Posted: July 8, 2004

Athletics:Marathon Running

From Endurance Sports Nutrition by Suzanne Girard Eberle

Prerace Nutrition

Carbohydrate loading: Minidepletion of muscle glycogen stores by avoiding carbohydrates after 6 p.m. Thursday, followed by a brisk four- to five-mile run on Friday morning. Following the run, replenished glycogen stores by grazing on five to six light carbohydrate-rich meals throughout the day for the next two days. Did not use a carbohydrate-loading beverage.

KB: “I’ve had to experiment a lot with carbohydrate-loading and the last thing I want to do is be depressed (a possible side effect during the carbohydrate depletion phase) heading into a major race, so I limit the depletion phase to 12 hours followed by a run.”

Hydration: Relied on water and a sports drink (no particular brand, looks for one that contains maltodextrins).

KB: “I know I’m doing a good job drinking when I have to pee at what seems like every 15 minutes.”

Prerace Meals (Race Start: 8 a.m.)

Night before: Ate dinner between 8:00 and 8:30 p.m., ordered soup and pizza from room service. No steadfast prerace meal. He chose foods he enjoys, had access to, and are filling enough to help induce sleeping through the night. Consciously continued to drink water.

KB: “I cut my odds of getting food poisoning by not eating with a group. I know I can’t always get the same foods, so why worry about it? The race is difficult enough! I have a window of OK foods that I can eat. I’ve actually had steak the night before a race and haven’t felt any different. Besides, the prerace meal is only one factor that goes into preparing for a marathon.”

Morning of race: Breakfast for elite athletes in the hospitality suite, approximately 5:30 a.m.: one and a half bagels (no condiments), orange juice, banana, coffee (two cups), water.

Continued to nibble on a bagel in his hotel room and drank a mixture of sports drink, water, and glycerol up to an hour before the race, then switched to drinking plain water.

KB: “My goal is to eat and drink as much as possible right up to the start of the race. I’ve hit the wall a couple of times while running a marathon and it’s the most depressing feeling, as you can’t do anything about it. I can gain up to four or five pounds before the race from carbohydrate loading and holding on to water. I know I’m filled with fuel. In fact, the more sluggish I feel is a sign that I’m going to run really well. Since I feel so full, I’m never really that famished, so I have to force myself to eat the morning of the race.”

Supplements: Used glycerol, 1.7 ounces per 32 ounces of fluid (as directed based on body weight). Drank approximately 32 ounces of Gatorade-water-glycerol mixture up to one hour before the start to hyperhydrate and added the same solution to race bottles in varying dilutions.

KB: “I think glycerol really works, but I don’t use it unless it’s really warm and humid. I haven’t had any negative experiences yet.”

B>During the Event

Aid stations: Drank a mixture of Gatorade, water, and glycerol throughout the race. Brantly premixed his drinks the day before and prepared his water bottles by adding foot-tall U-shaped handles (made from postal strapping tape) to make them easy to spot and grab. Race officials placed them on elite-athlete tables at eight predesignated aid stations. He has never used energy gels in a marathon race.

Early miles: up to 15K (9 miles) 75% Gatorade, 25% water
around 20K (12 miles) 60% Gatorade, 40% water
around 25K (15 miles) 50% Gatorade, 50% water
around 30K (19 miles) 40% Gatorade, 60% water
from 35K (22 miles) 100% water

KB: “The plan is always to hit every aid station, especially the early ones, and I spend the extra time and effort to do it. The marathon is not a race against others; it’s a race against physiology. You just hope to get to the finish line before your body shuts down. I want to get sugar and electrolytes in early on during the race. I’ve experienced problems in the past with dehydration, especially in hot weather marathons. I can tell because I don’t want what’s in my bottle to taste too sweet. I know I’m in trouble, and I immediately try to rehydrate with water only. Water is my lifeblood in a marathon. I know I need to drink early and often.”

Postrace Recovery

Immediately: Drank plenty of sports drinks, nibbled on bananas and bagels, enjoyed a beer or two. Grazed on light meals (e.g., soup) and eventually dined on rewarding foods.

Following week: Consciously drank a lot of water and ate whatever he wanted! One of Brantly’s favorites: PopTarts (toasted, of course).

KB: “My eyes are bigger than my stomach after a marathon. I basically just want to sleep. My recovery includes stretching, hot baths, massage, light jogs, swimming, and sailing. One of the perks of training (100-mile weeks) and racing marathons is that I should be able to eat anything I want!”

