to experience the benefits of strength training. Typically, simple exercises are a good place to start. Perform them within 10-20 minutes after jogging and you will definitely get results soon.

The Best Strength Exercises for Runners

If you have a gym membership or the necessary equipment at home, then use weightlifting exercises. Be sure to do pull-ups on the bar using a different grip, and also perform hanging leg raises.

The emphasis should be on compound exercises that involve a large number of muscles, such as squats, deadlifts, bench presses and overhead presses.

Also an excellent option for runners is performing bodyweight exercises such as planks, bridges, push-ups, squats and lunges.

For training, you should choose 4-6 exercises and perform 1-3 sets for each, depending on your level of training. Train hard using a variety of exercises that target the major muscle groups, and increasing the duration of the workout or the weight of the resistance will help you progress week by week.

Example of a gym workout for runners

• Squats with a barbell on the shoulders, 1-2 sets.
• Deadlift, 1-2 sets.
• Dumbbell overhead press, 1-2 sets.
• Various grip pull-ups or dumbbell rows, 1-2 sets.
• Horizontal plank, maximum time.
• Side plank, maximum time.

Notes:

Choose a weight with which you can perform approximately 4-6 repetitions; It is not recommended to reach muscle failure or violate the exercise technique. Rest 2-3 minutes between sets.

Example of a home workout for runners

Perform 2-3 circuits with no rest between exercises, and 1-2 minutes of rest between circuits.

• Bodyweight squats
• Pushups
• Lunges
• Plank exercise (horizontal and lateral)
• Bridge exercise

Note:

Complete all sets until you reach about 80% of your maximum effort.

One or two sessions per week lasting 10-20 minutes will be more than enough for most beginners. As you get stronger, increase the duration and number of workouts.

Remember not to overwhelm yourself during the first few weeks. If you've never done strength training before, gradually increase the load and monitor your body's response.

Source: https://traingain.org/article/1726-pochemu-begunam-nuzhny-silovye-trenirovki

Let's start with the physique

All people are different. Someone eats flour, fatty and sweet foods at any time of the day and remains lean, while for others it’s enough to treat themselves to buns for a couple of days and the extra centimeters at the waist will not take long to appear. Nutritionists distinguish three main body types, which are determined at the genetic level: ectomorphs, mesomorphs and endomorphs.

Thin, wiry people with long legs and arms are prominent representatives of “ectomorphs.” They are resilient and capable of running not only marathons, but also more serious distances. Obesity, due to their high metabolism, does not threaten them. But it is also difficult for them to “pump up” muscles.

“Ectomorphs” can eat high-calorie foods. And limit yourself to virtually nothing.

A “mesomorph” can be recognized by a beautiful athletic figure. The “medium” type usually has a small layer of subcutaneous fat. She gains weight easily, but if she eats erratically, she can quickly gain “excess.” Such people need to monitor their diet, rarely allowing themselves fatty and sweet foods and always eating protein foods. The “plus” of this body type is that their muscles store glycogen well. Therefore, they can prove themselves both at sprint distances and at long distances.

“Endomorphs” are usually squat, with short limbs. But, despite the slow metabolism, they build muscle mass well. These people are more prone to obesity than other types. Therefore, proper nutrition is a severe necessity for them. Fast carbohydrates are indicated for them only in the first half of the day and in small quantities. But proteins should be included in every meal.

The Importance of Strength Training for Runners | Academy of Health Industry Specialists

To run further, to run faster and better than the day before, we can stretch, take a cool bath, do yoga, get a massage, use a foam roller, lift weights—to name just the best of many options. Obviously, we cannot do all these activities on a regular basis. But out of all the above points, strength training is the best to increase your strength and endurance.

People who love to run often don't focus on the importance of strength training. Runners are often reluctant to gain weight and think that strength training will reduce their flexibility. But in fact, strength training can actually improve your running performance.

It is important to maintain a balance between endurance training, strength training, and running. Strength training can allow a runner to increase their "strength reserve" for running and run faster and more efficiently.

Strength training increases muscle strength and can reduce the risk of injury because it increases the strength of connective tissue, resulting in a stronger body and more adaptable system.

What are the benefits of strength training for runners?

