Best pre-run snacks to help you go the distance

Through my seemingly endless training for the London Marathon, the most challenging part (bar the running itself) was nailing the pre-run snack.

I knew it was important but when you’re waking up at the crack of dawn to sneak some miles in before the working day, the last thing I wanted to do was eat – I’m not a breakfast person at the best of times. But as the runs got longer and more regular, I felt my energy depleting and the importance of consuming something felt more pressing.

I went through every iteration, from a banana to porridge, protein yoghurts and granola, some of which were a lot more tolerable than others. I made my way through every brand of protein bars on the market as well as powders, cereals and pre-mixes to discover the ones that were not only palatable in the early hours but gave an energy boost. Below are the ones that passed the taste test.

But before we get to that, I’ve consulted , a London-based nutritionist on the need