Tips for All Marathoners

1. Start the race well hydrated and well fueled. Start pushing fluids at least 24 hours before you toe the line. Keep a water bottle close at hand all day. If you’ve trained properly and eat a normal diet the few days prior to the race, you can expect to store roughly 2,000 calories of glycogen to use as fuel during the race. Since every mile you run burns approximately 100 calories, it makes sense to boost your glycogen stores by carbohydrate loading in order to reduce your chances of “hitting the wall” at about the twenty-mile mark of the marathon.

Keep in mind that carbo loading does not require you eat enormous quantities of food, nor does it mean loading up on high-fat foods. To enter the race feeling fresh and well rested, you’ll want to taper your training as race day approaches. You’ll be expending less energy (calories), so it’s not necessary to eat hundreds of extra calories in order to boost your carbohydrate intake. Instead, concentrate on increasing the percentage of your calories that come from carbohydrate-rich foods. As long as you fill up on carbohydrates and not fat, don’t be alarmed if you feel bloated or gain a couple of pounds in the days leading up to the race. Your body stores a considerable amount of water as it stows away carbohydrate as muscle glycogen. This extra water will help delay dehydration during the race. Experiment with carbohydrate loading before long training runs to find a routine that works for you.

2.Plan to eat a high-carbohydrate breakfast a few hours before the start of the race, especially if the race features a late morning or midday starting time. Eating breakfast can help settle your stomach and ward off hunger pangs as you wait for the race to begin. More importantly, eating breakfast refills your liver glycogen stores, which are critical for maintaining a stable blood sugar level during exercise. If you’re simply too nervous to eat the morning of the race, try drinking your breakfast in the form of a breakfast shake or meal replacement product. Or try eating a substantial late-night snack before going to bed. Experiment before long training runs or shorter races leading up to the marathon with the types and quantity of food you can tolerate eating for breakfast.

3.If the race involves travel and meals eaten away from home, be sure to take with you any special or favorite food items that you can’t do without. Consider using a high-carbohydrate beverage or meal-replacement product to supplement your carbohydrate needs if time-zone changes or your travel schedule will interfere with your regular eating habits. As much as you can control it, don’t try new foods or experiment or change your diet in the week leading up to the race.

4.Save your glycogen stores and extend the distance you are able to run by eating during the marathon. Without a doubt, drinking your calories via sports drinks remains the easiest way to meet energy (and carbohydrate) needs in a marathon. Pudding-like energy gels, however, provide another option. Easy to ingest while running, energy gels need to be taken with four to six ounces of water (not a sports drink) to reduce the risk of stomach upset. Plan ahead and ingest a packet right before an aid station where water is available. Waiting too long into the race, when you’re more likely to be dehydrated, also increases the risk you may suffer gastrointestinal problems. (Of course, don’t wait until the race to experiment with energy gels, try them out during training runs first.)

Most gels supply 80 to 100 calories per packet. If you plan on carrying more than one energy gel packet with you, use one of the convenient palm-sized flasks that clip to the waistband of your running shorts. These refillable flasks can carry and dispense up to five servings (packets) of gel as you desire it. Runners who plan to take longer than four to five hours to complete the marathon course may consider wearing a waist pack instead, to tote energy gels or other well-tolerated solid foods, such as energy bars. Consuming at least 30 grams of carbohydrate every half hour (check labels of your favorite race foods beforehand) will boost your spirits and help you keep moving all the way to the finish line.

5.Experiment with glycerol during long training runs in the heat before trying it on race day. You need to see if you can consume and tolerate the large volume of fluid (generally a quart or more) recommended for hyperhydration. Most athletes prefer a combination of water and a sports drink to plain water for the mixture. Keep notes on how long it takes you to drink the mixture comfortably, how long it takes to clear your gastrointestinal tract, and if you feel bloated, how long the feeling lasts. Be aware that you will still need to replace your fluid losses as much as possible by drinking water and fluid replacement drinks throughout the race.

6.Beware the bonk. A marathoner “hitting the wall” has essentially depleted his or her muscle glycogen stores. Your legs have gone on strike, even though you may have been consuming adequate fluids and calories. (Your training, or lack thereof, improper pacing and general fatigue can contribute to this phenomenon). Runners are often able to continue and finish the race, albeit not with the desired performance. Bonking, when the body completely shuts down due to a severe drop in blood sugar, is a much more serious situation. The glycogen stored in your muscles and liver is gone and you have no fuel for your muscles or more importantly, your brain. If left untreated, you may become increasingly irritable, confused and disoriented, may find yourself sitting or lying down, and you could possibly even lapse into a coma. Stop walking or running and boost your blood sugar by consuming readily absorbable carbohydrates, such as sports drinks, or energy gels, soda, fruit juice, or glucose tablets, if available. Seek or ask for medical attention if necessary.

