Training Post 12 - Pasta makes you faster

Obviously to run 13.1 miles, some decent fuel is required, but it's by no means an excuse to gorge on takeaways and cake (or, indeed, cakeaways....someone should invent those, there's a huge gap in the market there just waiting to be filled with butter cream)

So, what's the common verdict on pre-race nutrition? Many advocate 'fresh' produce, and a good balance of fruit, veg, proteins and wholegrains, with fish and chicken recommended over red meat. Generally, processed foods are deemed a no-no, along with junk food. Complex carbs such as pasta and grains are of course important for providing the fuel necessary for running a half marathon. All of this seems to make sense - basically, it's the foundation of a healthy diet anyway. But what of the specific pre-run advice? Livestrong.com recommends a diet that consists of 65-70% carbohydrates in the weeks running up to the event, even during the 'tapering' period when training drops off prior to the race. A method called 'Carbohydrate Depletion' is also mentioned on the site (and on a few others), which involves reducing the carb intake for a few days in the week before the event, then loading back up in the days just before the race (which supposedly maximises glycogen stores). Apparently this can also be condensed into just one day! Generally, the advice out there is to carb-up the day before the race, though perhaps not to such extremes as described in carbohydrate depletion (especially since this is only a half-marathon, not a full one).

On race day itself, it's important to eat a breakfast which is easy to digest (so nothing high in fat or protein), but not too quickly (energy bars, for instance); a bowl of porridge plus banana, for example, is recommended, as is toast with honey or peanut butter.

As I say, it's only a half marathon, so it isn't quite as essential to get the nutrition spot on, nor to load up so much on carbohydrates, but nevertheless, I'd rather get to South Shields comfortably than be running out of energy just past Gateshead Stadium!

Here are a few more links for pre-race nutrition tips:
Marathon-Training-Schedule
TakeToTheStreets
BUPA