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Competitive HS Distance Runner Needs Diet Help

1,514 Views | 21 Replies | Last: 3 yr ago by Sub4
JYDog90
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My son is a sophomore and is a pretty accomplished distance runner. He has an incredible work ethic and is constantly working out. He's not a big junk food guy but I wonder if we are giving him the food he needs.

I've tried hiring a nutritionist but she was really young and hadn't worked with athletes before so it was pretty basic stuff and, frankly, not enough food. Any ideas of where I should go from here?

Thanks.
Sooner Born
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Just my thoughts but making sure he's getting enough calories is job #1. Job #2 is making sure you're not setting him up for a lifetime of poor eating habits because he can eat anything he wants right now. Sounds like you're doing a great job on both fronts here.

For optimizing performance with regards to nutrition, check out the book Racing Weight. It has helped me in better understanding the correlation between nutrition and performance. I don't know that all of it will apply to a 15 year old male but the general principles should.
94chem
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I was at the district XC races a few weeks ago. The varsity boys ran past and it looked like a herd of antelope. The JV boys ran by and it sounded like a herd of buffalo. The JV boys were plenty thin, but they must've outweighed the varsity by 15 lbs on average. The key is maximum core strength with minimum body mass. Their normal workout is not going to be high calorie like swimmers, so no need to constantly load on pasta and sweet potatoes. The key is fast recovery, and the key to that is protein. Chicken, lamb, eggs, soy, whey, hemp for the lean stuff, and fish and nuts to get the fat. Eat the heck out of cruciferous veggies - kale, broccoli, cauliflower. Cold turkey on soda, sports drinks, candy. Learn to get that from carbs. You don't need a nutritionist. You just need discipline and a desire to be your best.
JYDog90
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94chem said:

I was at the district XC races a few weeks ago. The varsity boys ran past and it looked like a herd of antelope. The JV boys ran by and it sounded like a herd of buffalo. The JV boys were plenty thin, but they must've outweighed the varsity by 15 lbs on average. The key is maximum core strength with minimum body mass. Their normal workout is not going to be high calorie like swimmers, so no need to constantly load on pasta and sweet potatoes. The key is fast recovery, and the key to that is protein. Chicken, lamb, eggs, soy, whey, hemp for the lean stuff, and fish and nuts to get the fat. Eat the heck out of cruciferous veggies - kale, broccoli, cauliflower. Cold turkey on soda, sports drinks, candy. Learn to get that from carbs. You don't need a nutritionist. You just need discipline and a desire to be your best.


Like I said, he's a pretty clean eater. I'm more interested in him having an eating plan and thinking about protein goals and caloric goals.

He ran his first half marathon yesterday and averaged a 6:15/mile pace, which is relatively strong for a 15 yr old.

Another thing is sleep. He's waking up every day at 5am for runs which makes it difficult for getting enough sleep. I'm wondering if a Whoop strap may help him quantify some of that stuff.
Formerly Willy Wonka
94chem
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Oh, when you said distance, I thought you meant HS distance. You meant actual distance, but he happens to be in HS. You're talking 50+ miles/wk. I was thinking 30 - 35. Definitely need more carbs in there.
ptothemo
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Is he wearing a Garmin or similar watch 24/7? If not, that may be an idea to get better data around sleep, calories burned, recovery time, etc. None of those things are 100% spot on, but they be macro-level guides that he can use. If nothing else, they provide baselines to compare week to week.

I think that you are on the right track with the nutritionist, but I know that can be hit or miss. We used to have one who posted on here pretty regularly, but I haven't seen her around in a while now.

The other idea that is potentially valuable is food tracking. Recognizing that may be a bit tough for someone his age, it may help him lock in a bit more on what he is eating and macros. This tracking would be more geared toward eating enough rather than restriction. My high schooler cousin got into the tracking thing last summer when he was trying to put on weight for football, and he seemed to like it once he got in the habit.

My $0.02 is that it sounds like you/y'all are on the right track and could maybe do with some higher level guides and benchmarking more than super detailed or intricate steps.
JYDog90
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He is a 1-miler/2-miler/5k guy but runs 50-60/week when not tapering for a race. He was just up to 13 on his long runs and so we thought (with his coach's permission) it'd be fun to run a half. So he took off yesterday just to see what he could do.

He wears a Garmin 235 but doesn't wear it to bed. I like the Whoop because you can charge it on your wrist and it can give you an idea on recovery. I may just be bent on getting a Whoop but I'm interested.
Formerly Willy Wonka
94chem
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Willy Wonka said:

He is a 1-miler/2-miler/5k guy but runs 50-60/week when not tapering for a race. He was just up to 13 on his long runs and so we thought (with his coach's permission) it'd be fun to run a half. So he took off yesterday just to see what he could do.

