The Runner's Cookbook: More than 100 delicious recipes to fuel your running

CONTENTS

Foreword

Introduction

Part One: HOW TO EAT LIKE A RUNNER

Calculate your Calorie Needs

Carbohydrate

Protein

Fat

Eat a Rainbow of Colours

Hydration

Running and Weight Loss

Recovery from Injury

Sports Nutrition Products and Supplements

Part Two: FUELLING YOUR RUN

Before a Run

During a Run

After a Run

Fuelling for Different Distances

Fuelling for a 5K

Fuelling for a 10K

Fuelling for a half-marathon

Fuelling for a marathon

Fuelling for an ultra race

Part Three: RECIPES

Breakfasts

Salads

Soups

Main Meals

Vegetarian Main Meals

Desserts

Snacks

Smoothies and Recovery Drinks

References

Jo Pavey crosses the line to win the Women’s Bupa London 10,000m run in 2011

FOREWORD

The Runner’s Cookbook is a brilliant and informative book for runners who want to optimise their nutrition, while eating delicious food. I’ve always been impressed by Anita’s amazing ability to dispense her immense knowledge in a clear and understandable way, as well as her capacity to inspire and motivate people to lead healthy lifestyles. My diet has played a crucial role throughout my career as a long distance runner. Following the right nutrition has significantly helped me prepare for training, compete and recover from injuries.

I find that when I eat is just as important as what I eat. The Runners Cookbook is so much more than a just a cookbook; it also provides a wealth of technical information to guide you on how to source nutrition that caters for your particular needs as a runner, fuel your body before, during and after runs, prepare for competitions and the different requirements for different length races. Anita addresses the questions that plague so many runners, like how to avoid hitting the wall and how to ensure adequate hydration.

This accessible guide is an indispensable resource that will inspire and provide runners with the confidence to make good diet choices. It’s a must for any runner who wants to benefit from healthy and exciting nutrition, to get the most out of their running.

Jo Pavey, five-time Olympian and European 10,000m Champion 2014

INTRODUCTION

If you’re looking for tasty, straightforward yet highly nutritious recipes to fuel your running, then you’ve opened the right book! In fact, this isn’t simply a cookbook. It’s a sports nutrition resource and a practical guide to race preparation too. Here you’ll find evidence-based advice on running nutrition as well as practical tips on what to eat and drink before, during and after your runs. You’ll learn how to optimise your recovery and hydration; achieve your ideal racing weight; choose the right sports nutrition products and deal with common problems such as running weight gain and hitting the wall. There are strategies on how to fuel for your race whether you’re running a 5K, 10K, half-marathon, marathon or an ultra-race.

I’ve been working with athletes from Olympic level, to club runners and weekend fitness warriors for more than 25 years. In this time, I’ve seen a huge proliferation of sports nutrition information on the internet, in magazines and social media. With the rise of celebrity healthy eating gurus, wellness bloggers and social media stars, everyone suddenly seems to be an expert on diet. It’s hard to know who to believe or trust. Having half a million Instagram followers and a six-pack appears to count more than having proper nutrition qualifications! The problem is that much of the advice you find out there is poor quality, not backed by science and often confusing and conflicting. Should you go high- or low-carb? Is gluten in or out? And is clean eating still a thing? The result is that lots of runners are now more confused than ever about what they should be eating.

However, basic advice about what to eat hasn’t really changed and decades of high-quality scientific research supports a diet based on wholefoods, with plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables, beans, nuts and grains. We should also go easy on sugar, red meat and highly processed foods. But on the other hand, I’m not a food evangelist – I’ll have some chocolate or a glass of wine when I want. I don’t believe in setting strict food rules or banning any food as that only makes you feel miserable and can lead to guilt if you break the rules. It all comes down to combining an active lifestyle with a balanced approach to eating and having the confidence to make your own healthy choices.

Part Three provides more than 100 recipes, created to match the nutritional needs of runners. They’re all healthy and balanced and are packed with vitamins, minerals and health-promoting nutrients. As a runner, you will need highly nutritious foods to fuel your training and promote recovery. I’ve also provided a full nutritional breakdown of each recipe.

