Physical demands from a 10 mile run requires planning your nutrition to maintain energy stores in the body before, during and upon completion of your run. Determining the amount of calories to eat begins with understanding your personal calorie expenditure during the run.
Basal Metabolism
Basal metabolic rate is the calorie amount burned in a 24 hour period at sedentary levels. According to BMI Calculator your basal metabolic rate is a factor in calorie expenditure while running. Higher basal metabolic rate amounts result in greater calorie burn while running. A 200 lb. man who possesses a higher basal metabolic rate due to either height or youth will burn more calories on the same run as a 200 lb. man with a lower BMR.
Net Calorie Expenditure
Net calorie burn is the amount of calories expended during a run minus your basal metabolic rate. For example, if you burned 450 calories on a 60 minute run and your basal metabolic rate expends an hourly rate of 80 calories, the net calorie burn for the run is 370 calories. Net calorie burn is known as the true measurement of calorie expenditure for running. According to India Curry, net running calories = body weight in pounds x 0.63 x distance in miles -- while total running calories = body weight in pounds x 0.75 x distance in miles. These numbers provide calories burned per mile. So, weighing 180 pounds would result in a net burn of approximately 117 calories and a total burn of around 135 calories per mile that you run. Using these numbers, a 10 mile run would require approximately 1,350 calories.
Running Nutrition
Bulking up on your calorie intake should take place hours before you plan to run. Runners who plan a 10 mile distance need to eat a variety of slow burning carbohydrates such as sweet potatoes, brown rice or whole grain breads. These slow releasing energy foods provide energy to fuel the body during a run. Fats that contain higher calorie amounts like peanut butter also aid in energy use. If possible during your run, periodically eat readily available carbohydrates and fats such as a banana or trail mix to maintain energy levels.
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