Nutritional strategies for marathons -
Hydration is always important, but the evening before the marathon is when it starts to become critical. Make sure to add electrolytes, such as with sports drinks. Dinner suggestions may include slow-burning complex carbohydrates, such as brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, and quinoa.
Add protein to further slow digestion, then give your body time to rest. Avoid eating too late at night. Get up and have breakfast early enough so your body will have time to begin to digest what you eat.
Breakfast should include cereals, grains, or bread to fully stock your energy supply. For example, your morning food choices might include oatmeal and a banana, a bagel with peanut butter, toast with honey, or eggs and rice. You might also make a smoothie with yogurt and a banana. Choose easy-to-digest carbs to help avoid digestive issues, such as cramps or diarrhea, during your run.
When it comes to water and electrolytes, remember that room-temperature fluids are absorbed more quickly by your body than water that is either hot or cold. Mid-race carb intake is important and all about refueling.
The same is true of your body. Refueling during a marathon gives your muscles the nutrients they need to elevate your endurance, speed, as well as ease your level of exertion. According to the American College of Sports Medicine , that means consuming calories in carbs per hour.
Try electrolyte-boosting sports drinks, gels, fruit snacks bananas, raisins, dried fruit , nuts, and energy bars. It will take your body a moment to access the carbs from mid-race snacks, but you should feel the fatigue lift.
How much to consume will vary for everyone and can depend on the intensity of the run for you, as well as your weight, muscle mass, gender, and more. Congratulations, you just ran a marathon! This will restock your glycogen levels and help repair and recover your muscles.
It can take a full 24 hours before your body is able to replenish the glycogen that was used up during the race. For your recovery meals, choose foods that are high in carbs and protein, such eggs, toast, bananas, peanut butter, pasta, and protein shakes. Make sure to include a healthy balance of slow- and fast-digesting carbs, such as whole grains along with fruit or fruit juice.
Drinking ample fluids should continue, including electrolytes, which can help stave off post-marathon muscle cramping. No hot takes here—all the usual suspects are among the foods runners should avoid leading up to race day. This includes alcohol increased risk of dehydration , excess dairy, as well as fried and fatty foods digestive issues , processed meats nitrates , and sugary soda sugar crash.
There are exceptions, however. While high-fiber foods are generally considered healthy, runners in training for a marathon may want to avoid these during their taper week to avoid GI distress, such as gas and cramping, during the run.
Caffeine prior to a marathon, likewise, can stimulate the bowels and may force an unwanted bathroom break during the race. Your entire training period should include building your endurance for the run and testing the effects of the foods you eat, including when and how much you eat.
Carb up as needed to keep your muscles fueled on long runs. Some find eating and drinking a little something every 5 miles provides reliable energy and helps eliminate fatigue.
Although it may sound superstitious, wear the clothes and shoes you plan to wear the day of the race during training. This will help you identify anything that rubs you the wrong way and could rob you of a killer run time.
Here are some final tips when it comes to properly fueling your body for a marathon:. Try to keep to a regular eating schedule. Also, eat a healthy mix of carbohydrates, protein, healthy fats, and fruits and veggies. Subscribe for a weekly dose of fitness, plus the latest promos, launches, and events.
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Connect Member Tips Member Stories Meet Instructors Inspiration Peloton News. If you feel like it and have tried it out during your training runs , you can also add a small, starchy snack like saltine crackers or a granola bar in this final hour, washed down with a few sips from that all-important water bottle.
DURING THE RACE. Your goal is to maintain a barrier against glycogen depletion, to ensure you have the carbohydrates and liquids you need to get through the race. Sports drinks, energy gels and snacks like jelly beans are the answer, but how much you need depends on your body weight and pace, as well as the heat and humidity, and your sweat rate.
The crucial rule here is to stay ahead of dehydration or feelings of exhaustion. The more distressed your body becomes, the more difficult it is for your digestive system to process the fluids and energy you take in.
Split the marathon course into 13 chunks of two miles, and aim for ml of water and a small, edible energy boost in each. But whatever the adrenaline says, your body is also exhausted. Recovery is crucial here, and you need the right combination of protein, carbs, salt and magnesium to support your muscles before they give up on you and cause you to walk like a duck doing a John Wayne impression tomorrow.
Make your life easy by grabbing a recovery shake combining all of the necessary ingredients like a Vifit Sport drink , so your marathon-mashed body recovers quicker, comes back stronger… and can accept all of those pats on the back at work tomorrow.
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