caffeine and alcohol, which contribute to dehydration.You dont know what to eat Simple: stick to tried-and-tested foods, avoiding seafood and spicy food. Aim for slightly more carbohydrate and slightly less fat than usual on the day before the race, but it
also offer protection against some cancers.Red PotatoesThe humble - and let's be honest, it's not much to look at - potato has had a bad reputation in terms of nutrition because we have a habit of frying it in fat, covering it with cheese or mixing
Start racing faster"To improve your time, you're going to need to run faster throughout the race, not just at the finish. Many racers start too slowly and then end up running too quickly
brain, a proper nutrition plan may take a back seat.But proper nutrition is central to your training and to race success. By fuelling correctly and ensuring you're hydrated before, during and after training, you will perform and feel better and still
Patrick Holford (www.patrickholford.com). "But if you load too much too quickly the body dumps the excess into the liver, to convert it into fat for storage. So you are better off having a steady supply of unrefined carbs that release their energy more
in their running programmes.Since extra body fat equals dead weight in a race, you must trim extra pounds to maximize performance. You don’t need to cut down to the levels of élite runners (8 per cent for men, 12 per cent for women). Instead, settle on an ideal
, but these essential fats deliver benefits, so don't avoid them. Try salmon pâté or guacamole on a couple of oatcakes after a run." Ian Marber, the Food DoctorLose the tension"Avoid wasting energy during a race by unnecessarily tensing muscles, especially
Have you ever finished a race in a sweaty, sopping mess, your kit wallpapered to your body and your hair looking like you've just been for a fast spin in a washing machine? Sweating is an inevitable - and essential - by-product of exercise
can never utilise fat quickly enough to provide all the energy you'll need in races, but the more fat you burn, the less of your precious carbohydrates you'll need to use.Also, you will improve the circulatory abilities of the exercising muscles
There are thousands of races in Britain every year. Where do you start to look for one? When you flick through a race diary, what are you looking for? Chances are that you'll focus on an event that's close to home. Never mind if it's a one
