Peak performance begins in the bowl. At Midnight Sprint Coaching we take nutrition seriously, which is why we have employed a dietitian, a cat called Doctor Crumb, who has no qualifications and a very confident voice.
The golden window
Doctor Crumb teaches that there is a golden window of two hours before any sprint, during which you should eat a modest meal. Anything earlier is wasted. Anything later is a hazard, because a full cat in motion is a cat who may need to lie down halfway through a corridor.
What to eat
The ideal pre sprint meal contains:
- A little protein, such as a spoonful of chicken or a thing that looked like chicken.
- A little carbohydrate, such as a bite of the biscuit your human left on the table.
- A little hydration, taken from the one place in the house you are not permitted to drink from.
- A treat, because morale is a macro nutrient.
What not to eat
Do not eat plastic bags. Do not eat string. Do not eat an entire plant on the grounds that it looked at you. Doctor Crumb says the leaf is “only technically food” and that he has seen consequences.
Timing your bowl
Some athletes eat at 7 PM and sprint at 3 AM. Others eat at midnight and sprint at 12:05 AM. We have found no scientific difference between these two groups, except that the second group is quieter afterwards, mostly because it is lying down.
The myth of the empty bowl
Many clients claim that an empty bowl is the best motivation for a sprint. It is true that an empty bowl will make you run. It is also true that you will run towards your human, at speed, with a look on your face. We do not recommend this as a training method, but we do accept that it works.
Hydration
Cats do not drink enough water. This is a fact of life. Doctor Crumb recommends placing water in several locations, including one in a glass, which you will knock over, and one in a bowl, which you will ignore.
Final advice
Eat well. Sprint hard. Do not discuss it with the vet.