Marathon Nutrition: Your Guide to Eating Well

It breaks down each of the macronutrients - carbohydrates, fats, and proteins into sections labeled "good", "better", and "best". I find it much more practical and useful versus the USFDA's food chart/pyramid/(or is it a plate now?). 

It would be a great resource to print out and hang in your pantry or kitchen cupboard and use it to educate yourself (+ your children) on which are the best food choices you can make throughout your day!

We always want to opt for the best but better is still better than good.

• half of your daily calories should come from carbohydrates
• a quarter of your daily calories should come from healthy fats and
• a quarter of your daily calories should come from healthy proteins

On average, the typical person burns between 2,200 calories/day (female) and 2,800 calories/day (male) depending on activity level.

In order for you to just sustain basic physiological function you have what is called your basal metabolic rate (BMR).

Now if you multiply your BMR with an activity factor you can figure out how many calories a day you need to sustain your lifestyle.

If you are wondering what your EXACT fuel needs - how many grams of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins you personally need each day, as well as how to menu plan and eat as a runner, prep and recover for long runs & race days, then I recommend the  EAT LIKE A MARATHONER Nutrition Course.

The Ultimate Guide to eating and fueling for marathon training and racing success! + get access and develop your own personalized marathon nutrition plan to implement before your marathon with our 9 STEP Prep Plan!

Get access to the EAT LIKE A MARATHONER Nutrition Course here!

There is lot's to be discussed and understood about the nature of marathon running in order to really know what our body needs in order to allow us to perform such an ordeal as running 26.2 miles (or any long distance running!)

For simplicity's sake we will be discussing marathon nutrition in terms of the the three main macro-nutrients that comprise ALL foods and your marathon nutrition.

And the faster you run, or even the faster that you want to run, the more carbohydrates your body will require. 

To put it simply, if you eat a carb-free diet (such as is prescribed by the first phase of the South Beach diet) you will have a very difficult time training and running a marathon.

It will be nearly impossible for your body to sustain fast speeds and be able to go the difference because you simply wont be giving it the caliber fuel that it needs in order to do so!

This section on carbohydrates explains very clearly why.

In fact, you could power back to back marathons with all of the fat that your body has, yes, even in the leanest of runners.

However for the intensity level that we are working at when we run, we simply cannot burn fat fast enough for it to be the sole provider, or even the largest supplier of our energy. 

This is why energy drinks and energy chews are so important for marathon runners.

It acts as a repair agent to our muscles that have undergone serious trauma, micro-tears, etc, especially after a long run or race.

However, the amount of protein that is used as fuel for the body while running is almost completely negligible.

It's importance lies in strength and recovery. So stick to carbo loading before a big race and save most of your "protein loading" for after. 

See this page for a list of high-protein foods. 

Needless to say, water is vital to life and even more so to a runner who is running long distances, especially when out in the elements.

However we need to constantly be taking in water throughout our entire day in order to not begin any run in a state of semi-dehydration.

Energy drinks are critical to the success of any serious marathoner! Be sure to read our section on the importance of energy drinks for a long-distance runner.

They not only help to keep our energy stores replenished but they also help us avoid a life-threatening condition called hyponatremia that comes from drinking too much water when running and not replenishing our electrolyte stores. 

Here are some extra tips on staying hydrated while running.

Here is also a list of the best recovery drinks for runners post run and especially long run! 

As long as you are eating a well-balanced healthy marathon nutrition diet, you should be getting enough vitamins and minerals. 

Science does know now that B vitamins, such as riboflavin and niacin, play a role in our energy production pathways and so endurance runners may benefit from taking these supplements.

Iron is an important mineral as well it transports oxygen in our blood and it may be beneficial to endurance training as well.

For all of the supplements that I recommend runners take, see this page.

Your nutrition as an athlete, in particular, as a marathon athlete, is similar to the guidelines that the above Eat Well Plate illustrates but I want to you to challenge yourself to make one very effective change.

Every time you eat a meal, include 2 servings of either a fruit or vegetable, or a combination. 

By the end of the day, you will have eaten your recommended servings of fruits and veggies.

You will also be giving your body an incredible, healthy source of complex carbohydrates, which is going to be your main substrate in generating your energy/fuel for running.

Sounds simple enough, huh?

It is in theory but you will have to be on your game, have those healthy, fresh foods in your house, to actually prep them and eat them. 

But it will make such. a. difference. In your energy levels, in your running, and in the way you look, and feel. 

Just make it your one nutritional change right now!

Remember, marathon nutrition is not about having to meticulously record every gram you eat of each nutrient. If you want to though then go for it!

You can learn a lot about yourself and your diet.

You’re other option is to use ball park figures. Some people prefer to keep food logs to find out what works best for them. This is a fantastic idea!

By tracking what you eat you can pinpoint what foods and nutritional substances you might be skimping on and also find out what feels best for you in regards to eating and running.

If you have been having issues with bloating, feeling sluggish, not having enough energy, not being able to complete your runs, then having a food log where you can go back to and look at what you have been eating may help in seeing a pattern of what might not be serving you and your running. 

This is a question that a lot of runners have but it really involves a lot of trial and error since there is still so much variability between runners.

A lot of runners find that they suffer from indigestion and are not be able to properly use and absorb the nutrients from the food if eat right before a run. As you run your body is shunting blood to your legs to supply them with oxygen and very little goes to you stomach.

Make sure you give food time to digest and become absorbed.  Getting the correct nutrients will most definitely make a difference in your overall performance, mood, and well being.

You might be one of those lucky runners though that finds no issues with eating before a run. It all comes down to what your body can handle.

Schedule in any pre-long run meals about 4 hours ahead of your run to allow for adequate digestion and to derive fuel benefits.

Also, refuel with carbohydrates during and after to build back your dwindling glycogen stores that you have used up through running.

The best way to do this during a run is by using energy drinks as the liquid substance is absorbed much easier than a solid substance. 

There are so many benefits to eating healthy and having a clear marathon nutrition goal when it comes to marathon training. You will feel better and get rid of that sluggish, tired, afternoon-slump feeling- huge bonus when it comes to late afternoon/night runs.

Always remember that nutrition spells out your performance so good nutrition equals good performance.

As the saying goes, “Know yourself”. Figure out what works best for you and your marathon training, take in the recommended servings of the food groups and you will be on the street of good marathon nutrition!

It's easier than you think!

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