He wears a Garmin 235 but doesn't wear it to bed. I like the Whoop because you can charge it on your wrist and it can give you an idea on recovery. I may just be bent on getting a Whoop but I'm interested.


Season is over. Why ask the coach? He can start grinding him into dust in a few weeks. He should do what he wants for the next 5 weeks.
JYDog90
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He runs on a schedule year round
Formerly Willy Wonka
Pepper Brooks
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By choice?

I only ask because that's how I eventually injured myself and burned myself out later on. In hindsight, I wish I would have taken a slightly less religious approach and had more breaks for other kinds of fun. I say other kinds of fun because I throughly enjoyed distance running.
“There is no red.
There is no blue.
There is the state.
And there is you.”

“As government expands, Liberty contracts” - R. Reagan
94chem
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NTXAg10 said:

By choice?

I only ask because that's how I eventually injured myself and burned myself out later on. In hindsight, I wish I would have taken a slightly less religious approach and had more breaks for other kinds of fun. I say other kinds of fun because I throughly enjoyed distance running.


Exactly. Coach will runs the ones who are fastest, not the ones who follow the workout schedule.
Sooner Born
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94chem said:

NTXAg10 said:

By choice?

I only ask because that's how I eventually injured myself and burned myself out later on. In hindsight, I wish I would have taken a slightly less religious approach and had more breaks for other kinds of fun. I say other kinds of fun because I throughly enjoyed distance running.


Exactly. Coach will runs the ones who are fastest, not the ones who follow the workout schedule.

And with distance running, the ones who follow the workout schedule are generally the fastest. There are talented kids who get away with less but generally speaking, you get out of it what you put into it.
94chem
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Oh, I'm not talking about work. I'm talking about how each athlete has to tailor his program to get the most out of it. Some kids can't handle more than 30 miles per week. Some can run all day but need to improve speed. Some could benefit from less mileage and more cross training. We've got one girl who can run a marathon every day, but she literally has no idea how to run a 100. She avoids fast twitch muscle work because it is very difficult. My daughter has sprinter speed at the finish but she can't figure out the middle mile.

It sounds like the distance comes easily for this kid. Still, that half marathon time only projects to an 18:30 5K, which I assume this kid can easily do. My daughter runs a 5:25 mile, which projects to a 17:58 5K. Her PR is only 19:30.

The coach is training the team, but each athlete has to discern their specific needs.
JYDog90
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94chem said:

Oh, I'm not talking about work. I'm talking about how each athlete has to tailor his program to get the most out of it. Some kids can't handle more than 30 miles per week. Some can run all day but need to improve speed. Some could benefit from less mileage and more cross training. We've got one girl who can run a marathon every day, but she literally has no idea how to run a 100. She avoids fast twitch muscle work because it is very difficult. My daughter has sprinter speed at the finish but she can't figure out the middle mile.

It sounds like the distance comes easily for this kid. Still, that half marathon time only projects to an 18:30 5K, which I assume this kid can easily do. My daughter runs a 5:25 mile, which projects to a 17:58 5K. Her PR is only 19:30.

The coach is training the team, but each athlete has to discern their specific needs.


My kid is a 16:50 5k kid, 4:45 miler. Not burning it up but a good Hs runner for a sophomore.

As far as working with the coach, his coach is super supportive and not overbearing. Quick to suggest rest. Has been coaching him since he was in 5th grade.
Formerly Willy Wonka
JYDog90
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NTXAg10 said:

By choice?

I only ask because that's how I eventually injured myself and burned myself out later on. In hindsight, I wish I would have taken a slightly less religious approach and had more breaks for other kinds of fun. I say other kinds of fun because I throughly enjoyed distance running.


He took a few days off after state at the first of November. He had done quite a bit of speed work on anticipation of that meet, then he began logging some more miles for the half. He'll take a few days off now and then back at it next week.

Now he'll be running about 40-45/week
Formerly Willy Wonka
aznaggiegirl07
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See a dietitian...

No nutritionists!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sooner Born
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What's the difference? (serious question)
aznaggiegirl07
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https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/dietitian-vs-nutritionist


ALL dietitians are nutritionists but not all nutritionists are dietitians.


JYDog90
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aznaggiegirl07 said:

See a dietitian...

No nutritionists!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Know of a good one in Houston?
Formerly Willy Wonka
aznaggiegirl07
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let me ask around...
Mollie03
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Check out Nutriworks. They are based in DFW but everyone is doing virtual now anyway. They work with a lot of athletes.
I have also personally used them for my half marathon nutrition and weight loss plan.

Www.Nutriworksinc.com
JYDog90
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Thanks!
Formerly Willy Wonka
Sub4
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This can be a really hard topic to give advice in without a good dialogue to see what all is going on. I absolutely would like to help out. Feel free to shoot me an email to my anonymous email at sub4506410@gmail.com

I would just DM you if I could.
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