Marathons have become very common nowadays as more and more people have known their importance. Not only have half marathons increased, but the participants have also increased. People participate in the marathons for two reasons: to win money or to raise money for charity. If you are going to participate in a Half Marathon London soon, here are some nutrition and hydration tips that you should consider.
You can of course train without a proper program, but you'll probably use more effort than is needed, and you may not run the race to the best of your abilities. Here are some basic training guidelines to get you going.
Pre-run eating- Before you participate in a half marathon, you should ensure that you are properly fueled. To be on the safe side, you should eat a light meal (containing all the necessary ingredients) of about 250-300 calories. Experts recommend that you should eat 1 and a half to 2 hours before you start running. This is to avoid cramping. Eating also ensures that you have enough energy to run.
When choosing your diet, you should choose something that is high in starch but low in oils, fiber, and protein. This is so since foods rich in fats and fiber tend to cause gastrointestinal distress which can make you very uncomfortable during the run. Some of the excellent foods that you should take include bagel with peanut butter, a bowl of cold cereal with a cup of milk, banana, and an energy bar.
Hard Day / Easy Day- This is a basic principle of many athletic training programs. A hard training day like a fast workout or a long run should always be followed by a rest day or a short run at an easy pace. This allows your body some time to rejuvenate before the next harder effort. Track Your Progress- This is an essential part of the training - you need to see how you are doing compared to the plan. Track your miles in a running log to see how closely you are following the training program.
Track Intervals: Track intervals help increase leg turnover and assist runners in developing a "kick" at the end of a race. Usual track intervals include 8 X 400 Meters or 4 X 800 meters at a pace faster than your half marathon goal pace. Track intervals are probably the least important workout for half marathon runners, but they still should be incorporated into a training program starting about a month before the race. The goal is to run one track interval workout a week.
Get Adequate Water- This could be quite a struggle to understand exactly how much you should have. The easiest way is to just sip a small amount constantly over the course of your run. The more scientific way is to weigh yourself before and then again to follow your run. For every lb you drop, you'll want to replace with a semi liter of water. Therefore if you've been out for a 30-minute run and you weigh half a pound less, it is advisable to drink at least a quarter of a liter of fluid during your next 30 minute running session.
Increase Your Recovery- Numerous studies have verified again and again that having food within 20 minutes of exercising has a massive influence on your capability to recuperate and recharge afterward. At this time the body is far more tuned into the foods eaten. You should make sure that the food you eat provides you with both carbohydrates to refuel the muscles and proteins to mend and replenish the impaired muscle tissues.
You can of course train without a proper program, but you'll probably use more effort than is needed, and you may not run the race to the best of your abilities. Here are some basic training guidelines to get you going.
Pre-run eating- Before you participate in a half marathon, you should ensure that you are properly fueled. To be on the safe side, you should eat a light meal (containing all the necessary ingredients) of about 250-300 calories. Experts recommend that you should eat 1 and a half to 2 hours before you start running. This is to avoid cramping. Eating also ensures that you have enough energy to run.
When choosing your diet, you should choose something that is high in starch but low in oils, fiber, and protein. This is so since foods rich in fats and fiber tend to cause gastrointestinal distress which can make you very uncomfortable during the run. Some of the excellent foods that you should take include bagel with peanut butter, a bowl of cold cereal with a cup of milk, banana, and an energy bar.
Hard Day / Easy Day- This is a basic principle of many athletic training programs. A hard training day like a fast workout or a long run should always be followed by a rest day or a short run at an easy pace. This allows your body some time to rejuvenate before the next harder effort. Track Your Progress- This is an essential part of the training - you need to see how you are doing compared to the plan. Track your miles in a running log to see how closely you are following the training program.
Track Intervals: Track intervals help increase leg turnover and assist runners in developing a "kick" at the end of a race. Usual track intervals include 8 X 400 Meters or 4 X 800 meters at a pace faster than your half marathon goal pace. Track intervals are probably the least important workout for half marathon runners, but they still should be incorporated into a training program starting about a month before the race. The goal is to run one track interval workout a week.
Get Adequate Water- This could be quite a struggle to understand exactly how much you should have. The easiest way is to just sip a small amount constantly over the course of your run. The more scientific way is to weigh yourself before and then again to follow your run. For every lb you drop, you'll want to replace with a semi liter of water. Therefore if you've been out for a 30-minute run and you weigh half a pound less, it is advisable to drink at least a quarter of a liter of fluid during your next 30 minute running session.
Increase Your Recovery- Numerous studies have verified again and again that having food within 20 minutes of exercising has a massive influence on your capability to recuperate and recharge afterward. At this time the body is far more tuned into the foods eaten. You should make sure that the food you eat provides you with both carbohydrates to refuel the muscles and proteins to mend and replenish the impaired muscle tissues.
About the Author:
Get a summary of the things to consider before selecting a half marathon London training program and more information about an experienced athletics coach at http://runuk.co.uk now.