Why Protein Powder Is Good for Runners

It’s been cold around here lately, so the gym has been filling up a little more with runners. I was sitting on the bench between sets, drinking some mid-workout protein, when one of my buddies (you know, those guys that insist on wearing minimalist running shoes and five-finger shoes) walked by.

Dude, I throw up every time I look at that stuff, he said to me as he passed, referring to my drink.

Yeah, well I throw up every time I look at a treadmill, let alone run on it. So I guess we’re even, I responded. It was a sarcastic retort. It was just honest.

But the truth is, both my friend and I need to meet in the middle a bit. You see, protein powder isn’t just for bodybuilders, and treadmills aren’t just for marathon runners . I know what I need to improve; everyone knows bodybuilders need to hit the pavement or the treadmill a little more often. So let’s talk about why protein powder is actually a good thing for runners.

First of all, not all protein powders are made equal nor are they made for any type of exercise. There are different protein powders for all types of exercise enthusiasts. My goal in this blog post is to help you understand why you need that information.

Second, many people associate protein powder with weight, or as I like to call it, mass. Mass is not a bad thing; when I was growing up, my dad used to say, I don’t care what the scale says. I just don’t want to have too much fat. And he’s absolutely right. You can be 210 pounds, but that doesn’t mean anything. If you are 210 pounds and have a 34-inch waist and can run a mile in a decent time, then that’s great. If you are 210 pounds and you wear a 36 or 38, then you might want to reconsider some of your priorities.

So when runners use the best protein powder, they are strengthening and building the right kind of mass. Even though their focus is lean muscle, they still need muscle. The best protein powder for runners helps to build that.

A decent protein powder does more than just build muscle and give you calories to burn. With the right combination of nutrients, your recovery time becomes much shorter, letting you get back into another exercise sooner. The difference between a shorter recovery time and numb muscles due to ibuprofen is that the recovery time means your muscles are repaired. The ibuprofen means that your muscles are numb, but they aren’t ready to be tested again.

Protein shakes for runners are about optimizing your workout, whatever that workout may be. Runners need toned, strong muscles, just like bodybuilders. So find the protein powder that’s right for your workout.

What powders have worked best for your runner’s workout? Tell us about it in the comments.