I witness this so often: young athletes really going for
it in a workout, as they hammer a long run or whip through an
intense bout on the track. Then, in the hour or so after the
session, many of the youngsters drop into one of three
categories.
Waiting for the shuttle. If
practice ends at five o’clock, but parental taxi service
doesn’t rev up until mom or pop gets off work, budding track
stars may loiter hungrily on campus until nearly
sundown.
Hitting the weight room. With the day’s run accomplished, many hardcore athletes head straight to the gym for strength exercises. It’s not uncommon for serious sprinters or middle distance runners to attack ambitious sets of squats or power cleans just minutes after leaving the track. Many young distance runners also come right off the trail and head to the weight room for core strength work, lunges, or circuit training.
Flitting off to their next
sport. A fair number of young runners are two-sport athletes. This
time of year, scores of them will finish a run, then dash off to
club soccer, swimming, basketball, or volleyball practice. No
doubt, running takes their fitness to a new level for these other
sports. However, like those in the two previous categories, these
athletes will fare better by paying closer attention to a key
element of performance. That element — to paraphrase realtors
everywhere — is "nutrition, nutrition,
nutrition!"
Specifically, the nutrition issue in each of the above scenarios is the time delay between running and refueling. Substantial research in the past fifteen years demonstrates that replacing calories promptly after exertion optimizes recovery by bolstering the immune system, staving off catabolism (the metabolic breakdown of living tissue in a protein-deprived state), and increasing muscle glycogen storage. The research (published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, and The Journal of Applied Physiology) shows that by two hours after a tough workout, this nutrition-based recovery opportunity is reduced by 50%. The studies suggest that a smart recovery plan involves immediate post-workout rehydration, combined with at least 400 easily digested calories in a carbohydrate:protein ratio of about 4:1. Smoothies, chocolate milk, bagels, and fortified sports bars and gels are all worth consideration. Anything is better than nothing.
Armed with this knowledge, the savvy young runner (or parent, or coach) will plan ahead, and make a habit of having a "mini-meal" on hand for the crucial minutes following a run, or for the short recess between two major activities. This is a simple way to squeeze more benefit from all that devoted training. Bon Appetit!
