distance running
Hi everyone,
Curious if there are any other distance runners in the group here... As I increase weekly mileage, I've been having trouble keeping up with energy needs... @ 42 miles per week currently, slowly moving forward for marathon training, +4 strength workouts/week. I don't eat a lot of heavy starches (potatoes, white rice, etc.) so most of my calories/carbs are coming from either nuts, fruit, granola, or long grain brown rice/quinoa. I have trouble eating over 3000 calories/day but am told will have to increase 500+ calories when I get to the longer distances... Any tips on staying hungry? Will my body naturally adjust? I've been losing weight I can't really afford to and don't want to overtrain/damage myself in the process; thanks in advance!
What's considered "distance running"? I usually run 5-6 miles 4 days out of the week. Did you try NutritionData.Com? You can search for foods that are calorie-dense?
Distance running for me is between 50-80 miles/week. I was having a hard time eating enough calorie dense foods (because they are so filling) to meet 3500 calories/day and was initially having a hard time recovering and was losing weight/strength etc... But problem solved! Shea was right about liquid calories.. Easy to take and really do the job. Also, if anyone else has this problem, making vegan ice cream from chocolate soy milk, cultured coconut milk (yogurt), unsweetened powdered cocoa and vegan chocolate chips with protein powder/finely ground nuts/etc. is really tasty and has a lot of nutrients & electrolytes. I found an excellent ice cream maker for $20 at a dept. store... Toss the ingredients in and in 30 min you're good to go!
Hi! I'm a distance runner. It's nice to see others! I have my second marathon in a couple of weeks, and I run 40-70 miles per week. I also rock climb 2 times a week, and that amount of "strength training" has made me so much faster and helped my endurance.
Hmmm, I haven't had any problems keeping up with calories, although I tend to slim down a bit before marathons and big races, then I gain a pound or 2 afterward. I eat every 2 hours, and this has allowed me to keep up my strength and to got get super hungry. I've been at this mileage for about a year and a half, and I think I've found a pretty good equilibrium. I always carry food with me, no matter where I'm going. I never let myself get hungry. I eat a ton of fresh fruit and veggies, and these fill me up. Also, lots of beans and tofu and seitan. I love seitan probably more than I should. I try to stick to more whole foods, but it's so filling and dense.
I also have lots of smoothies. Before I even start my day I've gotten 3-4 servings of fruit and lots of other good things I toss in there (maca, flax, hemp, almond butter, etc).
VeganRun, thanks, good to know! What does your training week look like? I was talking with a couple of older runners that said one needs to be running between 70-120 mile weeks for a "competitive" marathon time (whatever that means). I thought 60-70 was high for a 10k but it seemed to paid off, I felt a lot better than @ lower mileage. You ever go this route?
I just finished my 5th marathon (first one in 3 years, but all while I have been vegan). When work is not an issue I used to run 50+ miles a week. I also row and work a job that can be physically demanding.
When I first started running distances I was not recovering fast enough and started adding breakfast shakes. Right now I'm using the Vega stuff with 2 bananas, blueberries and almond milk. With that, I know I'm getting a lot of protein, vitamins, nutrients etc. That's now my daily breakfast, and if I'm still hungry I'll have some oatmeal or something.
On top of that I usually eat a pretty decent dinner because lunch is sometimes out of my control.
Even when running the higher weekly mileage, I have not lost weight to any concerning degree. I'm also a big fan of seitan, brown rice etc. There is also such an abundance of vegan cakes these days that I probably get more than my share of simple calories from that.
I'm not distance compared to you- I currently run about 20mpw and just started training for my first half marathon (excited!).
Drinking calories is an easy way to get more without feeling over-full. Fruit juices, 'milks', smoothies (especially ones made with nuts/seeds/nut butters).
8oz OJ with breakfast, a glass (1 1/2 c) of almond milk with lunch, and a glass of chocolate soymilk after a run (as shea said, its one of the best post-run snacks) easily adds about 350 calories.