Fuelling tips for the Bermuda Half-Marathon

May 24th is nearly here and that can only mean one thing for many of you across the island — The Bermuda Half Marathon.

If you’re running the race this year, then you should’ve done all your preparation by now and completed the training runs so you’re in the best shape of your life!

Getting the necessary mileage done is one thing but what about the fuel you’ll need before the big day?

That’s right, I’m talking about nutrition. Many of us are confused when it comes to fuelling for such a big race, worried that if you eat too much, the food will sit in your stomach or if you don’t eat enough you’ll run out of energy.

Well, here is a breakdown of my top fuelling tips for the biggest race in Bermuda.

First of all, we need to remember that nutrition consists of four simple rules.

• Eating clean

• Eating breakfast

• Hydrating

• Recovery

Eating clean is all about eating a good balance of lean proteins, minimally processed, plant-based carbohydrates and healthy fats.

By eating breakfast early you will jump-start your metabolism and keep it burning hot all day long, turning you into a lean, mean fat-burning machine. Hopefully, the weather on May 24th will not be as hot!

By hydrating properly with plenty of water, it’s possible to get as much as a 25 per cent boost in energy while avoiding calories that come from soda and sports drinks. Drink three litres of water a day throughout the week.

Only have a sports drink before the race if you plan on spending longer than 90 minutes on the course. Make sure you have a sports drink at the end of the race to replace all the electrolytes and sugars that you have sweated out along the way.

Nutrition is the key to recovery, especially after 13.1 miles so make sure you eat a healthy meal after the race.

Here are five simple breakfasts to keep you going for the Half Marathon.

• A slice of whole-wheat toast with one tablespoon of natural peanut butter and full-fat yoghurt mixed with a cup of berries.

• One cup of whole-grain cereal with a banana, 1/4 cup of walnuts with one cup of full-fat milk.

• One whole-wheat English muffin with a cooked egg and a cup of strawberries.

• 1/3 cup of slow-cooked oats with 1/4 cup of pecans, 1/4 cup of raisins and two hard-boiled eggs.

• One whole-wheat tortilla wrap rolled with three ounces of turkey and a tablespoon of full-fat cream cheese along with an apple.

Experiment with these breakfasts and on the day choose the meal that will give you the most energy.

Good luck if you’re running and I hope you run an amazing May 24th.  

Colin has designed the only online coaching program for the Bermuda Half Marathon. Colin blogs at www.CoconutFitness.com 

Colin Ayliffe is a certified personal trainer and holistic lifestyle coach with over 10 years’ experience in training clients. He graduated from the University of Surrey with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sport Science and is also a CHEK practitioner, golf biomechanic and is accredited by the
National Academy of Sports Medicine.