Fueling for Endurance Athlete

Exercise intensity and duration affect the intertwined metabolism of dietary fat and carbohydrates (Meksawana, Pendergast, Vladutiuc, & Awada, 2005).  In order to train for a long-term endurance event, like a marathon, the appropriate ratio of macronutrients should be tailored to counterbalance energy expenditure, stimulate recovery, and enhance the anabolic response to training.  Fueling for endurance performance should be designed to maintain glucose levels, delay glycogen depletion, and prevent dehydration; while recovery should be designed to rehydrate and resynthesize energy stores (Meksawana et al., 2005). 

A female marathon runner (65 kg) with a resting metabolic rate of 1,400 kcal that frequently trains in intense exercise bouts of 60 minutes/d has a very high activity level (2.0-2.2) that will increase her caloric intake to ~ 2800-3080 kcal/d.  In order to optimize performance and maintain balance, daily energy intake should be tailored depending on training regimen and exercise intensity.  Since the athlete aerobically trains early in the morning at least five times per week, between 45-60 minutes, and on the other two days completes muscular endurance training exercises, these different exercise schedules require different fueling and nutrient timing.  Carbohydrate intake should range between 8-12 g/kg, which is approximately 520-780 g/ and dietary fat should range between 0.8-1.0 g/kg,, which is about 52-65 g/d.  Endurance training increases protein breakdown and athletes need additional dietary protein between 1.2 to 1.7 g/kg/d, which is approximately 78 to 110.5 g/d (ADA 2009). 

On the endurance training days, the marathoner should first weigh herself in the nude and record her weight.  Three hours before training, she should consume a nutrient dense breakfast and at least 17-20 oz of fluid to fuel her energy expenditure.  As shown in Table 2, about 10-20 minutes before training and then during 15-20 minute intervals of training, the athlete should consume 7-10 oz of fluid and then throughout training ingest Gu packets with 60 grams of simple carbohydrates every hour.  Immediately following training, the athlete should weigh herself and tailor her fluid intake to replenish the fluid loss by 150%.  In order to enhance recovery, carbohydrates (50-75 g) should be consumed within the first 30 minutes and low-fat chocolate milk is a sufficient source of carbohydrates and protein.  As shown in Table 2, within two hours consume her post-exercise snack followed by lunch and dinner and these meal options are shown on Table 3.  During resistance training days, the dietary intake and recovery plan should be adjusted, as shown in Table 1.            

Table 1 Meals for Resistance Training 2-days/week

Day 1								Day 2
Breakfast								Breakfast
Food	Calories		CHO	FAT			PRO	Food	Calories	CHO	FAT	PRO
Skim Milk	86		12g	0g			8g	Skim Milk	86	12g	0g	8g
Coffee cup (8 fl oz)	2		0g	0g			0g	Coffee cup (8 fl oz)	2	0g	0g	0g
Whole Wheat Bagel, 1 Bagel	255		57g	1g			9g	Oatmeal	300	54g	5g	12g
Natural Peanut Butter -1 tbsp	95		4g	8g			4g	1 – large Apple	110	29g	0g	1g
Post-Resistance Training Recovery								Post-Resistance Training Recovery
Chocolate Low Fat Milk, 2.5 cup (8oz)	375		63g		6g		20g	Chocolate Low Fat Milk, 2.5 cup (8oz)	375	63g	6g	20g
Snack								Snack
Food	Calories		CHO		FAT		PRO	Food	Calories	CHO	FAT	PRO
Cliff bar	240		40		6		11	Cliff bar	240	40	6	11
Carnation Instant Breakfast with Skim Milk	220		27		1		13	Carnation Instant Breakfast with Skim Milk	220	27	1	13
Banana	120		31g		0g		1g	Banana	120	31g	0g	1g
Lunch								Lunch
Food	Calories	CHO				FAT	PRO	Food	Calories	CHO	FAT	PRO
Legume and Wild Rice soup – 4 cups	640	124				4	24	Burrito	230	36	7	8
Oranges – Tangerines, 1 small	37	9g				0g	1g	Brown Rice – 2 cup	433	90	4	10
Whole wheat Bakery Bread – 2 slices	180	34				4	2	Legume and Wild Rice soup – 4 cups	640	124	4	24
Dinner								Dinner
Food	Calories	CHO				FAT	PRO	Food	Calories	CHO	FAT	PRO
Eggplant Parm	279	31				11	5	Roasted Root Veg. - 1 cup	133	21	5	3
Rice Pilaf – 2 cups	433	90				4	10	Homemade Chicken Salad – 2oz	170	15	9	10
Grilled Zucchini	21	4				0	2	Whole wheat Bakery Bread – 2 slices	180	34	4	2
TOTAL	2983	525				45	110	TOTAL	3239	576	51	123

