You Become What You Eat

Eating properly is essential for the dedicated long-distance runner.
Unfortunately there  really isn't a lot of time for eating. If you train
early in the morning you can't have a large breakfast before you go out. If
you run to work, you generally can't get breakfast at work. If you train at
lunchtime, there's no time for lunch. If you train in the evening you have
to eat after training, and of course it's not a good idea to go to bed
after a heavy meal. It's little wonder runners look so thin and haggard
(some of them anyway).


Breakfast

1) Not a good idea to skip breakfast.  I personally recommend a bowl of
Shreddies and a banana. Full of carbohydrates and easily digested . Bananas
have Potassium in them; this is alleged to prevent cramp. Shreddies often
have interesting free gifts, like spoons that change colour. Shreaded Wheat
is not particularly good  (unless you enjoy something with the consistency
of hay) but they have a special elastoplast offer on at the moment. More
about elastoplast in hints about marathon running. Other cereals worth
trying are All-bran and Grape Nuts.

Rolls and toast are fine. Avoid bacon, kippers and eggs and in fact
anything you have to cook as this uses up valuable sleeping or training
time.

Lunch, dinner etc

There is no time for that.

Carbohydrates

2) Your food intake should be about 75% carbohydrate. Keep fat intake to
the minimum. This can be a problem if like me you kill for chocolate.

Drink

3) Drink a lot and often. Water is ideal,cheap and easily obtained (unless
you live in Yorkshire). Trendy sports drinks should be avoided unless you
have more money than sense.  Beer is recommended since it  contains
carbohydrate; stick to "real" ale.  Recommended dose is two pints maximum
the night before a race. Avoid all spirits and wine like the plague.

Before the race

4) Don't eat closer than  two hours before a race.

Don't eat the following on the same day preceding a race:-
a) Cheese
b) Crisps
c) Lime or chilli pickle ( Keep a jar in your kit bag to offer to your
opponents. Here Davy, try this it's better than liniment)
d) Kippers or sardines
e) Anything with olive oil
f) Bacon or hamburgers
g) Pies bridies Sausage rolls, chips.

I find that Chinese food the night before a race  gives me  problems;
there's probably too much protein and salt.

After the Race

5) Drink tea. The coffee at race venues is usually foul; you've got to
work hard to ruin tea.
You must eat - remember you've got a 20mile run tomorrow. You can eat
almost anything. Some races are to be recommended since they provide cheap
home baking.
a) Cupar 6
b) Hamilton 10K
c) Haddington 5
d) Dunky Wright