In late October, I spoke with Meghan Armstrong Peyton,
professional runner and collegiate cross country and track and field coach,
about how important it is for runners to maintain a healthy, well-balanced
diet. Peyton was able to give insight on how she has witnessed–as a coach and
in her professional career–disordered eating in runners and the short-term and
long-term effects it can have on their careers.
Peyton is a graduate of the University of Iowa, where she
was a four-time NCAA Division III All-American, two-time Big Ten Champion and
she also set the school record in the 1,500m at 4:17.41. After graduating,
Peyton became a member of Team USA Minnesota, which is the team she competes
through. She is also a Saucony athlete ambassador.
This week, Peyton talked specifically about the training and
nutritional guidelines she advises the runners she coaches to follow, as well
as how she makes herself a better runner by preparing for her races.
Diets high in healthy fats and proteins are what Peyton
stands by and recommends for her team. Simple
foods that are easy to digest, such as rice, along with vegetables and a lean
protein are Peyton’s go-to foods the night prior to a race. She’s also a fan of
salads containing avocado, which typically contain all of the food groups.
Peyton coaches at a small, Division III college in Midwest
Minnesota. She is the head coach of the college’s men’s and women’s cross
country teams, who are preparing for their regional meet, which will be held on
Saturday, Nov. 14. Shortly after her team’s regional meet, Peyton will be
running in the USATF 12k Championships on Sunday, Nov. 15 in Alexandria, VA.
Although Peyton’s training consists of higher mileage and
often harder workouts than that of the college team she coaches, her dietary
requirements are very similar.
Whether you’re a beginning runner, a Division III collegiate runner or a professional runner, your nutritional needs should never be taken lightly. When you fuel right, you run right, which will make you a happier, more successful runner.
1 comment:
I'm glad to see how nicely this was put together! It's interesting to think about how we focus so much of our attention on the athletes, the musicians, artists, etc. But we never really think about who that person's resources were or about the coach that watches their students succeed from the sidelines.
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