Recreational running just for fun, and more serious running consists of a focused participation in marathons. Regardless of the type, running is indeed becoming a wonderful way of both socializing and exercising at the same time. It’s a complete win-win. A viral amount of people are taking up running these and that is totally phenomenal.
Pune Running is a hub for all passionate runners. From a group of four friends who wanted to run for fun it has now become a huge community of runners in Pune.
Because running is a physical activity and it involves the use of body and mind it becomes immensely essential to give one’s body the right fuel so that the performance improves progressively.
The format was an interview session taken by a marathon runner Ms Priti who represented queries by fellow runners.
The seminar hall was overcrowded with running enthusiasts who were filled with many queries regarding the improvement of their performance for marathons. Their enthusiasm was infectious. It is always good to have audience that is interested and interactive!
WHAT MY TALK CONSISTED OF –
Why is nutrition different for runners?
Why runners do not manage to lose weight or look lean in spite of high activity.
What the pre-run and post-run snacks should be and why.
The importance of proper hydration and how to remain well hydrated during the day and especially during the run.
How to maintain energy during the marathon and how to improve performance through nutrition.
General information regarding smart eating.
Running for diabetics.
Nutritional facts, advice, and tips for good health and to remain lean.
After the interview with Ms Priti the questions were open to the crowd.
BRIEF DETAILS OF THE Q&A SESSION THAT FOLLOWED.
The discussions that followed the talk ran in-depth of all the covered topics. Sensible questions were asked by the runners in attendance. Let me highlight some of the questions that were raised and the discussions that followed –
- Deficiencies that you might have that are hindering your running performance, that maybe you do not know about.
- Calcium deficiency How to judge it the requirement variation age group wise, predominant sex where a calcium deficiency is common, the method of testing, the method of cure, etc.
- Whey Protein – Is it really needed for runners, methods of having Whey Protein, comparison between other types of proteins, when, why and how it should be had.
- Sweet cravings, what can be eaten, in what proportion, when and how was also covered. In brief, One may eat everything they like, but there are rules to what, when and how much. I have discussed better substitutes to desserts.
- The best way to consume foods, especially juices, smoothies and salads so as to keep the nutrients intact.
- We talked about Diabetes, the diet that they should have, and the way they should space out their meals, the way insulin and insulin resistance work, and nutrition for runners who are diabetic.
- Surprising reasons behind feeling sleepy after a meal.
- The breakdown of an ideal meal, good news for rice lovers, busting the myths around drinking water before and after a meal, oxidants as free radicals in the body, antioxidants and the forms they should be consumed in, etc. were also discussed along the session.
The session was very satisfactory because it led to several myth being busted and concepts being cleared for runners.
I will be following up to this brief with extensive snippets of videos that answer these questions from the session itself. Stay tuned to have all your queries cleared out.
You may also shoot me your questions that I will be glad to answer, in comments here or on any of my social media pages as mentioned below:
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