1. The goal of strength training for runners is not to add muscle mass, but to strengthen it, improve muscle endurance, maintain current muscle mass, and reduce the risk of injury. Injuries can happen in any sport.
   Runners often suffer from a variety of injuries, such as Achilles tendon strains, lower back pain, shin splints, sprains, groin sprains, and a number of other conditions. A good muscle strengthening program can help reduce the risk of injury or the severity of injuries that may occur.

1. Power training will help improve coordination, which helps improve movement efficiency and running quality. Running quality can be defined as the ability to consume oxygen at a steady state. The quality may decrease when fatigue sets in and physical fitness deteriorates.
   Running is not only about strength in your legs, but also about strength in your abs and upper body. If you don't have good posture, your form will suffer and this will increase the energy required to perform the movements, which in turn causes early fatigue.

   Strength training can help improve the longevity of the continuous movement that running is.

1. Running uses multiple muscles to maintain control and balance. Weight training can help improve body control, coordination and stability, which can improve your running performance. Strengthening your muscles can help increase your speed and improve your posture.

1. Strength training can improve running mechanics. The more efficiently the system works, the better the runner's performance.
   With the help of strength training, you can force the body to work more efficiently, in turn, this will allow the runner to train longer and achieve results faster. Increasing muscle mass also helps you burn calories faster, which can make your workout more effective. You will need to do less to get the results you need.

What strength exercises should a runner do to improve performance?

There are many endurance exercises you can do that will help you improve your running performance.

In order to increase the strength of the quadriceps and improve balance, you should perform squats and lunges. Abdominal exercises will improve the quality of your pectoral muscles and increase the strength of your triceps.

Dumbbell squats will help improve your overall body strength. Dumbbell press squats can help improve overall body strength and strength.

How to create a strength training plan?

1. Exercises with heavy weights.

Such exercises can be performed immediately after finishing a run; they will help increase the range of motion and prevent muscle adhesions.

Start with five minutes of strength training (or four to six exercises) after your run. It's much more important to do something than nothing at all, so even a little strength training will benefit you.

1. Strength training after running.

Since strength training can be higher in intensity than standard running, do it after short runs. Avoid doing strength training after an intense long run as you will be even more tired. In any case, if you feel too exhausted, you need rest.

Once you have mastered the basic exercises, start increasing the number of repetitions or adding more exercises to your regular workout. A variety of movements will give the body more benefits, as different muscle groups will be worked.

Source: https://healthkurs.ru/blog/vazhnost-silovyx-trenirovok-dlya-begunov/

Nutrition for different types of running

Middle distance running

During short and intense runs, all the body's resources are used at an increasing speed. Therefore, middle-distance races use more muscle glycogen than marathons. Your task is to provide yourself with a supply of carbohydrates.

Keep in mind that refueling with carbohydrates immediately before a workout will not make much sense - your run will end before the food has time to be processed and provide the necessary energy. The determining factor will be what you ate 12 hours before your run.

So, your pre-workout dinner might include the following complex carbohydrates:

• whole grain pasta and bread
• baked sweet potatoes (yams) or regular potatoes
• rice and other grains
• carrot
• legumes

“Extracting” glycogen from simple carbohydrates - confectionery, chocolate, ice cream, white bread and carbonated drinks - is unwise and harmful. The body will convert the resulting “fast” carbohydrates into fat reserves, which certainly will not increase your speed.

Avoid fatty foods - they make digestion difficult, as well as spices and salads (especially with cabbage) - “provocateurs” of indigestion.

Avoid salty foods so as not to cause your body to need additional fluid.

Don't forget to replenish your iron stores - this is especially important for middle-distance runners, since their oxygen consumption rate is much higher than that of marathon runners. Incorporate beef, liver, seafood and greens into your diet.

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Running Workouts: Add Strength!

In the old days, runners ran. Ask an older runner what he did in training and he will answer: “I ran.” But no matter what distance you're training for, you may no longer want to follow this good old rule. Over the last 30-40 years we have learned a lot and running training has evolved. Today, it is no longer enough for runners to just run.

They need to be strong and athletic. If they don't have these qualities, they can get injured, even if they are in good running shape. Statistics show that the injury rate among runners is as high as 66%! This is even more than in professional American football. Reducing injury rates is not that difficult. This requires 10 to 20 minutes of strength training per day.

