With 45 days to go, hopefully you’ve had the chance to trial your race day diet and figure out what works for your body.
Running diets are personal and can vary depending on the individual. Whilst some runners can eat within an hour of running just fine, others need to wait at least 3 hours after eating before they run to avoid feeling discomfort. This is why trialing not only what you eat, but how much and how often- is key to success on race day.
For many runners, the lead up to race day might involve increasing total carbohydrate intake to ensure high glycogen stores. However, it’s also crucial you don’t overdo it- your last big meal should be no less than two nights before the race, to ensure your body has plenty of time to digest everything before you run.
On race day, it’s all about electrolytes. Electrolytes are crucial in assisting your muscle cells in retaining the right amount of water and maintaining water balance. When you exercise, important electrolytes such as potassium and sodium are lost through sweating and need to be replenished. In order to do this, many runners will consume energy gels before and during their run, as well as consuming electrolyte endurance drinks such as those supplied by 32Gi Sports Nutrition on the day to maintain hydration. The on course nutrition at this year’s Great Ocean Road Running Festival will be 32Gi Low Gi Endurance Drink.
At this point, you’ll have a pretty good idea of what works for you and what is best for your body before a long run. Make sure you stick to this and don’t give into temptation to try anything new!
