1. Keep a food diary and exercise log
You will soon make links between eating certain foods and how they affect your energy levels and running, but if you don’t write down what you ate and how the run went, you will easily forget. We all have slightly different digestion times and react differently to foods – one person may get a great energy boost from a plate of pasta an hour before a run, the next person may feel bloated. Learn what suits you and use it to your advantage!

2. Plan your day
If you plan runs into your week, this will enable you to plan your i pre- and post-run meals as well. Plan to eat meals containing carbohydrate foods such as bread, cereals or rice throughout the hours preceding your run, and leave yourself enough time for digestion before you pull on your running shoes!

3. Make your meals match your runs
Always adapt your diet to suit the duration and intensity of your runs, particularly concentrating on fluid and carbohydrate intake.

4. Practice makes perfect
Always try out and evaluate dietary changes during training -not on race day.

Carbohydrate loading

‘Carb loading’ was originally developed to enable greater stores of glycogen to be stored for long duration events (over 90 minutes). It is used prior to endurance events such as half marathons or longer distance runs where maximal glycogen storage and more energy are required. This is unlikely to be of much use for your usual runs if you are new to running, but may be useful if you get into endurance running.

Related posts:

1. Training for Running Event – Carb Loading Pre-Race

2. Nutrition for Running

3. Running Programs for Beginners

4. Best Running Tips Advice on Tempo Running

5. Fat and Vitamins on the Run

6. Basic Rules for Any Running Event

7. The Basics of Running Training – Long Runs

8. Eating for Running

9. Group Running – Tips and Advice

10. Running Tips for Beginners – Breathing and Re-hydrate