How to Eat to Perform as a Masters Runner

As all masters runners know and understand, things change as we age.

We’ve already covered the need for

1. More focused strength training
2. More recovery, and additional stability work.

Now the question we need to address is whether or not masters runners should make dietary changes as they age?

By the end of this article, hopefully you will have a clearer idea of how to fuel correctly for your training at any age, and as we continue to explore how running changes as we age, we will keep reporting back to you with our findings.

Does Nutrition Matter More or Less as we Age?

Like many issues related to masters running, the need for change on the dietary front falls into the category of more attention to detail.

Just as we have less wiggle room when it comes to our mileage and recovery, there is less room for error with nutrition.

This is the time in life when runners need to be more conscientious about their fueling choices—clean eating bordering on squeaky clean.

“Nutritional needs vary little over the course of life in humans after weaning,” says Matt Fitzgerald, a certified sports nutritionist and author of the book Racing Weight (we have also interviewed Matt Fitzgerald on our podcast three times).

“If you think about it, this makes sense. No other animal changes its diet in middle age and there’s no evidence that humans have ever systematically altered their diet at middle age at any point in history.”

Still, Fitzgerald says that masters runners need to be aware of their past dietary “sins” and understand they add up.

“The negative health effects of poor dietary choices are cumulative,” he says.

“A runner who has eaten too much sugar throughout life will really start to pay the price in middle age in the form of weight gain, high cholesterol and triglycerides, brain atrophy and the like.”

What does that mean?

“It’s never more important to correct excessive sugar intake than it is after 40.”

Not what we were hoping for, but makes sense right?

How to limit the damage from training?

Registered dietitian Rebecca Ramsing, MPH, RD, LDN, of Tambua Consulting, says that masters runners should also recognize the years of wear and tear that have accumulated on the body.

“We have more cellular damage due to time and stress, so antioxidants and phytochemicals are even more important than when we’re younger,” she points out.

There are foods that are especially high in antioxidants that masters runners would benefit from a few extra servings of, this includes: Grapes, Blueberries, Nuts, Dark green vegetables, Sweet potatoes, Other orange vegetables.

There are also phytochemical rich foods including: Brussels sprouts, Avocadoes, Beets, Dark leafy greens, Cantaloupe, Peaches, Plums.

There is also some evidence that diets high in nitrates may assist in slowing down age-related muscle decline.

Examples of foods that provide high doses of nitrates include: Spinach, Beets, Celery, Iceberg lettuce (Surprised? We were!)

What’s the bottom line?

Eating the rainbow of fruits and vegetables daily continues to be your best bet.

If you struggle to eat your fruits and veggies (or eat the same type all the time), consider a greens supplement like athletic greens. A greens supplement will contain antioxidants, nitrates, and more, and is simple to add to your daily routine.

Do masters runners need more protein?

A 2014 study suggests masters runners increase their high quality protein intakes.

The study by Hans Degens, et al  on nutrition needs for masters athletes suggests that aging muscle may become less sensitive to lower doses of amino acids, and therefore may require a higher quantity of protein in order to achieve a similar anabolic response to that of young muscle.

“Loss of muscle and bone mass occurs as we age, so focusing on the timing and of protein and the quality of protein is important,” says Ramsing.

She suggests approximately .8 to 1lb of protein per pound of bodyweight or about 30 grams of protein, four times per day, including some protein from quality sources such as lutein and dairy.

Hydration needs do seem to increase after the age of 40, according to the Degens study.

However:

The research points out that while dehydration levels of up to 3 percent to 5 percent may not impair performance, aging may bring physiological changes such as a reduced thirst sensation, a lower ability to concentrate urine, and reduced ability to dissipate heat, which may all make adequate hydration more difficult for masters runners.

What About Overall Caloric Needs for Masters?

As with anything, this will vary among masters runners depending on activity levels and other factors. However, unless muscle mass has been adequately maintained through strength training, caloric needs will go down.

That’s right – another whammy of getting older is that your metabolism slows and you’ll likely need to eat fewer calories.

Fat and carbohydrate needs should remain at about the same proportion, according to Ramsing. The average runner requires about 2.5 grams of carbs per pound of body weight daily.

Here’s a free runner’s calorie calculator download that can determine the number of calories you need to consume each day based on your age, gender, and activity level.

The Degens report points out that many masters runners put in fewer miles than their younger counterparts. As a result, energy needs are lower and so too should be calories. This is something each individual runner should figure out for his or herself.

What’s the bottom line?

For masters runners, nutrition needs to be closer to ideal than in your younger days.

“While all of the same dietary rules apply to runners of all ages, masters runners can’t get away with as much slack in their application of these rules as younger runners can,” says Fitzgerald.

“The same diet that kept them lean in their 20s is likely to generate excess body fat after 40.”

The same applies to how a diet relates to recovery. “The same diet that allowed a runner to recover adequately between hard runs in their 20s might no longer do so after 40,” Fitzgerald points out.

“To maximize the potential benefits of diet on running performance, masters runners need to raise their standards for overall diet quality insofar as there is room to do so.”