Energy and Nutrition

To help improve your training, you need to also monitor your nutrition. Snacking on a few small meals every few hours is better than 2 or 3 large meals a day as they digest easier and keep your energy levels high. Eating breakfast is one of the most important things a runner can do. It keeps your energy levels up and sets you up for the start of the day. Also keeping hydrated and drinking plenty of fluids and water throughout the day will help increase your energy levels. Fuel, extra stimulation and instant energy when you need it, in gel, bar, and liquid form. Eat slow releasing carbohydrates before your race or training session to ensure that you have enough energy and fuel in your body to have a successful workout or race.

The human body does not sense dehydration very well, with stimulation of thirst occurring after the body has already lost 1% of body weight in water. Exercise performance decreases with as little as a 2% drop in body weight from dehydration. So there’s a small window for athletes to respond to thirst before performance is impaired. Dehydration decreases exercise performance due to decreased plasma volume, which increases heat stress and core temperature, decreases VO2max, increases heart rate and perceived exertion, increases glycogen utilization which can lead to early fatigue and alters central nervous system function leading to decreased motivation and effort. Simply named......... hitting the wall!

As a result, runners or athletes need to drink before they are thirsty, and must start each training session by taking on plently of water. Increasing hydration before and during exercise is one of the simplest ways to improve exercise performance. Optimal hydration takes place in the days and weeks before an event or after a hard workout. Electrolytes in combination with water is invariably better than water alone and can bring your system into balance more quickly by helping you retain more of the liquid you ingest (see our GU gel range). The end result: Don’t underestimate the importance of hydration on race day, but more importantly in your overall training and nutrition plan; it’s one of the easiest ways to boost performance.

At the Running Outlet you will find lots of waterbottles, hydration belts and nutrition ideas.