Stick to your nutrition strategy for better results
Completing a marathon is a feat of strength, endurance, and stamina, and proper hydration, nutrition, and training are vital to a runner’s success and survival. Runners, especially novice runners, may need guidance from nutrition and sports professionals before attempting the event. Are you wondering what to eat before, during and after your run or confused about carb-loading and hydration strategies? Maadhuri Sharma, an ex model, television personality and a renowned nutritionist, shares with TGS some guidelines to be taken care of by the runners.
“An endurance event like a marathon requires 80 kcal per kg of body weight. So if an average person is 65 kg (60–70 ) kg, they require 5200 kcals per day. Most of the calories must come from carbohydrates and along with this, the athletes must drink 6–8 ounces of water or sports drink for every 10–15 minutes of exercise,” says Maadhuri.
Athletes must consume 1–1.5 gm/kg of carbohydrates immediately post exercise. Emphasis should be on complex carbohydrates. Avoid high fat, high protein and high fibre foods. Carbs increase the endurance by almost 20 per cent.
Overall dietary guidelines
Runners should try to get into the habit of eating 5–6 small meals earlier in the week before a marathon, to train the body for the ‘carb-loading’ over the last 48 hours. Evening snacks are optional earlier in the week. Runners should look to use fluids and light snacks, if they find it difficult to tolerate the increased quantities of food.
24 hours prior to the marathon
The second day of carb-loading offers an alternative high carbohydrate breakfast option, designed to be a higher GI, and easily digested. The evening snack is liquid based, for those who find it difficult to load the carbs before the big day. Options today should be easily digestible, which means not too much spice!
Breakfast: Tropical breakfast smoothie, fruits, oat and seed bars. Give a tasty twist on flapjacks with a luscious layer of apricots inside.
Lunch: Rice and bean enchiladas. An enchilada is a corn tortilla rolled around a filling and covered with a chili pepper sauce. Try this Mexican-inspired vegetarian wrap for a speedy and spicy supper.
Afternoon snack: Spanish tomato bread with jamon Serrano. These tasty tapas snacks are ready in just 5 minutes, the perfect accompaniment for a drinks party.
Dinner and dessert: Bacon and mushroom pasta. A simple one-pan pasta dish with bacon, mushrooms and pesto ready in under 30 minutes. Pear & blackberry crumbles. Use pear instead of apple in these individual versions of the classic pud with a crunchy pistachio topping.
On the race day
Race day is here and it’s time to put all that training to the test. Stick to your nutrition strategy before and during your run, then replace fluid, carbs and protein once you cross the line. Recovery after the race gives options to replace fluid, carbohydrate and protein in one natural drink. Don’t forget to also include carbohydrates and protein at dinner to continue the refuelling and repair process.
Daily nutrient analysis Total intake per day- Calories: 2788
Proteins: 147.5 grams (21% of total calories)
Fat: 51 grams (15% of total calories)
Carb: 450 grams (64% of total calories)
Fibre: 34 grams
Hydration: Athletes should consume 1.5 L to 3 L of fluid above their normal intake the day before the event. Athletes should consume .5 L of water 1–2 hours prior to the event.
Empty your bladder 15 minutes prior to the event.
Sip cool water during the event for faster absorption and it cools the body better.
During Event: Athletes should drink 150–250 ml every 10–15 minutes to maintain a fluid balance. Athletes must sip water and not gulp it.
Originally published on The Golden Sparrow
