'26.2' - The Marathon Training Website:
Maximizing Energy For
Endurance
by Mike Stapenhurst
If you like to participate in events like
marathons, triathlons and long distance cycling you know how
important it is to manage the energy reserves stored in your
body. This is not an easy thing to do, quite simply because on
any given day we don’t really know how much energy we do have…
How
we store energy
The food we eat every day provides us with the energy we need for
our regular daily activities. When we consume complex carbohydrates
like bread, pasta and rice the body converts them to glucose, which
is used to provide the energy we need. The excess glucose not needed
immediately is converted to glycogen and stored in the liver and
muscles.
How we use energy
When we exercise, the body uses up its
available energy quite quickly. It then draws on the stored glycogen
reserves, which is what helps to keep us going in endurance events.
Unfortunately the body’s ability to store glycogen is limited. As
glycogen stores decrease the body turns to stored fat for it’s extra
energy. Converting this fat into energy takes some time and it is
not as efficient as glycogen. This is one reason why athletes tend
to slow down in the later stages of the event, especially if they
are trying to burn energy at a faster rate than it can be produced.
How far can we go?
An athlete weighting 150 lbs can store approximately 1800 calories
as glycogen. This is good for 2 – 3 hours of effort depending on the
intensity. Many marathoners for example, hit the wall around miles
18 – 20 because they have depleted their glycogen reserves.
This is
why training is so important - it conditions the muscles to store
more glycogen. Endurance training also accustoms the body to burning
fat for energy as the available glycogen decreases.
Nutrition supplements
Many athletes use power bar bars and gels to supplement their
energy stores during an event. Depending on the sport, these may or
may not work for you. As a runner I have a hard time digesting
things like power bars or even gels during a marathon. You certainly
need to try these out during your training, before using them in a
race.
Maximize Your Energy
Reserve
No product can act as a substitute for proper training. If you have
missed some key workouts don’t expect to be able to do your best
just by
taking nutritional supplements.
Experienced endurance athletes
know how to pace themselves properly.
-
Go out too fast at the
start and you will inevitably use up your available energy long
before the finish line!
-
Charging up hills will have the same result
-
Hot weather will really exhaust your energy
supplies, unless you have trained under similar conditions
-
Under-hydration will also sap your energy -
slow down for that drink!
If you have done the training, and you use
an appropriate nutritional supplement during the event, you should
be able to achieve your best on that particular day.
~~~~~~~~~~
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