GENERAL GUIDANCE
FOR DISTANCE RUNNING
Recommended Diet and Nutrition
One of the most important aspects of training for a long distance run is what you eat. Maintaining a healthy, balanced diet to
support your training programme is vital. High fat foods such as fried food, cheese, hamburgers, or bacon all digest slowly
and will feel like they are sitting in your stomach and will hinder your development and training.
The basis for the majority of your meals should be starchy foods. This means foods such as rice, potatoes and pasta.
Wherever possible these carbohydrate-laden foods should be whole grain as this provides even more energy for your body.
Processed ‘white’ carbs such as regular pasta, white rice and plain bagels are still a good choice but are not as nutritious as
the whole grain alternatives.
Further to this, along with the starchy base, roughly a third of each of your main meals should be protein. This means fish,
beans, meat and chicken; grilled rather than fried. We recommend chicken and fish over red meats as, in larger quantities,
red meat also carries more fats as they are not as lean or protein-rich as chicken or fish. This should also be supplemented
with green vegetables such as broccoli, asparagus or spinach; green vegetables contain the densest concentration of
vitamins and are undoubtedly better gram-for-gram compared to other vegetables such as carrots or cauliflower.
You should try and eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day (dried and tinned also count as well as fresh). Some of these
portions will be included in your main meals but the remaining portions should be evenly distributed in-between your main
meals. If you want to eat fruits and vegetables before runs go for low-firer options such as zucchini, tomatoes, olives, grapes
and grapefruit.
Starchy foods provide carbohydrate which your body breaks down into sugars (or ‘glucose’) for your muscles to use as
energy. Fats also provide your body with energy during more prolonged exercise. The longer you spend exercising the
more fat is used as fuel. So when you are running for longer you will need to consume more fats (in the form of nuts, fruits
and a small amount of dairy products). The protein in your diet provides very little energy, but it helps to repair your muscles
after you have finished exercising. However, unlike fats and carbs, you shouldn’t increase the amount of protein you eat
because it doesn’t contribute energy in the same way.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially when it comes to the race. Go for slow-release foods (low GI)
– ideally carbohydrates with a little protein, such as: porridge with raisins and honey, cereal with banana and low-fat milk,
or toast and yoghurt. Importantly, stick with familiar foods that you find easy to digest.
Good morning foods include peanut Butter, bananas, raisins, jelly beans, and bagels. Whatever you do, running on an
empty stomach may cause you to run out of energy, so eat something. Your best bet is to eat a snack or light meal about
1½ to 2 hours before you start running. Choose something high in carbohydrates and lower in fat, fibre, and protein. Some
examples of good pre-workout fuel include: a bagel with peanut butter, turkey and cheese on whole wheat bread, a banana
and an energy bar, and a bowl of cold cereal with a cup of milk. Stay away from rich, very fatty, or high-fibre foods, as they
may cause gastrointestinal distress.
Finally, as much as possible, stay away from alcohol and caffeine, alcohol will hinder your progression and caffeine can
cause issues such as diarrhoea (although some people are more tolerant than others).
Hydration
No matter what kind of exercise you’re doing, you must
keep yourself hydrated by taking in the right amount of
fluids. There are no set rules in terms of exactly how
much you should drink per hour of exercise because
everyone is different; some people sweat more than
others. However, you should try and aim to take a few
good mouthfuls of cold water every 10-15 minutes. Don’t
wait until you become thirsty, by this time your body is
already telling you that it doesn’t have enough water in it,
you should start taking in fluids once you begin
exercising. On a day-to-day basis, the government
recommends about 8 glasses of water a day, however we
don’t think you can or need to be as strict as this as you
are also taking lots of fluids in through your food. The
best thing you can do is to make sure you are eating a
range of foods and drinking a range of fluids.
Introduction to Interval Training
Some of the programmes we have put together ask you to perform interval training on a workout day; but
what exactly is that? Interval training generally varies the intensity and speed of your run across the
designated time you are doing it for. Intensity varies between very low (a gentle, easy, recovery jog) and
extremely high (not quite as fast as you possibly can, but not far off).
Each of these varied intensities should be performed for 60 seconds each: slow, fast, slow, fast etc. until
the allotted time for that exercise day is complete. The point of the high intensity interval training is to
increase your endurance and overall speed. By pushing yourself to run as fast as you can for a short
period of time, you are building on the muscles and respiratory system that will allow you to increase your
speed and decrease your marathon times! For a complete guide to interval training, click here.
Warming-up and Cooling-down
For every day that requires you to do exercise you must
also warm up before and cool down after the main exercise.
To begin with, you should perform some dynamic stretches.
This is a way of stretching out your legs and core without
holding them in a fixed position (which can be detrimental to
your training). After this you should perform a brisk walk for
around 5-6 minutes and then move on to a slow jog for
around 10-15 minutes. While you are jogging, you should
be moving slowly enough to allow your strides to be longer
than they normally would be; further warming up your legs.
