"Eating practices of the best endurance athletes in the world."

[David S]

I guess if one is genetically gifted than he or she can get away with 20% of daily calories coming from simple table surgar.  Interesting read nonetheless:  http://www.active.com/story.cfm?CATEGORY=Running&CHECKSSO=0&STORY_ID=13101&NUM=0

[Dallen]

I'm surely in the minority, but I don't really think that there is a problem with runners eating simple sugars. It gets its bad rap from rotting teeth and making people fat. These guys might end up with bad teeth, but they are not at too much short term risk of getting fat.

This is just a guess, but I bet they would benefit, or at least not be held back, by more protein. I suspect their lack of meat is based on cultural and economic issues rather than running science. Actually, I'm sure that they eat way more meat than the average Kenyan.

[Bob]

Some bodies can tolerate nutritional imbalances when running at max capacity.  Just keep in mind that the success stories are the ones that get reported.  How many of them blow up because of nutritional imbalances?  I'm still waiting for that study.

[Fredrick Teichert]

Stink! I don't drink tea and I don't eat ugali. That's has to be why I'm so slow.

[Bob]

Ahhh that's "ok" Fredrick.  Just drink black coffee and eat rolled oats instead.

[Fredrick Teichert]

Dang! I don't drink coffee, either. I'm all over the rolled oats though. This article has got me thinking. One of the rules of my diet has been a "wide variety of foods." The Kenyans don't seem to follow that rule. In fact I wonder if they get as many vitamins as I do. There might be something to be said for consistency. Their bodies know what to expect and mine has to deal with a lot of surprises. What do you think?

[Bob]

Fredrick - I was being a little cynical in my last comment, but I think there is something to be said for consistency in the training schedule, nutrition, and sleep.  What I'm critical of are articles that tell only the successful half of the story.  I've read that there are a lot of promising young runners left behind because of breakdown or just not being good enough.  Now is that caused by poor nutrition and/or training?  I don't know because I can't find research regarding the reasons why more Kenyans don't make the upper grade in running.  I do know many try and only a few make it through boot camp and perhaps a big part is poor nutritional balance.  You know the saying "any fuel for the fire will do", but I believe that if you lack in certain areas of your diet (i.e. too many carbs and not enough protein or vice versa) then you are not establishing a better foundation.  You'll find out what works best for you and then just stick with it.  A wide variety of foods is a good thing a long as it's common sense options taken in balance and not the overly processed varieties.  Eating corn meal porridge instead of rolled oats or drinking tea instead of coffee is not the key to faster times.  Fuel your body, but keep it balanced in both in quantity and source.