Although I am a life-long vegetarian, I do not necessarily promote the same way of eating for everyone. I appreciate that a diet without meat and fish is just not practical or may be a step too far for many. I believe that everyone should have the freedom to eat the way that best fits their set of beliefs around food. I don’t expect everyone to eat the same way as me; I just happen to believe that eating less meat is healthier, more compassionate, sustainable and better for our environment. The truth is our food choices are based on personal, ethical, cultural beliefs as well as taste preferences, habits and financial constraints. Which is why it simply isn’t possible to prescribe a one-size-fits-all diet. For this reason, I have provided a wide range of meat, poultry, fish, vegetarian and vegan dishes to suit your personal preferences. I hope, though, that many of these dishes will give you inspiration to try new foods and recipes.

All in all, I hope that this book will give you clear direction when it comes to choosing food for maximum performance. I also hope it will encourage you to try some new foods and dishes, increase the enjoyment you get from food and become a faster runner!

Anita

PART ONE

HOW TO EAT LIKE A RUNNER

Gone are the days when running was regarded as a licence to eat whatever you like (although some still see it that way!). We now know that what you eat can make a massive difference to your health and your running performance. There is overwhelming evidence from scientific studies that a good nutrition plan can support an athlete’s training and performance. It will provide the energy and nutrients to help you train harder, increase your stamina and strength, perform better, recover more efficiently, stay healthy and free of illness, and give you a competitive edge. Nutrition is also critical when it comes to optimising your body composition, whether your goal is fat loss or muscle gain. In a nutshell, good nutrition will help you get the most out of your training and perform to your full potential.

There is no single diet that’s right for everyone – we all have different nutritional requirements – and an eating plan that suits your running buddy may not work for you. There is a broad scientific consensus as to the amounts and proportions of different food types that you should eat for optimal health and performance. The most recent guidelines are those published jointly by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the Association of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) and Dietitians of Canada (DC). I’ve used these as the basis for the advice in this chapter, which, along with the recipes in this book will give you the confidence to know you have chosen a healthy and enjoyable diet to support your running.

CALCULATE YOUR CALORIE NEEDS

The biggest difference between your nutritional requirements and those of your non-running friends is your calorie (kcal) expenditure. You’re burning between 500 and 800 kcal per hour running, depending on your pace, body weight and terrain, or approximately 62 kcal per km (100 kcal per mile) for a runner who weighs 60kg. It’ll be slightly more if you weigh more than 60kg or are a less efficient runner – both of which require that you use more energy to cover the same distance.

However, burning all those calories doesn’t mean you can eat pizzas, crisps and drink beer to your heart’s content. It’s important that you match your energy input with your energy output to prevent weight gain and to achieve improvements in performance.

This can be quite tricky, especially when you first take up running, as you may feel hungrier than usual. However, try to listen to your body and only put back the calories that you took out, rather like balancing your bank account. The good news is that appetite tends to automatically adjust to your energy needs with regular training.

How many calories do I need a day?

There are numerous online calculators that determine your daily calorie needs based on your gender, height, weight, age and activity level. Alternatively, here’s a quick method that will give you a rough idea of your calorie requirements.

Step 1: Estimate your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR)

Your RMR is the number of calories your body requires to maintain itself at rest. As a rule of thumb, RMR uses 22 calories for every 1kg of a woman’s body weight and 24 calories per 1kg of a man’s body weight.

Women: Your weight (kg) x 22

Men: Your weight (kg) x 24

For example, a 60kg female runner will have a RMR of 60 x 22 =1320 kcal; a 70kg male runner will have a RMR of 70 x 24 = 1680 kcal.

Step 2: Multiply your RMR according to how active you are during the day (see the box below to work out your multiplier)

For example, a moderately active female 60kg runner will require 1320 x 1.4 = 1980 kcal; a moderately active 70kg male runner will require 1680 x 1.4 = 2520 kcal.

This figure tells you roughly how many calories you burn a day. Consuming this number of calories will allow you to maintain your weight or at least prevent weight gain, assuming you have an ‘average’ body composition. More muscular athletes with a low body fat percentage, may require slightly more.

