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Home / Health / A Vegan’s Guide to Preparing For Their First 5K Marathon

A Vegan’s Guide to Preparing For Their First 5K Marathon

veganly vitamins A Vegan’s Guide to Preparing For Their First 5K MarathonPlanning to do your first 5k Marathon? Vegans and vegetarians need to be aware of nutritional priorities, before starting a 5k Marathon training.

Four things vegans and vegetarians need to know before training for 5k Marathon

1.Your caloric intake may not be enough

Vegan and vegetarian diets are great but they are not calorie-dense enough to sustain you in the entire stretch of your training. Calorie deficit can lead to longer recovery time. Use on-line calculators to find your optimal caloric requirement given your gender, body size, and level of activities. You may need to eat more frequent meals and snacks from high-energy foods.

2.Getting enough protein to fuel you.

Dieticians of Canada recommend 1.3 to 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, daily. This represents 10% more than non-vegetarian athletes.

3.Your iron intake will help you recover.

Not having enough iron can cause fatigue and impair your training momentum. You will need twice as much iron as non-vegetarians because iron derived from plant-based sources are poorly absorbed. Vegans and vegetarians should have their iron checked periodically to determine if supplementation is required.

4.You also need Vitamin B12, Calcium & Vitamin D

When plant-based sources are not enough, take food items have been fortified with Calcium & Vitamin D.

TIPS

CALORIE-BOOSTING PROTEIN IRON VIT B12, D & CALCIUM
Sip smoothies and boost it with wheat germ, ground flax seeds or almonds Tofu beans, lentils, seeds, soy This is the part where you may need supplementation.
carry snacks like fruits and seeds Pumpkin and squash  seed kernels Cereals, bread and pasta fortified with Iron Fortified soy milk, cereals and breads.
add a slice of mashed avocado on toasts, sandwiches or wraps Lentils, beans, peanut or nut butters Don’t drink coffee or tea during meals. Wait for one hour because they can inhibit protein absorption.

Once you got the nutritional aspect covered, you can now turn to the 5k training itself.

5k is a typical distance for beginners and it usually takes 2 months to prepare, assuming you are reasonably fit and in good health.  If running is not for you, you can also use this guide for a 5k walk.  This program was published in mayoclinic.org, which mixes a combination of running, walking and resting, to allow you to enjoy it while helping reduce the risk of injuries. As you progress, the duration of running versus walking will gradually increase.

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7
Run-15sec
Walk 45sec
Run-15sec
Walk 45sec
Run-20sec
Walk 40sec
Run-20sec
Walk 40sec
Run-25sec
Walk
35sec
Run-25sec
Walk
35sec
Run-30sec
Walk
30sec
MON Run/walk 30 min. Run/walk 30 min. Run/walk 30 min. Run/walk 30 min. Run/walk 30 min. Run/walk 30 min. Run/walk 30 min.
TUE Walk 30 min. Walk
30 min.
Walk
30 min.
Walk
30 min.
Walk
30 min.
Walk
30 min.
Walk
30 min.
WED Run/walk 30 min. Run/walk 30 min. Run/walk 30 min. Run/walk 30 min. Run/walk 30 min. Run/walk 30 min. Run/walk 30 min.
THUR Walk
30 min.
Walk
30 min.
Walk
30 min.
Walk
30 min.
Walk
30 min.
Walk
30 min.
Walk
30 min.
FRI Rest Rest Rest Rest Rest Rest Rest
SAT Run/walk
4.8 Km.
Run/walk
5.6 km
Run/walk
3.2 km
Run/walk
6.4 km
Run/walk
3.2 km
Run/walk 4.5 km 5k, your race day
SUN Rest or walk Rest or walk Rest or walk Rest or walk Rest or walk Rest or walk Rest or walk

Good luck with your first marathon and do not forget to always check with your health practitioner before engaging in any strenuous activity.

REFERENCES

Mayoclinic.org

dietiicans.ca

active.com

 

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