We’re in the middle of the cross-country season for middle and high schools, and fueling couldn’t be more important than it is right now. In a nutshell, what should runners be worried about before their race? Carbohydrates and Hydration. Narrow the focus and keep them from bonking during the race. First up, carbohydrate fueling for a cross country race…
Carbohydrates
Without giving an entire lesson on carbohydrate metabolism—know that carbohydrates are SUPER important to sustain energy for the race. You need quick energy during high-intensity exercise like the kind in a cross-country race. Your muscles take what they can tap into. They prefer to use the stored energy already in the muscles first, rather than taking it from the blood. This stored energy is called glycogen.
For this to happen, the muscles have to be full, not halfway full, but full. You might have heard terms like carb-loading; this is the premise behind this practice. Real carb-loading takes place for several days of increasing carbohydrate intake while tapering back glycogen-depleting exercise. There isn’t a lot of tapering happening during middle and high school cross country season, so that means proper nutrition on all days of the week is even more important. A high school athlete can work to load their muscles starting a few days before the race and eat a good carb-heavy meal the night before the race.
Carbohydrate Foods to Focus On:
- Fruits and Vegetables
- Grains (quinoa, farro, millet, rice)
- Pasta
- Bread
- Dairy (milk, yogurt)
- Beans and lentils (black beans, chickpeas, pinto beans)
- Cereals and oatmeal
How Much?
Every athlete needs a different number of carbohydrates because it’s based on weight and activity level. If you want a number, stick with 5-12 grams of carbs per kilogram of body weight each day. The lower end of this range is where most middle and high school athletes are; the upper end of this range is for high-intensity training >12 hours /week.
However, it might be more helpful to go with servings. Eat multiple servings of carbohydrate foods at each meal and snacks.
One-Day Meal Example for a 140 pound athlete (63kg) running 6 hours a week with a goal of 6-7 grams of carbs per kg of body weight
- Breakfast: Yogurt parfait with 10 ounces yogurt, 1/2 cup raspberries, 1/4 cup granola, OJ – 87 grams carbohydrate
- Lunch: Turkey sandwich on wheat, 2 clementines, pretzels, mozzarella cheese stick, milk- 81 grams carbohydrate
- Dinner: Grilled chicken, brown rice, pinto beans, salsa, cheese, sour cream & milk – 111 grams carbohydrate
- Snacks: Applesauce packet, granola bar, beef stick, banana, sports drink – 96 grams carbohydrate
- Treats: Chocolate chip cookie, ice cream: 40 grams carbohydrate
Total for day: 415 grams of carbohydrate
When to Eat?
If your race is in the morning, you need to be eating 2-3 hours before your race and then a quick carb snack (like an applesauce packet, or an orange) 45 minutes before your race. You don’t want anything high in fat or high in fiber before your race, because it will slow down your digestion and you could have some gut issues during your run. Sorry, but leave the bacon, sausage, and bran muffins for another morning.
If your race is in the afternoon, eat a normal breakfast and lunch with a snack in between if you can. Then bring a snack for after school that can fit in your backpack to eat before the race. Go HERE to get some ideas for what to bring in your backpack.
