Carbohydrate Management for Endurance Athletes

Continuous Glucose Monitors - or CGM's - tell you how much glucose is in your body in real-time. But can they be helpful for runners?

As the carb revolution continues and we understand the importance of high-carb fueling for endurance performance, the next logical question to ask is: Well, what's the optimal level of glucose? Is there a range that's most beneficial?

Coach Hunter Allen joins us to discuss how to train effectively with a CGM. He is a USA Cycling Level I coach, founder of the Peaks Coaching Group, cofounder of TrainingPeaks Software, and a former professional cyclist with the Navigators team. Hunter has been coaching endurance athletes since 1995 and was also the BMX technical coach for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

His new book is now available for preorder: Training and Competing with a Continuous Glucose Monitor:  A User’s Guide for Athletes.

In this episode we discuss: 

• What CGM's do and don't do
• How to calibrate a continuous glucose monitor
• The importance of finding your personal optimal range
• How to fuel to prevent crashes (AND spikes)
• Potential drawbacks and who a CGM is not for

If you have not yet, make sure you hit the subscribe or follow button in your podcast player so you never miss an episode of the Strength Running Podcast!

More resources: 

• Nutrition Q&A with a Registered Dietitian
• The New Rules of Protein for Endurance Runners (podcast)
• Recovery Truths I Wish I Knew Earlier (video)

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A big thanks to LMNT for their support of this episode! They make electrolyte drinks for athletes and low-carb folks with no sugar, artificial ingredients, or colors. They are offering a free gift with your purchase at LMNT. And this does NOT have to be your first purchase. You’ll get a sample pack with every flavor so you can try them all before deciding what you like best.

And BIG news! Their newest flavor is now available for a limited time: LEMONADE SALT!

LMNT’s products have some of the highest sodium concentrations that you can find. Anybody who runs a lot knows that sodium, as well as other electrolytes like magnesium and potassium, are essential to our performance and how we feel throughout the day.

If you’re not familiar, LMNT is my favorite way to hydrate. They make electrolytes for athletes and low-carb folks with no Sugar, artificial ingredients, or colors. I’m now in the habit of giving away boxes of LMNT at group runs around Denver and Boulder and everyone loves this stuff.

Boost your performance and your recovery with LMNT. They’re the exclusive hydration partner to Team USA Weightlifting and quite a few professional baseball, hockey, and basketball teams are on regular subscriptions. So check out LMNT to get a free sampler pack and get your hydration optimized for the upcoming season.