Libbie Hickman, who recorded a 2:28:34 personal record in only her third marathon, and Brantly share the following tips on meeting your fluid and energy needs during the marathon:

•Brantly compares the water stations in marathons to the pit stations in autoracing. He advises fellow marathoners to not even think about bypassing them, especially the early stations. Your running pace will determine which water stops to really key on, as you need to drink water and/or a sports drink every 15 to 20 minutes (aim for four to eight ounces). Don’t wait until you feel thirsty—once you’re dehydrated, you won’t catch up. Drinking a sports drink is the easiest way to replace water and carbohydrates while you’re running. If you have a particularly sensitive stomach, find out beforehand which sports drink will be used during the race and practice drinking it during your long runs.

•Drinking while running is an art and a science. Simply grabbing a cup or two isn’t good enough; it’s about getting the fluid down. Hickman, a marathon neophyte is still “learning the game.” She recommends using shorter races to practice the following favored technique: grab a cup, pinch or crush it lightly it to form a funnel and take one or two gulps at a time. Keep in mind that even if you have to slow to a walk to drink enough fluid, it’s better than dropping out of the race due to being dehydrated or glycogen depleted.

•If you’re fast enough to warrant picking up water bottles at aid stations designated for elite marathoners, use your imagination and decorate your bottles. You want them to be easy to spot and easy to grab. Brantly and Hickman caution athletes not to panic if a bottle is not where you planned it to be. Slow down slightly to try and spot it, but don’t waste too much time. Remind yourself that you can get plenty of water or sports drinks along the course. Start grabbing cups of fluid immediately and slow down if necessary to be sure you consume enough.

•Drink the water offered along the course, don’t pour it over your head. While it may temporarily cool you off, it doesn’t make sense to pour water over your head instead of drinking it. Brantly compares it to driving a car that’s over heating to the gas station, pulling up to the water hose, opening the hood of the car and then spraying the water all over the over-heated engine.

7.Be aware of the possibility of hyponatremia (low blood-sodium level) when competing in marathon races. To prevent hyponatremia, maintain or increase your intake of salt leading up to the race, particularly if you’ll be competing in hot weather or if the conditions will be warmer than you normally train in. Add table salt to foods and/or eat your favorite salty foods. During the marathon, keep up with your fluid losses by rehydrating with a sports drink. Don’t be afraid to drink plain water, just don’t rely solely on it throughout the entire race. Female marathoners, racers taking three hours or more to complete the marathon, as well as marathoners not acclimated to the heat are at particular risk. If you’ve had problems with hyponatremia or dealing with the heat in the past, see your physician before taking salt (or electrolyte) tablets while exercising in the heat.

8.Shorten your recovery time by replenishing your glycogen stores as soon as possible following the race. You’ll experience less muscle damage and soreness if you take advantage of the first 30 minutes (the carbohydrate “window”) after crossing the finish line. Be prepared: anticipate that you won’t feel hungry following a marathon race. Begin by drinking carbohydrate-rich beverages, such as sports drinks, fruit juice, milk shakes or smoothies, lemonade, soda, or high-carbohydrate or meal-replacement beverages. Ease in carbohydrate-rich foods as soon as you can. Include a quality source of protein at your next meal (ideally within an hour or two) to further enhance the glycogen rebuilding process.

9.Drinking alcohol following a marathon may impede your recovery by hampering your efforts to rehydrate (as a diuretic, alcohol causes your body to lose fluid) and by interfering with your body’s ability to replenish its glycogen stores. Your best bet: make rehydrating with nonalcoholic beverages your first priority. Beyond that, realize that following a strenuous effort such as running a marathon, your body may not be able to tolerate or process alcohol as well as it normally does, so indulge in moderation.

10.Counter losing weight from heavy training demands with a recovery period. Many marathoners lose a substantial amount of body fat while meeting the high energy demands of marathon training. Give your body a full chance to recuperate, including gaining a modest amount of weight (if necessary), before jumping back into your full training regimen. Both Hickman and Brantly’s recovery plans include indulging themselves with high-fat foods for up to several weeks following a marathon race. To avoid becoming run down or susceptible to injuries, Hickman, for example, consciously regains the five pounds she routinely loses while training for a marathon. Treating herself to Captain Crunch cereal, Cheetos, and McDonald’s Big Macs, Hickman gets a much needed “mental recovery” as well, which allows her to return to her ambitious training schedule and healthy eating habits with renewed motivation.

Posted with permission from Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.