'.But despite all the hours of putting left after right, if you're not prepared to provide your body with the fuel it needs along the way to the finish line, you won't get there half as quickly as you'd planned. A race nutrition strategy is as important to your

'.But despite all the hours of putting left after right, if you're not prepared to provide your body with the fuel it needs along the way to the finish line, you won't get there half as quickly as you'd planned. A race nutrition strategy is as important to your

The Day BeforeYour goals for the day before your race are to top up your glycogen stores, stay well hydrated and avoid any pitfalls that may jeopardise your performance the next day.  Graze Eat little and often throughout the day. Choose high

-before’ selection. Just ban the word ‘stuff’ from your pre-race vocabulary. The evening before a race, you want to top off your glycogen tanks, not pig out. Since you probably do little or no running the day before your race, you only need a light meal. Besides

and coming up against the dreaded "wall". Sports drinks and carb gels are great for topping up your energy levels during a long run or race, but increasing your carb intake three days before the race will help make sure you reach the startline with maximum

carbs such as brown pasta or brown rice will keep your glycogen levels topped up until the race. But watch out - carbs that have been over-boiled or -baked may release their energy much more quickly.Throw in some protein to slow the digestion of carbs

UAN: Article type:++add book link at top++ -->This is adapted from the book, Eat Smart, Play Hard, by RW USA Nutrition Editor Liz Applegate. Vitamin C helps protect your body from oxidative damage caused by exercise and other stresses such as air

to match your training energy output. However, as your training volume increases and then tapers, so should your food intake. Planning your pre-race diet needn't be a nutritional nightmare: here are 25 handy do's and don'ts to help get you started

UAN: Article type:++add book link at top++ -->This is adapted from the book, Eat Smart, Play Hard, by RW USA Nutrition Editor Liz Applegate. There may be something here – if you’re a sprinter. Taking a few spoonfuls of sodium bicarbonate (commonly

. To read the full article - including Gordon Ramsay's perfect pre-race dinner and Michel Roux Jnr's favourite recovery fuel - subscribe now. You'll even save 30 per cent on your annual subscription by doing so right here online. Race-morning breakfast