A handful of dates and a glass of milk can go a long way when consumed before the break of dawn.
The sugar in the dates provides much needed energy to complete routine tasks, while the dairy from the milk nourishes the body and quenches thirst in preparation for a long day of self sacrifice - just a small example of the discipline required to observe the holy month of Ramadan.
It is not uncommon for athletes to believe in higher entities than themselves - in a force that transcends their everyday existence, and guides them to glory.