The Refueling Rule

Consume a combination carbohydrate protein food or beverage within 30 to 60 minutes after any race, speed workout, or long run. You need an infusion of carbs to replace depleted muscle glycogen, plus some protein to repair and build muscle, says Nancy Clark, R.D., author of Food Guide for Marathoners. Ideally, the carb protein ratio should be 4 to 1. Some examples would be 150 to 300 calories of low fat chocolate milk, a recovery sports drink, flavored yogurt, or a bagel and peanut butter. The Exception Immediate refueling is less important if you arent running hard again within 24 hours.