What do I pack for a marathon?
What if the city I鈥檓 traveling to doesn鈥檛 have my favorite fuel?
How will I get my electrolytes?
How do I carb load for a race like this?
When on race morning should I eat?
What if I鈥檓 a heavy sweater?
Should I try a new gel?
We hear you.
The runup to a marathon can be nerve-wracking, and a big piece of the equation is making sure that you have the nutrition (i.e., fuel) you need to get you to the finish line.
You have questions. Meghann Featherstun, marathoner and sports dietitian, has answers.
1. Carb load like you mean it 鈥
As Featherstun explained it, 鈥渙ur bodies love carbs but aren鈥檛 great at storing them.鈥
Carbs are an essential source of energy for the body and are a key component of many of the 鈥済oos,鈥 gels and electrolyte drinks you see runners use. They quickly transform to glycogen and keep us moving.
That said, we need to intentionally eat more carbohydrates before the race to fully stock our glycogen stores.
鈥淚n the two or three days leading up to a race, if we scale up the carbs to be about 80% of our plate, we can store them as glycogen in our muscles,鈥 Feathersun said. 鈥淚f we can eat enough to fully stock those stores, we have more energy to pull from in our race.鈥
2. 鈥 And don鈥檛 deplete your progress.
Most who are training for a marathon know the importance of tapering 鈥 decreasing your mileage and energy expended 鈥 in the weeks leading up to a race, to ensure your body is recovering ahead of race day and keeping your legs fresh.
But rest is extra important when you consider the role of carbs.
鈥淚f we鈥檙e not resting before a big race, we鈥檙e burning through those carbs we鈥檝e worked to store up,鈥 Featherstun said.
She recommends increasing sources of simple carbs, such as graham crackers, bagels, pasta, juices, smoothies, electrolyte drinks and pretzels, while simultaneously decreasing energy use ahead of the big day.
Another pro tip: Travel, especially by air, can also diminish pre-hydrating efforts, so be sure to increase your intake of electrolyte sources to make sure you鈥檙e covering your hydration needs as well.
3. Find what works for you and stick to it.
Marathon weekend, for many, means traveling, experiencing new places and cuisines, and heading to expos where dozens of nutrition options are on display.
鈥淪tick to what you know,鈥 Featherstun advised. 鈥淟earn in your training process what you鈥檙e comfortable with, and, in the days before the race, don鈥檛 try anything new.鈥
The truth is, we don鈥檛 always know how our bodies react to new foods. Featherstun recommends finding a solid nutrition game plan in your marathon training and thinking ahead to ensure those go-tos are available to you on race day.
If you love graham crackers (like Featherstun), pack a box to take with you if you鈥檙e unsure of where to find them near your race. If you know that a pasta dinner the night before a run works for you, find a restaurant in the area you鈥檙e staying in ahead of time.
Making sure that you have what works for you at your disposal on and before race day is key.
4. Establish your race day fueling routine.
Logistically speaking, marathons are tough.
How early do I need to get to the start line?
What time do I have to wake up?
How much should I be eating before my race?
Featherstun has been there.
She recommends eating something two hours before the race鈥檚 start time. And if you have a later start time, you may need to eat again to make sure you鈥檙e eating two hours out. Remember, you want to head into your race with as much fuel stored up as possible.
Simple carbs like bread, bagels and graham crackers are your best friend.
But one hurdle to getting a solid meal in before lining up at the start, as many runners experience, is nerves 鈥 which can then cause nausea or digestion issues.
鈥淭ry your best to eat in a neutral state,鈥 Featherstun said. 鈥淟isten to music, put on a podcast, and generally try to distract your body from nervousness so we鈥檙e eating and digesting our best.鈥
At the end of the day, it鈥檚 all about knowing yourself. What works for you may be different than the runner lined up next to you, and locking in that routine prior to race day can bring a sense of calm to what can be an intense experience.
As Featherstun put it: 鈥淭here鈥檚 so much about running that we can鈥檛 always control. The weather on race day, the logistics surrounding getting to the start line, and even our performance.鈥
But when it comes to nutrition and ensuring you have what you need to get to the finish line, set a new personal best or simply feel your healthiest 鈥 that鈥檚 where we can take control back.
Now you know. It鈥檚 your race 鈥 run it at your best.
大秀视频 is the title sponsor of the , a series of six of the largest and most renowned marathons in the world: Tokyo Marathon, Boston Marathon, TCS London Marathon, BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, Bank of America Chicago Marathon and TCS New York City Marathon.
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