Ruth McKean is a leading sports dietician who has advised countless leading athletes and footballers and is a consultant to the Scottish Institute of Sport.
A member of the British Dietetic Association and Health Professional Council, Ruth is a former Scottish National 5,000m champion and finished 3rd in the Scottish Mountain Bike Cross Country Championships four years ago. She specializes in helping athletes of all levels prepare nutritionally for competition.
Ruth McKean Q&A
Can you give us a brief career history?
I started off doing sports science at university then I did an MSA in sport nutrition and then I did my dietetics. So my interest has always been within sports, and from there I did a lot of private work with football clubs and rugby clubs and then I did some individual runners and club athletes and then I progressed onto working at the Institute of Sport. Alongside that I do private clinics and I’ve also done quite a lot of lecturing at universities. I also lecture sports science courses including sports nutrition modules.
What’s your favourite sport?
I would have to say running and now adventure racing.
What sports do you play?
Well running and biking are my sports but I also compete in adventure racing which is kayaking, and fell running and it’s like 24 to 30 hours non-stop so it really uses nutrition which is why I love it.
What’s the longest run you have ever done?
Probably within an adventure race - so 5 or 6 hours.
What’s your favourite running discipline?
Cross country or fell running, anything that’s not on a track.
How did you first get into being a dietician?
Well I did sports science and my real interest was physiology. Within that was a module which was sports nutrition and I was a very competitive runner at that time and I got quite drawn into the nutrition and then from that I went on to do my dietetics.
So did you start your career and then retrain?
Well I did my degree and then I did my MSE in sports nutrition and then I started to work in sport and I was doing my dietetics part time as I was still working in sport. So it was several years of study.
What are your accolades and achievements to date?
Well I have coached a European and World Triathlon champion and I have had two athletes that have won medals at the Paralympics, one won gold and one silver and I have had athletes in the semi-finals of the Olympics. They have required a lot of teamwork.
What are your career highlights?
Getting athletes to that high level and seeing them perform but I get as much enjoyment working with club level athletes as you can see results very quickly because they have quite a lot to work on especially when you are working with a specific athlete and trying a special supplement and seeing if you can get half a second off - so it’s totally different and I love working with them day to day, I get a real buzz from working with them.
What is your most memorable sporting moment?
For me it would be crossing the line after a 7-day cycling race in Canada around the Rockies that was an amazing feeling.
What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
Probably to believe in yourself.
What’s the best piece of advice you have ever given someone you have trained?
Get the basics right.
What is the most common problem athletes come and see you about?
Under fuelling. I get so many referrals from fatigued athletes especially if they have had their blood work done - so more at the elite end when they are being proactive so their immunity bloods come back great. Under fuelling and hydration are such basic things but hydration is the one thing that athletes can be quite bad at. They are great before and after the race but then they will go hours without a drink.
How does it feel to be part of the ASICS Pro Team programme?
Absolutely fantastic, I feel honoured.
How important is diet and nutrition for runners?
I think the nice thing about diet is no matter what your potential is it helps you achieve. So whilst you have to be born with good genetics to be up on the podium and winning gold medals diet can help everyday runners achieve their potential. This along with lifestyle factors such as you need to get enough sleep means you are helping someone achieve what they can, so I like that.
What should the day-to-day eating between events be?
It depends largely on your training, if you are training once a day then it isn’t too important but if you only have 8 hours rest between training sessions, which a lot of athletes do as they train in the morning and at night then recovery within the first hour is critical. Timing when you eat is only really important if you are doing long distance and endurance running day-on-day so if you are only doing a steady five mile run then coming back and having breakfast and then a snack towards lunch and then a light lunch then you can get away with that as it is only light training.
