Everyone knows that a big part of any marathon race is the fuelling. Unlike a half, which you might predominantly run on the stored glycogen in your muscles and a couple of gels (or even without), a marathon sees many runners hit the wall down to poor pacing or poor nutrition. Or a bit of both.

There is a lot of advice out there about how to fuel your optimum performance and we’ve digested (a pun, of course) as much as possible to bring some simple advice our readers can follow.

The build-up

In the days leading up to the marathon, it’s important to increase carbohydrate intake to fully fuel muscles. Leafing sports nutrition expert Asker Jeukendrup recommends 7-12 grams of carbs per kilogram of body weight per day, with most carbs coming from low-fiber sources like white bread, pasta, and sports drinks.

A pre-race meal high in carbs and easy to digest, such as a bagel with peanut butter or a bowl of oatmeal with fruit, is also important.

Training the gut, or improving digestive system function and efficiency, is another important aspect of marathon preparation. This can improve carbohydrate utilization, reduce gastrointestinal discomfort during the marathon, and enhance recovery after the race.

Strategies for training the gut include gradually increasing carb intake, practicing with different types of fuel during training runs, and paying attention to hydration and electrolyte balance. Listening to the body and paying attention to gastrointestinal symptoms can also provide valuable insights. By following these tips, marathon runners can ensure proper fueling and hydration for optimal performance.

In the race itself

During the marathon, it’s crucial to continue fuelling to maintain energy levels, especially if you want a PB.

There is some debate among sports nutrition experts about the optimal amount of carbohydrates to consume during endurance events like marathons. According to Jeukendrup consuming 30-60 grams of carbs per hour during a marathon is sufficient for most runners.

However, some research has shown that consuming higher amounts of carbs during endurance events may be beneficial.

For example, a study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that trained runners who consumed 90 grams of carbs per hour during a simulated marathon had significantly better performance than those who consumed only 30 grams of carbs per hour.

Another compared 60-90-120g of carbohydrates and saw benefits in terms of lower muscle damage markers in the groups taking on more carbs, but without any difference in GI issues after a period of gut training for all.

When to eat?

Remember it is important to consume carbohydrates and fluids at regular intervals to maintain energy levels and hydration. The timing of these fuel and hydration breaks will depend on the length of the marathon and the individual runner’s needs and preferences.

As a general rule, it is advisable to start fueling within the first hour of the marathon and then every 30-45 minutes thereafter. This can be achieved through a combination of sports drinks, gels, and energy bars, depending on the runner’s tolerance and preferences.

It is also important to pay attention to thirst and hunger cues during the marathon, as these can serve as indicators of fluid and fuel needs. It is generally better to drink and eat before feeling thirsty or hungry, as this can help prevent a deficit from developing.

However, it is also key to avoid overloading the stomach, as this can lead to gastrointestinal discomfort. Finding the right balance will likely require some trial and error, and it can be helpful to practice fueling strategies during training runs to see what works best.

It is worth noting that the ability to tolerate and effectively utilize high amounts of carbs during exercise can vary significantly from person to person. Some runners may find that they can tolerate and benefit from higher carb intake, while others may experience gastrointestinal discomfort or other negative side effects. It is important for each individual runner to find what works best for them through trial and error.

After the storm

Post-race recovery is equally important, and Jeukendrup recommends consuming a mix of carbs and protein within the first 30 minutes after the race, along with continued fluid intake, to facilitate recovery.

Just to give you an idea here is an example menu for a marathon weekend.

• Dinner the night before: Grilled chicken/tofu with quinoa and roasted vegetables
• Breakfast on race day: Bagel with peanut butter and a banana, washed down with a glass of sports drink or electrolytes
• Snacks on race day (prior to the marathon): Energy bar and a sports drink
• Food and drinks during the race: Energy gels and sports drinks every 20-30 minutes, totalling approximately 90 grams of carbs
• Post-race snack: Protein shake with fruit or a turkey or cheese sandwich on whole grain bread

It is worth noting that this is just one example, and the specific needs and preferences of each runner will vary. It is important for each runner to find what works best for them through trial and error.

The post Marathon fuelling advice appeared first on Fast Running.

A 2017 study showed that electrolyte drinks are a safe hydration alternative for dogs who’re at risk of heat stroke in hot weather. The dogs offered electrolyte drinks in the study drank significantly more fluid and maintained healthier hydration levels.

“If a dog is reluctant to drink, then a highly palatable flavoured electrolyte solution may give them a boost,” says Cynthia M. Otto, the lead researcher named on the paper.*

So Precision Hydration and Tails.com have worked together to bring out the best option for a runner’s best friend.

Why ready-to-drink?

Well, we did try effervescent tablets, but none of the dogs we beta-tested them with were keen… Chris’ dog Kyra was NOT a fan of our effervescent tablets

Why now?

PH are generally all dog lovers and this has been a pet project of mine for a while now. It’s just taken a while to convince head honcho Andy Blow, who has a ‘complicated’ relationship with anything that barks… Plus, we did the math and dogs have twice the number of legs for us to help avoid cramping up. It just makes sense from a business perspective.

5 signs your pooch is a ‘salty sweater’

They lick your leg when you arrive home from a sweaty effort
They stop to drink from, or lie down next to, puddles a lot, especially when it’s hot
They crave salty food and treats
They leave salty marks on your car seats after walks on the beach
Their nose is less wet than usual after longer walks

Check out these 5 reviews from our beta-pups and their humans…

Sammy and Saxon (and F1 legend Mark Webber)

“The drinks made us feel faster than Daddy used to be on a good day in qualifying!”
“I was sceptical at first, it all just seemed a little far-fetched to me. But fair play to the lads, they’ve pulled it out of the doggy bag with this one…”
Sammy, Saxon and Mark Webber

Bruce (and Superbike rider Eugene Laverty)

“I can’t usually stomach much when I’m panting hard, but I was lapping this stuff up!”

“Super happy that the whole family will now be hydrated by the pros. Brucie knocked 3 minutes off his walk PB the other day and I’m 67% sure that the drinks played a role in that…” say Bruce and Eugene Laverty

X (and triathlete Emma Pallant-Browne)

“I’ve been peeing on far fewer lamp posts since incorporating the drinks into my hydration strategy. 5 from me!”
“PH really are best of breed when it comes to hydration.”

