Energy surplus gives you a better feeling along the way, and it provides your body with better conditions to recover after the run. This ensures continuity and makes each run easier.
Swedish makes it easy to keep energy stores full. They do this with products based on their patented Hydrogel technology, allowing high carbohydrate absorption while reducing stomach issues. The products are ideal to use , but they also make sense in everyday training.
Energy in Everyday Life
Running is a demanding sport, both mentally and physically. The mental struggle to get out the door is something we all face occasionally. Most also know the feeling after a tough run when your body's energy didn't match the demand.
Diet is crucial here, because if you suddenly change what your body needs to accomplish in a day, such as adding a run to your schedule, you must also increase what your body requires, whether you have two or ten weekly training sessions.
Your body has its own glycogen stores, which can take you so far. But if you run at a high heart rate, an article from the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise shows that you risk depleting these stores if training lasts longer than an hour. Consuming some carbohydrates during can be relevant.
One of the easiest ways to add energy in daily life is through concentrated carbohydrates, which are , for example, in the form of gels like Maurten Gel 100 and Gel 160 or energy powder like Maurten Drink Mix 160 and Drink Mix 320.
Maurten's products don't fill the stomach like an extra meal, making them easy to incorporate into daily life. They are small and practical solutions, easy to carry in your bag at school or work, so you don't have to worry about energy deficit.
Despite the many benefits, be aware that energy intake can affect some of the training response associated with endurance training.
See It as More Training for Race
The real reason gels are small and compact is so you can bring them during training and race.
For many, gels are closely associated with racing, and they are absolutely necessary if you want to perform your best. But only as long as you can tolerate them. Therefore, it's a good idea to train carbohydrate intake during training before .
Maurten specifically recommends topping up your glycogen stores the day before the big race day. The famous pasta or pizza carb-loading can be supplemented with Maurten's Drink Mix 360, which contains 80 grams of carbohydrates.
After a good night's sleep and a carbohydrate-rich breakfast, you can drink a Drink Mix 160 or eat a Solid 160 Bar, each containing 40 grams of carbohydrates, one to four hours before the run.
During warm-up, consider a Gel 100 with 25 grams of carbohydrates or a Gel 160 with 40 grams.
Maurten also suggests taking two Gel 100 during a half marathon and six Gel 100 during a marathon (one for every six kilometers).
That's a lot of carbohydrates, and it's widely recognized that you should train the stomach, also known as gut training. Nutrition expert Asker Jeukendrup explains in his scientific article "Training the Gut for Athletes" how the stomach is an organ that can be trained to optimize carbohydrate absorption.
This applies whether you're an athlete or a recreational runner wanting to get the most out of your hard work in training.
Fortunately, Maurten has made it easy for you. Maurten's products are based on their innovative Hydrogel technology. It makes it easier for carbohydrates to pass through the stomach to the small intestine, where they are absorbed.
Training is as simple as consuming carbohydrates before and during your training sessions. This way, your body learns to absorb and burn energy during running, just as it should on race day.
Can Improve Recovery
It's obvious that a run requires energy, but your body's energy level after running is just as important as during training. Your body uses energy to rebuild itself, and if it can't, the next session becomes more challenging than necessary.
You might know the feeling of wanting to eat everything in the fridge after certain runs. The body demands energy after training.
You can preempt this feeling by consuming carbohydrates during training. Besides not depleting your own stores as significantly, the scientific article "Recovery of the Immune System after Exercise" describes how carbohydrate intake during training can dampen the body's stress response.
At the same time, you avoid overeating after training without missing out on the meal's essential nutrients, making the rest of the day and the next run more pleasant.
Energy intake is individual and nuanced, but we all need carbohydrates. Try different things. You'll likely find something that works for you, while other things may need to be discarded. These are valuable experiences to gain under somewhat controlled conditions, like in training.
offers a wide range of energy products designed to help you reach your full potential.
And once you have your energy sorted, find the market's best running shoes for race day and the best trainers .
Sources
- Jeukendrup, Asker E. “Training the Gut for Athletes.” Sports Medicine (Auckland) [Cham], vol. 47, no. Suppl 1, March 2017, pp. 101–10, https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-017-0690-6.
- Peake, Jonathan M, et al. “Recovery of the Immune System after Exercise.” Journal of Applied Physiology (1985) [BETHESDA], vol. 122, no. 5, May 2017, pp. 1077–87, https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00622.2016.
- Thomas, D Travis, et al. “American College of Sports Medicine Joint Position Statement. Nutrition and Athletic Performance.” Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise [United States], vol. 48, no. 3, March 2016, pp. 543–68, https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000852.
