Protein for Endurance Athletes: Fueling Long-Distance Performance

You’re in your last stretch, only a few miles from the finish line, when you notice your vision start to blur, your legs start to shake and your mind start to waver — your body is calling for nutritional reinforcements.

In the case of endurance exercise, protein can play a significant role in how you feel during and after a long running workout, bike ride or hike. That’s why it’s essential to fuel your body with high-quality sources of protein before and after endurance workouts. 

The Role of Protein in Endurance

While carbohydrates are the primary energy source for endurance activities, providing easily accessible fuel, protein is an equally important tool in your performance arsenal. Mainly, it helps to:

• Preserve muscle – During prolonged muscular endurance exercise, your body can begin to break down muscle tissue for energy. Consuming protein beforehand can help mitigate this loss, ensuring that your muscle fibers stay intact and ready for action. 
• Support recovery – Protein helps repair muscle fibers damaged during intense workouts. By incorporating protein into your pre-workout routine, you set the stage for a faster post-workout recovery, reducing soreness and promoting muscle growth. 
• Enhance endurance – Protein can stabilize blood sugar levels, providing a steady source of energy. This helps you maintain focus and overall endurance, especially when workout fatigue sets in during those final challenging miles.

So, how much protein should you consume before a long-distance workout? Some experts recommend that endurance athletes consume at least 1.4 to two grams of protein per every kilogram of body weight. In other words, a 68-kilogram (150-pound) runner would require 95 to 136 grams of protein daily to adequately fuel their physical activity. During long races or running workouts, it can also be beneficial to add roughly 0.25 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight for sustained energy and to prevent post-race muscle recovery. 

To put that into perspective, an average steak slice contains about 62 grams of the macronutrient. Does that mean you need to eat two or more helpings of steak before a big workout?

Not exactly.

There are many ways to consume protein before and during endurance activities. (That said, it’s important not to introduce any new foods during a race, as this can upset your stomach and may even decrease your performance and overall endurance.)

Let’s dig in. 

What to Eat to Go the Distance

When it comes to the best pre-workout nutrition to complement an endurance training plan, you’ll want to fuel your body with a balance of proteins and carbohydrates. 

Carbs are your body’s most readily accessible form of fuel. During long endurance exercises, carbs can supply roughly 90 to 120 minutes of energy. The exact number, however, is largely dependent on your heart rate and exercise intensity level.

To gain a better understanding of your nutritional needs, you can calculate your maximum heart rate. To do this, subtract your age from 220. For example, a 30-year-old’s maximum heart rate should lie somewhere around 190 beats per minute. 

During your workouts, track your heart rate. If your average beats per minute lie somewhere around 140, you’re using about 70% of your maximum heart rate. 

Per Live Strong, when your heart rate reaches 70% of its maximum, around half of your energy comes from carbohydrates. If you increase your effort to 75% to 80% of your maximum heart rate, carbohydrates will provide about 65% of the calories you burn. For instance, if you burn 500 calories during a run at 70% of your maximum heart rate, you can estimate that about 250 of those calories come from carbohydrates.

All that said, it's important to choose the right foods to fuel your endurance training plan effectively. Here’s a breakdown of what to eat before your exercise routine to optimize your energy levels.

Carbohydrates

As your body’s primary fuel source, carbohydrates must be prioritized. Incorporate complex carbohydrates like:

• Whole grains
• Oats
• Brown rice

These foods are harder to digest, providing more sustained energy.

For quick sources of energy, opt for foods with high glycogen (sugar) levels, like bananas, apples, berries and peaches. Sweet potatoes and squash can also fuel your workout and support digestion with their high fiber levels. 

Proteins

To support muscle recovery and energy levels, it’s also important to incorporate plenty of protein sources. These can include lean meats like turkey, chicken and fish. Vegetarian athletes can reach for Greek yogurt and cottage cheese, and vegans may benefit from plant-based protein sources like beans, nuts and quinoa. 

For an easy and convenient protein option that can be consumed before and during a workout or as a post-workout snack, there are protein shakes.

Typically crafted with whey, casein or plant-based protein powders, these options can be mixed with water, milk or an electrolyte drink to boost your protein intake — and your overall performance. Opt for a protein powder that incorporates other high-performance nutrients, too, such as:

• Essential fatty acids – These healthy fats, like omega-3s, help reduce muscle soreness and support joint health, which is crucial for endurance athletes who put significant stress on their bodies during long workouts.
• Digestive enzymes – These enzymes aid in breaking down food and improving nutrient absorption, which may help to aid digestion and enhance the availability of certain foods during a workout. 
• Prebiotics and probiotics – These gut health supporters promote a balanced microbiome, which is linked to improved digestion, better immune function and enhanced recovery, helping athletes maintain optimal performance levels. 
• L-theanine – This amino acid can help improve focus and reduce stress, helping endurance athletes stay mentally sharp and calm under high exercise intensity or during competitions.

Cross the Finish Line With INVIGOR8

To fuel long-distance endurance workouts, your body requires a balance of healthy carbohydrates and high-quality proteins to sustain your energy levels and support post-workout recovery.

At INVIGOR8, we believe that every athlete deserves the best nutrition to cross the finish line strong. That’s why our organic superfoods powderis crafted with 20 grams of whey protein and over 18 vitamins and minerals that can easily blend with wholesome carbohydrates like oats and fruits. 

Plus, each of our powders is hormone-free and crafted for purity, excluding preservatives, artificial sweeteners, added sugars, gluten and soy. 

Add this customer favorite to your fitness plan on its own or with our weight loss kit, complete with our unflavored collagen peptides and appetite control support.INVIGOR8 comes in first — every time. 

Sources:

1. Michigan State University. Why is protein, carbohydrate and fat important for athletic performance? https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/why-is-protein-carbohydrate-and-fat-important-for-athletic-performance
2. University of Saskatchewan. Carbohydrates and Proteins for Athletes. https://students.usask.ca/articles/carbohydrates-for-athletes.php
3. iRunFar. Protein for Endurance Athletes. https://www.irunfar.com/protein-for-endurance-athletes
4. PLoS One. Protein Requirements Are Elevated in Endurance Athletes after Exercise as Determined by the Indicator Amino Acid Oxidation Method. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4913918/
5. Live Strong. How Many Carbohydrates Are Burned Running? https://www.livestrong.com/article/521034-how-many-carbohydrates-are-burned-running/