Lace Up And Go!
Steps To The Starting Line
Race-Day Meals and Nutrition
The night before a race, you most likely ate enough pasta to feed a family for a week. That's a good start but according to Runner’s World, you need to have a good prerace breakfast to keep your “blood sugar level study during exercise [i.e. a race]” -"Perfecting Your Prerace Food Strategy". This can be accomplished through various food combinations, which take time to figure out because each runner is built different. All prerace meals should be mainly carbohydrates and a small source of protein. Try not to eat a breakfast that has high amounts of fat, fiber or dairy. You may need to eat more calories, depending on the race distance. RunnersWorld.com has information to help you determine the perfect prerace race fuel.
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Check out this great link to an article about the best foods to eat before, during, and after runs: https://www.healthambition. com/running-foods/
Hydration
Hydration is a major part of running because without water, your muscles cramp and you have a bad run. Being dehydrated dramatically effects your run according to "a study in the April 2010 Journal of Athletic Training. Runners who started a 12K race dehydrated on an 80-degree day finished about two and a half minutes slower compared to when they ran it hydrated" -"Sipping Points". Dehydration hinders performance and causes adverse health effects. Harvard Health Commentaries in a Daytona State College database article found that "research done in the 1960s suggested that dehyrdation was the main reason for heat exhaustion and heat stroke" -"Fluid Replacement and Exercise". Everyone wants to have the best run possible so follows these Tips to Hydrate: 1) Drink when you are thirsty. 2) You don't need to drink for runs lasting less than an hour. 3) Sports drinks are good substitute for water. 4) Drink cold water before run to cool off. 5) Drink a little at a time.
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Post-Run Nutrition
After a run, you should eat and drink something within 30 minutes of finishing. As with prerace fuel, you should try to eat carbohydrates and protein, you should also try to avoid fatty foods. A fruit with high levels of antioxidants is ideal for after a hard run. Don't forget to rehydrate with water or a sports drink with elctrolytes.