What to Eat Before a Marathon
Written By Elizabeth A. Hays
A marathon is a one-person foot race that spans 26 miles. The race takes about two to six hours to complete, with no one ever finishing before two hours. Runners will spend years gaining the courage to run a marathon. They can then spend nearly as much time training as one. The preparation process can consist of multiple runs a day, additional workouts, and a rigorous diet. When conditioning for any strenuous exercise, it is essential to discuss all the details with a physician before starting. However, a few basic nutritional guidelines can help enhance one’s performance.
The two most significant factors to consider when training for a marathon are a well-balanced diet consisting of a specific amount of carbohydrates and constant hydration. Properly planning this nutrition can help the runner maintain a steady pace for a long duration before becoming fatigued. Each individual is entirely different and will follow a diverse program to achieve their desired results. The body mass index (BMI) is a scientific formula physicians use to determine a healthy weight depending on the person’s age, sex, height, and weight ratio.
As we learned growing up, staying hydrated means drinking plenty of water, but it is much more important during extreme exercise. During a workout, the body loses lots of fluids through sweating and lung expiration. It becomes challenging to circulate nutrients and oxygen to the muscles when they are dehydrated. While water is an excellent source of hydration, it does not have nearly the number of electrolytes needed to rehydrate. Electrolytes involve natural, positive or negative electrical charges that help the body regulate its chemical reactions, like sodium, potassium, and calcium. For example, people lose large amounts of sodium while sweating, so it is crucial to replenish those electrolytes. In addition to water, sports drinks with electrolytes are a great addition to the diet.
In addition to staying hydrated, it is imperative to consume good carbohydrates, proteins, and fats to fuel the body and provide energy throughout training. That means good whole-food meals, not packaged and processed foods. Again, every physical body and its environment are different. However, sports nutritionists recommend around six to ten grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of BMI. In the few months leading up to a marathon race, athletes will establish regular eating habits and a varied running routine. These meals can include oatmeal with milk, fruits, nuts, or avocado on multigrain toast with eggs for breakfast. It can be pasta or rice with lean protein and vegetables for lunch and dinner.
About a week before running a marathon, it is common for runners to slow down their physical training while maintaining a well-balanced diet of carbohydrates, proteins, fruits, and vegetables. A couple of days before the race, it is crucial not to introduce any new foods into the meal plan. The athlete can create adverse gastrointestinal reactions by adding foods that are not already part of the training plan. At this point, it is also common for marathon runners to overindulge in carbohydrates, also known as carbo-loading. Their goal is to create as much carbohydrate storage for muscle glycogen, or muscle fuel as possible. The more energy stored in the muscles, the longer the distance of running before bodily fatigue. Dietitians and sports nutritionists say that when carbo-loading, you should eat 10 to 12 grams of carbs for every kilogram of BMI.
It is good to dedicate the 24 hours before a marathon as a rest day while maintaining a well-balanced diet. Carbohydrate overload is no longer necessary because hydration should be the primary focus. The meal the night before ought to be rich in carbohydrates, with protein and healthy fats. It could be grilled chicken, steamed vegetables, and rice a couple of hours before bed. Whatever the meal is, give the body plenty of digestion time before putting it to sleep.
Eating in the morning of a marathon is essential for tackling those last few kilometers. Remember, a marathon is 26 miles long, and by mile 20, most bodies are ready to quit. Following a meal plan until the last fifteen minutes before the race can provide the muscles with enough fuel to reach the end before ultimate fatigue. This preparation meal should be eaten at least four hours before the race. Some examples of pre-race breakfasts are a multigrain bagel with peanut butter, banana, and honey, or a bowl of oatmeal with peanut butter and bananas. Try snacking on some dried fruit about an hour to a half-hour beforehand. Then, fifteen minutes before the race, have a GU hydration gel because it will provide a boost of energy at the beginning. Throughout the entire day, hydrate with water and electrolyte-filled sports drinks.
Some people run marathons for carbo-loading after the race, saying, “We race to eat.” After dedicating months to a healthy lifestyle, it is time to celebrate! Feel free to eat a whole pizza or 50 chicken wings all by yourself. Running a marathon is not an easy feat and takes immeasurable endurance. If you are thinking about participating in a race, consult a training plan with your physician and go for it. You can do it!
