At this time of year many young children are training before and after school for fun runs and mini marathons.
Many older children too are taking on half and full marathons and team events. With room for adults as competitors or background support crews these, sometimes citywide, events can be a fun day out for everyone.
Participation in such activities is a great way for children of all ages, to learn how to socialize, to build physical well- being and with practice and time their self-confidence will grow too.
As with the participation in all active pursuits Sports Nutrition can make all the difference in not only performance on the ‘Big Day’ but can also help to reduce situations where athletes over train, undereat and face fatigue, burnout and disappointment.
Always remember Kids just want to have fun!
What about the ‘Prep’?
How much preparation needs to go on before the event really depends on the age of the child, the duration and intensity of the event. The good news is that the more they practice, the easier the event will become. So, for best results practice the event as well as the food and hydration strategy beforehand.
For example: In the forthcoming Christchurch Marathon and Kids Mara’Fun 13th April there is room for everyone.
| Entrants | Age | Est. Time | Distance |
| Children | 5-6 years | 1-hour | 1 km |
| 7-10 years | 40-50 mins | 2km | |
| 11-15 years | 30 mins | 3km | |
| Others Categories | Fast Time | ||
| Wheelchair race | 1-4 hours | 42km | |
| Runner/walker | 30mins | 10km | |
| Half marathon | 1.5 hour | 21km | |
| Marathon | 2.5 hour | 42km | |
What to eat and when?
Adults
Most experienced adult athletes have their own race- day eating strategy that they have developed over time and swear by it.
Also, the websites for most of these large events have sections offering nutritional guidelines for adults which explain the sponsors products, dietary supplements available and recommendations on how and when these products may be used for those who want to try them.
As nutritional needs change with age and health issues, and our nutritional knowledge is constantly growing, I recommend that serious athletes should arrange a nutritional assessment with their own sports dietitians every year or so. Just to check nutritional adequacy still applies and to update their race strategy before race day. Do contact me if you would like to do this.
Children
To ensure that this is a fun day out for everyone it is important to take a moment to consider the nutritional needs of younger competitors in the 5- 15 -years age groups as they are not mini-adults, and their needs can be quite different from their ‘more experienced’ athletic parents.
The Pre-event phase:
The week before the race: Encourage children to eat normally a wide range of carbohydrate rich foods such as fruit and vegetables, bread and cereals. These foods give energy quickly and easily and should be eaten before and after every main training session.
To build strong bones and muscles and provide support for the immune system include protein rich foods at every main meal for body growth and repair e.g. eggs, cheese, lean meat, yoghurt, tofu, beans and lentils. Keep well hydrated with water and fat-reduced milk.
Dinner the night before the race: Keep fat levels low and carbohydrate high e.g. Chicken Pasta (with tomato rather than a creamy sauce), Lasagna, Chicken wraps, Mexican beans and rice. Etc
Race- Day Meals aim for a low-fat, low protein and low fibre meal for gastrointestinal comfort but keep the carbohydrate high.
Breakfast: If children are up 3-4 hours before the event try meals like e.g. Canned or fresh fruit and cereal with low fat yoghurt; Peanut butter on toast with sliced banana, Creamy rice with stewed apples, chopped nuts and yoghurt;
If a child is too nervous to eat or has slept in, try making a smoothie with fat-reduced milk, yoghurt, banana and berries.
NB: If the event is later in the day such as mid-afternoon, still eat breakfast but the pre-event meal could be lunch which might consist of a wrap with chicken or cheese or egg and salad filling; a bread roll with banana; 1-2 slices of chicken pizza or quiche or sushi.
Pre-race snack: 30 minutes before the event try a quick top up such as a home-made banana muffin; a pikelet with jam, a honey or jam sandwich or a banana. This is a good opportunity to take a drink of water. Younger children need around 150-200mls, older children double this amount. Fluids are essential for cooling the body and distributing nutrients to the working muscles, especially on hot days.
During the event:
For events lasting 30-60 minutes no snack is needed but there should be opportunities to drink water at aid stations if needed at the end.
For events that involve continuous exercise for more than 60-90 minutes a sports drink may be necessary, especially for adolescent athletes who may be experiencing higher than normal sweat losses and portable snacks such as a muesli bar can come in handy.
Post-exercise recovery
The first 60-90 minutes after exercise is an important phase of sports nutrition, when the body is most effective at replacing carbohydrate stores in the muscles (glycogen) and promoting muscle repair, growth and adaption. This recovery period can go on for 12-24hrs after bouts of exercise.
Inadequate nutrition recovery can increase fatigue, reduce performance gains from the event just completed, increase muscle soreness and reduce performance at the next training session.
Ideally the body needs to rehydrate, replace carbohydrate, protein and electrolytes. Specialised protein powders and recovery shakes may be useful in some situations for some people however, generally their recovery goals can be met using regular foods and drinks such as a flavoured milk, a smoothie or fruit yoghurt followed up by the next main meal.
Building a flexible approach to nutrition
Parents have said to me that they are “looking for nutrition information that grows with their child”.
This is because what a child may need to eat at 5 or 6 years of age may be quite different to the type and amount of food needed at 15-18 years. Family life changes eating habits too.
This is why I wrote my latest book How to Grow an Athlete: From Playground to Podium. While not every child will become an athlete most parents do want their children to be active, well and able to ‘think straight’
This book not only spells out how much food that children need as they grow and exercise from 5-18years but also offers a wealth of tips on how to practically get children to try new foods and to cope when life or health issues get in the way. e.g.This book contains charts showing nutrients that assist Mental health and cognition, Best sources of key nutrients, Takeaway comparisons, Foods that aid sleep, Diet and Menstruation, Age-appropriate activities, Team-building exercises, Recipes, Meal plans, Fluid comparisions and guidelines and much more…
If you are time poor this book is also available in ebook and audiobook versions for easy access. Visit howtogrowanathlete.com for more details about the book and Lea’s experience as a Paediatric and Sports Dietitian.
For more Sports Nutrition articles by Lea:
Carbohydrate for body growth and repair
How to stay an athlete and enjoy active aging
The protein needs of young athletes
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