Food on the run can be critical

LET us talk food.

Nutrition before and during your race cannot be underestimated and can be the difference between running a personal best or not. In some cases it could be the difference between finishing and not!

It is crucial you have your food planned and tested before you hit the start line in this year’s Great Ocean Road marathon or half-marathon.

Going into your race underprepared or without testing what food works can lead to disaster.

There is no magic formula when it comes to getting your race nutrition right.

What works for me may not work for you.

The good news is there are plenty of options out there for you to test before the race.

Energy gels are common. They are easy to suck down while you are running and they give you a big sugar and caffeine punch.

But it is worth trying a few brands as the taste and texture change with every packet. Just because you do not like one brand does not mean you will not like some of the others.

Some runners also munch on energy bars. They are a little bit harder to eat and you may need to stop and quickly gobble it down.

Then there is the confectionary section of your supermarket. Some people enjoy eating chocolate, jelly beans or Killer Pythons on their run.

Fruit — such as a banana — is also a good option.

And some crazy people, including some I run with, do not eat anything. I do not know how they do it!

What you eat before a race is also very individual.

I love a banana on toast before I run a marathon. It is not too heavy but gives me enough energy to burn early.

Others might just eat some fruit or some even have a bigger breakfast, which might include fruit and toast with various high sugar spreads. Now get testing! Matt Daniels is a personal trainer at Fit n Focused in South Geelong. He is also running 535 consecutive marathons to raise money for Cad’s Cause, a charity which raises money for the Leukaemia Foundation. For more information visit: https:// www. f acebook. com/ 535 forcad/