Get stronger!

The benefits of strength training for runners are dramatic, both in preventing injury and improving performance. In other words, if your goal is to run easy, avoid painful pain, or beat your usual distance time, try adding a few strength training sessions per week.

Important!

Using specific runner-friendly exercises will improve the ability of your bones, joints, ligaments and muscles to withstand the stresses of running and enable you to become faster. Strength work is especially important for runners who are frequently injured and those who log a decent amount of overall mileage.

And even marathon runners can include 3 strength training sessions per week.

Strength training for runners

With so many of us leading sedentary lives in front of a computer screen, it's no wonder running injuries are so common - we've lost all our strength! What exercises will help bring it back? The most progressive approach would be to train the movements, not the muscles.

Pay attention to basic multi-joint exercises. The classics are deadlifts, squats, pull-ups, bench press, and step-ups. These movements replicate the functional movements you do in everyday life.

Supplement them with bodyweight exercises that you can do even at home and feel the positive effects. Most runners' injuries are rooted in weak hips. This is the main problem of people who sit most of the day.

Other good exercises to include in your workout: lunges, planks, pistol squats, push-ups, side planks, quads. They all make your core muscles stronger, which is essential for increasing strength and preventing injury. A strength session can be quick.

Select 3-5 exercises and perform them in 2-3 sets of 4-8 repetitions. How to fit strength training into your running schedule?

Follow these 3 simple principles

so that your strength training schedule fits into your running schedule.

1. Train after your run. Weight training is high-intensity, and should be done after running - either immediately after or later in the day. In this case, running should be average in terms of effort. Avoid strength training after a long run because... you will be too tired. The equipment could be damaged, and I don't want to put you at even greater risk. And, by the way, days of rest or very light training are also not the best option - do not prevent your body from recovering from stress. 2. Bodyweight exercises are a good idea, although they're not all you need. Their intensity is low to medium and can be performed any day of the week. If you put them on after running, they can serve as a kind of cool-down. You can start with even 5-minute workouts and gradually add time. It is more important to do something than nothing at all. 3. Ready for more? Once you are comfortable with the technique of basic exercises, begin to increase the number of repetitions and total training time. Make sure the training is varied, e.g. works all muscle groups.

Jason Fitzgerald, running coach and 2:39 marathoner. Founder of the Boston Marathon runner training program.

Source: https://domsport.ru/blog/trenirovki_begunov_dobavte_sily/2012-03-05-475

Schedule

• Research has shown that regular strength training is important for runners. You don't have to exercise every day, but set aside at least one day a week to exercise.
• You can do strength training on non-running days. Of course, your muscles need rest to recover, but strength training isn't as taxing on your muscles as powerlifting, and you can do it safely on days off from running.
• You can also take a different approach and do strength training on the same day as your run. This strategy will allow you to take a full day off the next day and fully recover.

There's no right or wrong way to add strength training to your schedule, as long as it's consistent.

Running: 4 truly effective workouts

You are most likely a creature of habit (like all of us): you fall asleep listening to the series around midnight, drink a cup of coffee in the morning, then run the same distance and at the same speed as a million years ago. But stability is good only in architecture, and in running training, consistency is fraught with stagnation and injury.

In addition, as you remember, different running styles have different effects on the body and its systems. For example, short interval training significantly increases VO2 max (maximum oxygen consumption - an indicator of your aerobic performance), and long interval training improves heart function and blood circulation.

Smart athletes use all four main types of training: speed, threshold, speed-strength endurance training, and calm long running for active recovery. Moreover, it doesn’t matter at all what kind of result you expect from your training. Even if you are a dedicated marathon runner at heart, speed-strength work will still be useful to you.

So says Tom Kloos, coach of the elite Bay Area Track Club (USA): “I have seen the greatest transfer of performance for runners of any profile from speed training - the athlete improves technique, corrects individual biomechanics and gets rid of mistakes that steal energy. Once you learn to run fast, you will be able to run for a long time at greater speed and with greater economy of energy.”

Advice!

We'll tell you the benefits of each type of training and teach you how to most effectively fit them into your training schedule.

What is this?

