TITLE: Another Reason To Run Long Distances
AUTHOR: Eugene Wallingford
DATE: September 28, 2008 11:06 AM
DESC: 
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BODY:
From running coach and research physiologist
<A HREF="http://www.runcoachjason.com/">
   Jason Karp</A>,
Ph.D.:

<BLOCKQUOTE><EM>
... my research published in <STRONG>International Journal
of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism</STRONG> in 2006
showed that chocolate milk is just as good or better than
other recovery drinks after exhausting exercise.
</EM></BLOCKQUOTE>

According to Karp, other research suggests that I could
consume nearly four 8-oz. glasses of chocolate milk within
30 minutes after ending a hard run in order to take in the
0.7g of simple carbs per pound of body weight needed to
maximize the rate of glycogen synthesis and thus to speed
replenishment of my muscles stores.  The mix of carbs and
protein in the drink is almost ideal for the human body
under the conditions of hard work.

I heart chocolate milk.  Any activity that makes it not
only possible but <EM>recommended</EM> that I consume
plentiful amounts of it is okay by me.

Unfortunately, I don't usually drink my chocolate milk as
a post-run recovery drink.  I tend to drink mine in the
evening as a treat.  I rationalize that it is good to fuel
up before my early morning runs, which I do as soon as I
wake up and before eating or drinking anything.

But there is also research to support that not fueling up
immediately after a hard run can be a good thing, if done
appropriately.  Running marathons requires the largest
store of glycogen possible, a system that uses newly-ingested
glucose as efficiently as possible, and a system that uses
fat for fuel as efficiently as possible.  "Starving" the
muscles immediately after a workout that depletes glycogen
stores trains the body to use fat more efficiently and to
use newly-ingested glucose more efficiently.  Karp calls
this a "creating a threat to the muscles' survival", to
which the body responds effectively.  When you finally
rebuild glycogen stores later with carbo loading, the
muscles will store more than their previous capacity
allowed.  The human body is an amazing and wonderful
machine.

Quick update:  I ran 7 miles on Friday in under 56 minutes
-- nothing spectacular, but much faster than I have run in
over four months.   This morning I ran 11 miles, on one of
my hilliest routes.  The results of these runs are my first
30-mile week in over four months, legs that feel abused,
and a small headache from my lingering symptoms.  Thirty
miles ain't much, but right now it feels okay.

I may well drink a tall glass of chocolate milk this
evening.
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