Marathon Training Diet
Nutrition is often an overlooked element of marathon training. The right nutrition plan will make those long training runs seem much easier!
This article covers your day in and day out marathon training diet. More specific topics such as race week nutrition, marathon race day nutrition, what to eat just prior to training, what to eat immediately after training and what to eat pre-race are covered in these marathon training diet strategies.
Your source of energy is food. All food is composed of carbohydrates, proteins, fat and fiber. Carbohydrates are tied to energy production, complete proteins are tied to tissue repair and building, fat provides body fuel and fiber is roughage. Most foods will have trace amounts of all these macronutrients, but each is typically rich in one.You need ALL macro-nutrients in your diet.
Carbohydrates and Marathon Training
Your body burns carbohydrates more efficiently than fat or protein.An ideal runner’s diet would consist of 60-70% of your daily food intake as carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates stored in the body benefit runners much more than other micronutrients. That is because you get more energy – per unit of oxygen consumed – from carbohydrates than you do from fat. This means that when your body burns carbohydrates rather than fat or protein, you get more energy for running. Oxygen is often the limiting factor in long duration events. Because of this your body conserves oxygen by using the energy source that requires the least amount of oxygen per kilocalorie of energy produced. (you measure energy in kilocalories)
Converting carbohydrates into glucose is the way your body makes energy. When you are exercising at a moderate pace, carbohydrates provide 40 to 50 percent of your energy requirement. As you start running harder, carbohydrates provide a greater percentage of your energy requirements. It is difficult for your body to break down protein and fat into glucose to provide energy. Therefore your body first burns carbohydrates. When you are working out intensely, your body uses it’s energy for the workout and doesn’t have much to spare to break down protain and fat. That energy could be used to propel you forward in the race.
Best sources of carbohydrates for your marathon training
A runner’s carbohydrate needs are commonly based on your activity level (how much you are running) and your body size. For moderate-duration, low-intensity exercise, runners need 5-7 g of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight. By contrast, those participating in long-duration and high-intensity exercise require 7-12 g of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight.
All carbohydrates are not created equal.
Best sources of carbohydrates in your diet
- Fruit,
- vegetables,
- brown rice,
- enriched whole-grain breads,
- whole grain cereals,
- rolled oats,
- beans,
- legumes, and
- sweet potatoes
(Note: Cheetos, cookies and tortilla chips are not on the list.)
Fat
Fat is the next macro-nutrient your body uses to fuel your running.
Contrary to popular opinion, fat is not your enemy.Fat that is stored after eating an excess of cheetos is. (Remember that excess of any macro-nutrient – carbs, protein, fat – is turned into fat.) For moderate exercise, about half of the total energy expenditure is derived from free fatty acid metabolism. If the event lasts more than an hour, the body may use mostly fats for energy. Using fat as fuel depends on the event’s duration and the runner’s condition. A trained athlete will begin using fat for energy quicker than an untrained athlete. (This adaptation occurs during your long training runs.)
Best sources of fat in your diet
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Nut butter
- Fatty fish
- Fish-oil supplements
- Flaxseed oil
- Safflower oil
- Canola oil
- Sunflower oil
- Corn oil
- Avocados
- Egg yolks
Protein For The Runner’s Diet
After carbohydrates and fats, protein provides energy for the body. You also need protein to repair muscle tissue that is damaged during exercise. While it is true that exercise MAY increase an athlete’s protein requirements, most Americans get more than the recommended amounts of protein.
10 to 12 percent of total calories is sufficient protein intake. A general rule for endurance athletes is to consume between 1.2-1.4 grams protein for every kilogram of body weight per day. Remember, any extra protein you eat is stored as fat.
It’s doubtful that you will need extra protein, what is probable is that you need to be more mindful of where you get your protein.
Many runners (especially women) who are trying to lose weight cut calories by cutting out protein. However a better place to cut out calories is your daily bagel. Don’t get me started on my “bagels are empty calories” rant; for now, all I’ll say is protein-rich foods include lean pork and beef, poultry, fish, eggs, beans, tofu, and low-fat dairy products. Include lean sources of protein in your marathon training diet.
Best sources of protein in your diet
- Lean pork and beef
- Poultry
- Fish
- Eggs
- Low-fat dairy products
- Broccoli
- Beans
- Corn
Fiber
Fiber helps the body stay healthy and may prevent heart disease. It might be easier than you expect to get enough.
Soluble fiber, which is found in oats, barley, beans, apples, oranges and other fruits and vegetables, may help prevent heart disease by lowering LDL, or “bad” cholesterol levels. Try to eat 20 to 35 grams of fiber every day. This should not be a problem if you eat a wide variety of whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, fruits and vegetables.
Fiber helps your digestive system keep your bowels “regular”. This is key to avoiding discomfort on your long training runs.
Best sources of fiber in your diet
Include more fiber in your eating plan by adding vegetables to stews and casseroles. You can add oatmeal to meatloaf, bread and cookies. Fruit is a great source of fiber. Have fruit as a snack, on cereal and in salads.
The above are guidelines for creating your marathon eating plan. You may want to read up on carbohydrate loading for your marathon race week.
