Day # 9 Continued: GNC Visit

After reading through the latest copy of Runner's World, there were a few nutritional ads that caught my eye. Having competed as a track & field sprinter for 8 years, I have come to the realiziation that I will need to work hard to develop my slow-twitch muscles and opposed to the fast twitch muscles that are developed via sports like sprinting and soccer. Read about the difference between fast and slow twitch muscles here. Having said this, my trip to GNC this afternoon was extremely productive. I explained my marathon training program and goals to the employees, and they were quick to ask a few questions and make a few suggestions concerning my present intake of vitamins, protein, etc..

• First, they reiterated several times that it would be important to continue my intake of whey protein after workouts to improve muscle recovery.
• Secondly, they said that I should stop taking my "once-a-day" vitamin supplement and switch to a "twice-a-day" time-released multi-vitamin as this will be better for endurance based training when the nutrients and energy from the vitamin are needed for a longer period of time throughout the day. The time-released vitamin should prolong my ability to workout at an intense level.
• Third, they highly recommended a drink mix product called "Accelerade" for my intense mid-week workout (wed) and weekend long run. The Accelerade product is comparable to a glorified "Gatorade Endurace" product, but one-step higher. The product is high in carbs, while very low in sugar (which dehydrates). It is designed to help sustain hydration in the body for a longer period of time than traditional sports drinks. Check out http://www.accelerade.com

I'll take be sure to follow up with my opinions of these nutritional changes in the coming days.