Running Online
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Nutrition for Marathoners and Others
By
Art Liberman
of
State of the Art Marathon Training
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In regards to all the
aspects of marathon training and preparation, nutrition is one
of the most important topics to consider. The best training
schedules are worthless if runners fail to plan properly to
meet their nutritional requirements for long distance training
and racing. Areas of concern include general nutrition,
guidelines for the long run, and nutritional issues for the
marathon.
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General
Considerations
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Don't rely
on your thirst mechanism to indicate signs of
dehydration. Regarding running in the heat, it is
virtually impossible to "catch up" on your fluid
requirements once you sense that you're
thirsty. |
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It is vital
to stay well hydrated throughout the day. The color of
your urine should be relatively clear. Urine that is
darker or approaches the amber color is a signal that
you are dehydrated and need to drink fluids (preferably
water). |
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While there
is much debate regarding the proper mix of foods, aim
for 65 percent of total calories coming from
carbohydrates. |
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Emphasize
healthy foods in your diet along with limiting fried and
high fat foods. |
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Preparing
Nutritionally for the Long Run
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For the sake of this
discussion, let's assume
your long run is scheduled
for Sunday morning. |
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Drink lots
of water all day Saturday. |
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Eat meals
high in carbohydrates for lunch and dinner Saturday.
Selecting the "right" foods is an important area of
experimentation. |
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Avoid foods
high in salt and excessive protein/fat all day
Saturday. |
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Drink about
16 oz. of water Sunday morning prior to your long
run. |
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Eat a light
snack Sunday morning prior to your long run. This is
also an important experimentation area in regard to food
selection. |
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Drink lots
of fluids while running. Be sure to stop for water
frequently throughout the run. For runs longer than 90
minutes, you MUST drink sports beverages (such as
Gatoraid, Poweraid, etc.) every 2 - 3 miles. Drinking on
the run requires careful planning of the route (making
sure there is water available frequently along with
places to stash sports
drinks). | |
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Consider trying the new "gel"
carbohydrate replacement products. Be sure to
chase them down with water to avoid stomach cramps
and insure
absorption. | |
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A final thought... Please dispose
of gel and energy product wrappers properly by throwing
them away in trash receptacles or placing them in your
fanny pack. Let's all work together to keep the
environment
clean! | |
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After the
run is over, continue to drink fluids (water, sports
drinks, or juice are all great choices). |
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As soon as
possible (ideally within 15 minutes), have something to
eat to replace depleted glycogen stores. Research has
shown that to avoid muscle fatigue the next day,
carbohydrates should be eaten as soon as possible
following long duration exercise.
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Marathon
Nutritional
Issues
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The Week Prior to Your
Marathon | |
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As
you scale back on the distance and intensity of
your running during that last week before the
marathon, realize that you will not be burning as
many calories. Thus, you may gain one or two
pounds if you don't cut back a bit on the quantity
of your servings early in the
week. | | |
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Use
care in selecting foods to eat during this time
period, aiming for quality foods rather than
snack/high fat
products. | |
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Hydrate well the week before the
marathon (water is best) and in particular, during
the carbohydrate loading period (three days prior
to the marathon). Research has shown that
carbohydrates convert to glycogen more effectively
when accompanied with the consumption of water.
This is the time when you probably will gain a
couple of pounds, but don't worry about it. This
will be the fuel you will use during your
marathon! |
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If
you are traveling out town, be sure to pack
healthy snack foods you may wish to eat the
weekend of the marathon. Eliminate the need to
search for a grocery store that stocks your
favorite foods. Also see Packing
List for more information. |
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If
traveling by plane to your marathon destination,
carry bottled water with you. Flying at high
altitudes causes dehydration. |
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As
mentioned above, carbohydrate loading begins three
days before the marathon. Choose foods for lunch
and dinner that are high in carbohydrates (e.g.,
pasta, potatoes, rice, etc.). Don't neglect
fruits, vegetables, and some protein sources
however. Try to really scale back on fats during
this
time. | | |
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The Evening Prior to Your
Marathon | |
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Be
sure to eat carbohydrate products that have been
"tried and proven" during your training period.
Keep pasta sauces simple, avoiding high fat
varieties (e.g., alfredo, pesto,
etc.) | |
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Avoid eating lots of salad items
and vegetables (roughage) as these may prove to be
troublesome on race day as they may cause digestive
problems. Stick to water during the evening meal.
Because coffee and tea contains caffeine, these products
may make it difficult for you to fall asleep easily.
Caffeine (along with alcoholic beverages) are diuretics
which can lead to
dehydration.
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The Morning of Your
Marathon
(Before the
Race) | |
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Continue to drink fluids up to 15
minutes before the start of the race. |
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Eat
your final snack no more than 30 minutes before
the start of the
race.
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During Your
Marathon | |
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Aid
Stations - Do not pass up any fluid station. While
it's okay to drink just water in the early miles,
runners must consume sports beverages no later
than after 90 minutes of running (and earlier if
possible). Find out what works best for you in
long practice
runs. | |
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Water is usually offered at the
first tables at an aid station with sports beverages
served near the end of the station. Squeeze the top of
the cup into a "v" shape to create a smooth delivery of
fluid directly into your mouth if you choose to run and
drink through the aid stations. If necessary, walk
through the aid stations to be sure that you are able to
consume the entire contents of the cup. If you decide to
stop and drink, please get out of the way of other
runners. | |
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Supplementing - Many runners now are
taking advantage of the new gel products out on
the market. These products will provide a fairly
quick source of carbohydrates (energy). Be sure
you chase these products down with water to avoid
stomach cramps. Some runners find that stopping
and eating a power bar, orange slices, jelly
beans, etc. also provides needed energy. However,
these items are seldom supplied at official
marathon aid
stations. | | |
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Immediately Following Your
Marathon | |
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After
crossing the line, get something to drink (e.g.,
water, sports drink, etc.) Although it may be
tempting, hold off on consuming alcoholic
beverages until later in the evening if you feel
so inclined. |
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Within a few minutes of finishing, grab
something to eat. |
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After
you return home or to the hotel, have a nice
lunch. This should be a well-balanced meal that
includes the majority of its total calories in
carbohydrates. Don't overlook consuming at least
20 percent of the total calories from protein
sources.
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Check out this great link for valuable
information about sports nutrition and healthy
recipes: |
| Global
Fitness | | | | |
