So, you’ve been training, you are getting the miles in, you are ready to tackle all those obstacles and all that mud…But, what should you be eating on the day to fuel you around the course?
First up, these couple of tips I’m about give you should be trialled prior to the race day. As the saying goes “dont try anything new on race day”.
Carbs
Carbs are life! Not only that, but carbs are a key ingredient to help fuel endurance-based races such as this one. Your body is going to need carbohydrates as it will be working at an aerobic intensity for a long period of time. You will need these to fuel your efforts and get you over that line.
2-3 days prior to the event, look to introduce a little more carbs into your meals. Foods such as potatoes, rice and oats are great options. During the event, try to take on some form of carbs either through food such as bananas or flapjack/energy bars or gels. (But again, make sure you test these prior to the race to make sure they sit well with you).
Hydration
Making sure you are hydrated before the day is one thing, but remaining hydrated throughout the race is another. Research shows that if you are even 2% dehydrated, you can start to be affected by this and performance may drop.
Make sure you drink frequently before the start and also sipping on fluids throughout the race too. If you are racing for more than 2hours, look to try and get some electrolytes in your fluids to help reface what you have lost through sweat.
Post-race
Although a refreshing pint and a burger post race is what’s on most peoples agenda, make sure you also get in some “healthier” recovery foods and fluids to. This will help your recovery process and ease the aches and pains the next day too!
