Go pro(tein)

Whether you're a recreational runner or an Olympic athlete you should never underestimate the power of protein. This simple chain of amino acids composes not only your muscles, but also the vast majority of the rest of your body tissues. This means that in addition to helping build strong, fast muscles, protein helps maintain the entire body including nails, hair, skin, and even organs. Athletes need to consciously intake enough protein to support their trAining, a fact often overshadowed by the sheer demand for carbs. In fact, much of the benefit of a workout can be lost if adequate protein is not provided to repair muscles. The guideline is to have a good source of protein with at least 5g within an hour of working out. This way, broken down muscles can rebuild stronger. Daily, an adequate protein intake is about 25 grams, an easy target if you know where to look. The obvious choices are meats. A serving of beef, pork, turkey, or chicken all contain at least 7g of protein and are very popular and easy to get into your diet. However, for those of us who are less prone to meat, beans and legumes are a greatvplace to start. A serving of most beans contains at least 5g of protein, a very respectable amount. In addition, quinoa, tofu, and eggs all pack a protein punch. Milk contains both protein and carbs and is thus a perfect drink for after a workout. Nuts, easily eaten as trail mix, are a protein powerhouse. There are many other adventurous options for the protein conscious runner, and you don't need to buy protein bars or special supplements to hit your target. If all else fails, however, or if you're simply looking for an easy way out, a protein powder such as provasil can be quickly mixed into drinks for a shot of protein. I'm currently trying this and will report back with results. The point is, no matter where it comes from, protein helps muscles rebuild and the body keep running strong. Keep an eye out to make sure you're getting enough of it to get the most out of practices and in turn perform well in races.