Rosa and Pica (and ultrarunner Robbie Britton)

“After years of barking up the wrong tree when it comes to our hydration needs, we’ve finally found an optimal solution,” said Fast Running contributor Rosa.

“The drinks have become part of our pre-walk ritual, right between the girls bringing me my shoes and pacing up and down by the door. Thanks guys!”

Rosa and Pica Britton

Give them a treat and go fetch some today…

Not a dog owner?

​We can’t give you the last few minutes of your life back, but we do still make the best darn electrolyte supplements for sweaty humans too. For now at least…

The post Study suggests canine hydration is key to performance appeared first on Fast Running.

Based in the north of England and with fell running and cycling wonder-woman Dr. Mary Wilkinson as their head of Science and Research, Voom have been around for about two years now.

Their signature products are their bars. With 40g of carbohydrates, the  “pocket rockets are energy products pitched as an alternative to traditional energy gels, in fact with twice the energy of an average gel in one of our bars” says Beau Smith of Voom.

So we decided to do some Fast Running testing (although some was done whilst fast cycling too) and see just how good they are. For transparency Voom Nutrition did provide us with a selection of bars for free, but no money was paid for advertisement.

First impressions

As a member of the management team for the British 24hr Squad and a Sports Nutrition student, I’m always keen to try new race foods. A few fellow runners spoke highly of the Voom products so when they got in touch it was an easy decision to test some out.

The bars have 40g of carbohydrates so, although described as “one hour of energy” it’s not quite as much as you would need unless you were on the lower side of energy intake for your racing. With recent studies looking at the possibility of ingesting 120g carbohydrates per hour and accepted 80-90g/hour amounts for racing, it’s not a stand alone race food.

With the higher amounts of carbohydrates you would need to take on a 2:1 mixture of glucose and fructose, so the fact that these are 100% glucose does mean they aren’t really a complete nutrition solution.

When asked Voom responded that “in short, due to the level of carbs [40g] we have in our bars, the inclusion of fructose wouldn’t really provide that benefit that it could if we were aiming for over 60g of carbs and therefore solely glucose was deemed appropriate for this product.”

Likewise the website says “the Electro Energy Pocket Rocket provides the perfect amounts of electrolytes to replace those lost in sweat.” Given the extremely individual electrolyte rates in sweat, “perfect” can really vary, with these actually on the low side. Not a bad thing, but it is always worth thinking of finding the right balance for you individually.

The Bars

One of the first things you will notice is that the bar breaks into four, easy to eat segments. Mountain runner Natalie White found this really helpful in terms of taking on board energy, as 10g boluses of carbs are a good size to be taking on.

The packaging is nice, the bars are a good shape and size to fit into a pocket, running belt or race pack and carrying a bundle of Pocket Rocket energy bars is easy. They are certainly less messy than a gel too.

The Pocket Rockets come in three forms; Electro Energy, Beta Blast and Caffeine Kick. Whilst electro energy is caffeine free, the other two do pack a really decent sized amount of caffeine with 150mg in Beta Blast and 175mg (plus 100mg of taurine) in Caffeine Kick.

If you’re at all sensitive to caffeine be cautious with how much you take on, you’ll be buzzing after a couple of these. A can of Red Bull has only 80mg of caffeine, but 1000mg of taurine and a regular cup of home brewed coffee could have 80-100mg of caffeine. So this is rocket fuel in caffeine terms.

Photo: Robbie Britton

The taste

Let’s start with the electro energy. The best way to describe is a slightly less granular, lemon and lime flavoured kendal mint cake. I like it, could happily eat multiple bars in a row and they go down without too much difficulty.

Unlike an isotonic gel, you do need to take some water on board too, but if you’re well hydrated the bars are very palatable.

Now the Beta Blast and Caffeine Kick have a similar texture, a nice Orange and Berry flavour initially, but a strong caffeine after taste. I don’t particularly mind it, Natalie was less keen, but you will notice it.

Generally all of the bars are easy to eat, enjoyable in terms of taste and not too sweet. They’re certainly not savoury though. Given that I would happily at Haribo for 24 hours in a row maybe I’m not the best person to say whether they are sweet or not.

The bars are reasonably priced at £1.50 and a box of 20 is £27.00 so similar to many gels on the market, but with more carbs for you money at 40g per bar. Think of it as buying 35-40 gels.

What athletes are saying?

Kirsty Reade has finished races like the Dragon’s Back and Cape Wraith ultra so knows a think or two about eating for success. “I’ve been using them for a while and I really like the consistency of the bars and the concept of two squares = one gel makes it easy to keep on top of nutrition,” said the Lake District based athlete.

“I’ve found them really easy on the stomach even on long days out. The only thing that would improve them would be a greater range of flavours – currently there’s only one flavour per type of bar, so I tend to make my choice on which flavour I like best, rather than what I want from the bar.”

Not something I’d thought of, but if you don’t want a massive hit of caffeine, then you are stuck with one flavour. It’s a nice flavour though.

British 24hr runner Cat Simpson, who has twice run over 220km in a day, added that “they’re a nice alternative to gels during longer races, especially if you’re having to eat for 24 hours of racing.”

Recovery fudge

So during your run it’s all about the pocket rockets, but what about afterwards. Desrcibed as potentially the first of it’s kind, the RecoverFudge is bloody lovely. With 10g of protein per bar it’s a little on the low side for a protein product, but it comes with a good 3:1 carb:protein ratio.

Taste wise, it’s really nice. You could certainly pitch it as a pleasant alternative to a protein shake and if you have an athlete who’s not great at getting on board carbs and protein after a workout then it could be a great option.

At £2.50 per bar it’s not cheap, but you do get a small discount for buying in bulk (15 for £33.00).

Would I keep eating Voom bars?

In short, yes. They’re palatable, easy to eat and I enjoy the taste. If I want to get a proper caffeine kick in as well then they make sense. It’s likely I’ll order a few more in the future and could even use them for racing (when we have racing again).

As with any race fuel, test it yourself. If you’re an marathon or ultra runner then now is a good time to be testing new foods in your long run and even for shorter distances you could be trialling gels or bars within tempo workouts or time trials.

