Nutrition & Training go hand-in-hand for a sustainable & enjoyable running experience. The ever-increasing number of marathoners is only proof that the awareness about the importance of fitness and endurance is rising not only globally but in India too. Though “finishing a marathon” is the key for many, it comes with its share of struggle in the form of muscle cramps, heat stroke, dehydration, exhaustion, etc. While we focus only on “training”, we completely overlook the key role of nutrients in helping us not only to complete the marathon with minimal health issues but also to improve our timing. Many people wrongly think, consuming energy bars and sports drinks is of prime concern. However, nourishing and preparing your body “for marathon” must begin months before the day of marathon. I have tried to comprehensively list various important elements regarding the same.
Begin preparing wisely a couple of months before the marathon.
1. Losing Extra Weight: Being overweight or obese not only increases your chances of developing serious health issues, it impacts your “timing” too. If you are training hard and eating the wrong food, “you need intervention”. I have personally helped marathoners shed those extra kilos and improve their timing significantly. Begin early and you are sure to perform better. Reach out to a nutritionist for guidance. Do not experiment with your health, it is precious.
2. Never Train on an Empty Stomach: What happens when you workout on an empty stomach? Your muscles need glycogen (energy) to perform a task. If you have not nourished your body before the training, your body is going to breakdown “muscle protein” to give you the energy. So instead of building muscles, you are going to end-up “wasting” them. An ideal pre-workout snack should be rich in complex carbs with some proteins such as potatoes or sweet potatoes or whole grain products like oats or low-fat parathas and some yoghurt or milk. This should be consumed ideally 2 hours before the training. If is sounds too early, you can opt for some fruit with yoghurt or may be a fruit smoothie.
3. Hydration: Every body sweats heavily during training for a marathon and also during a marathon to keep our body temperature down. Our body loses huge amounts of water and precious electrolytes like sodium and potassium. If these losses are not restored, your body sends signals in the form of dry mouth, cramps or nausea. While there is no exact rule for the ideal amount of water to be consumed, consuming approximately 250 ml of water every 3 kms or 20 mins of run is suggested.
4. Post workout meal: The purpose of a post workout meal is to replenish the exhausted glycogen stores, repair the damaged muscle and build them further to strengthen them. Few respectable snacks would be egg roll, paneer paratha and grilled chicken with veggies.
5. Eating wise the rest of the day: Snacking healthy the rest of the day is equally important and some healthy options would be fruits, nuts, coconut water, etc.
Tip: Have an early dinner so that your body gets enough time to digest it.
Carb Loading: I am sure you have heard the term “Hitting the Wall”. This happens especially over the last few kilometres of the marathon. You have exhausted your glycogen stores and your body starts using fat to provide you energy. The time spent in this conversion slows your pace. To overcome this, you need to build enough glycogen stores especially 3-4 days before the marathon. Consume starch-dense foods like potato, rice, sago, pasta, etc. a few nights before the marathon.
The Morning of the marathon: The right time to eat is 3 hours before the marathon. Some optimal options would be a potato sandwich or banana yoghurt smoothie or oats and milk or low-fat aloo paratha.
To summarise: Begin early, nourish your body with the right nutrients at the right time, cut down on extra weight, hydrate well and ensure enough card loading. All of this will prepare you to perform optimally during your marathon.
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Nice suggestions
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