Table 2 Breakfast & Endurance Training Fueling 5 day/week

Food	Calories	CHO	FAT	PRO	Nutrient Timing
Breakfast
Skim Milk	86	12g	0g	8g	Consume breakfast and 17-20 oz of fluid about three hours before training
Coffee cup (8 fl oz)	2	0g	0g	0g
Whole Wheat Bagel, 1 Bagel	255	57g	1g	9g
Natural Peanut Butter -1 tbsp	95	4g	8g	4g
Breakfast TOTAL	438	73	9	21
Endurance Exercise Fueling
Before and Throughout Exercise
Gu - Energy Gel - Vanilla Bean, 3.3 oz	300	75g	0g	0g	Ingest 1 packet before training and then consume 1 packet every 30-mins during training (60 min total)
Gatorade - Cool Blue, 8 oz	50	14g	0g	0g	Consume 10-20 mins before training
Gatorade - G2 Perform - Low Calorie Grape Flavor, 1 container (16 fl oz (240 ml) ea.)	40	10g	0g	0g	Every 15 mins during training consume G2 and alternate between water
Post-Exercise Recovery
Chocolate Low Fat Milk, 2.5 cup (8oz)	375	63g	6g	20g	Within 30-min after exercise
Snack
Oatmeal	300	54g	5g	12g	Consume the snack within 2-hr after exercise
Exercise Fueling TOTAL	1,065	216	11	32
Breakfast & Nutrient Fueling for Endurance Training TOTAL	1,503	289	20	53	These values were then added to the other calories consumed during the remainder of the day

Table 3 Lunch & Dinner for 5 d/week

DAY 1
Lunch	Calories	CHO	FAT	PRO	Dinner	Calories	CHO	FAT	PRO
Low Fat Sour Cream, 1 Tbsp	20	1g	1g	1g	Whole Wheat pasta - 2 cup	800	164g	6g	28g
Steamed - Green Beans 1/2 cup	34	4g	1g	5g	Italian Tomato Sauce, 1 cup	80	12g	2g	3g
White Chicken Chili , 2 oz.	93	12g	1g	12g	Toasted whole wheat Bakery Bread – 2 slices	180	34	4	2
Potato - Small (1/2 Large - Baked Potato, 300 g 90 g	270	46g	0g	6g	Roasted Root Veg. - 1 cup	133	21	5	3
Daily TOTAL intake:	3,113	583	40	113
DAY 2
Lunch	Calories	CHO	FAT	PRO	Dinner	Calories	CHO	FAT	PRO
Homemade Chicken Parm	210	13	12	10	Asparagus w/ Olive Oil and Parmesan Cheese	87	4g	5g	5g
Toasted whole wheat Bakery Bread – 2 slices	180	34	4	2	Breaded Chicken Tenderloins – 3oz.	210	12	6	18
Whole Wheat pasta - 2 cup	800	164g	6g	28g	Brown Rice – 2 cup	433	90	4	10
Daily TOTAL intake:	3,423	606	57	126
DAY 3
Lunch	Calories	CHO	FAT	PRO	Dinner	Calories	CHO	FAT	PRO
2 hard boiled eggs	203	3g	15g	14g	Generic – Pork Tenderloin, Lean, 100 g	110	0g	3g	22g
Toasted whole wheat Bakery Bread – 2 slices	180	34	4	2	Veg Stir Fry, 1 portion	81	11g	3g	3g
Smart Balance – Omega Light Butter , 1 tbsp	50	0g	5g	0g	Brown Rice – 2 cup	433	90	4	10
1- large Apple	110	29g	0g	1g	Banana	120	31g	0g	0g
Daily TOTAL intake:	2,952	525	58	104	1 sweet potato	162	38	4	0
DAY 4
Lunch	Calories	CHO	FAT	PRO	Dinner	Calories	CHO	FAT	PRO
12-in Turkey Sub at Subway	640	96	14	40	Homemade - Whole Wheat Lasanga, 1.5 pc	287	29g	12g	18g
Trader Joe's - Celery & Carrot Sticks, 85 g	20	5g	0g	0g	Toasted whole wheat Bakery Bread – 2 slices	180	34	4	2
Pretzels, 1 package	230	47g	2g	4g	Steamed - Green Beans 1/2 cup	34	4g	1g	5g
Daily TOTAL intake:	2,894	504	53	122
DAY 5
Lunch	Calories	CHO	FAT	PRO	Dinner	Calories	CHO	FAT	PRO
12-in Turkey Sub at Subway	640	96	14	40	Grilled Chicken – 4 oz.	110	0	1	27
1- large Apple	110	29g	0g	1g	Side salad	150	18	6	7
Carnation Instant Breakfast with Skim Milk	220	27	1	13	Roasted Root Veg. - 1 cup	133	21	5	3
Daily TOTAL intake:	3046	511	47	144	Banana	120	31g	0g	0g

            Even though, it is difficult to attain these macronutrient ratios with her daily-recommended caloric intake, it is important that she does consume within the ranges.  This will ensure the marathoner that she will have enough fluid and fuel to maintain her training regimen and enhance her performance. 

References

Meksawana, K., Pendergast, D., Vladutiuc, G., & Awada, A. (2005). Effect of dietary fat intake on total body and white blood cell fat

oxidation in exercised sedentary subjects. Nutrition Research , 25, 225-237.

American Dietetic Association (ADA). (2009) Position of the American Dietetic Association,  Dietitians of Canada, and the American

College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and athletic performance. J Am Diet Assoc., 709-730.