The loss of fluid and a reduction in the body’s carbohydrate stores are the two major causes of fatigue in prolonged exercise. Therefore it is essential that you define your optimal nutrition and hydration strategies to ultimately help you to achieve your running goals.

Good nutrition and hydration is important if you are going to perform well during your training, as well as on race day. Running long distances means your energy requirements are going to be higher, so runners need to eat the right foods and consume the right drinks to ensure they’re taking on board the requisite number of calories. Here are some sample daily menus to help you plan your diet around your training.

As you begin to taper your training you should also be gradually increasing your carbohydrate intake to ensure you are storing the energy your muscles will need during the race. Foods such as potatoes, rice, pasta, bread, bananas, jelly sweets and Lucozade Sport are all high in carbohydrate and low in fat.

As soon as you have crossed the finish line, it is critical that you provide the body with the nutrients that it needs, in a quick and practical manner, so that the refuelling, replacing lost fluids and recovery processes are optimised.

Moderate exercise appears to have a beneficial impact on the immune system. It does this by increasing the responsiveness of the cells that help to defend your body from attacks by invading pathogens such as virus’s and bacteria.  Over time, this can relate to fewer days of sickness with illnesses such as the common cold or other upper respiratory tract infections. Regular exercise is therefore linked to substantial benefits in the immune system over the long-term. 

Science in Sport (SIS) has a unique combination of sport scientists and food technologists allowing us to bring together natural ingredients in a controlled scientific environment to create products that not only taste great, but really work!