After that, you’re ready to go.
To cool down after your run, you should do the same as the
above but in reverse order. Once you have finished the
main run, you should slow it down to a gentle jog and
gradually decrease this down to a brisk walk (all in all, this
should only take you around 15 minutes). After this, you
should do a complete full body stretch out to ensure you
don’t injure yourself or end up with muscles that feel tight or
worn out the next day.
Pacing Yourself Throughout a Run
Furthermore, as the programmes include the interval training element that is designed to increase your
overall speed, when you are performing the longer runs, you shouldn’t focus on speed but consistency of
pace throughout the run and finding the speed that you are able to maintain throughout the exercise
without slowing down toward the end. This can be trickier than it sounds but the key is to ‘listen’ to your
body; the first 2 weeks of each of the plans are an introduction to the idea of distance running and this is
the perfect time to work out pacing. If you find that after the first one or two runs you are too tired at the
end or unable to complete the run without slowing down, lower the pace of the entire run so you can go
the distance.
For someone who hasn’t done distance running before, the prospect can be quite daunting. A good way of overcoming the mentally intimidating length of time and
distance is to think about it differently. Rather than setting off thinking to yourself that you have to run for 60 minutes or 10 miles, break the distance down into chunks
and mark out conceptual check points throughout the distance. For example, on a 60 minute run, you might want to set off with the intention of just getting to 15 minutes
and once you reach that, tackle the next 15.
Doing this will make the whole distance much more manageable and you will feel a sense of achievement in reaching each of the mini goals within the run and you will
almost feel refreshed when it comes to making the next check point, even though you haven’t actually stopped or slowed down at all. This will become more and more
important as the runs become longer and even more so in the interval training; rather than saying to yourself you have to run for half an hour (half quickly and half slowly)
just understand that it is only 60 seconds of maximum effort and you are then rewarded with 60 more seconds of very little effort at all!
Rest Days and Weight Training
All of the training plans have rest periods built in. No one can do long distance training 7 days a week with no time for recovery. However, if you feel like hitting the gym
even more or you want to see yourself getting quicker times even sooner you could consider doing some weight training on these rest days. This will only take you around
20 minutes to half an hour (still leaving plenty of time for recovery) and will also help burn off excess body fat making you leaner and lighter. The weight training you want
to look at is focused purely on the core and legs and back, not so much the arms and shoulders etc. By doing this you are increasing the size and strength of the muscles
you are using for running and therefore improving your speed.
The number one candidate for this is the squat. The squat, or the ‘king’ of exercises challenges and engages your legs in a big way, but as well as this, because of the
need to keep your back straight it also forces you to engage your stomach, back, shoulders, sides and pretty much a little of everything else! This is perfect for people
wanting to improve their speed in distance running because it focuses on the legs while still engaging and building on core supporting muscles: click here for our two
recommended ways of performing the squat and how to perform them safely and correctly.
If you are comfortable with using a barbell then that’s great, but if it is your first time trying it out you might want to start with the ‘goblet squat’ because this is simpler and
you are less likely to get it wrong and give yourself an injury. Either way, grab hold of an employee of your gym and have them look over your technique to make sure
you have it spot on and safe. They will also be able to help you out with choosing the correct weight for your goal of distance running, but as a rule: ‘lift heavy’. What this
means is that you should choose a weight that only allows you to complete around 8-12 repetitions of the squat, and then do this set of 8-12 reps 4 times with a 1 minute
rest in between each one.
How many times a week you weight train on your rest days is down to how much time you want to spend in the gym but if you want to do a little on every rest day, the
programme will look like this:
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
1st warm up set of 8 reps at 1/4
of your maximum weight
1st warm up set of 8 reps at 1/4
of your maximum weight
1st warm up set of 8 reps at 1/4
of your maximum weight
1 minute rest
1 minute rest
1 minute rest
2nd warm up set of 8 reps at 1/2
of your maximum weight
2nd warm up set of 8 reps at 1/2
of your maximum weight
2nd warm up set of 8 reps at 1/2
of your maximum weight
1 minute rest
1 minute rest
1 minute rest
2 sets of 8 reps at your
maximum weight
2 sets of 8 reps at 10% less than
your maximum weight
2 sets of 8 reps at 20% less than
your maximum weight
Notice that you are not doing the maximum weight all week long - on the Tuesday and the Friday you reduce it to allow your muscles to recover. Furthermore, you only
actually perform the squats at the maximum weight 2 times, the first 2 are warm-ups.
If you are planning on adding in the weight training to the training routines we have planned out here, make sure that you increase the amount of protein that you eat.
Remember that when you are doing the squats, you are effectively engaging your muscles in more work and so they need that extra protein to repair and recover.
We also recommend that when it comes to the last two weeks before the race you are planning to take part in, stop doing the weight training as you need to give your
body the best possible chance of recovering before race day. Don’t worry, the programmes we have put together will ensure that you retain the same level of fitness that
you have worked to build up over the previous weeks.