30 minutes sprint. Improves running technique and step amplitude, trains fast-twitch muscle fibers.

How to do it?

Warm up by leisurely running 1.5 kilometers, then do a chain of exercises, spending 15 seconds on each: jumping on straight legs forward or left-right, alternately high knees in front of you, alternately sweeping the shins back, fast running in place, almost no lifting your feet off the ground.

Go through the chain three times, then add dynamic muscle activation: 30 seconds of the “climber” exercise (running while lying down) and immediately sprint up 20 steps (no stairs? Do 10 lifts with one leg on a platform about half a meter high). Catch your breath and repeat this combination again.

That's it, now you're ready for high-speed work.

From a high start position, do a series of fastest accelerations for 25, 35, 45 and 55 meters (after each sprint, walk back to the start). Then run a hundred meters three times, but don’t give it 100% (after these races, return to the start with an easy jog). At the end of the workout, run 800 meters, slowing down, and just walk calmly for the last meters.

This workout targets more fast-twitch muscle fibers than simple jogging. Plus, sprinting improves your running technique - it teaches you to work more actively with your arms, bring your knees forward, and hold your body and head correctly. As a result, you are able to run faster and longer, using less energy.

Unfortunately, speed training is not very good for your joints. When you run at normal speed, your foot touches the ground for a quarter of a second with each step; in a sprint this time is reduced to one-eighth of a second.

As a result, with each step, the joints of your legs experience a load of 7 (!) weights of your body.

Leading experts recommend not to conduct such training too often: after a high-speed load, you need to allow yourself 48 to 72 hours of rest.

What is this?

In simple terms, it's a 30-60 minute workout where you run as fast as you can without losing your breath. Moreover, you need to choose such a running speed that you are constantly on the verge of losing even breathing.

How to do it?

Choose a distance (from 5 to 10 km) and run it as quickly as possible in the threshold condition described above. When the selected training volume becomes too easy, extend the session by 30 minutes if you are an expert on distances less than or equal to 10 km. Do you want more? Increase your workout time by an hour. Over time, increase the pace at which you run the entire distance.

How to determine the required speed? You can rely on subjective feelings, but for those who like accuracy, there is, for example, the McMillan Training Calculator (mcmillanrunning.com). He will calculate the required pace for you and give advice.

Attention!

Coach Greg McMillan says this about threshold training: run a little slower than your average 10-kilometer pace, or, if it's easier for you, add 40 seconds to the time it takes you to cover every 1.5 km in 5 -kilometer distance.

Finally, the most enjoyable way: invite a friend for a run. Chat while running, and if your breathing allows you to do so, then you have chosen the right pace.

Running in numbers

Corey Rynders, a sports physiologist at the University of Colorado, offers running statistics (all based on an 80-pound athlete).

Speed ​​trainingThreshold training

Speed-strength training Long calm running

*total calories burned during exercise and including post-exercise oxygen consumption

Source: https://www.mhealth.ru/form/sport/derzkij_plan_pobegat/

Marathon Wall: Carbohydrates

In addition to hyponatremia, marathon runners face hypoglycemia - a decrease in blood glucose concentrations. Among runners, this phenomenon is known as the marathon wall. According to statistics, more than half of marathon participants slow down after 30 km. The same effect occurs at a half marathon distance around 18 km, but much less frequently. Therefore, in races over 90 minutes, you need to not only drink, but also consume carbohydrates.

Photo: copenhagenmarathon.dk

The main reasons for the marathon wall:

• Insufficient preparation
• Incorrect tempo
• Errors in nutrition before the start and during the race

It is a common belief that marathon performance depends on the amount of glycogen, pace, size and body weight. The faster the pace and the greater the body weight, the more glycogen is burned - similar to the fuel consumption of a car. Glycogen is stored in the body and used as fuel. At the same time, everyone has a different ability to preserve glycogen and different consumption. Most people don't have enough reserves to run a marathon - the fuel tank is too small for that kind of consumption. The problem is solved by refueling at a distance.

More recent studies have compared the effects of training with high and low glycogen stores. The athletes were divided into 2 groups: some trained after a carbohydrate breakfast, others trained on an empty stomach. The results showed an increase in the second group's ability to use fat as energy. They could maintain the pace using the body's fat stores. The same studies concluded that you can run for a long time on fat. Its reserves are sufficient even for a lean runner, but the maximum speed was significantly lower compared to glycogen.

