My (RATION) world - by Elite runner Freja Wærness

Hi! My name is Freja Wærness and I am 18 years old.

I attend on the Team Denmark line at high school and live in Aalborg. And I'm really good at running. It's has been about running fast and since I was very young, I have always been very active in sports and had an active everyday life. Like many other kids, I have tried many sports - handball, dance, gymnastics, horseback riding, swimming, etc. I have always known that I have fast feet and good coordination - but I did not know that a sport that is all about running fast actually existed. Then the 2012 Olympics came, and I really got my eyes on the athletics. And even after the first training on the titan track, I had no doubt that running, and sprinting were just me. And as the years have gone by, the motivation, dedication and ambitions (and the amount of training) have only increased.

When I was 15, I ran a 400m at a time which then brought me to the junior national team. Two years later I made my debut on the senior national team as a 400m runner and relay runner, and since then I have been a regular part of the Danish athletics team both with the juniors and seniors. Just a year ago I tried a new distance, 800m. And thank God for that, because it turned out I had a pretty good stamina and acid tolerance stored in me, and I managed that same year (2018) to qualify as an 800m runner for the junior World Cup.

I would characterize myself as being both a sprinter and a middle-distance runner. Regardless of distance, it requires a large amount of specific training. But the road to success is not just about the number of hours I spend weekly on different types of training. For me, there are many other factors that affect how I perform and recover, and thus develop in the direction of becoming a better runner. 

The concept of food optimization

One of these parameters is the diet. A few years ago, I first became acquainted with the concept of food optimization. At a DAF lecture, I was presented with how an elite athlete should eat. I have since realized that it cannot be set up in general. You have to experience for yourself which food habits work best for you, because it is hugely individual. In this connection, I have found that my body (and mind) clearly prefers a diet based mainly on 'pure' ingredients. This means that I should preferably be able to see what the foods I eat consist of, so I'm sure I'll get what I need and want. This means, first and foremost, that I cook myself, and only from good ingredients, and avoid most of the supermarket's processed foods with many additives. Not to say that I adhere to these principles 100% or have a fanatical approach to my diet. For in my busy everyday life, which does not offer much other than school, homework and exercise, there is neither time nor surplus to eat after any strict diet. I, on the other hand, need that cooking has to be a quick and able to bring on the go.

This is where RATION snack bars come into my life.

"Last but not least, the food bars taste tremendously delicious - sour, sweet and chewy" These food bars are made from natural ingredients and contain no artificial additives, so the macronutrient composition (protein, fat and carbohydrate) is ideal for giving me stable energy for both brain and muscle without my blood sugar going on a roller coaster. As well as it is the best healthy to-go snack that I can carry in my backpack, school bag, jacket, pocket or just in my hand when I rush out the door.

All in all, it makes RATION an excellent pre- and post-workout meal, or if I just get a little hungry during the day. That being said, I always have a food bar with me, because then I am free to say no to unsatisfactory snack alternatives that do not give me the right fuel. Planning, repetition and focus So for me it is all about planning, repeating and focusing on my diet as it is very important for an elite athlete. That is why RATION snack bars are an integral part of my daily energy intake. The right food choices at the right times are crucial and can help reduce the recovery time, reduce the risk of injury and improve the ability to concentrate. “You can't win the World Cup by eating right. But you can lose it by eating wrong”.