Clothing and Footwear - Essentials
For Men:
Lightweight running shorts
Tank top / T-shirt
Undershirt
Running shoes (more on this below)
And if it’s particularly cold on race day:
Gloves (if it’s particularly cold)
Again, if the weather requires it, take a sleeve top
For Women:
Lightweight running shorts
Tank top / T-shirt
Good quality, supportive training bra
Running shoes (more on this below)
And if it’s particularly cold on race day:
Gloves (if it’s particularly cold)
Again, if the weather requires it, take a sleeve top
The shoes that you wear are one of the most important aspects of the clothing that you choose. The arch of the foot can greatly vary from person to person; some people
have particularly high arches and some very flat feet. Either way, it’s very important that the shoe that you wear sufficiently supports the sole of your foot as well as
around the ankle. If you are unsure what kind of running shoe you require, head over to a shoe shop and ask one of the sales assistants to help you choose the correct
style of shoes to match the arch of your foot.
If you are planning to train outdoors it’s important to choose clothing that is clearly visible and/or wear high-vis clothing that assures you’re always seen. Always pay
attention to road safety and be sure to stay safe. If your clothing is dark in colour then you should try to get hold of some reflective wrist bands.
Race Day
Its now time to put all of your hard training into practice; here are the top 10 race day tips from Paul Smith, at UK Outdoor Fitness:
1. Rest & Relax: The day before the race you should try to rest. If you need to, you
can do some light stretching or mobilising but do not over do it. If you feel anxious
do something that relaxes you and makes you feel more comfortable. If you do
need to go for a run try a very light 20-30 min jog (But gently does it)
2. Carbo – Loading: Before the race 60 to 75% of your food should be
carbohydrates. Carbo-loading doesn’t mean that you should eat three plates of
pasta, eat mars bars, cakes or pizza. Eat the same amounts of food that you would
normally eat but spread them out more frequently through the day. Make sure you
DO NOT EAT too much as you may not have time to process all the food.
Consuming Omega 3 Oils and drinking Green tea/green drinks are a great way of
replenishing and providing nutrients and antioxidants for the body
3. Keep It Safe: Don’t eat food you do not normally eat – Keep it safe with what
works well with you and what you have eaten during your training; do not introduce
new foods now.
4. Hydrate: Make sure you drink lots of water the day before – On the day you
should also have an isotonic sports drink, gaining some extra electrolytes (Helping
to avoid dehydration). Importantly, you should absolutely avoid alcohol
5. Comfortable Clothing: On the race day wear comfortable clothing that will
absorb perspiration. Choose clothing that won’t restrict your movement, and
remember that this is about fitness, not fashion. Wear good athletic shoes that
provide plenty of arch support. Dress for the climate/ weather.
6. Pack The Night Before: Have your kit ready the night before. This will avoid any
unnecessary stress on the day of the race.
7. Plan How To Get To The Race: To ensure you’ve plenty of time before the race
and avoid stress, know how you are going to get to the race & where you will park.
8. Warm Up: When warming up, make sure you start slowly mobilising the body and
raising your pulse. Mimic body movements you will be performing in the race at
50% effort and gradually increase this throughout the warm up. To avoid over
stretching, dynamic stretching and movement are the best option rather than
statically holding stretches. Warming up allows your muscles to prepare for
exercise and supply oxygen to the muscles which are about to be used in the race.
Ensure you stay warmed up leading up to the start of the race if there are any
delays, to reduce injury risks.
9. During The Race: If you’re tired and feel like stopping, try to stay positive. Picture
how good you’ll feel at the finish line, remember why you are doing the race and
how hard you have trained for this. Think of happy thoughts and good times
(Anything positive that make you smile – although stay mentally focused on the
race). Just think ‘I CAN DO THIS AND NOTHING WILL STOP ME’. Don’t think
about the person behind or in front you. If music motivates you, create mental land
marks in your music which will keep you motivated and pushing on to the end.
Everyone’s different so use whatever mentally stimulates you to keep focused.
10. Post Race: After the race make sure you hydrate and cool down properly. Do
not let your heart rate lower too fast and stretch out well (Static stretching is ok to
perform here). And finally - celebrate, and tell everyone how well you have done.
This is a great achievement, you should be incredibly proud and you deserve a
huge pat on the back!!
GENERAL GUIDANCE
IN SUMMARY...
1. Rest & relax
2. Carbo overload - but do not east too much
3. Keep it safe – eat the food you normally eat
4. Hydrate with lots of water on day and day before - avoid
alcohol
5. Wear comfortable clothing – it isn’t a fashion parade
6. Pack the night before
7. Plan how to get to the race
8. Warm up safety – dynamic stretch - pulse raise and mobilise
9. In the race – stay focused – happy thoughts – set target
getting you to the finish – listen music that motivates you
10. Post-race: cool down, stretch, hydrate and have fun and
celebrate your achievement!
Good luck and have fun!