EAT CARBOHYDRATES

MBABANE – Running a half-marathon is quite an accomplishment and one that requires discipline, dedication and rigorous training.
Providing your body with the proper fuel is essential for you to perform your best on race day.

The foods you choose to eat on race day are very important, but your diet in the days before your race can also impact your run.
Ahead of Saturday’s Tuff One Half Marathon, runners must consume plenty of carbohydrates.

The meal you consume the morning of the race will not be enough to provide you with sufficient energy, so you will need to use some stored energy.
According to Live Strong, your body can store about 2 000 calories from carbohydrate in the form of glycogen, which is enough to get you through the race.

How to achieve that:
To build up your glycogen stores for race day, bump up your calorie and carbohydrate intake the week prior to the marathon.
Your goal should be to consume 55 to 60 per cent of your calories from carbohydrate, or three to five grams per pound of body weight. Include complex carbohydrates in your diet.

Foods such as whole-grain breads, cereals, potatoes, pasta, rice and legumes are good sources of complex carbohydrates.
 For breakfast, consider oatmeal sprinkled with fruit and nuts or an English muffin topped with peanut butter and banana.
For lunch and dinner, try a shredded beef burrito served with rice and beans, pasta tossed with grilled chicken and roasted veggies, or chicken and veggies stir-fry served on top of steamed rice.

Include snacks throughout the day such as yogurt topped with fruit and granola, crackers and cheese, or half of a sandwich.
Your breakfast on the day of the half-marathon should be high in carbohydrate, moderate in protein and relatively low in fat to prevent gastrointestinal distress during the run.

Running on a full stomach can be uncomfortable, so plan to eat breakfast two to four hours before the start of your race.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: