and some protein," says Henderson. Whether your race is a 5K or a marathon, pasta topped with meat sauce is always an excellent pre-race choice. If the meat is turkey, even better - turkey contains trytophan, an amino acid that aids sleep. For a real power

on – especially recovery nutrition, making sure I have enough protein and carbohydrate. I eat barrow-loads of oranges, get loads of sleep and obsess about hand washing and using alcohol hand-rubs! So, far it's working... Forcing yourself to cut back on training

, and foods rich in protein to assist your body in repairing muscle and tissue. Indulge any cravings you might have – these could be your body’s way of telling you what it needs.Scientific research also indicates that many marathon runners lose around 3mg

Gatorade and 21 minutes 27 seconds after consuming Endurox R4.What is the key to chocolate milk’s powers of recovery? "The mixture of carbohydrate and protein in the chocolate milk could possibly have facilitated muscle glycogen resynthesis during

runs The diagnosis: If sleep deprivation or overtraining isn't to blame, your iron stores may be low. Iron is necessary for the production of hemoglobin, the protein of red blood cells that carries oxygen to your muscles. Low iron means less hemoglobin

and protein." Nick Anderson, running coachUse marathon yogic breathing"The ujjayi or 'victorious' breathing technique, employed in Hindu and Taoist Yoga practices, engages the core and allows deeper breathing. Visualise a string attached to your navel

. These simple carbohydrates are a great source of energy - in fact, honey was even used by runners in the Olympic Games in ancient Greece in as an energy source.A blend of natural sugars (80%), water (18%), and minerals, vitamins, pollen and protein (2%), honey

provided the women with soy protein powder which they stirred into milk, fruit juice or yoghurt. Sugary snacksNew research suggests that we do not need to alter the proportions of sugar and starchy foods in our diet when we are trying to lose weight

, then don't eat fat. Many dieters also know that one gram of fat packs nine calories, while protein and carbohydrate both contain just four calories per gram. But the logic of having fat in your diet has risen to the fore again. "I think it's a pretty

," says Shona Wilkinson, nutritionist at The Nutri Centre (www.nutricentre.com).Post-run snacksIf you run for more than an hour or have a particularly intense session, then a snack immediately afterwards that is high in carbohydrates and protein can boost