There are plenty of food options available and not just sports products. Even when testing the Voom bars on a long ride I also packed a banana, a couple snickers, some energy drinks and topped up with a can of Coca-Cola on the way round. Find out what works for you and remember the gut can be trained.

For more information or to order your own to try, check out the Voom Nutrition website.

Want to run faster? For just £30 per month athletes are provided with a Final Surge plan for each day of the week, coaching advice from Robbie Britton and Tom Craggs, as well as access to the unique Fast Running Performance community.

If you would like more information on joining the project, click here. 

The post Va-va-Voom bars. appeared first on Fast Running.

“If you met me before the age of 20 and introduced yourself, I would have said hello, I am a walker, and by the way my name is Evan. Here is my list of achievements and PBs”. In my experience, the ones who over identify with the sport, that is their crutch, that is compensation for feeling inadequate or struggling with social anxiety.”

Then his sporting career was cut short by injury. “I’ll have to deal with the reality that I’ll never become an Olympian and that’s what I wanted to be.”

Lynch is a sports nutritionist and a registered dietitian in Malta where he completed his postgraduate degree in dietetics. He is in the process of registering in Ireland and is currently undertaking a Master in Sports and Exercise Science. The former race-walker has learned from his own mistakes to try to help other athletes avoid them through his work with Cycling Ireland and Athletics Ireland, as well as DCU Athletics.

Learning from our own mistakes

“I see in hindsight a lot of the things I did wrong, and I see it in other people now. The food aversion, the fad diets. I had low energy availability, trained when I was fucked, ignored warning signs.

“If I can prevent that happening in other people, that is what I would like and that’s why I do this.” A lot of people have food guilt, which he describes as “old school dogmatism. People are bullied or shamed into acting a certain way and it bothers me.”

It is easy to maintain a “good” diet when you are in the routine of training. But when you aren’t training, athletes slip into bad habits much easier.

Lynch can relate. “It happened to me when I first got injured. I didn’t brush my teeth for three weeks. It was when I was 20 and I didn’t understand what was happening. I couldn’t bring myself to do any basic self maintenance and it all goes back to your identity and the narrative you build up around what you are.”

The fickleness of sport

Sport is super fickle. If your self esteem is rooted in performance you’re going to run into difficulties when you’re on the down curve.

The Limerick man recalls his experience of anxiety post-sport, but not really knowing what it was. He felt sick going into lectures, house parties, on the bus. “I was getting this about twenty times a week and they were panic attacks because when I lost sports, that was my whole framework of existence and it crumbled.”

“And this is where I started to see that, depending on the axioms you hold of who you are and what sport is to you, it affects how you behave. I had to change my whole identity and find out a few things about myself.”

A combination of fast food and the track for the MK5000m Special that might seen strange for some. Photo: Brian Graves of MKAC

Food Anxiety

If you’re in a sport where weight to watt ratio really matters the mindset can be “I need to carry the least amount of weight possible and what are things that go against weight loss?

Well eating food definitely, eating junk food absolutely, and someone told me carbohydrates make me gain weight so I can’t have them. You can see how, depending on what kind of beliefs the person has been fed, if they’re all about max performance, that can have detrimental effects on their diet.”

A junior athlete he works with said that if all their friends went to McDonald’s it would make them anxious and they would wait outside. “With anxiety, you fear the unknown. You fear the what ifs and you’re hesitant to try anything because it might not work.”

The athlete’s narrative can be “I am hesitant to have a balanced diet and to take a moderate approach because that’s what normal people eat and normal people aren’t athletes. If I eat like them it will undermine my goals.”

Food isn’t just about right and wrong

People come in looking for a black and white meal plan but Lynch works in the grey to change behaviour. “People are grey areas.”

He described one endurance athlete as “very by the book.” They spent time writing “junk food” into their diet, for this athlete it was to have some nutella every day “and this was the most important thing we were going to do.” It proved to them that they didn’t “have to be perfect, that they can enjoy their diet. The control that they tried to exert and the belief system they had on black and white was all a lie.”

The Fitnut Clinic

Lynch does not offer a standard weight loss plan. “This is not a diet. Weight will happen as a side effect, we are not doing this so we can post on instagram or so you can look the part. Aesthetics and performance are not the same thing. People really mix that up.”

The Big Rule: “This is for you. So that you can look in the mirror and know that you’re in control of your health. It’s not for other people so that they will like you.”

The ex-endurance athlete used to find smaller social situations difficult. “I thought that performing well or being in fantastic shape would change that, and it didn’t. It only alienates you further.” That’s another thing he addresses with clients, if they are there because they hope people will like them more, “they won’t, no one will care how you look.” That’s the home truth.

Photo: Provided by Evan

How do you stay on the bandwagon during Corona-time?

A question most readers will have had to grapple with in the last month.

“Your season is gone, you don’t know what you are doing. Everything is vague. If you identify as an athlete and your season is gone – what are you? What are athletes without their sport? Some would say nothing and that was certainly my answer when I lost sports. If your whole raison d’etre is gone, why would you look after yourself? There is no incentive.”

There is no doubt that some people find the Covid-19 uncertainty harder to deal with than others. For sure some have fallen off the bandwagon in the last few weeks because of the interruption to routine.

“It comes from not really knowing what to do. What are the rules? In the coronavirus, there are no rules. How do you react? What  exercise can you do within a 2km radius? Can you have perfect meal prepping when shopping is almost blasphemy at this stage?”

“Society expects nothing of us at the moment and because of that we give ourselves permission to do nothing.” The people with resilience will fare better, those who can keep doing what they are doing regardless of the situation they are in.

Robbie would like to know how to stop raiding the fridge?

The Fast Running editor has been exercising inside his Italian apartment for over 30 days and has covered over 800 miles on the turbo on his balcony. We can cut him some slack, or can we?

“Stay hydrated, the brain mistakes hunger and thirst as the same thing. Figure out your comfort eating. Most people comfort eat at night because they are bored.” If you keep passing the fridge, “stop, realise what you are doing, leave the room, and come back.”