Step 3: To lose weight, subtract 15%

If you want to lose weight, reduce your daily calorie intake by 15 per cent (i.e. multiply the figure by 0.85). For example, to lose weight, an active 60kg female runner would need to consume 1980 x 0.85 = 1683 kcal; an active 70kg male runner would need 2530 x 0.85 = 2150 kcal.

Step 4: To gain weight, add 20%

To gain weight, increase your daily calorie intake by 20 per cent or multiply the figure above (maintenance calorie needs) by 1.2 and incorporate at least two or three sessions of strength training in your weekly training programme.

CARBOHYDRATE

Carbohydrate provides a fuel source for every cell in the body, including your muscles. Glucose is made into glycogen, which is stored in the cells of the liver and muscles. The liver can store a maximum of 100g of glycogen and the muscles a maximum of 400g, equivalent to a total of 500g or 2000 kcal worth of energy in an average person. This is a relatively small amount compared to your fat stores, which can be several kilos. Most people have 90–120 minutes’ worth of glycogen that they can use when running. When glycogen stores are depleted, fatigue sets in and you will need to slow down your pace.

During running, you burn a mixture of fat and carbohydrate but the relative proportions depend on your pace. When you’re running at a moderate or fast pace, your muscles use mainly carbohydrate. When you’re running slowly, your muscles will burn mainly fat. Essentially, carbohydrate is a ‘fast’ fuel because it breaks down and produces energy fast; fat is a ‘slow’ fuel because it produces energy slowly. You can produce up to 25–30 kcal per minute from carbohydrate but only 6 kcal per minute from fat.

As a rule of thumb, the longer and faster you’re running, the more glycogen you use up. During slow- to moderate-pace running, the muscles can burn a greater proportion of fat, which is why you can keep going for longer before you feel fatigued.

When your glycogen stores become depleted, your capacity for high-intensity exercise will be limited and you will experience, in the short term, reduced endurance and early fatigue as you run out of readily available fuel. In the long term, you will have slower recovery and decreased immune function, making you more susceptible to illness and infection.

How much carbohydrate should I eat?

Here are the current guidelines for daily carbohydrate intake. However, your needs will vary day to day depending on how active you are, how long and how fast you run. So, you’ll need to eat more carbohydrate on days when you do your longer and higher intensity runs; less when you do easy (slow) runs or recovery sessions or on rest days. The key is to adjust carbohydrate intake to your training requirements. In other words: fuel for the work required.

Baked Sweet Potato with Houmous, Beetroot and Avocado provides 47g of carbohydrate per serving

For example, if you weigh 70kg and do one hour of running at a moderate pace, you’ll need approximately 70 x 5 = 350g carbs per day, which looks something like this:

1 bowl porridge (75g oats) + banana + nuts

1 handful nuts + seeds

1 baked potato (200g) + tuna or cheese + salad + fruit

1 flapjack or fruit and nut bar + 500ml milk

1 bowl pasta (75g) + grilled chicken or beans + veg

Plain yogurt (150g) + fruit (80g)

On very light training days, you’ll need approximately 70 x 3 = 210g carbohydrate per day, which looks something like this:

2 eggs + 1 slice toast + tomatoes

1 handful nuts + seeds

Tuna (or lentil) + rice salad + fruit

150g plain yogurt + 80g fruit

Chicken (or tofu) + vegetable stir-fry + 100g cooked noodles

150g plain yogurt + nuts

Which types of carbohydrate should I eat?

There are different types of carbohydrate and some are more beneficial to health and performance than others. Previously, carbohydrates were classified as ‘complex’ (starch) and ‘simple’ (sugars) but this simply refers to their chemical structure, not to their effect on blood glucose. It is incorrect to think that complex carbohydrates are absorbed more slowly than simple carbohydrates – in fact, the opposite is often the case. For example, white bread, rice and breakfast cereals (complex carbohydrates) are absorbed faster than apples and bananas (simple carbohydrates).

Carbohydrates are sometimes classified by their glycaemic index (GI), which is a measure of their effect on blood glucose levels relative to glucose. This means high GI carbohydrate foods