This doesn't mean you need to stick to any one strategy when training for marathons. The body is much more complex than it is portrayed in sports nutrition advertising. Not only carbohydrates, but also fats are used as energy. Therefore, it is useful to develop both nutritional systems and periodically conduct long-term training on a glycogen deficiency.

Perhaps this is one of the many factors that help Kenyans run marathons well, because they do almost all of their hard training in the morning without breakfast and do not take food with them.

Training in Kenya. Photo: lifegate.com

Strength Training for Runners - 7 Reasons to Strength Training

No matter how many miles you run per day, you should reserve time in your schedule for weight training. When you're doing your favorite running, it's easy to get into a situation where you don't have time for anything else.

This ultimately leads to many runners getting injured and feeling overtrained. To prevent this from happening, training should be balanced in terms of the type of physical activity.

And here are the most compelling reasons to include strength training in your training plan:

You will become faster

Weight training helps increase the rate of muscle work and trains the body to move more efficiently by strengthening neuromuscular connections. In practice, this means that during a run you can cover a greater distance with the same energy expenditure.

Agree: a good advantage in distance competitions. However, this does not mean that you should start training in a lifting mode, performing single repetitions with huge weights. Start with light weights and simple exercises, especially if you are a beginner.

You will become more resistant to injury

The body morphology of runners is typically characterized by significant development of the calf muscles and hip flexors, while some muscle groups, primarily the abs and buttocks, remain weak. All this is a significant prerequisite for the development of pain and injuries.

Exercising in the gym allows you to develop muscle flexibility and functionality. As a result, your runs will be of better quality and you won’t have to sit for several hours with an ice pack on certain parts of your body.

Classic compound exercises like deadlifts and squats are great for developing strong glutes. However, it is not necessary to perform these exercises with a barbell.

For example, deadlifts on one leg, glute bridges on one and two legs will also be very useful for runners.

You will improve your posture

Have you ever noticed how some runners always look like they're waiting for the starting gun to go off, even when they're just standing in line at the grocery store? The fact is that the development of the hip flexors with unequal strength of the remaining muscles of the body leads to the development of stoop.

In order to straighten your posture, you should load the muscles of your shoulders, back and buttocks. The goal is to strengthen the back of the body and stretch the front. This advice applies to anyone who wants to improve their posture, but especially to runners.

You will become a more educated athlete

One of the benefits of running is that you can just lace up your sneakers and go for a workout. But in the grand scheme of things, you don't need to know what muscles, bones, and connective tissues are involved in the process that gets you to the finish line.

But when you start strength training and polishing your proportions, you gain a whole new understanding of how your body works. You begin to understand how muscles work, how different parts of the body work together, and how you can improve how they work.

The more you understand how everything is connected in the body, the better you can organize your training and recovery process.

You start to get more out of the off-season.

Working out at the gym will help maintain your fitness level and make it easier to return to running when the season comes.

You can also continue to train in the gym if you are injured due to running: switching to sitting or lying exercises will help relieve the stress on your feet and lower limbs in general.

Strength training helps you stay motivated

The “more of the same load” approach is very typical for both runners and triathletes. After some time, it leads to motivational burnout and even fear of athletes to begin long-term training.

At the same time, the gym allows you to believe in yourself again and poses new obstacles that you want to overcome. When you enter a new environment, a new environment and face new challenges, you discover new perspectives for yourself.

You are improving your athleticism

Running is not the only challenge in life. When it comes time to push a car or carry a sleepy person, no one wants to feel weak and incapable, especially people with serious athletic training.

Ab and glute strength, posture, balance and healthy body composition are attributes that are important not only for runners, but for anyone who wants to look healthy, fit, strong and change their sense of self for the better.

Source: https://www.FitUnion.ru/blog/silovye-trenirovki-dlya-begunov-7-prichin-zanimatsya-silovym-treningom/

What not to eat before training

• 
  Legumes – peas, beans, lentils, peanuts

• Grape
• White cabbage and dishes made from it

These products are classified as gas-forming. Excess air in the intestines will cause discomfort during exercise.

