Wednesday Wisdom from Framar Health - Perfect pre race Porridge

🥣Porridge is the preferred pre-race breakfast of experienced runners and all the Deep RiverRock Belfast City Half Marathon Pacers, providing steady and sustained #energy release over the course of the race. 

Porridge is easy to digest and doesn’t sit heavy in the tummy when running.  We all know how to make a basic plain porridge but the toppings you put on your porridge can really provide additional nutritional support for your run – these are my favourites. 

🥣Oats: the #oats in porridge are rich in soluble fibre and therefore release their energy into the bloodstream slowly and gradually providing the perfect sustained fuel for race day.  Oats are also packed full of nutrients, including the B vitamins that the body uses to produce energy during exercise. 

🍒Berries: the pigments that give #berries such as blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and cherries their purple colour are called anthocyanins. These pigments have been shown to enhance blood flow to muscles during exercise, improving athletic performance and also supporting exercise recovery. Try and have a serving of berries every day between now and race day and a good handful on top of your porridge on race day morning. 

🥜Peanut butter: a good spoonful of peanut butter stirred into the porridge will up the protein content of the porridge, the addition of some protein will ensure that energy from the porridge is released more slowly.  #PeanutButter is a great source of #magnesium to support muscle function and recovery during a run. 

🍯Honey or Maple Syrup: finishing off the porridge with a drizzle of honey or maple syrup will provide an additional energy boost for your race.