How well do you fuel after a race?

You have put in the hard yards to get yourself to the start line but most importantly to get yourself across the finish line but what you do after the race has a far greater impact on how you recover so you can do it all again!

Recovery

It’s more than just sitting down, taking your shoes off and relaxing. Its now time to nourish your body in order to aid the healing process because even if you don’t feel it, your body is going to take some time to recover and the longer and more intense the race, the longer the recovery process. So what makes up recovery nutrition?

CARBOHYDRATES for refueling glycogen and improving protein absorption

PROTEIN for muscle repair and healing

ELECTROYLTES for rehydrating

We have done a few races in our time and there is no slowing down just yet so what does a Tarian recover with? We have three favourites that see us sufficiently nourished after a race, whether that be a fast 10km or a fast but steady ultra marathon.

Favourite recovery foods

Coconut water – A rich source of potassium and high in vitamin C this natural hydrating fluid is the ideal drink to help promote rehydration.

Chocmylk recovery smoothie – A combination of almond or oak milk, activated raw cashews, cacao raw chocolate, cacao nibs, cashew butter, dates and pea protein this smoothie is rich in protein, magnesium and carbs which instantly restores energy and promotes fullness.

Nut & seed crunchy slice – Packed with almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds, pepitas, currants and sesame seeds this slice is packed with protein and carb sources which help regulate blood sugars and help combat inflammation.

These three items are had within an hour of a hard training session or race and what comes after is just as important. Not only do you need to be mindful of the foods you eat post race i.e. stay clear of beer, saturated fats such as deep fried chips, onion rings and donuts you need to ensure the foods you eat hours even weeks later is aiding that continued recovery so ensure your meals include food items such as:

• Fresh fruit
• Raw nuts and seeds
• Green smoothies
• Green vegetables including kale and broccoli
• Wholefoods such as organic grains
• Lots of water
• Oh and of course raw dark chocolate – this is high in antioxidants and magnesium, which aids tissue repair and muscles

Scrambled tofu

After making our way home from a race we make our way straight to the kitchen to make a serving of scrambled tofu. Using organic tofu, we add a variety of vegetables such as spring onions, carrot, zucchini, mushrooms, kale, tomatoes and season with tamari and Dijon mustard. We then serve this goodness on a bagel or gluten free toast and are completely satisfied and our body is replenished of all nutrients ready for a full day of rest before training starts up again a day later!

As the saying goes “We exercise so we can eat and we eat because we exercise” but its what you eat that makes all the difference.