Racing fuel: whether you're eating to run or eating on the run, this complete nutritional guide will ensure you're fueling your training to the fullest

Muscle & Fitness/Hers, July, 2003 by Lisa Dorfman

rrrracing a half-marathon is almost as exciting as training for the entire 26.2 miles. Take it from me, a graduate of 30 marathons, with a 2:52 marathon PR (personal record) and a 1:20 half-marathon best.

Completing a half-marathon marks the turning point from being an average Jo "jogger" to an official runner. While you might have been able to run your local 5K on any decent diet, the half requires a solid dietary training period to meet the demands of the race. While the half is a more realistic distance to train for than the full marathon, even the best runners face dietary obstacles. Some of the nutritional challenges of half-marathon training include:

* Maintaining energy levels throughout the 12-week period for training and everyday life beyond the run.

* Getting the right balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat to prevent illness and injury.

* Eating enough food to sustain speed and endurance during the run.

* Avoiding the intake of too many healthy high-fiber foods, to the extent they affect your gastrointestinal system and your training.

* Staying hydrated enough to prevent and overcome dehydration.

* Eating the right snacks at the right times to prevent running detours like cramping, headaches, dehydration and excessive bathroom breaks.

* Taking the appropriate vitamin and mineral supplements to enhance your personal dietary intake without exceeding your actual needs.

There's a lot more to this food stuff than meets the running eye. Let's begin by figuring out what your racing diet should look like. Then we'll talk about specifics such as hydration and supplements.

* phase 1 (weeks 1-4)

Building a Base

Phase one is marked by an increase in the time you spend training, also known as training duration. During this time, you need to increase total calories to accommodate an increase in calorie expenditure (what you're burning). You'll enjoy getting to eat more because you'll notice a marked increase in your appetite when you start to up your mileage. It's not just psychological, and it's nice to give yourself permission to eat a bunch of food for the sake of your training. Physically, your body is telling you it needs more food to account for the calories burned as a result of training. You'll even use more calories after the run, no matter what you're doing.

In addition to total calories, you also need to adjust the amount of protein and essential fatty acids you consume to help boost your immune system and possibly help prevent stress fractures, tears and other potential nutrition-related injuries.

What does that mean in food servings? On a 2200-calorie eating program, be sure to get a minimum of:

* Four servings (about 80 calories each) of multigrain bread, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice and/or high-fiber cereal.

* 1/2 cup beans or peas daily.

* "Five for Five" servings of vegetables and fruits. This means five different colors of five servings of a variety of vegetables and fruits each day. Your vegetables should total about three cups. Your goal for fruit is about 300 calories' worth, or three to four servings.

* Six ounces of lean protein, such as skinless poultry, fish, egg whites or meat. (Three ounces of meat/chicken/fish is about the size of a deck of cards.)

* Two cups of low-fat dairy such as yogurt or milk, or two ounces cheese.

* Two tablespoons ground flaxseed, or one ounce of walnuts, or 1/2 cup of soy. These are all great sources of omega-3 essential fatty acids.

The foods above total approximately 1,400 calories, so our 120-pound woman still has room for a variety of other foods of her choice.

If you follow these six guidelines, you'll be more than halfway to meeting your vitamin, mineral and phytochemical needs and you'll save money on supplements. It's best to get these nutritional goodies in food because your body likes to use them in this form best. You need the calories anyway, so go for it!

* phase 2 (weeks 5-8)

Picking Up the Pace

Now that you've gotten four weeks of torture, I mean training, under your belt, it's time to get more serious about your half-marathon adventure. Honestly, I know firsthand how difficult the first four weeks of training and dietary discipline can be. Life will get easier, I promise.

In phase two, you need to take it up a notch in nutritional quality, variety and density to help your running become higher quality, as well. Make sure you keep the pantry filled to the brim with nutritious food that you'll actually prepare and eat. You also need to vary the foods you choose or you'll end up in a food rut. While food ruts may not be unhealthy, they tend to leave you stale. We certainly don't want this to have an impact on the body, mind or training, so let's take a food break.

One way to diversify your chicken breast, pasta or morning cereal is to add texture, color and tastes. For instance, take your grilled chicken breast, veggies and salad from last night's dinner and make a healthy tortilla wrap for work the next day. Roll a fat-free tortilla (preferably whole-wheat) in a mixture of crushed organic black beans mixed with salsa; spread the tortilla with fat-free cream cheese blended with cumin to taste; dress it up with a green leafy lettuce or two; and toss in your sliced and diced chicken. Voila--lunch is on, with a twist.