Being a distance athlete can not only be time consuming but distance athletes can be more
susceptible to injuries if they are not taking care of themselves properly. Fortunately, there are
easy to implement sports nutrition strategies before you train that can help keep you injury free
and keep you strong throughout your workouts and events
1. Stay Hydrated-Staying hydrated is the key to training harder and achieving better results. The
same applies to distance events. Consuming 14-20 oz of water or sports drink 2-3 hours before
your training session or event will replace any deficit of fluids you previously had. Stay hydrated
by drinking another 8 oz prior to a workout or as you are warming up for an event. You can
monitor your hydration status by checking the color of your urine. Light yellow is consistent with
hydration. If your urine is darker, more like the color of apple juice, that’s typically a sign that you
need to consume more fluids before you begin.
2. Stay Fully Fueled- As a distance athlete, your glycogen stores are being depleted with each
workout or competition. This calls for you to fully replenish your carbohydrate fuel stores on a
daily basis. If you don’t your workouts will suffer and you may not be able to reach new goals. To
top off muscle glycogen fuel stores try eating somewhere between 2 and 4 hours before exercise.
This accomplishes the goal of being fully fueled before you train. Choose high carbohydrate foods
and beverages, and avoid slow to digest and high fiber foods before training. Some good
examples are pasta, bread, rice and cereal. If you get hungry before training, consume a small
snack with fluids about an hour before you train. If, on the other hand you suffer from pre-training
or race jitters, try replacing a snack with liquid carbohydrate sources such as a meal replacement
drink. Finally, don’t forger to eat before morning workouts, and drink some water also.
These tips should not only help you in training, they should have you reaching new personal goals
or personal bests for a long time to come.
Jeremy Cannon
Nutrition@Work Supplement Specialist
Contact us with questions at: info@nutritionatwork.com
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