Comrades Supplement Comrades Training and Info Guide, January 2016 | Page 24

e h t r o f l e Fu N U R G N LO NUTRITION As you build up your training mileage ahead of Comrades, you will need to eat in tune with your schedule and long training runs. Here’s some essential advice to beat the fatigue and keep you going! – BY CHRISTINE PETERS, Registered Dietician & Modern Athlete columnist FUEL YOUR ENGINE You don’t expect your car to go from Pietermaritzburg to Durban on just R5 worth of petrol, so how can you expect your body to power you through a long run without the correct fuel? In other words, don’t skip breakfast! Many of us do that too often, and then gobble down a double helping of convenient, often non-nutritious ‘junk food’ in the middle of the day. It’s just not the way to do things! Also, during your training months, it’s better to lose a bit of weight than gain a bit – 90km will be a lot easier with a lighter frame! But you still need to retain a build that can also keep up with the gruelling course, and an engine that can carry the fuel properly. By eating balanced meals throughout the day, it will also help your body to make a quicker recovery after long runs. KEEP THE BALANCE Failure to eat regularly, especially before a long run, can cause a drop in blood sugar and your energy can flag after your morning run – or worse, during your run! Eating three regular meals a day, with healthy snacks such as fresh fruit and nuts in between, will ensure a steady, ready supply of fuel, whereas if you skip meals, you often end up relying on c Y