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So other than crawling up the walls at home and being a complete idiot at home, I need to taper. I've never really tapered before. I mean I was really fat and lazy in college but I don't think you are supposed to taper for 4.5 years. I do remember the swimmers in my fraternity tapering before their big year-end races. They were little bundles of energy by the end of the week. That's what I want to be like by the end of this week. However, I don't know how to do it. I mean I know I am supposed to back way off the miles which won't be a huge problem, but what am I supposed to do when I eat and the other 22 hours in the day? I am going to give up the booze for starters. While I am getting back to liking beer again and wine is a sweet, sexy lady, I need to give it up. Now the question that has me stumped... What am I supposed to eat?
I have read different things from different corners of the internet that give anything from upping the carbs (whole wheat type stuff) and cutting out proteins from animals to a dropping carbs and stacking up on protein. There are many different opinions out there and I don't know what to do. To kind of follow up that question, I have also been experiencing some Exercise Induced Explosive Arse. Anywhere from mile 8 - mile 12 of my runs over the past several months, I have experienced... well, the runs. I think if I can solidify up my diet this week I can nip that problem in the butt (pun intended).
So what has worked for you when tapering and with your diet? I'd like to know.
I don't think I have tapering down to a science, and I'm not really going to change my diet any this week... however for the past several weeks I've been eating 3 bagels a day at work (I eat small lunches/dinner) so I should have PLENTY of carbs. Sometime later this week I'll fix some whole wheat which will be enough for 3-4 meals.
ReplyDeleteI think they say that a few days before your race, 75-90% of your caloric intake should be carbs. That seems like a really high percentage to reach for, but gives you an idea of what to go for.
The most important thing is to not increase the amount of food you're eating, just reduce the percentage from fats and increase the percentage from carbs.
Good luck on Sunday!
Somebody else telling you what to eat (before, during, and after your run) is like somebody telling you how to have sex. What works in your bedroom may not fly in mine. Everyone is different. If you can start with that, then the rest is just a matter of time and experimenting.
ReplyDeleteWith that said, I can tell you what works for me (eating, not sex). Leading up to a big race, I'll start about two weeks out and have an extra serving of pasta. Then the week before I'll try to have two extra servings of pasta. We usually do spaghetti every other week or so in my house, so it's just a matter of asking for more of it. Beyond that, I don't do anything special until race day (which is another question all together).
Since I don't really believe in the full-blown taper like most runners (yet another story for another time), I generally don't change anything else in my diet. I still eat the same stuff I trust because I don't want to have GI issues. And as I get further into the pre-race paranoia phase, I'll really clamp down a few days before the race to prevent any potential for bad food reactions. I'm allergic to a lot of stuff so I'm always careful but I crank it up a notch as I get closer.
From everything I've read, the extra carbs will slowly build up in the weeks leading up to the race. But, like sex, things will vary depending on your distance. I just did a 20 mile race with no carb loading in the weeks prior and did okay. A half marathon I'd probably do nothing special until a day or so before. But a marathon or ultra and I'd be loading up in the weeks prior.
I think most runners worry about tapering and what to eat, etc. It's hard to figure out. I started cutting out the crap I was eating the week before, got even more serious the week off. The week off I had a light pasta dinner Thursay, Friday, and Sat. Which, we eat pasta at least once a week, usually more, in our house so this wasn't anything new or out of the ordinary. The morning off, I ate what I normally eat before a long run and did fine.
ReplyDeleteGood luck Sunday, you're going to kill it!