Protein is key for runners!

By Martin Bond, YSJActive Development Officer

Most people associate running with the need for carbohydrates. This is true to a certain extent, as these will be the main source of energy to get you through the 10k. However, most people are already likely to consume sufficient carbs, so you don’t really need to worry about it too much. I would argue that protein is more important (certainly during training). Protein helps our muscles to recover and repair. We also want to minimise using protein as a fuel source during the runs, as this will breakdown lean muscle mass.

It is recommended, that you aim for 1-1.6g per 1kg of body weight on a daily basis. For example, an 80kg person would require somewhere between 80-128g of lean protein on a daily basis. I personally pre-plan protein first and then workout the rest of the calories afterwards, as follows:

• Chicken breast = 34.5g (need another 45.5g)
• Eggs x2 = 12g (need another 33.5g)
• Protein yoghurt pouch = 25g (need another 8.5g)
• Add a bagel to go with the eggs = 8.5g (and there you go)
• There will also be some protein in the food that you add to the above, like pasta, rice etc.

I hope this blog was useful, and best of luck with your training. If you have any questions, please contact Martin Bond, YSJActive Development Officer at m.bond@yorksj.ac.uk.

Next up…a quick blog on calculating calories.