Brought to you by Virgin Media.
How to eat yourself to 10k success!
Everyone has different agendas going into a 10k race. Some people want to lose some weight, others see it as a personal goal and some of us just like competing.
And, with JOE taking on Her in this year’s Virgin Media Night Run, we’re aiming to achieve a victory that will crush our colleagues’ hopes and dreams. In the nicest way possible, of course…
Your diet is a massive part of preparing for any 10k, both in terms of training and for the actual race itself. So here are our top tips for 10k nutrition for anyone who’s doing the Virgin Media Night Run or planning a race in the near future.
Keep yourself properly fuelled
Training for a 10k takes a lot of energy so you need to ensure that you’re getting enough fuel to cover your efforts. If you’re feeling tired or not running as well as you were, you may need to rethink your current nutrition plan.
Eat the right stuff
You need a balance of protein to build muscle, energy-rich carbs and fats for energy. Needless to say, it’s also important to get all the fibre, vitamins and minerals you need for general health. A simple solution is to follow the rule of thirds, with one third whole grains, a third made of fruit or veg and a final third of lean protein.
Stay hydrated
Hydration is vital before and after a run but it’s also important on off days. You’ll need to up your fluid intake during training. Your body will repair and rebuild your muscles after training and it certainly helps if you’re well-hydrated.
Get on a healthy snack buzz
Your appetite will increase when you’re training so ensure that the additional food you take on isn’t useless sugars or junk food. Stock up on seeds, dried fruit, nuts, cereal bars or yogurts to deal with these new cravings.
What should you eat?
You can get slow-release, unrefined carbs from wholemeal pasta and bread, cereal, brown rice and oats. Get your protein through lean meat like chicken or turkey, oily fish, eggs, basmati rice, beans and pulses. Bananas are packed with vitamins, fibre and potassium, which prevents muscles cramps.
Great snacks include avocados, apples, nuts, raisins, toast with peanut butter, cereal bars and dark chocolate.
When to eat?
Eat meals two to three hours before running so that you can digest the fuel you need for training. For early morning runs, have a banana or some fruit to give your blood sugar a quick lift. If you can eat within 30 minutes of finishing your run, it can actually improve your recovery because your muscles are at their most receptive.
Employ the 80:20 rule
Sure, you want to do well in your 10k but it’s also supposed to be fun. You need to have cheat days to enjoy what you want to eat. Try and eat well for 80% of the time and the rest will take care of itself.
This year’s race will start off at 9pm on Sunday, 23 April. For more information or to register for the Virgin Media Night Run, check out their website.
Brought to you by Virgin Media.
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