Intro: Talk to ten endurance athletes and you'll get ten different recovery concoctions. Should you focus on protein, vitamins, carbohydrates or simply purchase one of the many recovery products that line store shelves and appear in magazine ads?

Training, simply, is adding specific stress to the body. Your body then adapts to the stress load, and gets stronger, faster, or more powerful. There are times when completing your work out is detrimental to your training and perhaps your health. Knowing when these times are will reduce your risk of injury, and ultimately make your training more efficient and productive.

Intro: For years athletes have been using caffeine in various doses to improve their performance. Everyone knows that a strong cup of Java gives you that alertness and sense of extra energy. Drink three cups of leaded Starbucks coffee and you'll feel like you want to run a marathon! So... does the caffeine just make you want to run that marathon or do you actually run it and run it faster?

A fluid strategy is important not only for performance but also for safety and enjoyment. Without a good fluid plan you won't be able to make the most of your training. A common theme coming out of the round Taupo ride was people running out of fluid late in the ride. Not wanting to lose contact with their bunch, riders wouldn't stop to grab needed water.

A fluid strategy is important not only for performance but also for safety and enjoyment. Without a good fluid plan you won't be able to make the most of your training. A loss of only 2% of your body weight will decrease your performance by 10%. If you want to achieve your personal goals in the marathon then having a good fluid strategy (that you have practiced in training) is important.

Interestingly the athletic diet has changed very little over the years. The reason being is that there are not many pathways to fueling the body most efficiently. A diet consisting of 60-65% carbohydrate, 20-25% fats, and 15-20% protein is the proper ratio of macro nutrients for most athletes and has been the mainstay for years.

Rob Dallimore is a consultant Podiatrist based in Auckland and has a special interest in multisport athletes. He is able to assess and treat chronic or acute lower limb injuries where there is a biomechanical abnormality, and can perform a bicycle position assessment and correction.

CARBOHYDRATES Carbohydrate is one of the most important nutrients to athletic performance. Carbohydrate plays the major role in supplying your brain and body with power. The body cannot supply enough carbohydrate on its own and therefore it needs to come from foods. Exercising with low levels of carbohydrate leads to fatigue. Carbohydrates are the ideal fuel for muscular work.