Running On Low Energy Blues

Jane has a very hectic work schedule and often finds herself training when her energy level is at a low point. 

Jane: Like many women, I have a crazy, busy job.  I commute at 6:30 AM every day and get home around 5:30 or 6:00.  I have two challenges:

1.  Fuelling for evening workouts – I don’t have time when I get home to eat before I workout/train.  I have lunch around noon which is normally a salad with salmon and an apple.  It is a challenge some days to eat a snack given the meetings I attend.  I often am doing my workouts hungry.  Any suggestions?

2.  Energy – at almost 48 years old and with a busy life – any suggestions on keeping up the energy levels?

Bennett: You certainly have a hectic schedule.  Finding time to fuel and train properly can be challenging. You eat a good healthy lunch.  Including additional carbs in your lunch will prove beneficial.

The 5-6 hour gap between lunch and your workout can wreck havoc with you blood sugar level (BSL).  Low BSL will negatively affect your energy level, motivation, mental focus, etc.

Eating a snack comprised of 80% carbs and 20% protein approximately 45 -75 minutes before your workout will stabilize your BSL, improving your physical and mental energy at workout time.  The protein prevents your BSL from spiking. If your BSL gets too high, your body produces insulin, resulting in a drop in BSL, thereby perpetuating the BSL (and energy) roller coaster ride.

Could the 45-75 minutes prior to your workout coincide with the end of work and beginning of your commute home? Fat free yogurt makes a great snack. If refrigerating your snack is not practical, try:

1. Dried fruit with some almonds or seeds
2. A low fat 80% carb/20% protein energy bar with water

Both are compact and portable. (I prefer the first option, the natural food choice).

For more information, check out “Fuelling for Training: What to Eat Before During and After You Exercise” by sports nutritionist and IAWR Faculty Member Nancy Clark Fuelling for Training.

To keep your energy levels up and enhance recovery from training, I cannot underestimate the importance of sleep.  Two articles that appeared in previous newsletters: “Run More Sleep Better or Sleep More Run Better?” Sleep Part 1 and “Eleven Tips for Better Sleep” Sleep Part 2.

Bennett Cohen (the Savvy Runner) and Gail Gould are the Founders and Presidents of the International Association of Women Runners (IAWR). To learn more about this global community of women who share a passion for running, visit www.iawr-connect.com.

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