Nutrition For Marathon Runners

With the London marathon just weeks away I wanted to write an article of some fundamentals that you can follow to help keep energy levels high, and to give you the best chance of smashing your personal best time.

This article isn't just for runners either as the information in this article will be beneficial for endurance athletes in general.

• Pre Marathon Nutrition (Leading Up To The Race)

• Pre-Race Meal

• During Marathon Nutrition

• Post Marathon Nutrition

• Vitamin and Minerals Essentials

Pre Marathon Nutrition

This is your daily diet as you lead up to the race or when you start to train for your event.

Carbohydrates - 6-10 g/kg/day

This should predominantly consist of complex carbohydrates like brown rice, brown pasta, sweet potatoes, quinoa, wholemeal/seeded bread.

The rule of thumb is less refined and with fibre.

Carbohydrates will give you the energy to train and recover properly.

Fats - >1 g/kg/day

The fats that are required would be monounsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fats (PUFA).

Foods containing MUFA’s are olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, and some vegetable oils.

PUFA’s are found in oily fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, and sardines.

Both fats have cardioprotective properties as they both lower LDL cholesterol in the body.

They will provide good nutrient dense calories and provide good energy.

Protein – 1.2-1.8g/kg/day

Consuming good amounts of protein will help you recover quicker from training and hopefully build strength and muscle along the way.

Building strength is vitally important when it comes to preparation for long distance running as this will help you lower the risk of injuries.

Good sources of protein would come from chicken, beef, salmon, tuna, cod, beans, lentils and pulses. Eggs are another great source of protein.

Try and consume a wide variety of proteins from your diet.

Fluid – 5-7ml/kg/day

Drinking the right fluids will help you when it comes to training and race day.

Keep hydrated throughout the day with good amounts of water.

Sports drinks can be used during or after a training run as this offers glucose and electrolytes which are both essential for energy, recovery and the replenishment of minerals.

Rehydration salts can also be used during and after training and these also have the benefit of containing minerals like potassium, magnesium and sodium.

Sweating can cause the depletion of these three minerals which could lead to a decrease in energy and recovery.

The decrease in sodium in the body through exercise and sweat can also cause dehydration which can cause cardiovascular and thermal strain, and lower aerobic capabilities.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22150427/#:~:text=Fluids%20and%20electrolytes%20(sodium)%20are,strain%20and%20degrade%20aerobic%20performance.

Eating a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and pulses will help boost sodium, potassium and magnesium levels in the body.

Pre-Race Meal

Low in fibre and fat for ease of gastric emptying and the prevention of stomach discomfort. This could be some high GI fruit like a banana or some mango.

Smaller meal but high in easily digested carbohydrates like white rice or white pasta.

Moderate amount of protein which could be a chicken breast or fillet of salmon.

During Marathon Nutrition

Carbohydrates: 30-60g/hour (simple carbohydrates like an energy drink)

Electrolytes: solutions with sodium (0.5 to 0.7 g/L) and potassium (0.8 to 2.0 g/L) or a good rehydration salt.

Post Marathon Nutrition

Carbohydrates: 1.0-1.5 g/kg within 30 minutes of the finish of the race. This could be some high GI fruits like banana, mango or even dried fruits, or even an energy drink.

Fluid: 450-675ml of fluid per 0.5kg of bodyweight lost. I would consume as much water as you can after the race with some rehydration salts.

Vitamin and Mineral Essentials

Calcium

Potassium

Iron

Vitamin C and E

Vitamin D

Vitamin B

Zinc

Beta carotene

Magnesium

Selenium

I would recommend trying to get all these vitamins and minerals through a varied diet with lots of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and pulses.

If you are concerned that you might be low in any of these vitamins and minerals you can supplement with a good multi vitamin.

I hope this article has been helpful and shows you how important nutrition can be to endurance athletes. If you are interested in personal training or would like a nutritional consultation send me a message through my contact form on my home page.

Until next time.