Elite athletes eat differently....and less than normal athletes

Let me get this straight. Based on your observation of a handful of people eating one meal, you have concluded that you know (1) that these elite athletes eat less in a day, week, month, or year than non-elites, and (2) that your observation applies across-the-board to all elite athletes? I don't buy it.

Nevertheless, it is an interesting story.

They had probably eaten before hand knowing that buffet-style food is junk and would probably disturb their digestive systems. Ordinary runners probably had to pay to get to the race site, pay for their hotel, etc, and more than likely appreciated having a free meal, so they piled it on.

I don't know about everyone else, but I can't eat a thing for 6 or 7 hours after a marathon. I just don't feel like eating until my body starts to calm down.After that the pizza and Ben and Jerry's starts to flow.

Your sample size is really big though so you are probably 100% correct.

I am pretty sure i have see n some pretty top notch guys wolfing down pizza at the end of a race. At the 05' marathon champs in twin cities they had pizza and beer in the elite comp room after the race and plenty of the runners in that race wolfed down the pizza and knocked back a few ones. Most likely those at your race were trying to be csareful to not be spending the next 6 hours on the toilet. Interesting thought though.

I don't think any elites run solely on salad and meat.

According to your definition I am an "elite", so I'll have you know that I probably eat less than most and I still eat tons, yesterday was a whole pizza, 3 bananas, 1 very large sandwich, 16 oz juice, a nectarine, all my various sports and recovery drinks, a couple beers and various other snacks throughout the day. No real meals usually, but a constant supply of high-calorie food is necessary to keep the jets burning. However, after a marathon I might be able to sip on some gatorade and eat a small amount of light food, but it takes several hours before I'm able to tackel real food. There's your explanation.

P.S.: Studies of Kenyan marathoners have shown them to be at caloric deficiency during intense training, but it's hard not to be when you're burning 4,000+ calories/day.

now that i'm a has been, i don't eat nearly as much as i did when running mid 33's for the 10 (i'm a girl). as most have stated, your stomach is pretty torn up after an "elite" effort. it's not that you don't want to eat more right after the race, it's that you can't. but the party once you get your stomach back sure is fun!

I ran a marathon once.

An hour afterward I sure as hell didnt feel like eating a meal.

I've hurled after every single 5K race I've ever run, so not much eating after those. And the 10K, well, again, barfing is definitely an option and it takes me a long time to work up an appetite. I feel nauseous after most half marathons I run. Marathons kill my appetite for the whole day. I'm not elite, but running as hard as you can after training as hard as you can can dull the appetite, it would seem. Otherwise, I eat every damn thing I can put a hand to, and I'm sure the elites must as well. I'm at 100 miles a week pretty consistently these days in preparation for a fall marathon. If you didn't scarf large all the time, you'd wither up and die pretty quickly, it seems to me.

I think this poster has hit on a decent point (although a sample size of one, as the next poster pointed out, is far from ideal):

elite distance athletes that have their diets analyzed by trained professionals and get good marks probably do the following:

1. eat frequent meals

2. eat nutritious meals

3. eat in moderation

4. drink frequently (not referring to alcohol of course)

5. include their drink calories in their overall calorie count (not that they're necessarily counting, i.e. gatorade or sports drinks have calories and are considered part of the meal)

6. don't eat or drink much in the 2 hours before they go to sleep

7. eat carbs before the workout

8. incorporate more protein after workouts

9. supplement their diet with whatever vitamins, minerals, fatty acids (anything!)

10. eat unprocessed foods

Somewhere, a good while back on this board, someone linked to an interview done with Jack Batcheler and Jack mentioned a couple of times that he was a really big eater. I also recall reading somewhere that Shorter, by contrast, ate very little. I'd guess that you can't make an across the board statement about this. I don't eat very much, but I'm big and not nearly elite.

One thing that I have noticed is that after races where there is food I've been amazed at the amounts a LOT of runners eat. As a rule, I can't eat at all after a race and I suspect it's because I push myself harder than the typical modern racer does. I suspect you're seeing that same thing when you look at the post race eating habits of elite vs. average to slow runners.

ghost wrote:

Yes it seems obvious, but observation of the actions of elites compared with ordinary runners and sedentary people confirm the above.

coach:

christophe_moulton@yahoo.ca

I am slow as molasses but can't eat a thing after a marathon. Maybe a stiff drink and a warm bath, after an hour or so.

After a hard effort most top runners don't have much of an appetite. Before a race is a different story. I've been around 2:10 marathoners and sub 65 1/2 guys the night before. They can eat quite a bit. Two years ago one guy had a huge plate of pasta. When he was done we asked if he wanted anything else. He said "another plate" and we were floored. One guy Samuel Ndereba is very adament about "no vegatables". I do a very good impersonation of him saying that! I don't know if thats just before a race or always. Most of the Kenyan guys eat chicken, rice and tea.

The guy who won the full in montreal was Danny Kassap. He doesn't eat that much at once and doesn't eat that many sweets. His montreal story is pretty interesting; he did 3 x 5000 on tuesday in just over 15min. THen he did another workout in the pm with the university guys. Friday morning he did 90 min of hills. THen he got a call from a buddy in montreal saying some Kenyans had visa trouble and couldn't make it and the race was wide open. Since he is training for Scotia and had planned to do a 2 1/2 hour run on sunday anyway he decided to go do it as a long run! He actually ran smart stayed with the two morrocan guys until 20 miles. He realized they were taking turns getting water for each other and at the 20 mile water station he put in a surge when one guy went for water so it would be one on one. Then with 3 miles to go he pulled away for the win. THere was a bonus for leading at half which he got by one second. He said it was a bit of a tough course and a bit windy. After the race he was probably talking too much to eat anyway! He drove back to Toronto right after the awards which I can't imagine doing after a marathon.