Your body undergoes significant stress when following a marathon training plan.
Many people do not consider the food they eat during their training, resulting in potential negative outcomes such as decreased performance, fatigue, and possible injury. It is crucial to customize your diet starting from Week 1 of training to ensure that your body receives the necessary nourishment to maintain good health, energy, and strength.
The truth is that whether or not runners need to consume more food when beginning marathon training varies depending on their activity level, pre-training diet, and energy balance.
The concept of ‘energy balance’ refers to the calories you intake compared to the calories you expend. When the calories burned match the calories consumed, your bodyweight remains unchanged. If you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose bodyweight, and if you burn fewer calories than you consume, you will gain bodyweight.
To determine whether you should increase your nutritional intake while starting marathon training, you must first determine your current energy status – whether it is in deficit, balance, or surplus. To do this, you need to monitor your bodyweight. If your weight remains stable, it means you are in energy balance. If your weight is decreasing, it indicates an energy deficit. Conversely, if your weight is increasing, it suggests an energy surplus.
What to eat while training for a marathon
When training for a marathon or any big race, it is important to follow a balanced, healthy(ish) diet. However, there are specific considerations to keep in mind when organizing your meals.
Carbohydrates
During marathon training, it is probable that the amount of carbohydrate consumption will increase. This is because of the prolonged duration and intensity of marathon training runs. While some of these additional carbohydrates will be obtained through mid-run fueling, it is also crucial to ensure sufficient carb intake after completing a run.
Before the race, it is important to ensure that your muscle glycogen, which serves as fuel, is fully stocked. In the past, individuals would follow intense carbo-loading routines, which involved alternating days of no carbohydrates and days of extreme carbohydrates, along with a depletion run a week before the race, among other practices. However, it is now unnecessary to follow such methods. Simply increasing your carbohydrate intake can successfully result in very high levels of muscle glycogen.
Increasing carbohydrate intake does not imply excessive or maximal eating. Rather, it involves ensuring that a higher proportion of daily calories come from carbohydrates instead of fat. It is advisable to consume a substantial meal during lunchtime the day before, followed by a lighter meal in the evening.
It is advisable to practice this approach in the weeks leading up to a smaller race or when the event is imminent. If you frequently experience gastrointestinal issues, it is recommended to minimize your fiber consumption on the day prior to the race.
From a practical standpoint, it is necessary to plan ahead, particularly when traveling. Ensure to make a reservation at a restaurant with known quality food, instead of improvising and potentially ending up at a fast-food establishment or having to wait in long queues. It is important to conserve energy for the following day.
Healthy fats
Monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats are a great fuel source for long runs. Try and have two or three portions a day. We’re talking avocados, olive oil and nuts.
Protein
When training for a marathon, protein plays a crucial role in enabling your muscles to adapt to the training and recover effectively, resulting in increased strength. Here’s the recommended amount of protein for female runners.
When to eat around long runs
Determining the appropriate amount of time to wait after eating before going for a run can be challenging. It is crucial to ensure that your body has sufficient energy to run, but consuming food too close to your run can result in discomfort or even runner’s trots. It is necessary to conduct trials and observe what works best for your body. To initiate, give this a try:
Before a long run
A few hours prior to a main meal, typically breakfast or lunch, consume a carbohydrate-rich dish with a moderate quantity of protein.
Some individuals prefer to consume a pre-workout drink, but having a banana is equally suitable as a light, high-carb snack thirty to sixty minutes prior to exercising.
During a long run
If your run lasts longer than 90 minutes, it is advised to consume additional carbohydrates in order to keep your muscles properly fueled. Some options to consider include sports gels or bars, and certain runners highly recommend gummy candies.
After a long run
It is crucial to refuel after completing a long run. Ideally, you should consume a mix of carbohydrates and protein within one hour of finishing your run. In the event that you consistently experience intense hunger after running, a substantial meal would be appropriate. However, if you find yourself less hungry than usual following your run, a snack such as a protein smoothie or porridge would suffice.
Fluids
In order to truly comprehend your sweat rate and the necessary amount of fluid intake, it is essential to weigh yourself prior to and following training sessions in the weeks prior to the marathon.
By following a step-by-step approach, you can determine your sweat rate by subtracting your weight after physical activity from your weight before, and then adding the amount of fluids consumed. Online sweat calculators are available to assist with these calculations.
If the conditions and pace of your run are similar to those of an actual marathon, your rate of sweating will be similar. Typically, the cups provided during a marathon hold approximately 150 ml (5 oz.) of liquid, with around 100 ml (3 oz.) being consumed by you.
