Diet and recovery for endurance running races require careful attention.
Personal Information:
Name: Ai Hua
Occupation: Researcher and Doctoral Supervisor at the Nutrition and Biochemistry Laboratory of the Institute of Sports Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital
Current Residence: Beijing
Regarding races and sports health:
About race & healthy:
1. What dietary preparations should participants in long-distance competitive running events make on the day of the race?
What should runners prepare (food & drink) for distance race, such as J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge (5.6 km)?
Since participants in the JPMorgan Corporate Challenge may be members of the general public, with at most some casual running hobby, it’s important to note the following before the run on the day: On one hand, you shouldn’t eat too much—opt for carbohydrate-rich foods such as bread, steamed buns, and rice. On the other hand, eat less meat and oily foods, including fruits and vegetables, to avoid overloading your stomach. This helps prevent stomach movement during the run due to excessive pre-run eating, which can impact performance and cause gastrointestinal discomfort. Since the Corporate Challenge takes place in the afternoon, try not to have an overly large lunch that day; sticking to mainly staple foods is advisable.
2. What daily dietary habits help build a runner’s physique and endurance?
What can help runners keep good physical strength in the race, from food & drink point of view?
From an exercise perspective, five kilometers is neither extremely short nor long. So, people who don’t regularly work out or don’t have a running habit may find it hard to complete the distance, and even those who do might feel very tired afterward and need several days to recover. Therefore, if you already have a running habit, it’s best to stick to running for two hours every day, or alternate in intervals—for instance, run for 10 minutes and walk for 5 minutes, then run again and walk again. This kind of interval running also works and helps prepare you for running five kilometers all at once. Of course, in addition to training your leg muscles, it's also essential to train your cardiovascular and respiratory systems.
From a dietary perspective, if you are someone who doesn’t normally run and aren’t an athlete but just a casual running enthusiast, a normal diet is sufficient—you don’t need to go out of your way to follow a special one. However, maintaining a long-term running habit does demand quite a lot from your leg and gluteal muscles, so you shouldn’t eat only vegetarian food; you should consume more animal protein such as milk, eggs, and lean meat. These provide animal proteins whose amino acid composition is closer to that of humans, which is beneficial when muscle damage or loss occurs after running and recovery is needed—the repair function of such animal-based proteins is better. So, yes, you should consume animal proteins, but there’s no need to eat them excessively. Maintaining your usual daily intake is enough—for example, having one or two taels of roasted meat, milk, or eggs will generally suffice.
3. What should runners promptly replenish after the race to restore energy?
What should runners have after the race to recover from the large energy consumption?
Since we are all non-professionals and haven’t undergone targeted training, unlike some elite athletes who eat immediately after a race—such as swimmers who have a meal right after a competition and then compete again in about an hour—we haven’t trained for that. Normally, after running, blood is distributed to the limbs and muscle systems, while very little goes to the gastrointestinal tract. If you suddenly eat a large amount, the lack of adequate blood supply can quickly cause discomfort. So, it’s better to rest for about half an hour before eating. Of course, drinking something like sugar water is fine—sports drinks, orange juice, carbonated beverages, or sugar water are all okay. After the race, it’s mainly important to replenish carbohydrates. You can start eating after about half an hour—for example, some bread or steamed buns that are high in carbohydrates.
4. Besides dietary replenishment, what else helps with post-race recovery?
What can they do to relax after the race?
Most people will definitely feel tired after running five kilometers, so natural rest is the way to go. Avoid engaging in further strenuous physical activities. Sitting is fine, and lying down isn’t necessary. If possible, taking a warm shower or a warm bath can promote blood circulation and aid localized recovery.
About Running:
About running & fitness:
5. What are the benefits of running for daily life?
What are the merits of running?
Running is actually a form of exercise strongly advocated by sports organizations and the World Health Organization. First, because it is extremely convenient, anyone can run anywhere and anytime. It is the simplest, most accessible, and appropriately intense form of exercise. Depending on one’s physical condition, you can run at different speeds and for different durations—whether jogging, running at a medium pace, or sprinting—all of these can provide effective workouts. Second, from an exercise standpoint, running benefits the thigh muscle groups and gluteal muscles. Additionally, the upper body is somewhat engaged during running, so this single activity manages to exercise most muscle groups. It also helps with cardiovascular and pulmonary system conditioning. Moreover, it aids in weight loss since it burns a significant amount of energy, making it a common choice among those looking to shed pounds. Third, we advocate for running because it is also a regular form of exercise. Unlike high-intensity, competitive sports like basketball, badminton, or tennis, which involve frequent collisions and intense movements that may lead to unnecessary sports injuries, running is rhythmic, allowing related muscles, ligaments, and bones to be exercised with minimal harm to the body. For older individuals or those with higher body weights, slow jogging causes even less physical strain.
6. What are the benefits of running for both physical and mental health?
How does running help enhance physique?
In this regard, running, as a form of exercise, is similar to other activities—although different people have different preferences. Running is certainly the most widespread, common, and convenient method, so it offers a high benefit-to-effort ratio, but it’s essentially similar to other forms of exercise. For instance, wealthy individuals might enjoy playing golf and derive pleasure and a sense of superiority from the experience. Meanwhile, ordinary people might choose to run in parks or other places, also enjoying the mood boost from the activity. For example, when feeling down, going for a run in a nice park can relieve stress and improve mood. Alternatively, if you don’t feel like running alone, you can join a club and work out under the guidance of a coach, which can also gradually lift your spirits and help release pressure.
7. How can one adopt and maintain running as a healthy lifestyle?
What’s the best way to get into and keep running as part of a healthy lifestyle?
Running is undoubtedly a healthy lifestyle and should be cultivated as part of your daily routine. But habits take time to develop—you shouldn’t rush it. As the saying goes, you can’t get fat with just one bite, and the same applies to running—you won’t be able to run five kilometers on day one without getting winded. So, it must be a gradual process. For example, run 1,000 meters on the first day, add 100 meters the next day, and keep increasing steadily day by day. Also, for beginners, don’t attempt to run long distances all at once on the first try. Run for five minutes, walk for ten, then run for another five. Alternating in this way reduces fatigue and mental pressure. As time goes on, gradually increase your running time and reduce walking time. This is the alternating method we recommend, but it requires starting with less running and more walking, then slowly increasing your running duration and distance. Lastly, for those with jobs, aim to run for 30 to 60 minutes a day. Based on this goal, you can determine how much time and distance you can realistically cover. It’s a long-term process, and some people may take a month to reach their optimal physical condition.
8. How do you balance running with a busy life?
How do you fit running into your busy lifestyle?
Some people live close to their workplaces and can walk to work. On weekends, they can deliberately set aside one to two hours to run in a park or gym. If your weekdays are hectic with a nine-to-five schedule and most of your time is spent commuting, leaving no room for running, then at least set aside one to two hours on the weekend for it. But it’s still best to engage in some form of daily activity. For example, many young people may enjoy sleeping in, but as they grow older, that habit fades. So instead of lounging in the morning, why not get up early, run for half an hour in the park, go home, have breakfast, and then head to work? The rest of the time can be adjusted based on individual circumstances. Exercising for 30 minutes, an hour, or even an hour and a half are all good options.