People who see the pandemic as out of their control, but take the view that “I can only control myself” are the people who stay on track. “It’s the people who focus on what they can’t control, or what other people think of them, or what is going to go wrong, they’re the ones who will go off track.”

The nutritionist sees that a lot of people are suffering with these issues in the athletics community. “RED-S caused a bit of a stir, but the whole culture and mental battles on a day to day basis is not touched.” It is a powder keg waiting to explode in his opinion. “I hope people can relate to this.”

If you’d like to hear more from Evan then how about trying the Runner Beans podcast interview here. 

For more information or to contact Evan about online nutritional coaching then have a look at his website. 

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patreon. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post Nutrition isn’t just about right and wrong appeared first on Fast Running.

With the absolute panic of corona virus going round at the moment, you may be worrying about what you can do to stop getting ill.

Whilst you’re probably sick of singing happy birthday whilst you wash your hands, stocking up on loo roll or searching for anti-bacterial gel, I thought I’d talk about some nutritional advice that runners can use to help support their immune systems.

As athletes we’re constantly pushing our bodies during training. Being sick is not only boring and frustrating, but it can make you miss time off of training, which can lead to time out of competition. Competing or training whilst sick can also have a direct impact on performance levels and recovery.

In order to maintain a strong and robust immune system, athletes needs to consume a well balanced diet. This means you need to always be meeting your requirements for energy, carbohydrates, protein and all of your micronutrients (vitamins and minerals).

Having a diet that is deficient in protein or specific micronutrients is well known and researched to be a cause of immune dysfunction. So what can you do to make sure you’re eating well to support your immune system?

Getting the energy balance right

Being in an energy deficit diet will only impact your immune system negatively. By eating less than you need, you’re going to struggle to reach all the carbohydrate, protein, vitamin and mineral requirements. As athletes, we always need to think about our energy output. This means thinking about our daily routine and our training routine.

Working/studying/thinking/commuting can take up a lot of energy, and combine this with all the training we do, we need a lot of energy to match this.

Carbs, glorious carbs

It is well researched that carbohydrates reduce post exercise stress hormones and inflammation on the body. For endurance athletes, carbs really are our best friends. Not just for providing us with energy before exercise, but for replenishing our bodies after exercise. Carbohydrate intake during/after exercise helps to redistribute white blood cells (which help protect us from infection) around the body.

Chocolate milk post exercise is one of the best things for you. It has the absolute perfect balance of carbohydrates, protein, electrolytes, vitamins, minerals that you need after training. And it’s cheap. So I challenge you over the next few weeks to have this after each run…I really do think you’ll notice a difference!

For those who don’t drink dairy, try a chocolate nut milk alternative with a banana! Or if you’re super organised, make your own smoothie to drink after training! Chuck in some plant based milk, banana, fruit, oats, nuts and there you go!

Eat carbohydrates with each meal, and a carbohydrate based snacks before you go training to make sure you’re getting adequate energy to support your immune system. Some great sources of carbs are rice, grains, potatoes, sweet potatoes, pasta, bread, malt loaf, oat cakes, scotch pancakes and bananas. Endurance athletes need around 7-10g/kg of body weight each day of carbohydrates, so eat up!

Protein

A deficiency in protein is long known to affect your immune system, and can increase your susceptibility to infectious diseases.

Having low protein levels, reduces the amino acids in our body, which we need to regulate and produce antibodies and other natural killer cells. There is evidence suggesting that a diet high in protein can be associated with fewer respiratory illnesses.

Endurance athletes need 1.2-1.4g/kg of body weight each day of protein. These requirements can be met by having a protein source at each meal and after training. Sources of protein can be meat, fish, milk (including choccy milk), yoghurt, cheese, nuts, eggs, tofu/soy, beans and pulses.

Zinc, Vitamin C and D

All the vitamins and minerals are good for us, and are essential to having a healthy balanced diet. However, the top three that crop up most in research for immune function are Zinc, Vitamin C and Vitamin D.

Zinc is a mineral that affects multiple aspects of the immune system. From the barrier of the skin, to gene regulation of white blood cells, zinc is a great mineral for immune function. It has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and helps fight off invading bacteria and viruses.

Some of the best sources of zinc are oysters, shellfish, meat, beans and pulses, dairy (milk, cheese, yoghurt), and nuts.

Vitamin C is probably the most famous for sure, it’s the one supplement you reach for as soon as you have a cold, but why? Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant, which is essential for protecting cells from free radicals. It also is essential in collagen synthesis, which helps with the healing of wounds on the skin and it used up rapidly during infection.

(If you’re confused about what an antioxidant is, or free radicals etc it’s basically when the body reacts to stress from the environment, or when we process food. If the body cannot process and remove these free radicals, oxidative stress can result which can harm the cells and body function. Antioxidants help to neutralise these free radicals in our bodies and boost our overall health.

Sources of vitamin C include oranges, grapefruit, red pepper, kiwi fruit, strawberries, broccoli, potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, leafy greens, sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts!

Vitamin D is classically known to support our bone health and function, but that’s not all it does. In recent years, the effects of Vitamin D deficiency on immune function have become clear. It enhances the antimicrobial effects of immune cells, which basically helps us fight off bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms that cause disease. Vitamin D has also been shown to protect against upper respiratory tract infections.

Dietary sources of vitamin D are fatty fish like trout, salmon, mackerel and tuna, red meat, liver, egg yolks and fortified foods such as fat spreads or breakfast cereals, but we can also get it from the sun.

In the UK where it’s pretty gloomy in the winter, the sunlight doesn’t contain as much UVB radiation so we need to get our Vitamin D from our diet or a supplement. However from about late March to the end of September, we usually get all the Vitamin D from sunlight!

(Heads up – get your vitamins and minerals from food where possible!! Not only do you save money, you absorb more of the nutrients, and get a range of vitamins and minerals from the food! And it’s tastier)

Probiotics

Research behind the use of probiotics in sports has been growing over the fast few years, with the focus on upper respiratory tract infections and gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. Both of these are common amongst endurance athletes.

Research has shown that many athletes may benefit from adding probiotics to their diet, especially when used over a long period of time, to minimise upper respiratory tract infections and GI problems.

Sources of probiotics include yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut, tempeh, kimchi, kombucha and pickles!

