Foods for restoring energy for runners

There was an article that stated the best time to replenish energy after a hard workout was within the first two hours. The article suggested that most of the food should be carbohydrate with a smaller portion of protein added. I tried to recall what type of food I ate after a hard workout. I have hard workouts in both weight lifting and running. I recalled one hard lifting weight workout and being offered a steak supper afterwards. I had no appetite for any food and even the steak supper didn’t appeal to me. An hour later after a shower and changing clothes my attitude about eating had changed and I was starving for a good meal. After a 20 mile run training for a marathon my first thought was to find a soft place to lay down and rest. After an hour long nap the need to eat some food became a primary focus. The difference between a workout with weights and a long run was after a run the main food has carbohydrates versus a steak after a weight workout. As I look back on those hard workout days and the need to recover some energy, any food was a good choice whether it was the steak or a pasta supper.

The article made me think about the refreshments organizers provide for runners after a 5k or 10K race. Some big races and marathons go all out providing food for the runners. Having been responsible for providing food for runners after races is a learning on the job sort of thing. The choice of providing a nice refreshment table of food versus a couple of cookies and some Gatorade was often the first decision to make. The decision after a few races is that if you provide some good choices and enough food to feed a hungry runner who didn’t eat breakfast the chances are they will come back next year to your race. If the runner gets a few cookies for refreshments there is a good possibility that they get an impression of the race as a cheap one and will not return for your race next year.

A few tips on the selection and preparation of food for refreshments is offered to race organizers thinking of organizing a race to raise some funds for your group. If you offer oranges it is best to cut them in quarters. This makes it easy for a runner to eat and is satisfying with some juice to quench the thirst and some fiber to fill them up. Whole oranges that need to be peeled and getting juice all over the hands and clothes is not a plan to follow. The one thing that makes quartering oranges a difficult choice is somebody has to bring a nice sharp knife, a cutting board, and a pan or bowl to put the quarter oranges in after they are cut. This can be done during the race and you will need a cover for them to keep the bugs away. Adding some ice chips to keep the oranges cool is an added plus.

Bananas are always a favorite. Bananas are relatively inexpensive and runners love them. It is best to break a bunch of bananas up into single pieces. I have seen on more than one occasion where a runner will pick up the entire bunch with the idea of having bananas for a few days after the race. I have seen some races where the bananas were cut in half. This makes it easier for a runner to peel and eat. The other side of cutting a banana in half is that after being exposed to air for a short time the meat of the banana starts to change color. It is best to cut them when the runners are in front of the table.

Donuts are always a welcome choice for runners. If you can provide the big raised donuts with some frosting the chances of having any donuts left over is slim. Donuts can be expensive. One suggestion is to visit a donut shop and ask if you can have the leftover donuts from the day. About two or three days before the race and collecting the leftover donuts you might have enough to give to the runners on the day of the race. Cake donuts are good but not a favorite for runners for some reason. One tip is the donuts should not be put on the refreshment table until the race is over. Putting them out before that time will find visitors, children of the runners, and volunteers eating most of them.

Cookies are an easy after race refreshment. The oatmeal and raisin along with chocolate chips are the favorites for most runners. If organizers want to go big time choices can include breakfast tacos, cups of chili or hamburgers and hot dogs. We had a few races where one of the volunteers brought a grill and made the hamburgers fresh and hot that the runners appreciated. Condiments are necessary.

After race refreshments is one thing runners will remember and return for next year’s race.