DIETARY ADVICE

So the big day is almost upon us the Hope and Dream 10 mile and 10k, this race is all about enjoyment and the meaning it has to almost everyone taking part.

The two beginner groups have really put in the effort with their healthy eating and training over the past few months and I personally am looking forward to running alongside with some of them and enjoying the race.

HYDRATION

As the weather may be getting warmer we need to focus more on hydration leading up to race day. When your muscles start exercising they produce extra heat, about 75% of the energy you put into exercise is converted into heat and is then lost.

The amount of sweat that you produce and the amount of fluid that you lose depends on how hard you are exercising, how long you are exercising for, the temperature and also the humidity, so please avoid getting dehydrated and start to drink extra water two to three litres throughout the days and weeks leading up to race day.

Dehydration impairs performance and can have an adverse affect on your health i.e. places extra strain on your heart, lungs and circulatory system which means the heart has to work harder to pump blood around your body. The strain on your body’s systems means that exercise becomes harder and your performance will drop.

Many athletes and non-athletes suffer mild dehydration without even realising it; symptoms usually are sluggishness, fatigue, headaches, lightheaded and nausea. So a good indicator of hydration is to check your urine daily and it should be a very pale colour if it is dark in colour then that is a significant sign that you are dehydrated and should avoid exercise and drink more water. Also in the week leading up to race day you could put a sachet of dioralyte in your water to give you some needed electrolytes.

CARBOHYDRATES

Start eating your good quality carbohydrates; they are the main source of energy for the muscles and the brain (carb loading)

Starchy veg: sweet potato, white potato, peas, butternut squash, sweet corn.

Wholegrains: wholegrain pasta, rice, noodles, wholegrain breads, pittas, bagels, wild rice, buckwheat, quinoa.

Cereals: porridge, Weetabix, bran flakes, shredded wheat, Wholegrain crackers, Oat cakes or rice cakes as a healthy snack.

Every meal is important, but no meal is more important than the one before a race. Choosing the wrong foods, eating too much or too little, or eating at the wrong time can affect your performance and possibly ruin your race. Eating the right pre-race meal at the right time ensures that all your hard training doesn’t go to waste. You should have this perfected on your training days and not wait till the race day.

Choose foods and drinks that are not only easily digested, but also easily consumed – especially if you’re prone to nervousness. Very few of us have the usual hearty appetite on race mornings; with the butterflies in your stomach it usually permits consumption of soft, bland foods such as oatmeal and bananas.

Oatmeal such as porridge is almost pure carbohydrate, plus soft and light in taste. It is also the most filling food which is good for those wanting something substantial in their belly before they head out to burn a few thousand calories.

A little tip with porridge soak the oats the night before as they are easier to digest. Bananas are also almost all carbohydrate, a large banana contains more than 30 grams of carbohydrate and is also high in potassium (400 mg), which is lost in sweat during running, their softness and light taste make them easy to consume even with pre-race nerves.

A liquid meal such as a breakfast shake is another good choice, as long as it’s high in carbohydrates and low in protein, fat and fiber. Try various options and pay careful attention to the results and once you’ve settled upon a pre-race breakfast that works well, stick with it.

Recipe of the week – Athlete’s Porridge

50g of porridge oats

350mls of milk or almond milk

One banana sliced

25g dried fruit e.g. raisins, dates or figs and some flax or chia seeds.

For anyone interested in joining a beginners group to help on their journey from 0 to 10k, I am already involved in two beginner groups, New Year’s Resolution 2,5k in Enniscorthy Running Track, Monday and Thursday 8pm to 9pm and also Fit-Nutz in Shelmalier’s GAA grounds in Castlebridge every Tuesday and Fridays at 7pm to 8pm. I will be there myself on all of the above nights or you can contact Mag 087-6366905 for New Year’s Resolution 2.5k or Darren 086-8563872 for Fit-Nutz