First things first, Great run last night all!! It was sure nice to get out there in some nice weather. Lets hope it sticks around for a while.
Nutrition is a major part of running. From carbs to protein to electrolytes there is alot to take into consideration. One major thing to remember about nutrition is that not everything works for everyone. Things that I recommend or websites recommend are not necessarily going to work for you. Most runners are very picky about what they eat before a run because the last thing you need is an upset stomach or nature to call when you are 20mins from the nearest bathroom. Myself I dont like to eat anything too substantial more then and hour or hour and a half before a run. I usually eat a whole grain bagel with hummus or peanut butter 90mins before a long run. The one exception I have is a banana and some gatorade or water right up to when I run. Bananas are great because they dont tend to irritate your stomach and are a good source of vitamin B6 and carbs. As for after a run or any exercise I like a glass of Chocolate milk because its a great source of protein. And its very important to rehydrate within 30mins of finishing your training.
A few runners were asking me about people eating lots of pasta before runs. This is what runners call carbo loading and we in the learn to run program do not need to worry about doing this. Carbo-loading is done by people running distances usually over a half marathon a couple days before a race or long training run as your body will need all the carbs it can get during a very long run. So you dont need to go out and eat an entire bag of pasta before our weekly runs. However like I entioned earlier foods rich in carbs are great for runners.
Another tip I have learned is to make sure there is some salt in your diet(as opposed to none at all). Although salt isnt the exact same thing as electrolytes they are something the body needs when doing exercise. One thing you may notice if you are not intaking any salts or electrolytes is cramping. If you plan on drinking a sports drink be sure to water it down unless you are used to drinking it. If your body is not used to certain sports drinks and you start drinking them during exercise it can really irritate your stomach and even make your mouth quite pastey from the high amount of sugars that some have.
I have added a couple links about pre and post run foods and snacks that have some great information as well.
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