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iRun because it makes me feel powerfulCarlene Paquette , Carp, ON

iRun because pecan pie, french fries and beer are chasing meTeresa Sterling , Ottawa , ON

iRun because it’s in meMichael Foley , Stittsville, ON

iRun because it reminds me that I am capable of so much more than I have doneJames Sauve , Ottawa, ON

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iRun because endorphins are freeCassandra Chouinard , Ontario

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iRun because I learn more about who I am with every kmSteph Mansell , Quebec

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iRun iRun because it is my tonic and my salvation Georgia Ioannou , British Columbia

iRun iRun for relaxation and to motivate my two sons Keith Bradbury , Newfoundland

iRun iRun because endorphins are free Cassandra Chouinard , Ontario

iRun iRun because somebody once told me I couldn't Heidi Abbey-Der , Saskatchewan

iRun iRun because couch potatoes die young Cathy Andrew , Ontario

iRun iRun because it's cheaper than therapy Leah Boulter , Alberta

iRun iRun because I like buying running clothes Pamela Blaikie , Ontario

iRun iRun slowly! Jason Hoffman , Manitoba

iRun iRun because iEat Sherry Maligaspe , British Columbia

iRun iRun because I learn more about who I am with every km Steph Mansell , Quebec

iRun iRun because it gives me freedom to relax my brain Marie-Claude Gregoire , Nova Scotia

iRun iRun at 50 years old because at 43 I couldn't Peter Cicalo , Ontario

iRun iRun because it's better than almost everything else Nathan Carey , Ontario

iRun iRun for my heart, so it runs for me! Cathy Brzoza , British Columbia

iRun iRun to inspire my children! Wendy Bowen , Manitoba

iRun iRun because it sure beats the bus Robin Robbins , Alberta

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iRun iRun to correct years of sedentary living! Mike Scott , Ontario

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iRun iRun because I like to be healthy Melanie Oickle , New Brunswick

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iRun iRun for the individual pursuit Robert Pelletier , New Brunswick

iRun iRun to satisfy the irresistible urge Tim Nixon , British Columbia

iRun iRun because I love the sense of accomplishment Amber Moase , Nova Scotia

iRun iRun to challenge my mind, body and soul Sonia Mendes , Ontario

iRun iRun because walking is too slow Barry Knapp , Ontario

Fuel Your Run: A Nutrition Blog by Beth Mansfield

Master Athletes Need to Eat Enough and On Time!

March 14th, 2010

Nutrition surveys suggest that most master athletes (anyone over 35 yrs of age) do NOT consume sufficient energy to support needs. They have a tendency to supply needed energy AFTER it is needed mainly because they are poor planners with many work, home and sport commitments or they are restricting their intake to achieve too fast a rate of weight loss leading to disordered eating patterns. Training on too few calories can lead to chronic fatigue, poor immune function, loss of muscle mass and decreased performance.

  • Practice makes perfect

Your digestive system (as well as your muscles) needs some training to be able to keep you well fueled during your training sessions (and competition). If you want to be able to eat and drink comfortably during your marathon (or longer) event, you need to be practicing that in training. Exercising hard while eating and drinking are not things that your body would normally prefer to do at the same time – but just like skiing fast, eating is a learned skill that requires the same amount of practice and attention to detail. If you plan on consuming 200-300 calories an hour and 1 litre of fluid (for example) during your race you need to practice consuming both of these in your training. Don’t skimp on fluid or calories during training!

  • So why do so many of us train on too few calories (and fluids)?

All it takes is getting dropped by the pack when the pace picks up or on a hill climb during training and it’s easy to start thinking that “if I just lost a couple of pounds I would be able to stay with the pack”. The problem with trying to diet while training is that the lack of calories and specific nutrients (especially carbohydrates) wreaks havoc on your muscles and immune system and makes you prone to injury. Taking in far fewer calories than what your body requires may result in the body attacking it’s own tissues, resulting in a a weakened muscular and immune system. Training, building muscle and following a sound diet are the best way to lose weight because it comes off slowly.

  • How much do you need to eat?

Track your intake for three days – don’t change anything. If you are able to answer yes to the following questions then you are likely eating enough:

  • Can you train without undue fatigue (i.e. you can train well throughout each training session)?
  • Are you maintaining your body composition (i.e. not losing muscle or gaining body fat?)
  • Do you have a fast recovery between training sessions (i.e. you are energized for each training session)?
  • Do you have optimal biological functioning (e.g. regular menstrual periods for women, able to sleep well, concentrate on the tasks at hand, etc)?
  • Is there an absence of health & performance issues?

If you answered YES to any of these questions then there are changes you can make to your eating patterns, food choices and timing of food intake to improve your health, your ability to train well and achieve peak performance in your sport.

My words of wisdom for optimal health and performance for master athletes are:

  • Get enough sleep
  • Eat snacks before and after working out
  • Rehydrate, refuel, rest up for recovery
  • Train properly
  • Keep a sport nutrition checklist
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3 Responses to “Master Athletes Need to Eat Enough and On Time!”
  1. the-running-chef Says:

    Eat properly before not after. I think I am starting to get it. So the margaritas would have been fine after the race.

  2. the-running-chef Says:

    Woops see still wrong. Should be before and after.

  3. Max Trainer Says:

    I don’t think it’s necessarily that they don’t eat enough…It’s more that most athletes don’t eat the right kinds of foods!

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