Optimise Your Nutrition After Comrades, MUT, and Before Your Next Race
With major events like Comrades, Two Oceans, and the George MUT behind us for the year, South African runners are shifting focus to what’s next — whether it’s the Knysna Forest Marathon, Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, or another race in your training calendar.
If you’ve just come off a race or are building towards your next one, now is the perfect time to check-in on your body’s recovery and nutritional health. And one of the best ways to do that? A simple blood test that gives you real insights into what your body needs to perform — and recover — at its best.
Why Nutrition Is Key for Performance
It’s easy to focus on mileage, speed, and race-day strategy — but if your nutrition is off, your body can’t keep up.
Endurance athletes need more than just carbs and hydration. Vitamins and minerals play a major role in muscle function, energy metabolism, and immune support. According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition, runners involved in ultra-distance or marathon events face higher nutritional demands than most (Tiller et al., 2016). Without proper nutritional support, you’re more likely to experience fatigue, cramps, slow recovery, or injury (Rodriguez et al., 2009).
Common Nutritional Deficiencies in Runners
Even dedicated athletes often fall short on key nutrients. Research shows runners are especially prone to iron, calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D deficiencies — all of which are essential for peak performance (Stellingwerff et al., 2011).
Here’s why these nutrients matter:
• Iron: Essential for oxygen transport; low levels = fatigue and poor recovery
• Vitamin D & Calcium: Needed for strong bones and muscle health (Rodriguez et al., 2009)
• Magnesium & Zinc: Support recovery, energy metabolism, and immune function (Williamson, 2016)
• Vitamin B12 & Folate: Vital for red blood cell production and overall energy (Rodriguez et al., 2009)
And yes — even in sunny South Africa, vitamin D deficiency is common, especially in winter or for runners who train indoors or early in the morning.
Why Blood Tests Are a Smart Move
If you’re feeling drained or not performing like you used to, it might not be your training — it could be a nutritional imbalance. Blood tests take the guesswork out.
Epicentre’s Runner’s Performance & Recovery Panel tests for:
• Iron (Ferritin, Haemoglobin) – Detects hidden depletion before it affects performance (Stellingwerff et al., 2011)
• Vitamin B12 & Folate – Help with energy and red blood cell function (Rodriguez et al., 2009)
• Vitamin D & Calcium – Reduce injury risk and support bone health
• Magnesium & Zinc – Promote muscle recovery and immune support (Williamson, 2016)
• Electrolytes (U&E) – Monitor fluid balance and prevent cramping
• Creatinine – Assess kidney and muscle function
• Liver Function (ALT, AST) – Especially important if you use energy gels regularly (Rodriguez et al., 2009)
• Cholesterol (HDL & LDL) – Keep your heart healthy under endurance stress
• Glucose – Helps you manage fuelling strategies
• Full Blood Count (FBC) – Checks overall blood and immune system health
The result? You get a clearer picture of what’s going on in your body — and how to fix what’s off.
Race Nutrition: Energy Boost or Hidden Risk?
Energy gels, drinks, and other quick-fuel products are popular with endurance runners — and with good reason. But over time, they can stress the liver and affect blood sugar balance, especially when used frequently without the right recovery nutrition (Rodriguez et al., 2009).
Runners coming off events like Comrades, MUT, or even back-to-back half marathons need to pay special attention to liver health and cholesterol levels, especially if energy supplements are a staple in your routine.
Why It Matters — Especially Now
Whether you’re still recovering from your last big race or gearing up for Knysna or Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, your body is doing a lot behind the scenes. Nutrient imbalances can slow you down — or worse, lead to injury.
Blood tests give you the knowledge to:
1. Recover faster
2. Train smarter
3. Prevent fatigue and overtraining
4. Boost performance for your next event
You don’t have to wait until something feels wrong. Be proactive and start your next training block strong.
Final Thoughts
Training, rest, and nutrition all play a role in your running journey. But if you don’t know what your body’s missing, you’re just guessing.
Epicentre’s Runner’s Performance & Recovery Panel helps South African runners track the right health markers, catch deficiencies early, and stay in peak condition — whether you’re chasing a new PB in Cape Town or heading to Knysna’s forested trails.
Train with insight, not guesswork. Your next race depends on it.
📚 References (APA 7th)
Rodriguez, N. R., DiMarco, N. M., & Langley, S. (2009). Position of the American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and athletic performance. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 109(3), 509–527. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jada.2009.01.005
Stellingwerff, T., Maughan, R. J., & Burke, L. M. (2011). Nutrition for power sports: Middle-distance running, track cycling, rowing, canoeing/kayaking, and swimming. Journal of Sports Sciences, 1–11.
Tiller, N. B., et al. (2016). Nutritional considerations for single-stage ultra-marathon training and racing. Extreme Physiology & Medicine, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13728-016-0054-0
Williamson, E. (2016). Nutritional implications for ultra-endurance walking and running events. Extreme Physiology & Medicine, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13728-016-0054-0
Meet The Author
Loryn Smith is a compassionate Research Assistant at Epicentre Health Research with a Master’s degree in Psychology focused on research methodology and community health.
She has a passion for supporting disadvantaged populations and addressing social inequalities. Loryn combines her research expertise with hands-on fieldwork coordination to help improve health outcomes and empower communities.
