The biggest mistake people make when fuelling for their race is that they start too late. Fuelling starts today.
It is vital you find the fuel which works for you. The nutrition market for runners is a complex market and we have partnered with three brands who we believe create some of the best out there. We strongly recommend starting with these first. Pete, our co-founder suffers from IBS and it took him years before he found a product that works for him.
Pete discovered that once he found the fuel which worked for him, it had a huge impact on his performance, he could run with freedom knowing he would keep whatever he put in his body down.
We’ve put together our key tips for fuelling during training along with some of Pete’s favourites!
1. Drink Water
Yes, this is an obvious one but one many people forget. It is recommended to drink 2-4 litres of water a day. By doing this, it means you stay hydrated overnight so if you are a morning runner, you don’t need to worry about becoming dehydrated overnight.
2. Introduce Electrolytes
At Coopah, we believe that the experts know best. With that, our partners over at Precision Hydration should be your first stop for this. Head over to their website and take the sweat test to receive your free hydration plan. Trust us, you’ll thank us later! Looking for a discount, subscribe to Coopah and enjoy 15% off every order.
3. Trial with a range of energy gels
If you ask any runner if they like taking energy gels, the answer is most likely “no”, but you’re going to need to get used to these. Energy gels are easy to take, easy to carry whilst running and are a great concentrated source of energy which makes it easy to replace lost energy stores.
It is important to read the instructions on when to take each energy gel and easy one is different but stick to this and trust the process.
4. Avoid new things
Too often we hear things like ‘My mate offered me an energy gel before the race and it ruined me for the race’. Just don’t do it. Know your nutrition strategy and stick to it. If you want to know a big reason why, drop Pete, our co-founder a message and ask to hear his Great North Run story!
5. Test out the products
We strongly recommend trialling a range of products and finding what works for you. A great place to start is over at our partner’s TRIBE, they offer a build you own pack which means you can mix and match different products and flavours. You also get a 30% discount with your Coopah Subscription – what’s not to love!
Pete’s favourite? The Cherry Bakewell Protein Bar and the vanilla and cinnamon protein shake!
