Run Like A Champion

By Karen Vertigan Pope

Marathon runners use carbohydrates and fats to fuel their bodies. Fats are burned aerobically and carbohydrates are burned anaerobically and aerobically. For runners, carbohydrates are the fuel of choice, however carbs will only sustain a marathon for the first 18 to 20 miles in a race. This includes even the most gifted runners who start the race fully fueled. To run like a champion, you need nutrition for champions, with a good diet that is high in carbs and a beneficial combination of vitamins.

A good running strategy is to start running more slowly so that fuel is burned aerobically. By doing that, you use up your fat stores first. By running too fast too soon your body goes into an anaerobic state and you burn your stores of carbohydrates, thereby depleting your stored muscle glycogen. Glycogen is what an elite runner uses for fuel late in the race. Truly champion's edge nutrition.

Diet is the single most important factor an athlete can manipulate if he or she is going to go the distance in a marathon race. Days before the race, an elite runner will eat a diet that is about 65% carbohydrates to build up the glycogen stores in their bodies.

Champion runners are capable of running an entire marathon without loosing all of their glycogen. It takes consistent practice and a consistently high carbohydrate diet. Champion runners practice from 10K to a half marathon during training. Also, they understand their bodies and have a sense of pace. The sense of pace pays off during a marathon because they can sense a slight pacing disruption and react to correct it.

By mimicking the champions runners, you will reap the benefits. Here are some methods for doing that:

* Practice running at your marathon pace during your training
* Practice surging during your training runs to get your more comfortable with changes in your pace.
* Practice longer, sustained intervals at a marathon pace
* Practice running faster than a marathon pace in shorter races such as the 10K to half marathon
* Eat a diet that is consistently 65% carbohydrates.
* Eat higher amounts of carbohydrates before the race
* Start the race at a slower pace so glycogen stores aren't depleted early in the race
* Make the second half of the race faster than the first half
* Supplement your diet with Vibe, the best supplement for runners

Eniva Vibe, amazing new liquid nutrient technology, is available from Nutrition for Champions

Karen Vertigan Pope writes for Ciniva Systems, an award winning Virginia web design company. Ciniva specializes in web design and SEO. Ms. Vertigan Pope is the Project Support Manager of Ciniva Systems. Ciniva Systems is in charge of SEO for http://www.NutritionForChampions.com

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