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April 22, 2005
Guide nutritionnel des sports d'endurance
Denis Riché told me more than I can recall and as much as I wanted to know about runner's nutrition.
Some of this may explain why I hit the wall early last Sunday, after only 30 km. I'd not carbo-loaded enough for one. The cold weather may have led to extra work, but I shouldn't have been worrying about my weight. Instead I should've been piling on the complex carbohydrates in the last 3 days. I also shouldn't have taken protein the morning before running a marathon.
In general, my diet probably doesn't include enough carbs, but does include too much fat for a distance runner. If I increase the running this summer, I should also increase the carbs. But not sugars. Complex carbs. I should also limit the fats and eat more green vegetables.
Riché suggests an ideal weight for the endurance athlete my size would be in the range of 79 kg, potentially a little bit less. He encourages readers not to diet nor to use vitamin and mineral supplements without the advice of a doctor. If I do want to lose some weight, it's okay to do it as long as it's gradual, and done mainly by reducing intake of extra fats and sugars, though Riché notes it's important to keep eating foods with high nutritive density, some proteins and good fats, with plenty of complex carbs.
Overall the book is too much to absorb in one sitting. I'll have to look more closely at a few of the sections concerning rations of various food types, and I should run through the questionnaires again to look for nutrients of which I may not be getting enough.
Posted by Mark at April 22, 2005 09:57 PM