A Guide To Nutrition For Those New To Running.

The old phrase "fail to prepare, prepare to fail" could have been written with runners in mind

. Granted you are not a elite runner (yet!) you need to adopt a similar approach to nutrition as the pros. Pay attention to hydration, eat the right foods and look after yourself after your run.

The first thing you need to think about is hydration. Even the day before a long run or training session you should keep a water bottle handy. Drink little and often and you will be ready for action.

If you were sensible and had a good meal, with plenty of carbohydrates and a few glasses of fruit juice, you can just get up and run right? Wrong!

Every night while you sleep, your body sweats out around a pint of water, so make sure you replace lost fluids with a large glass of water or fruit juice when you wake up. If you need to have a cuppa then by all means do so, just don't forget to balance it out with a glass of water or juice, to avoid the effects of the caffeine (another diuretic)

Whilst you will not be wolfing down food during your run, you will still need to make sure you don't get dehydrated. When you sweat you lose bodyweight and studies have shown that even a loss of 2% (1kg for a person weighing 50kg) can affect performance by 10% to 20% Unless you are running for more than about an hour and a half your body will be fine to use up its glycogen stores to keep you going, but a sports drink, diluted fruit juice or just plain h2o is essential to keep you hydrated. Make sure you sip slowly. A runners bottle with flip lid makes this easy, although most sports drinks come with these type of caps too.

Whatever the season, the act of running raises your body temperature and you will sweat. If it's windy or cold you may not notice, but you better believe it. It is important to replace the lost fluids to avoid dehydration.

Aim to sip up to a pint of water in the first half hour of a run, topping yourself up every 10 minutes or so afterwards. Normal water will be fine for durations up to an hour, then you may benefit from a sports drink as they will provide a source of carbohydrates for energy, as well as electrolytes that are lost through sweat.

Good old fashioned h2o is all you need for runs up to an hour. Anything longer than this and you may benefit from a sports drink. These will provide valuable carbohydrates to keep you going for longer, as well as electrolytes that will be lost by sweating.

Keep it simple but try and stick to something that has a ratio of 3 parts carbohydrate to 1 part protein. A tuna sandwich or bagel topped with peanut butter are ideal choices. If you don't have these at hand then grab a cereal or protein bar. If it has been a hot day you could opt for a banana. Its rich potassium levels help to replace any that your body has lost through sweat, as well as being one of the simplest snack foods on earth.

Don't forget to keep drinking too. Just like during your run, you need to keep on sipping. Try and drink a pint of water or squash over the next hour. Don't overdo it, as drinking too much water can lead to serious problems. Obey your thirst sensibly.

Tip: If you have time, make a quick sandwich before your run. The last thing you will want to do later is chop, slice and dice.

By following this post workout regime you will ensure that your muscles are given all they need to start the recovery process, making the next training run more bearable!

by: James Lowndes

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