In summary

Hopefully this will help guide your next supermarket trip to pick up a few new things, or to add a variety of foods to your diet! The key to supporting your immune system is to eat a range of fruits and veg and to make sure you’re eating enough. Other than that, train smart and rest smart and you should be fighting fit for the season ahead!

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patreon. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post The best foods to help support your immune system appeared first on Fast Running.

**Editors note – this article was supplied by CurraNZ, we received no payment or other incentive for posting it. As with any information supplied by brands we recommend taking time to do your own research into a product’s efficacy and status. All athletes should familiarise themselves with the status of supplements using Global DRO**

The 1500 metre runner rounded off a dream week last week by grabbing gold and scooping his first senior British title in Glasgow, just seven days after notching a new personal best time of 3:39.25 and the 20-year-old star is now setting his sights on Olympic Games qualification.

He said: “It feels amazing to have won the title, the run couldn’t have gone any better. I was feeling good after getting my new personal best last week and I knew I could give the Indoor Championships a good shot.”

“The result was great, but it’s not the most important thing. It was more about the processes of the indoor season and using it to learn and improve. I’ll take those lessons into the outdoor season with me and keep working hard towards the Olympic Games qualifications in June.”

Mills, son of former England and Manchester City footballer Danny Mills, scooped the 1500 metre title in a time of 3:50.69, defeating British junior record-holder Tom Keen (3:52.40) and Jonathan Kay (3:52.56).

But he has no time to rest on his laurels, with an altitude training camp in Flagstaff, USA, in April ahead of a busy summer.

The former European U18 Championship 800m champion, of the Brighton Phoenix club, has turned to a leading blackcurrant supplement to aid his recovery and help him through his hectic schedule.
He is combining his promising athletics career with studying for a Sports Science degree at the University of Brighton and it was his studies that convinced him that Surrey-based CurraNZ could help him in his mission to compete at the Olympics one day.

And an increasing number of British universities are studying the effects of the blackcurrant extract as a natural performance enhancer for athletes and muscle recovery aid.

CurraNZ uses berries grown in New Zealand because the Southern Hemisphere’s intense UV light produces unusually high levels of protective and health-giving nutrients compared with those grown elsewhere.

The key ingredients are anthocyanins – pigments in the fruit’s skin responsible for their dark purple colouring, which belong to a group of flavonoids called ‘polyphenols’ which improve blood flow and possess high levels of antioxidants.

George added “I looked into the performance benefits of CurraNZ to see if it was something that could help me and I have definitely noticed the difference since I started taking it in October 2019. I’m hoping my competitors don’t start using it too!

“I would love to be an Olympic champion one day and make it to the very top level. It’s ambitious, but if you are not ambitious then you won’t push yourself.”

Director of CurraNZ, Nicki Bundock, says more and more athletes – both recreational and elite – are turning to blackcurrant supplements to gain a competitive edge.

‘Blackcurrants also aid recovery in several ways and we are seeing CurraNZ become really popular with sportsmen and women – and not only those competing at the highest level, but also your regular weekend warriors and gym-goers.

“Anthocyanins can enhance immune responses while also controlling and suppressing chronic, harmful inflammation in the body – helping the body repair and studies show that flavonoids promote beneficial inflammatory events, are powerful antioxidants and assist immunity.”

Fast Running cannot say how much of Mills’ performance can be put down to anthocyanins but we certainly wish the talented athlete well for a big year ahead.

The post George Mills flying indoors appeared first on Fast Running.

With so many articles highlighting the issue of RED-S, I feel like a lot of athletes are confused about what they should be eating to help fuel their performance and their running.

Having a great nutritionally balanced diet will really help you get the most out of yourself, your performance, your growth, happiness, health and ultimately longevity in the sport. Whether you’re a fun runner that trains a few days a week, or you’re an elite GB athlete, your nutrition is equally important. A wise man once told me, “well Emily, you wouldn’t put p*ss in a Ferrari”, so that’s what I’m going to tackle today.

It’s all about real foods, that real athletes eat, to get the best out of our performance. What I’m really trying to get across, is that as athletes, we need to nourish our bodies, look after them, and fuel them with the best foods/nutrients/ingredients possible.

These are my top five pieces of information that hopefully will be useful for all athletes, whether you’re young or old, big or small.

Fuel up before races and training!

You can’t perform to your best on an empty stomach. You need to fuel your system to get all cylinders firing! A lot of pre-race or pre-training foods are usually whatever works best for the athlete, so don’t be afraid to experiment and try different things. All the ‘top dogs’ in sports nutrition are consistently saying that we need carbohydrates to perform. Carbohydrates are the best fuel pre-run because we store this as glycogen in our liver and our muscles. This is what we use up during training or races. When you ‘hit the wall’, this is when your glycogen stores are running out.

Some really good pre-race/training foods are things like bagels with peanut butter, jam or honey, banana, porridge (really good mixed with a mashed banana in it), thick/scotch pancakes (I love them with syrup mmmm), toast with jam, PB or honey, Soreen and cereal. These foods are high in carbohydrates, filled with quick releasing sugars, and easily digestible.

If your race is a little later in the day, having something like eggs or beans on toast, as a first breakfast, is perfect, as it has both protein and carbs to keep you going. Sticking with white bread or bagels is usually a bit easier on the digestive system and should help if you find yourself visiting the toilets often.

If like me, you’re up early in the morning for a run, something as quick and digestible as a banana with some peanut butter on it is a great quick release of energy that sits well on your tummy.

Recovery

A lot of athletes really like to use protein shakes/supplements to recover. And whilst these definitely have a time and place in athletes’ diet, there are also other things for those of us who don’t use them.

Each time you exercise, your body breaks down muscle fibres, and depletes glycogen stores. To help rebuild your muscles it needs proper nutrients and lots of them. General rule of thumb is that you have a 30-minute window to eat something after you’ve finished running to get the best recovery. (No you won’t recover less if you’re on 31 minutes!).

During this time, you need carbs and a bit of protein, usually around a 4:1 ratio. Too much protein and you won’t absorb the carbs as well, too little and you won’t have enough amino acids.