In order to avoid dehydration, it is necessary to consume fluids that are equivalent to the amount of sweat you produce. When running, a person’s stomach can eliminate approximately 6 to 7 ounces (180 to 210 ml) of liquid every 15 minutes, totaling around 24 to 28 ounces (720 to 840 ml) per hour. Nevertheless, this capacity can be enhanced through training and practice if required.
Carbohydrates
The requirements for carbohydrates are easier to understand. According to studies, you can consume more than 60 grams of carbohydrates every hour from various sources. Athletes should aim for a range of 50 to 70 grams per hour. If an athlete finishes a race in the 4 to 5-hour range, it is acceptable to consume carbohydrates at the lower end of this range. However, athletes aiming for a 3-hour finish may benefit more by consuming carbohydrates at the higher end of this range.
Recent research indicates that there is a correlation between the amount of carbohydrates consumed and performance. To clarify, increasing carbohydrate intake might lead to improved performance. However, excessive consumption could potentially result in gastrointestinal issues and lead to the opposite outcome. Therefore, finding the right amount of carbohydrates becomes a delicate process, guided by one’s individual instinct.
Sources of carbohydrates
- 1 Banana 24-30 g
- Gel 21-27 g
- Energy bar 20-40 g
- 4-5 Chews 16-25 g
- 10 Jelly beans 11 g
The positive news is that your gut can be effectively trained, allowing you to develop tolerance for these beverages, gels, bars, and similar items. Consequently, it is essential to incorporate these products into your training regimen consistently. Therefore, make sure to utilize all the products you intend to use during the race in your training sessions.
It is important to refrain from trying new products on race day. Additionally, athletes who do not regularly consume carbohydrates, seek weight loss, or follow a high-fat diet will have a decreased ability to absorb carbohydrates. As a result, they are more likely to experience gastrointestinal issues while exercising.
Electrolytes (specifically sodium) can assist with absorption, so it is advisable to include a moderate amount of sodium in your beverages or gels. However, it is important to avoid excessive consumption. The duration of a marathon is not sufficient to cause significant sodium losses that would negatively affect performance or health.
The use of caffeine by numerous athletes before or during a marathon to enhance their performance is backed by scientific evidence. However, individual tolerance and perception may vary, and while it benefits the majority, it could have adverse effects on a minority.
Research has shown that to achieve optimal effects, only small amounts of caffeine are necessary (3mg per kilogram of body weight; 200mg for a person weighing 70kg). It is generally advised not to consume more than 400mg of caffeine per day from any source. Caffeinated gels typically contain around 25 to 50mg of caffeine, while an espresso usually contains 80 to 100mg.
How much water to drink
If you are not already accustomed to regularly running marathon training distances, it will be necessary to raise your hydration levels in order to replenish lost fluids during your runs. An effective method of assessing your hydration status after a run is to observe the color of your urine, which should ideally resemble a pale straw hue. If your urine appears darker than this shade, it indicates dehydration and signifies the need for increased fluid intake.
The majority of this additional hydration will require water, and the timing of when to drink it will vary depending on you and your bladder.
If you often forget to drink water and typically do not need to take a break to use the toilet while running, your run can serve as a reminder to hydrate. However, if you frequently need to urinate while running, it is advisable to distribute your additional water consumption throughout the day to prevent any negative impact on your run.
After the marathon
Despite the existence of guidelines for a rapid marathon recovery, does it truly hold significant importance? The majority of individuals do not partake in another marathon immediately or engage in a race for at least a few weeks afterwards. Therefore, relish your accomplishment and indulge in moderation!
Please rephrase the following text step by step, while keeping the meaning intact. Do not introduce new information or remove any information. Side notes should also be included. Original Text: Side notes are additional pieces of information or explanations that are provided alongside the main content. These notes are typically presented in the margins or as footnotes. When rephrasing articles or texts, it is important to consider including side notes to enhance understanding and add value to the information being conveyed. Rephrased Text: Additional information or explanations that accompany the main content are referred to as side notes. These notes are usually found in the margins or presented as footnotes. When modifying articles or texts, it is crucial to contemplate incorporating side notes as they can improve comprehension and offer extra value to the conveyed information.
Marathon runners frequently engage in discussions regarding nutrition. Both beginner and experienced runners often inquire about what to eat prior to, during, and following a race. Below, you will find a concise guide to properly fueling your body for a marathon.
Curiously, unlike training, the story does not commence the week before the race; instead, it begins several weeks in advance of the event! Additionally, post-race, it becomes a predominant subject, particularly for runners who fell short of their objectives or encountered obstacles during their journey.
The importance of training and nutrition in determining race day performance cannot be understated. While runners generally dedicate a significant amount of time each week to training and planning sessions, the same level of attention is not always given to nutrition. Neglecting nutrition can put all the hard work and effort during training at risk.
