The countdown to the 2024 Reading Half Marathon has already begun!
Here, are some tips on fuelling from the beginning of your training all the way through eating for recovery after you cross the finish line.
FRUIT & VEG ARE YOUR FRIENDS
Ideally you want to eat four to five vegetables each day, they will give you a range of usual nutrients like vitamins and antioxidants. Which hopefully will ensure you are recovering properly and reducing your risk of illness or injury.
Colourful and leafy salads are great for lunch, with some fruit to snack on throughout the day.
PROTEIN IN ALL YOUR MEALS
It’s expected that roughly 15-20 per cent of your calories should be from protein.
Protein is important to assist your muscles from recovering from training, it also helps to release steady energy during the day and support your immune system. You can get protein from:
Meat, Fish, Eggs, Milk, Yoghurt, Cheese, Nuts & Seeds.
You can also use protein powders for recovery after your long-runs.
EAT CARBS
Carbohydrates are believed to provide the major source of energy for half-marathon training. So it’s important to include enough in your diet. You can get carbohydrates in your vegetables, but also include a range of grains too, preferably wholegrains (such as oats, brown rice, quinoa).
Starchy vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes and butternut squash also provide good sources of energy. So ensure you have a mixture in your diet.
FATS ARE GOOD FOR YOU
You get over a quarter of your calories from fats. Popular items with good fats include:
Oily fish, olive oil, avocado, nuts/ seeds.
These items don’t just help you meet your calories, they also provide nutrients which support immunity, energy production and your heart health.
EAT MORE
We all have a suggested daily amount of food to survive – this is just for the day-to-day necessities your body subconsciously does e.g body movements, digestion etc.
If you are training and increasing your exercise levels, then it means you will need to increase your calories. Increase your food intake gradually as your mileage increases.
POST RACE
After the race, you are going to be ecstatic… but drained! So make sure straight after the race you are drinking water and taking on a small snack (E.g banana, Protein, Chocolate bar).
Once you have had your snack, taken on some liquids and recovered a little bit – ensure your post-race meal is within 2 hours of finishing. Most runners enjoy a BIG pasta dinner, whilst others have protein and salad. It is completely up to you – just ensure you are refuelling yourself.