• Never underestimate hydration!  70-80% of your body is fluid and there is a lot of fluid in your muscles, so you have to maintain it! This does not have to be by guzzling 4 litres of water a day, you can hydrate using other sources such as vegetable juices, non-caffeinated teas and smoothies. It is best to make sure that you are hydrating throughout the day.
• Magnesium is very important as it is an antispasmodic, is important for your central nervous system and is used in over 300 cellular reactions. If you are putting your body under stress i.e. exercising and/ or boosting your exercise regime while training for your race, fatiguing occurs, which is why you need to replenish your magnesium levels. You can find magnesium and other vital minerals in IsoWhey products but you can also find it in nuts, seeds, green leafy vegetables, soybeans and molasses to name a few sources. I would suggest that you eat, drink or take a supplement that has magnesium in it the night before your race as you will most likely be anxious and it will help you sleep. It is also a good mineral to take post race when you are fatigued as well to reduce cramping.
• Carbohydrates are a must for those running distances and exerting a lot of energy. The best ones to choose are the most nutrient dense and slow releasing low GI carbohydrates. Consider Sourdough grains, oats, whole grains, legumes etc.
• Some people don’t really like to eat before competing in a fun run or marathon but if you are running a long distance it is a good idea to have something to give you energy. My meal suggestions would be: A piece of wholegrain bread/ sourdough with banana on it or a smoothie/ protein shake if you can’t stomach a full meal. I often make myself an Isowhey shake and only have half of it pre-exercise and then I finish the other half post-exercise. You have a short window after exercise of about maximum 45 minutes where you need to replenish your body with protein, nutrients, carbohydrate and good fats.
• Protein in very important for your body and even more important when it comes to pre-workout and replenishing post exercise. After all, protein is the building block of entire body. When training for a race, I would suggest ensuring that you have protein in every meal and every snack, as it helps with building muscle mass, lowers GI and sustains energy for longer. You also don’t need to eat a lot to feel satisfied when you include protein in your meals. The best snacks are smoothies, protein balls, protein bars or pops- IsoWhey has a good selection, nuts and seeds, an egg sandwich, tuna, yoghurt, humus and carrot sticks, quinoa, legumes, dairy product, soy products or conventional animal protein.
• Try to maximise the nutrients that you are eating in every meal- particularly when you are outputting a lot of energy, you need to replenish. When training intensively you may need an extra snack or two but you don’t necessary need to change your main meals, remember that hydration, carbohydrates, protein and good quality fats are essential
• Some people tend to find that some proteins can be a bit heavy when you are about to run. A good way to avoid weighing yourself down is to simply mix an appropriate protein powder in water. Protein powders in water are a great way to replenish and rehydrate as, some ranges, in this case IsoWhey’s products, contain a lot of natural ingredients and minerals. They are also slow releasing GI proteins
• When competing is a long distance event, such as a marathon or cycling race, it is a good idea to carry a water belt so that you can hold drinks and remain hydrated throughout the event. You will see that some elite athletes carry two bottles, on one side they carry protein powder and on the other one they carry an Electrolyte Formula. They then alternate sips from each throughout the race to stay hydrated. If you don’t want to carry the bottles with you then consider an Electrolyte Formula to rehydrate immediately after your race