So, what are you meant to have? Well luckily nature has made the perfect product for you: milk! And an even better version for runners; chocolate milk! Having a chocolate milk post training session, long run or race is one of the best things you can have to refuel. It has the absolute perfect balance of carbohydrates to protein in it, it’s full of electrolytes to help replenish those salts you’ve sweated out, and its full of vitamin D, calcium and potassium.

Top Tip

Invest in one of those vacuum insulated, thermos, stainless steel bottles (loads are on Amazon). Mix up your chocolate powder (like Nesquik) and milk before your training and use your new bottle! Keeps the milk fridge temperature for ages, even in the summer.

After your chocolate milk, it’s always good to then try and get a meal in ASAP after your training or session. A bigger window of 90 minutes is usually a good rule of thumb for this. Having a balanced meal of protein, carbs and veggies afterwards, will help top up the glycogen stores even more, and help you recover faster, as you’re providing the body with essential nutrients.

Stick to wholesome foods

This is really about eating foods that are actual foods, if that makes sense? So out there in the supermarkets there are so many different options and varieties of everything, like low fat cheese, low fat yoghurts, low carb bread and an abundance of ‘lite’ foods. It drives me bonkers.

A lot of these foods are missing out vital ingredients, full of artificial colours or flavourings, additives and preservatives which are just junk and doing no favours for your body. Low fat cheese is essentially just cheese from skim milk, so you’re missing out on all those nutritious fats (and flavour). Low fat yoghurt is just sugar flavoured milk essentially, and full of sugar and I bet the ingredients list takes up the whole pot. These ‘lite’ products are generally not nourishing, and as an athlete it’s not doing you any favours.

Go for food that is actually food! Real live yoghurts (such as Yeo valley) are so good for you because they have calcium, vitamin D, protein, and live cultures in them which are great for the digestive system and intestinal health. I always think cheese is a bit of an unsung hero, as it’s full of calcium, protein, magnesium, potassium, vitamins A, D and K, and actually offers protection for dental caries!

Keep it simple

A good go-to rule is if you’re buying foods or products in the supermarket, go for items that have around five ingredients or fewer. Equally if you can’t pronounce an ingredient then it’s probably not going to be great for you. An example of this is things like jarred pasta sauces, (if you can’t make your own) go for ones that are just a few ingredients. Same with yoghurts, breads, sauce, cereal bars or anything really.

Obviously, there are some foods which yeah, have a lot of ingredients, and that’s cool. But generally, a good way to get good wholesome foods is around five ingredients or less!

Replace those electrolytes and keep hydrated

Now that we’re coming up to summer, electrolytes are going to be lost faster! The electrolytes, sodium and potassium, are crucial in regulating your bodies water balance when you’re exercising or competing. They allow your muscle cells, and other cells in your body, to retain the right balance of water. When we sweat, we lose electrolytes, that’s why your sweat is salty!

Water is essential to maintain blood volume, allow muscle contractions to take place and regulate body temperature. As we get dehydrated, there is a reduction in performance, both physically and mentally. Heart rate, body temperature and perception of effort increases when we’re dehydrated, especially when we exercise in the heat. So it’s really important in these summer months to stay on top of it!

Regarding racing or training, if you’re doing a 5k or less, it’s not really going to affect things too much, but anything longer it can affect performance. Things like sports drinks or hydration tablets are a good way to get the salts you need quickly. It’s worth noting if you’re running on holiday in a warmer climate or at altitude, it’s worth adding hydration tablets/drinks into your routine on those bigger training days. Try and keep on top of hydration throughout the day and aim to keep your pee to a light straw colour!

Balance is key

I always say everything in life is a balance. You can’t live your life as a super serious strict athlete or you won’t enjoy it. You can’t be so focused and dedicated that you can’t see your friends or do anything fun. Equally you can’t only eat ‘healthy foods’ all the time, because let’s face it there are too many tasty options to miss out on.

Life is always about enjoyment! Athletes always perform at their best when they’re happy and healthy. Never restrict anything from your diet, there is simply no need. Tasty food is there to be eaten and enjoyed. If you’re eating three good meals a day, some good snacks, having your 5-a-day, and generally eating pretty well, then that’s good going! I’m certainly never going to feel guilty about having some chocolate, it’s too yummy, and life is far too short to not eat chocolate.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patron. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

Emily Hosker-Thornhill has a BSc in nutrition and an MSc in Sports Nutrition so knows her stuff. The GB Cross Country athlete shares advice on Instagram so if you like the cut of her jib then get following. 

The post How to fuel your training and racing to reach your potential appeared first on Fast Running.

For runners, a balanced diet is vital for health and also performance. There are many advertised diets out there that are new and exciting. Veganism is booming especially in the running world. We know there are benefits to being vegan but can you reach your performance potential powered by plants?

Many that take the leap and become entirely plant based will categorically say yes. The likes of US ultra running legend Scott Jurek have been plant based for many years now as he feels it makes him run faster. There is even an entire running club dedicated to the cause. However, the success of being plant based entirely depends on how attentive you are to what you are eating.

The Vegan runners website claims “ Eat plants, Run Faster” but it is not as clear cut as that. You can 100% meet all your nutrient requirements and perform top notch through a well planned plant based diet. However, if not thought through carefully you could find running performance can suffer.

Why might going vegan make you run better?

When you adopt the vegan lifestyle, you will most likely be increasing your intake of whole grains, fruit, vegetables and pulses. You will also be avoiding processed foods with “empty” calories and more likely substituting these with nutrient dense whole foods such as nuts and fruit. An increase in fibre, vitamins and minerals can only have positive affects on our health and therefore running performance and recovery.

This is particularly so if you are coming from a diet high in red meats, processed foods and lacking fruit and veg. It was confessed by Jurek himself that before he turned vegan, his diet was mainly meat and potatoes and hated vegetables. No wonder he felt better once he started taking a little more notice of what was passing his lips!

What the potential problems of becoming vegan?

Becoming vegan can have it’s pitfalls if not approached carefully. You need to pay special attention to overall calorie intake, protein, calcium and iron intake. Plant based diets are not very calorie dense and also as they are high in fibre, they can lead to premature satiety (getting full early). This may be good news if you want to loose a few pounds but a long term calorie deficit can play havoc with training and recovery.

