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Sports nutrition for women: South African female runner training
Sports Nutrition for Women: What Female Athletes Actually Need (A South African Guide)
Most sports nutrition for women in South Africa was written by people who treat women as smaller men. It isn't. If you're running, riding or playing sport here, the generic... Read more...
Comrades Marathon Training Nutrition: How to Eat for the 12 Weeks Before Race Day
Most Comrades fuelling guides cover race day. But the race is decided before you toe the line. The 12 weeks of build-up training is when you teach your body to burn fuel efficiently, train your gut to handle race-day intake, and lay down the glycogen base that gets you up Polly Shortts. Here's how to eat through the Comrades buildup so race day is the easy part. Why Pre-Race Nutrition Matters As Much As Race Day Comrades is decided in two places: the long Saturday training runs and the back... Read more...
Hydration Drinks vs Electrolyte Drinks vs Energy Drinks: What's the Difference?
Walk into any SA pharmacy or sports shop and the shelf is full of "hydration drinks", "electrolyte drinks", "energy drinks", "sports drinks" and "recovery drinks". They look almost identical. They aren't. We get this question on WhatsApp every week from runners trying to figure out what they actually need. Here's the practical breakdown for SA athletes. The Quick Answer Each drink type does one specific job: Hydration drinks replace water lost through sweat. Often water with light flavouring. Sometimes a token amount of electrolytes. Electrolyte drinks replace minerals lost through... Read more...
DripDrop ORS Review: The Doctor-Developed Hydration Solution for South African Runners
If you've trained for Comrades, Two Oceans or even a hard 32km Saturday long run in SA summer, you've felt that special kind of broken at the end. Headache. Nausea. Heart still hammering hours later. That's not just being tired. That's severe dehydration, and a normal sports drink isn't going to fix it. DripDrop is what we reach for instead. Here's an honest review of what it does, who it's for, and where it fits in a SA athlete's hydration plan. What Is DripDrop ORS? DripDrop is a medical-grade oral... Read more...
The 32Gi Sports Nutrition Range Reviewed: An Honest Guide for SA Runners
32Gi is the homegrown SA sports nutrition brand that took on global giants and won shelf space in every Dis-Chem in the country. Their low-GI philosophy is genuinely different from what most international brands offer. But with eight different products in their range, runners often don't know which 32Gi product they actually need. We stock the full 32Gi range and have tested every product on training runs from parkruns to Comrades. Here's the honest breakdown. What Makes 32Gi Different From Other Sports Nutrition Brands Most international energy gels are built... Read more...
Running Supplements: What Actually Works for South African Runners
Walk into any Dis-Chem and you'll find a wall of supplements claiming to improve your running. Most of them won't. A handful genuinely will. The trick is knowing which is which without spending R3,000 to find out the hard way. This guide cuts through the noise on running supplements in South Africa, based on what actually has research behind it and what we use ourselves. Do Runners Actually Need Supplements? Honest answer: most don't, most of the time. If you're eating a balanced diet, sleeping seven hours and running three... Read more...
Running Nutrition for Beginners: A Simple Guide for New South African Runners
Starting running in South Africa is easy. Starting to eat properly for running is where most beginners get tangled up. Every website tells you something different. Carb-loading, intermittent fasting, protein shakes, fasted runs, keto, electrolyte this, gel that. Ninety percent of it doesn't matter for your first six months. This guide is what actually helps when you're new to running and trying to figure out how to fuel it. What Beginners Actually Need to Know About Running Nutrition If you're running three to four times a week for 20 to... Read more...
Padel Nutrition Guide: What to Eat and Drink for Match Day in South Africa
Padel is everywhere in South Africa right now. Jozi, Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria, Stellenbosch — new courts open every week and league nights fill up in minutes. What's missing is any real advice on how to fuel for it. Most players show up to a 90-minute doubles match having eaten a slice of toast and drunk half a water bottle. That's how you end the third set cramping, tired and blaming your partner. Why Padel Nutrition Matters More Than You Think Padel looks easy from the outside. It isn't. A... Read more...
Sports Nutrition for Kids in South Africa: What Active Children Actually Need
South African kids are burning through 8 to 10 hour days of school, homework and competitive sport. Most are running on a lunchbox packed before 7am and whatever they grab at the tuck shop. That's how young athletes end up fainting at cross-country, cramping in hockey matches and crashing at bedtime. This guide is what we wished someone had handed us when our own kids first started collapsing at school sports. Why Active South African Kids Need a Nutrition Plan Run Baby Run exists because our own children started fainting... Read more...
Best Electrolyte Drinks in South Africa: An Honest Hydration Guide
South African runners sweat more than their European counterparts. Our climate demands it. Yet most hydration advice you'll find online comes from cooler countries or brand sites pushing one product. We stock six different electrolyte solutions because no single option works for every athlete, every condition, or every family member. This guide breaks down exactly what each one does and which runner, kid or weekend warrior it suits best. Why Electrolytes Matter More in South Africa A training run in Johannesburg at 28 degrees is not the same as a... Read more...
Best Energy Gels for Running in South Africa: A Trusted Comparison Guide
South African runners have more gel options than ever, but most comparison articles are written by brands pushing their own products. We stock 32Gi, SIS, High5 and Tailwind because we've tested every single one on training runs from Constantia Nek to the Midlands. This guide breaks down exactly what each gel delivers, what it costs, and which runners it suits best. Why Do Runners Need Energy Gels? Your body stores roughly 90 minutes of glycogen in the muscles and liver. Once that's gone, you're done. Legs turn to concrete, your... Read more...