Tips for Conquering Your Boston Running Experience

A BU student's guide to the Esplanade loop, and what to eat and drink before, during, and after

By: Katie Sam

Photo by Quinn Bryant

Every third Monday in April, shops, schools, and certain streets close so Bostonians can cheer on Boston Marathon finishers. To prepare for such races—and races of much less severity—athletes balance their work-life with a training plan. These plans vary in detail, but they typically outline weekly running volume, strength training, and recovery. Most importantly, racers make sure they hit their calorie and hydration goals. Boston's community is welcoming to runners of all experience levels, and the city is a great place to get started!

If you're looking to start hobby-jogging, I recommend trying this flat, three-mile loop that can begin anywhere on BU's campus. I ran this every day in my first year, and I haven't had any issues with the route. The loop circles the Esplanade; I'd start at the bottom of Warren, run east to cross the Harvard Bridge, run alongside MIT, and then cross the river again via the BU Bridge. BU has two convenient entrances to the Esplanade; one is parallel to Marsh Chapel, and the other is right behind Questrom. To fuel your run, I recommend eating anything dense in carbs—maybe a bagel or a piece of toast—one to three hours before your run. That way, your food has enough time to digest, and you can prevent the chance of stomach pain.

If you're planning to run between an hour and an hour and a half, eat 30 to 60 grams of carbs. Runners typically get this from a sports gel. They come in small, palm-sized pouches and can be easily torn open to eat. They're designed for fast absorption without chewing or heavy digestion! I typically use the brand GU, but other popular ones include Maurten and Honey Stinger. Before I knew gels existed, I once took a small bag of gummy bears or Nerds Gummy Clusters and popped a few for a similar effect. An elevated version of this is called a sports chew. Although I've never personally tried the chews, my sister has and really enjoys the Honey Stinger energy chews and CLIF Bloks.

After a run, it's important to eat within thirty to sixty minutes to restock lost muscle energy and repair muscle tissue. I typically eat whatever I'm craving, and try to balance 3-4 parts carbs and 1 part protein. Some of my friends eat a bowl of Greek yogurt with fruit and granola or eggs with whole-grain toast. Anything that gives you a solid amount of protein and carbs should work.

In general, it's important to drink lots of water, but running forces you to drink much more than you're used to. When you run, you sweat a lot and breathe heavily, so your body loses water much faster than normal, which can quickly lead to dehydration if you don't actively replace it. This especially becomes a problem when we enter colder temperatures. Some days during light snow periods, I'd go out for a jog, and I'd come back with extremely dry skin. The cold air and wind strip moisture from exposed skin, so drinking a little less than double your typical water intake can help. Some resort to FitRec runs on the track or treadmill, but running outside is always more fun!

I enjoyed sharing my tips for fuel before, during, and after runs, and I’d love to learn more about yours! If you feel so compelled, shoot me an email katiesam@bu.edu; I’d love to connect!