Careful attention needs to be paid to ensure energy requirements are met on daily basis. Omitting dairy from the diet means you are at risk of not meeting you calcium requirements. Ensuring you are choosing milk replacements drinks that are fortified with calcium will help and also ensuring plenty of green leafy veg, almonds, beans and lentils.

Iron is also a very important nutrient for runners. The obvious source for most is red meat, therefore vegans need to ensure they are having regular intake of plant based foods that are high in iron such as green leafy veg, pulses, fortified cereals and nuts and seeds.

Vegan running: The case study of Tom Bonn Payn

With a little more attention to detail, it is more than possible to get the most from your running being vegan. GB distance runner Tom Bonn Payne is a great testimonial to this. I was lucky enough to interview Tom to get a little more insight into how being power by plants works for him at the elite level of running.

AC: You have had a great career in running moving from track to marathons to representing your country at ultra distance,  can you tell us a little about you and what you have planned this year?

TBP: After leaving Birmingham University with a degree in Chemical Engineering I worked as a filtration engineer down in Portsmouth whilst pursing my passion for running. I had decent success running a 2.17 marathon in 2009 to end the year ranked 4th in the UK.

As this was only a few years before the London Olympics I decided to quit my job and took the opportunity to move to Kenya to live on a Kenyan training camp, surround myself with the best marathon runners in the world, train hard and see where it would take me.

Unfortunately due to an injury I couldn’t get the marathon time needed to qualify for the Olympics but I had no regrets as my time in Kenya was such an amazing experience. After this I worked in London as a sports agent for the company Run-Fast. Over the five years I worked for Run-Fast I had the opportunity to travel the world to races and immerse myself in all things running.

During my time in London I met my now wife Rachel and fell in love with running in the mountains. In 2016 we quit our jobs, pack as much as we could into a second hand Beetle and head off to the mountains. This was the start of RunNamasteEat (www.runnamasteeat.com) our coaching/running &yoga retreat business.

I felt totally alive running in the mountains and have been lucky enough to compete for GB in two World Trail Running Championships. We now spend out time split between Chamonix where we have a small apartment and our home in the hills of Tuscany where we have recently bought a house (with a trail starting right at the gate!).

For this year I’m still working out my exact racing schedule and am enjoying training hard and will jump in a few local trail and road races here in Tuscany as part of my training. I still love the road and have ambitions of running a fast marathon.

AC: Why is your current training schedule like?

TBP: Currently I run 6 days a week (making sure I keep a full and restful rest day), running once or twice a day on road or trail at around 100 miles a week. I’m in a volume building phase at the moment so no sessions but I do add hill sprints or strides to the end of some of my runs to work on running economy.

I practice yoga and meditation most days and I add a strength and mobility session pre and post most of my runs.

AC: How have you approached your nutrition in the past?

TBP: I have struggled in the past with eating. I probably didn’t eat enough and went through a stage of thinking the lighter I was the better, this definitely didn’t help with performance!

AC: You are now vegan, what sparked this change in your diet?

TBP: When I met Rach she was vegan and was cooking food that tasted really good and I realised I also felt great. Then I watched a documentary called cowspiracy and I started to become more aware of how my diet affected the planet. So my decision to choose a vegan diet was based on feeling good and eating delicious food but also kindness and sustainability.

AC: Was it hard to transition to a plant based diet?

TBP: I didn’t find it hard at all to transition to a plant based diet. After living in Kenya and then living with Kenyans whilst in London, the Kenyan diet is mainly vegetarian so it wasn’t too much of a change. My only worry was that the food would be quite bland and maybe I wouldn’t get the nutritional requirements I would need to perform. Luckily Rachel did (and still does) most of the cooking and I found it to be really tasty and gives me everything I need to perform well.

AC: Has it has any impact on your performance?

TBP: Since changing to a vegan diet I’ve got my first two Great Britain vests which I think says enough in itself! [Worth noting that Tom came into trail and ultra running with his super quick marathon speed so the vests might not just be down to the veganism! – Ed.] I also feel like I recover well and my energy levels are more stable.

AC: As an endurance athlete, your protein requirements are higher than normal. What are you top ways to make sure you are getting enough protein?

TBP: I don’t make a big deal of my diet, I try to eat real food, choose things that are colourful and tasty, drink lots of water. I find it works best for me to keep it uncomplicated and choose foods that are varied and simple to cook.

The only rules that I follow are to try and get in 300kcal an hour during my longer runs and eat something like a Tribe bar as soon as possible after I finish training.  If I do these things I feel I have sustained energy and recover well for the next run!

I also found that I sweat heavily so I have a tailored program of electrolyte drinks from precision hydration that I use to keep hydration which has really helped.

AC: What does a typical (diet) day look like for you ?

I don’t really have a typical day! We live in Tuscany so we buy whatever is fresh and looks good.  However almond butter and chickpeas always feature heavily in my diet! I normally start the day with porridge, fruit, coffee and orange juice. Lunch might be something like hummus with raw vegetables and for dinner something like a bean and vegetable curry. I also snack a lot during the day on nuts, fruits and seeds.

Alex Cook (www.thesportsdietitian.co.uk) is a Sports Dietitian & UKA Athletics coach.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patron. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post Can a plant based diet sustain an active runner? appeared first on Fast Running.

Recent research from the Federal University of Sergipe, Brazil, looked into hyper-hydration strategies. This is where you essentially pre-load water before a race so there is less risk of dehydration during the event. 

To do this you have to increase the electrolyte levels in your water, rather than just drinking a huge amount. This would just increase your visits to the toilet and potentially put you at risk of hyponatremia.

The researchers actually added a huge amount of sodium to the water the athletes were drinking. Solutions of 2400mg/l (not too dissimilar to a saline drip) or just plain water were given to the athletes to drink as they desired the day before their testing.

Their findings were interesting

Whilst one might expect performance to be improved by greater hydration at the start, for 10km no performance benefits were noted in the study. Over this distance, dehydration may not be a huge performance factor. The additional water weight carried may have led to a zero-sum gain. 

They have hypothesised that over a longer distance, where dehydration might be a bigger issue, the results could have been different. Other studies in cycling, however, have shown some benefit in shorter races, in warm or hot conditions.

