After a long run, say anything over 1hr 30, I have cravings for bad food. It seems that a proper meal is not enough. A good healthy bowl of pasta doesn't do the trick, but junk food really does. Does anyone else suffer from this?
Depends what you mean by crap :-). Water, banana, wine in my case - lacking in both calories and nutrients. Can't face anything else, although I can skip the wine someimes. I couldn't eat anything greasy after a long run.
Back when I was running marathons (well, 1 marathon anyway!) and 1/2s (more than 2 decades ago I have to confess), I used to get cravings for really sweet drinks - in particular, sweet cider.
Nothing beats Mr Kipling Lemon Slices in my book. Unless maybe half a packet of McVitie's Plain Chocolate Caramels.
My excuse is that my body knows best, and obviously craves the food it needs. After all, lemon is fruit. Chocolate is apparently a good source of iron.
Don't worry about it - as long as your basic diet is healthy, a bit of junk after a long run won't do much harm. You've earned it after all.
I don't normally feel like eating anything after a long run (although I always do because I know it's good for me) but that's the only time I'm not totally ravenous.
I tend to eat the sort of stuff that wouldn't normally be regarded as "healthy" for post-run carb-ups - sponge and custard, chocolate digestives, the half-cold chips that the kids have left on their plates, that sort of thing.
I find i crave Macdonalds in the last few miles of a race, even though i rarely eat meat. However, on finishing a race i have a mars bar, a bag of crisps (got to be Seabrooks Prawn Cocktail flavour), then the craving goes away.
I do! I mainly want to eat salt and fat: crisps, McDonalds, french rolls with thick butter, more crisps etc. Also, I've recently developed a craving for (blush) caramel/shortbread/choccy cakey things - shortbread bottom, soft caramel in middle, thick choccy on top - from Tescos. I find myself thinking about them as I'm running. Aagghh.... ! :-)
That explains your nickname then eh...Wee Piglet. I also crave unhealthier foods after a long run. Pizzas, Chip shop fish and chips..mmmm. Although with me I think its just an excuse because I know I've just burned a shed load of calories and I might aswell make the most of it.......you know....healthy day tomorrow.
the only thing i find stops this is to eat copious amounts the day before....if i decide to do a long run on spur of the moment, and i don't get a chance to stuff myself silly the day before, i can't stop eating afterwards....it comes on about an hour after i finish, and ends when i go to bed....
Fluffa -- I had that same problem after my last half. I ate something nearly every hour in the afternoon until we went for a curry for supper. Chicken tikka masala, rice and naan finally quashed the hunger. Also, had a headache the rest of the day and wondered if that might be related? I drank loads of water after so don't think it was dehydration.
Don't usually crave food on the run unless passing a place where they are cooking and the smell is wafting into the open air.
oh yes....when i was a student i used to run really late at night somtimes ...like 2 am.....i loved the smell of vinegar and brown paper from the kebab vans....very atmospheric!
Comments
My excuse is that my body knows best, and obviously craves the food it needs. After all, lemon is fruit. Chocolate is apparently a good source of iron.
Don't worry about it - as long as your basic diet is healthy, a bit of junk after a long run won't do much harm. You've earned it after all.
I say trust your instincts and eat what your body craves (on the basis that what it craves is what it needs..with the exception of beer and tabs).
I tend to eat the sort of stuff that wouldn't normally be regarded as "healthy" for post-run carb-ups - sponge and custard, chocolate digestives, the half-cold chips that the kids have left on their plates, that sort of thing.
Aagghh.... ! :-)
I also crave unhealthier foods after a long run. Pizzas, Chip shop fish and chips..mmmm. Although with me I think its just an excuse because I know I've just burned a shed load of calories and I might aswell make the most of it.......you know....healthy day tomorrow.
Don't usually crave food on the run unless passing a place where they are cooking and the smell is wafting into the open air.