How trail runners should fuel their bodies for success, and to avoid health problems
Many trail runners don’t consume enough calories in races, which can lead to long-term health issues. Hong Kong experts advise what to eat
If you are hitting the trails this season – for training or a race – make sure you pack in enough fuel during your runs. Almost half of trail runners do not consume enough calories, a new study has revealed.
The findings, based on a study of nearly 2,000 trail runners, found women and men generally ate well before a race. But 48 per cent reported consuming fewer carbohydrates than the recommended amount during events lasting more than 2½ hours.
The researchers also found around half of the women studied showed symptoms of low energy availability (LEA) – a condition in which athletes do not eat enough calories to meet their training demands, causing the body to run at an energy deficiency – and unhealthy eating habits, double the rate for men.
The study results, published in the International Journal of Exercise Science, chime with research conducted by Hong Kong-based nutrition health coach Vicky Sham.
Sham surveyed 262 women runners in Hong Kong to measure rates of LEA.
She found 40 per cent of participants were at risk of LEA and 48 per cent were classified as having unhealthy eating habits.
