Royal Park Half & Ultra 2014

Running a half-marathon is one of the most satisfying accomplishments you can achieve. All the hard work will have been undertaken in the weeks and months before the event but there are some things that can give you an edge for the main event. Lucozade sport have created five top tips to help you rule on race day:

1) Get some carbohydrate in at breakfast

Priming the body with carbohydrates at breakfast is one way to ensure that your performance does not suffer during your training run. Porridge, toast, cereal, bagels and fruit juice are all great meal choices.

2) Take on fuel during the run

Carbohydrate stores in your body can deplete during your run. Consuming a carbohydrate- electrolyte solution can help maintain endurance performance. One size does not fit all. Faster runners may need more carbohydrate during their training runs, while slower paced runners may need less. Aim to consume between 30g-60g of carbohydrate per hour. This is equivalent to 1-2 Lucozade Sports each hour of the run.

3) Drink little and often

During your run drink little and often to avoid dehydration and ensure carbohydrate is being consumed. Avoid drinking large volumes of fluid in one go.

4) Do not forget to rehydrate and recover after your run

Once you cross the finish line your focus will shift to recovery. Consuming a carbohydrate electrolyte solution in the hours after exercise will help rehydration and replace those depleted carbohydrate stores. Drinking little and often after the race is recommended.

5) Finish up with some protein

It is not just carbohydrate that is important after your run. Combine with some protein to help your muscles grow and adapt. Around 20g of high quality protein is advised with meat, fish or dairy being the recommended options.

For more tips and advice from Lucozade Sport’s team of experts, visit: https://www.lucozadesport.com/sports/running /

MR also managed to catch up with Sally Barney, head of major events at Royal Parks Foundation:

Royal Park Half & Ultra 2014For those that haven’t run the Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon, could you explain what makes this race so special?

The Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon is the only half marathon that goes through the streets and Royal Parks of central London.

Runners will pass by our capital’s world-famous landmarks on closed roads and run through four of London’s eight Royal Parks -Hyde Park, The Green Park, St James’s Park and Kensington Gardens.

The event also provides a ‘Food & Fitness Festival’ for those who come to support their friends and family.  There are a wide range of fun sporting and creative activities for all to try, an extensive food market, live music and entertainment.

The race also raises vital funds for the Royal Parks Foundation and the 333 UK charities that offer places to the race.

I myself (Tom Bristow) am running it this year, do you have any tips for the course?

This year we have made some changes to the route, so you will run the full length of Whitehall, up to Parliament Square and within metres of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, before heading back towards Trafalgar Square. The Strand is also a totally new addition to the route, with runners making their way from Trafalgar Square to the Aldwych before heading back towards King Charles Island and then through Admiralty Arch on to the Mall.

You should definitely bear in mind that you are not near the finish line when you come back into Hyde Park. This is an assumption that quite a few runners make, but at this point you still have about six miles left to run. So, don’t speed up too much here, or you might not be able to manage the sprint finish you had hoped for by the time you do make it to the finish line!

Also make sure you check out where the Lucozade Sport Fuel Stations and M&S Water Stations are all located before the race so you can plan when you will be able to rehydrate.

What is the race’s most defining feature?

As the name suggests, it has to be the parks. The route is one of the most scenic half marathon routes in the world and the opportunity to run through four of our city’s magnificent Royal Parks is what makes this run so special for the participants. We are lucky to have so much green space in the heart of our city and this run is a great way to appreciate and celebrate that.