Ask the expert

We spoke to Andy Blow of Precision Hydration about the study and it is something they monitor closely. “The added sodium in hyper-hydration drinks is what allows your body to pull more water into the bloodstream and hold it there,” said the hydration expert.

“The problem with concentrations as high as 2400mg/l a drink is that it can cause real GI troubles in some athletes.

“We tend to recommend lower concentrations like our 1500mg/l products. The aim is to get people amply hydrated for their event, not always significantly hyper-hydrated.”

There was a study into electrolyte concentrations that looked at effects of drinks containing plain water, 1,380mg/l, 2,750mg/l and 3,680mg/l of Sodium. The higher the concentration the better the hydration of the subjects, but the two higher concentrations caused more issues with diarrhoea. Hence PH going with 1500mg for their highest concentration.    

Especially in an unusually hot summer such as 2018, many people are partially dehydrated on a regular basis. We’re not as physiologically adapted to the heat and not accustomed to rehydrating properly after exercise. It can take the body 24-48 hours to reach an equilibrium after a heavy workout the heat.

A study in 2017 showed that as many as a third of runners turned up to competition dehydrated. Then other studies showed that many also turned up hyponatremic. University and club athletes had drunk large quantities of water to avoid dehydration but forgot to add electrolytes. 

Adding electrolytes to your water can help your body with absorption and you’re less likely to be exercising the next day in a dehydrated state. 

Hydration before, not just during races

“When people talk about hydration, most of the time it’s about what and how much athletes should drink during exercise,” said Blow, raising another interesting point. “Performance is also massively influenced by hydration at the start line.

“When you’re racing in a hot environment you’re generally fighting a losing battle with water and electrolytes. So you may as well give yourself the best chance by pre-loading, as you would with carbohydrates.”

The day before an athlete shouldn’t take on huge amounts more than usual. Ensuring a significant sodium concentration in the fluids you drink will mean that your body will absorb more of that water. 

It’s something to consider if you’re an athlete running twice a day too. Taking even a small level of dehydration into your second session can affect performance. So considering your hydration levels can make a big difference on a daily basis too.

Is hyper-hydration for you?

So the study that prompted this article did find an improvement in hydration levels over a 10km trial. But, interestingly, not performance levels. If you’re expecting to run in an extremely hot environment or are a particularly prolific sweater then there is still a good chance it will make a difference.

The study also showed there was less need for water taken on board during the race. If you knew your race didn’t have water stations then it might lead to more benefits of hyper-hydration.

Then if your race is longer the benefits start to increase. For a marathon or an ultra, especially hot conditions, there could be large benefits. 

Really many of us should focus on being amply hydrated, rather than hyper-hydrated, to start. As Blow pointed out, just getting to the start line in a healthy state should be your first aim. As with all of the marginal gains, start simple before worrying about the little things. 

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Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patreon. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post Is hyper-hydration the answer to racing in the heat? appeared first on Fast Running.

As an ultra runner and an international 24hr racer, food and fueling correctly are of vital importance, so I felt it a duty to investigate the Breaking2 sports drink.

At face value, it’s just another powdered energy drink that you add to water, but with London Marathon bound Eliud Kipchoge chugging it on his way around Monza in Nike’s sub 2-hour marathon project it makes you wonder, is there more to it.

Wilson Kipsang, the Robertson twins, Galen Rupp, Kenenisa Bekele and Mo Farah – the list goes on of the elite endurance runners turning to it.

The stats are interesting too. The drink comes in a 160 and a 320 mix, the former a lighter version but both pack a punch in terms of carbs. The 320 version is intended to be mixed with 500ml of water and has an astounding 78 grams of carbs to each 80g sachet. Nigh on pure carbs.

Carbs, glorious carbs

The body assimilates different sources of carbohydrates slightly differently. With that in mind Maurten has a mix of maltodextrin and fructose. Just the right balance to avoid overloading the gut.

The hydrogel technology apparently encapsulates the carbohydrates making it easier for the body to transport the fuel source to the intestine for absorption. Maurten has worked with universities such as Brighton, Cape Town and Gothenburg to bring this all together.

Yet what does all this science mean to your average runner? Or even a really good runner who isn’t quite Kipchoge standard. Fortunately the product was sent over before the World 24hr Championships last year (that I was competing in) for testing – and tested it was.

Over races ranging from 90 minutes to three hours, with long training runs too, the wonder fuel was my main source of carbs. The personal results were great. No energy bonks, no stomach issues and as long as I wasn’t having to mix it on the go, an easy way to keep the fire burning. The taste is pretty simple too.

What’s the damage?

I was so impressed with it, I even went and purchased some more myself. One complaint has been the price, at about £3.00 for a 320 sachet, it does seem expensive. Yet when you compare it to the price of a gel (a 320 is worth about 2-3 gels) it’s really quite reasonable.

More expensive than jelly babies, sure, but not crazy money.

So came further tests, with five-hour and seven-hour races coming up with satisfactory results. Energy levels at the end of both of these were great – partly down to some fine pacing too – but also because of a good fuel source. It wasn’t the only fuel source, both races were uncrewed so checkpoints were used too.

Each time three full 500ml bottles of the 320 mix were taken from the start of the event. Two were used over the first two hours and then one saved for later in the race, mixed with fruit, sweets and coca-cola from checkpoints. Maybe a bit of chocolate too.

If there had been a looped course or an option of crew/drop bag then I would certainly have considered taking more on during the event. Logistically less was the best option. For a marathon distance you could certainly carry enough or have it handed to you half way to run a good race.

Variety is the spice of life

As an ultra runner I do try not to rely on one fuel source throughout. I mix it up for a different palate and also for the mind as it makes the constant eating easier to cope with. But others do purely stick to liquid fuel like Tailwind or Mountain Fuel. Each to their own.

One of the biggest technological advantages we have seen improve marathon times isn’t arm sleeves or faster haircuts, but fuelling. In the past athletes ran until empty and hoped to make it to the finish line. But we know our glycogen stores need replenishing before that, so why take the risk?

Personally Maurten had been a good experiment so far. The testing will continue and real food will always play a part. Yet if GI troubles or bonking are causing problems in your races then it comes with a 24hr runner’s recommendation.

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