• Melon
• Watermelon

They have a diuretic effect. The consequences are obvious.

• Fatty food

It stays in the stomach for a long time and can cause colic, nausea and heartburn.

Exercises Runners Need

Exercises Runners Need

If you want to run faster, you need to do more than just run segments in training. Strength training is one of the most important training methods for runners.

But very often many people neglect this component, citing arguments like: “I will be too busy”, “I will become big if I lift weights”, “GP will make me slow”. But that's not true.

The stronger your muscles, the longer your muscles can not get tired and therefore maintain a certain speed longer.

Important!

The following exercises will allow you to learn how to maintain balance, increase joint strength and mobility, and improve posture.

The advantage of these exercises is that they do not take much time and allow you to diversify your monotonous daily running. This 15-minute workout can be done any day of the week.

It is recommended to perform it after a warm-up or main running workout, because you will be training already warmed muscles, prepared for the load.

Back lunge with body rotation

Step back with your left foot and lower your body to a lunge position. After this, turn your upper body to the right. Then twist back and return to the starting position. Do 15 repetitions and then do the same for the other leg.

Push ups

Get into a push-up position. Slowly lower yourself down, maintaining a straight line along your body from your heels to your head. As soon as your chest touches the floor, rest your knees and begin to lift your body to the starting position. Complete 15 reps.

Bridge on the shoulders

Lie on your back, bend your knees and place your feet above them, place your hands on the floor, palms up. Raise your hips until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Squeeze your gluteal muscles and hold for two seconds and then return to the starting position. Complete 15 reps.

Plank with knee bend

Position yourself in a push-up position. Bring your left knee towards your right elbow. Then, bring your knee under your body and bring it to the outside, behind your left elbow. Return to the starting position and then do this with your right knee. Complete 15 reps.

Scorpion

Lie on your stomach, place your arms on the floor perpendicular to your body. Raise your left leg, bend your knee, and then move it back. Touch your left foot to the floor. Hold it in this position for two seconds and then return to the starting position. Repeat the same for the right leg. Complete 15 reps.

Source: https://runnersclub.ru/articles/uprazhneniya-kotorye-nuzhny-begunam

What foods should runners avoid?

Now let's look at the main “enemies” of proper nutrition:

• Products high in fat and sugar
• Difficult to digest foods (bacon, fast food)
• Alcohol and energy drinks
• Products that can provoke gastrointestinal disorders (melon, broccoli, bell pepper).
• Fried foods

Squirrels

This is the most important component for an athlete. In the body, proteins are responsible for various indicators and are:

• Construction resource. Protein, which is the main component of protein, is responsible for the generation of various biological structures: ligaments, tendons, bone tissue and, of course, muscles.
• Catalyst. Proteins regulate metabolism and have a strong biochemical effect on the endocrine system and the body as a whole.
• Activator of metabolic and energy processes , which are influenced by enzyme particles of proteins.
• Engine of growth . As already mentioned, proteins are an integral component of the endocrine system and, specifically, growth hormones, which are so important for the athletic progress of an athlete.
• Transporters of trace elements . A number of proteins included in the original composition of the protein deliver oxygen, vitamins and other nutrients to all cells of the body.
• Immune protection . Antibodies that fight viruses and diseases include a large number of protein molecules.

The main sources of protein are: fish, meat, eggs and dairy products. In addition to proteins, they contain other microelements: fatty acids, vitamins and amino acids, such as methionine.

Eggs

Eggs are a favorite among athletes because they contain all the essential amino acids. Amino acids are often called the building blocks of protein, necessary for strengthening and repairing muscle tissue. Try including an extra serving of eggs on days when you plan to run long and far.

Read more ideas on how to diversify your diet for runners here.

Runners Diet

Selecting products and supplements, as well as developing a diet, should ideally be based on the individual characteristics of the body, the type of sport, and the level of stress. Yet, regardless of all these factors, an athlete’s food must contain a number of essential micro- and macroelements. In terms of the combination and quantity of components, the diet must correspond to the following parameters: 30% proteins, 60% carbohydrates, 10% fats . Do not forget about a number of irreplaceable amino acids and vitamins that can only be supplied to the body as part of certain foods or special sports supplements.