Comrades meal tips from Norrie
Veteran runner and athletics reporter, Norrie Williamson, has the following eating advice for Comrades runners:
The run from Durban to Pietermaritzburg is just under 88km - by any standards that is a long way to run.
It's not something you just get up and do in the morning before going to work.
Comrades will take runners between 5 and 12 hours of hard, energy sapping work.
It’s amazing how many runners expect to run the race without having anything to eat along the way.
In fact some even feel that they can line up at the start with nothing other than a cup of coffee in the morning. These runners are making their task even harder.
Even when we sleep, we are creating and burning energy and this means that by the time we wake we have lost almost all the energy that is stored in our liver.
The liver is a vital energy tank, as it is the prime provider of ensuring there is sufficient blood sugar for the brain.
The source of this energy will depend on our approach to eating.
If we are still following a relatively high carbohydrate diet, then we will need carbohydrate on race morning to ensure we commence the race with a full store of energy in the liver.
On the other hand the more adapted we are to a high fat low carb diet the less reliance we have on carbohydrate and the more efficient we become in metabolizing fat into carbohydrate and this will keep the liver adequately full.
Given the above we need to find what works for each of us for the race morning.
Personally I use a couple of slices of bread, heavily buttered, one or two boiled eggs and a cup of black coffee, with a drink of High Energy and a meal replacement drink, as soon after I wake up as possible.
Although everyone’s choice can be different – the fact is that a breakfast is important on race morning and the longer you are going to be out on Comrades day the more substantial that breakfast should to be.
Again my preference has been to have something that will assist in generating fat burning conditions so the heavy butter, eggs, black coffee and the MCTs (medium chain triglycerides – highly accessible fat) and protein in the meal replacement are all chosen towards this end. Carbohydrate is generally low GI in this particular meal and relatively minimal.
Importantly the chosen breakfast can be taken with me when travelling and can be prepared in the vast majority of hotel rooms or accommodation.
Normally you have 1 or 2 hours before the start, so breakfast and that drink of High Energy not only provides the fluid, but also carbohydrate to top up the fuel tanks and some protein and fat for the long day ahead.
You won't find much protein or fat on the refreshment tables so this early morning preparation helps to maintain the normal daily routine.
However, this is only half the story.
In a normal working day, we will have breakfast after our morning training, perhaps a mid morning snack, something more at lunch and another snack in the afternoon. By the end of work we have had 3 or 4 food intakes - and for many all we have done is sit behind a desk.
It’s important to note that it is predominately fat that we burn when sitting behind the desk and that fat is metabolized into carbohydrate and then used for energy. Once again the more adapted to a high fat low carb diet the greater the efficiency of the fat conversion and lower need for carbohydrate.
Unfortunately we tend only to have access to carbohydrate in the office situation, which is why many people put on weight while working at their desks.
The only role of the carbohydrate at this intensity of activity is to keep the blood sugar level up so that the mind is sharp, so for some people who have minimal fat burning efficiency there can be a greater reliance on carbohydrate.
With regular meals and snacks throughout the day, why do runners think that they can run up and down the massive mountains, in hot and humid conditions to get to Pietermaritzburg surviving only on Energade, cola and water?
It’s obvious that most runners should have something to eat along the way.
This is not new.
In 1924 Arthur Newton said that if he raced over 80km, he needed something to eat around 60km. His meal consisted of chicken soup, chicken sandwiches, and apple pie and cream.
The need to eat is time related and runners who finish Comrades in over 8 hours would do better with something more substantial to eat during the race. While this may have carbohydrate content, it will also have a good portion of fat and protein.
It needs to be moist - so that it can be easily swallowed.
Mashed egg mayonnaise, or pieces of chicken, or perhaps some salamis are all possibilities.
Have you ever noticed how irritating the wafts of braai smoke can be early in the race – and how attractive they can be as you attempt the final run in from Camperdown?
This draw towards savoury food from mid to late in the race is not co-incidental.
There is no need to stop to eat, simply get someone to hand it to you, perhaps in a polystyrene cup, and walk and eat your way along the road for a few minutes.
There are more benefits to be had from this walk.
Your muscles will gain welcome recovery from the high repetition of a restrained muscle movement, your heart rate will drop and the sustenance in your stomach will help you through to the finish.
On the other hand if you have totally depleted your energy, stop to have the meal and probably increase the quantity.
When you stop the energy can be absorbed into the muscles (which it can't do while exercising) and there is every chance that you can recover to be stronger over the remaining distance of the race, and it was for this reason Newton would sit and have his meal.
Remember there is nothing special about 31 May.
All the normal rules apply.
Running 87.72kms is going to make you hungry and you deserve and need something to eat.
So plan your first food for around 3-and-a-half hours into the run and have a top up every 3 hours through to the finish.
This will help you maximise your Comrades effort on the day!
(File Photo: Gallo Images)
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