part of the ritual for marathon des sables
Hydrate
Hydration is key to survival in any race, and the Marathon des Sables takes that to another level. A balanced blend of electrolyte salts provides optimal hydration, whereas drinking plain water can end up flushing what you have left out of your body.
Energize
Carbohydrates are essential for fuelling your way through the MdS, but striking a balance of weight to carry all your energy for six days can be a problem.
- PSP22 offers dry, sustained release carbohydrates in a pure form that you can mix up at water stations. The use of maltodextrin instead of simple sugars like glucose, sucrose and fructose also means the drink is low GI, so you don't have to worry about stomach cramps and bowel issues.
- Go Electrolyte offers the same source of carbohydrate as PSP22, with the added bonus of hydrating electrolyte salts. The two products can be mixed to give yourself bigger dose of carbohydrate in one hydrating drink.
- Go Gels are an alternative source of energy in one gel shot, which give you the opportunity to take on board a drink of some plain water rather than an energy drink, but also giving you a method to take on board carbohydrates quickly.
Recover
Arguably, the most important product in your arsenal is your recovery drink. The first 30 minutes after exercise is the key time to take on board protein to help your muscles recover. Rego Recovery contains a mix of protein to help your muscles repair and recovery for the day after, carbohydrates to get your energy levels back up, anti oxidants to prevent free radical damage, electrolytes for hydration and a blend of vitamins, minerals and glutamine to help your immune system fend off any illnesses or bugs you might come across.
Rego has had a massive impact on my recovery, and I can't tell you how surprised I was! The previous calf muscle discomfort I always experienced after training runs is now a thing of the past.
Sleep
Running a marathon is hard enough, running one with little sleep is even harder. A poor nights sleep has a lot of detrimental effects, not only will it decrease both your endurance and cardio-vascular efficiency, but it will increase your appetite, increase your levels of stress hormones, lower your mood and can even make you think you're working harder than you really are.