The two most significant factors to consider when training for a marathon are a well-balanced diet consisting of a specific amount of carbohydrates and constant hydration. Properly planning this nutrition can help the runner maintain a steady pace for a long duration before becoming fatigued. Each individual is entirely different and will follow a diverse program to achieve their desired results. The body mass index (BMI) is a scientific formula physicians use to determine a healthy weight depending on the person’s age, sex, height, and weight ratio.
As we learned growing up, staying hydrated means drinking plenty of water, but it is much more important during extreme exercise. During a workout, the body loses lots of fluids through sweating and lung expiration. It becomes challenging to circulate nutrients and oxygen to the muscles when they are dehydrated. While water is an excellent source of hydration, it does not have nearly the number of electrolytes needed to rehydrate. Electrolytes involve natural, positive or negative electrical charges that help the body regulate its chemical reactions, like sodium, potassium, and calcium. For example, people lose large amounts of sodium while sweating, so it is crucial to replenish those electrolytes. In addition to water, sports drinks with electrolytes are a great addition to the diet.
In addition to staying hydrated, it is imperative to consume good carbohydrates, proteins, and fats to fuel the body and provide energy throughout training. That means good whole-food meals, not packaged and processed foods. Again, every physical body and its environment are different. However, sports nutritionists recommend around six to ten grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of BMI. In the few months leading up to a marathon race, athletes will establish regular eating habits and a varied running routine. These meals can include oatmeal with milk, fruits, nuts, or avocado on multigrain toast with eggs for breakfast. It can be pasta or rice with lean protein and vegetables for lunch and dinner.
About a week before running a marathon, it is common for runners to slow down their physical training while maintaining a well-balanced diet of carbohydrates, proteins, fruits, and vegetables. A couple of days before the race, it is crucial not to introduce any new foods into the meal plan. The athlete can create adverse gastrointestinal reactions by adding foods that are not already part of the training plan. At this point, it is also common for marathon runners to overindulge in carbohydrates, also known as carbo-loading. Their goal is to create as much carbohydrate storage for muscle glycogen, or muscle fuel as possible. The more energy stored in the muscles, the longer the distance of running before bodily fatigue. Dietitians and sports nutritionists say that when carbo-loading, you should eat 10 to 12 grams of carbs for every kilogram of BMI.
It is good to dedicate the 24 hours before a marathon as a rest day while maintaining a well-balanced diet. Carbohydrate overload is no longer necessary because hydration should be the primary focus. The meal the night before ought to be rich in carbohydrates, with protein and healthy fats. It could be grilled chicken, steamed vegetables, and rice a couple of hours before bed. Whatever the meal is, give the body plenty of digestion time before putting it to sleep.
Eating in the morning of a marathon is essential for tackling those last few kilometers. Remember, a marathon is 26 miles long, and by mile 20, most bodies are ready to quit. Following a meal plan until the last fifteen minutes before the race can provide the muscles with enough fuel to reach the end before ultimate fatigue. This preparation meal should be eaten at least four hours before the race. Some examples of pre-race breakfasts are a multigrain bagel with peanut butter, banana, and honey, or a bowl of oatmeal with peanut butter and bananas. Try snacking on some dried fruit about an hour to a half-hour beforehand. Then, fifteen minutes before the race, have a GU hydration gel because it will provide a boost of energy at the beginning. Throughout the entire day, hydrate with water and electrolyte-filled sports drinks.
Some people run marathons for carbo-loading after the race, saying, “We race to eat.” After dedicating months to a healthy lifestyle, it is time to celebrate! Feel free to eat a whole pizza or 50 chicken wings all by yourself. Running a marathon is not an easy feat and takes immeasurable endurance. If you are thinking about participating in a race, consult a training plan with your physician and go for it. You can do it!
Trivia Facts
- Loading up on healthy carbohydrates is essential when preparing for a marathon race, but staying hydrated is even more crucial.
- Did you know that you should dedicate the 24 hours before running a marathon to resting?
- Everybody is different, so it is vital to consult a physician before prepping for a marathon race.