NUTRITION INFORMATION - PRE RACE FOODS

Is it important to eat something before I run?

Yes. While some runners claim that they can run perfectly well on an empty stomach, all the scientific evidence is against them. Eating before you exercise means that some of the gastric juices in your stomach will be absorbed, leaving you feeling less hungry during the race. A high carbo meal will also fuel your muscles and help to prevent hypoglycaemia - low blood sugar levels - which can leave you feel unnecessarily tired. Above all it provides you with the psychological advantage that your body is ready to race.

What is the perfect pre-race meal?

Research has shown that the ideal pre-race meal should be high in carbohydrate with a little low-fat protein to make it more digestible. Something like a a chicken (no skin) sandwich or lightly scambled egg on toast is ideal. But, ultimately, the pre-race meal should could down to personal choice and you should try out as many different meals as possible before your training runs. If you know there is something that makes you feel that you have prepared perfectly for your race - whether it is peanut butter and jelly or pasta - then by all means carry on eating it. The fact that you believe it is doing you some good is half the battle.

When should I eat before a race?

There are no hard and fast rules here - only to leave long enough for the meal to digest so that you don’t feel uncomfortably full. For some runners that means four hours, for others it might be two hours. In general, a large meal will take around four hours to digest, 2-3 hours for a smaller meal and up to 2 hours for a snack or liquid meal. Always test out your pre-race meal in your training runs and not in a race situation.

Do I need to carbo-load before a half marathon?

• As a runner, you should always aim to get around 60 -70 per cent of your calorie intake from carbohydrate-rich foods, but in the days leading up to a race of 90 minutes or longer it is possible to super-fuel your muscles through eating the right foods.

• Three days before you race, increase the percentage of carbohydrate-rich foods such as pasta, bread, potatoes and rice that you eat. It is important not to increase the total amount of food in terms of calories as this will leave you feeling bloated and heavy.

• Eating more carbos will make sure you muscles are stocked up with the glycogen they need for energy.

• The day before you race needs to be carefully planned. Think about what time your race starts the next day and plan your meal times accordingly. If your race has an early start time, for instance, have your last heavy meal at lunchtime, a lighter snack in the early evening and a high carbo snack, such as a couple of slices of toast, before you go to bed. Have a light breakfast the next morning and make sure you drink plenty of fluids in the 2-3 hours before you start.