Which foods should you be eating to set yourself up for marathon success? Rozzie Batchelar, seasoned marathon runner and Jamie’s senior nutritionist, gives us the lowdown.
Preparing to run a marathon? Then fueling your body properly and getting enough energy in is just as important as the physical training itself.
Your training runs are a great opportunity to trial different foods, gels and drinks for race day. What you’re eating before and after training is also very important – this will be where you’ll be getting the majority of your nutrients, so it’s crucial to recovery and achieving your best during the race.
Avoiding energy depletion, dehydration, gut problems and cramping are at the front of every runner's mind. So, to set you up for success, I’ve pulled together my top tips on fuelling for training and the big day itself.
WHAT TO EAT DURING TRAINING
Use training runs to trial different nutrition and hydration for race day, so you can find out what works best for your body. Carbohydrates are your muscles’ main source of energy, so they’re particularly important for marathon runners.
THE NIGHT BEFORE A TRAINING RUN
If you’re doing longer training runs in the morning, make sure you’re consuming enough carbohydrates the night before (think pasta, potatoes and rice), as it’s the main source of energy for your muscles, and try to avoid high-fat and high-fibre foods (these take longer to digest and could upset your digestive system during your run – not ideal!). Here are some ideas to get you started:
AT LEAST 30 MINUTES BEFORE A TRAINING RUN
Aim to have your pre-run meal or snack at least 30 minutes before you start running, so your digestive system has enough time to digest it, reducing the risk of getting a stitch. A bagel, piece of toast, or bowl of porridge or cereal with a banana and a dollop of nut butter are all great options.
DURING A TRAINING RUN
Quick-release carbohydrates like carbohydrate-electrolyte sports drinks, fruit juice, energy tablets or sports gels are an absolute must during the race. Trial a few of these during your longer training runs, as you’ll need to plan ahead and carry some with you. It’s also a good idea to find out ahead of time where the water and fuel stations will be, so you can work out what you need to take with you and when to take them.
AFTER A TRAINING RUN
Refuelling after your longer runs is very important as it aids recovery. Protein for muscle recovery and repair, as well as carbohydrates, should be your main focus here. If you struggle to have an appetite after a long run, a large glass of milk or chocolate milk (even better as it contains more glucose and sugars to replace muscle glycogen and aid muscle recovery) are a great quick way to get some protein in and replace muscle glycogen. Or go for something quick, like eggs on toast.
REMEMBER: ALWAYS STAY HYDRATED
It’s important to keep hydrated in the build up to longer training runs, as well as before and during them. Make a conscious effort to drink more water in the days leading up to a longer training run or race, as well as during every run.
TOP TIP: TAPERING
If you’re a marathon runner, you’ll no doubt have heard the phrase ‘carb loading’, which refers to fueling yourself with high-carb foods, so you’re ready to roll on race day. This is accompanied by ‘tapering’, which means reducing training in the weeks and days leading up to race day. Tapering is important, as it allows your muscles to repair and recover from training. It also improves performance as it gives your muscles the chance to build up carbohydrate levels, as well as reducing fatigue.
WHAT TO EAT DURING RACE DAY
RACE DAY MORNING
By the time race day comes around, you'll hopefully have worked out which foods work best for your body. Start the day with a good carbohydrate-based breakfast, like porridge or bagels with a banana, and good hydration; roughly 2 to 3 hours before you start. Consuming fast-release carbs (simple sugars, such as bananas, fruit juice, bagels) around 20 minutes before the marathon will give you great energy for the first part of the race, but this isn’t essential if you’ve had a decent breakfast!
DURING THE RACE
Carry the foods and drinks you practised with during your longer training runs – don’t try anything new! Remember, sometimes drinks or gels can be easier to consume than foods. Also, make sure you stay on top of your hydration – drink water before you're thirsty, and consume energy before you feel fatigued or tired.
The experts recommend consuming between 30-60g of carbohydrates per hour during endurance exercise. A sports gel will typically provide between 20-30g of carbohydrates, but this will vary between brands and products, so always check the label.
POST-RACE FUEL
Once you’ve finished a marathon, you’ll be on your post-race high, so it’s easy to forget to take care of yourself. Try to prepare something to eat after the race in the morning, replicating what you ate during training where possible – think protein and carbs, as well as rehydrating with plenty of water.
Most importantly, enjoy the day and celebrate what an amazing achievement completing a marathon is – good luck!
After more nutrition advice from the wonderful Rozzie? Check out her brilliant guide to beans
