Friday Five 6/10: Food/Drinks Every Race Should Have

Good morning and welcome back to the Tale of 2 Halfs! If you’re paying attention, you’ll notice that this is a special “Daily Double” post. You can read our first post of the day recapping our Piece by Piece 5k benefiting Autism Speaks by following the link.

Since we just completed our second event as race directors, are minds are still in planning mode and that got us thinking about the best food and drinks that every event should have post race. We’re linking up with Cynthia, Courtney and Mar for today’s Friday Five!

1. Chocolate Milk: The taste of an ice cold chocolate milk after a grueling 13.1 or 26.2 miles sure is satisfying and also is a great way to start muscle recovery immediately.

2. Watermelon: Okay, so this isn’t only limited to the post race party but should be included out on the course as well. I had two large slices of watermelon about 18 miles into the Buffalo Marathon and it was perfect. It was cold, sweet, juicy and refreshing and although I crashed due to the heat, was the perfect light food to consume for extra energy.

3. Beer: I know, not healthy generally but studies have shown that a refreshing cold one after an endurance event can have some health benefits, such as, ” [Beer] can even serve as a decent rehydrator since most American beers are approximately 90 percent water with an ABV (alcohol by volume) of ~4.6, a small amount of protein, and approximately a third of the calories coming from carbohydrate. (Runner’s World, June 24, 2014)” Just have one though because alcohol can dehydrate you further if your not careful

4. Yogurt: On this list for multiple reasons – yogurt, especially greek yogurt, is an excellent source of protein providing your muscles what they need for recovery and repair. Additionally, the healthy bacteria in yogurt can aid in getting your digestive track  going after it shut down during your endurance activity. If you top your yogurt with granola, you’ll get the added benefit of carbohydrates.

5. Gatorade / Powerade / Nuun or Fresh Fruits: We weren’t being indecisive with our fifth pick, the point of is simply electrolytes. While sports drinks pack the electrolytes in and are refreshing, they often offer very little other nutritional value. Instead, you could try replenishing lost electrolytes with fresh fruit or fruit juice, which will also provide some carbohydrates.

For those that stopped by for our busy week on the site, thank you!

What are some of the best post-race food/drinks you’ve enjoyed?