Before the marathon start, an athlete needs to pay a lot of attention to his general diet, thanks to which a person will be able to better prepare the body for the future difficult distance.
It is required to pay more attention to the diet 15-20 days before the start, and 7-10 days before that, special home-marathon diets should be used, with which the marathon will pass without difficulties and easily.
Meals before the marathon
Athletic performance will depend on both overall fitness and specific dietary choices to maintain the athlete's strength and endurance.
Until the marathon itself and during the race, the fuel for the body must be special in order to satisfy the athlete's need for energy, which is greatly wasted due to long running.
Such nutrition plays a huge role in overcoming long distances and this moment requires a lot of effort and time, it is best to switch to such diets 14-15 days before the start.
Those who have already participated in marathons many times know how important a special correct diet is, in addition, you should be able to control your appetite, as this greatly affects the results of the competition. It is recommended to switch to products containing various complex carbohydrates, that is vegetables, cereals and bread, 1.5 months before the competition.
The main task of the diet is to effectively prepare the athlete's body for competition, the person becomes more enduring and less fatigued, and his energy becomes even greater.
Focus on carbohydrates
The general nutrition system before the marathon is very important, the fuel must meet the requirements of the body at the time of the race. It is a misconception that it is better to eat less before jogging in 7 days in order to lose weight faster and exercise more.
Before the very start, you need to clearly change your diet, where very great importance is attached to a carbohydrate diet, carbohydrate loading really improves the quality of running, and every specialist will agree with this.
There are two methods in marathon practice, one of which is called American, and the second European, although the essence is the same - it is loading the body with carbohydrates:
- Carbohydrate depletion with further general overload, another 3-4 days before the marathon itself, heavy training takes place, where the calculation should be maximum. Such training can lead to severe energy depletion, then fatty and protein foods are removed, and the food itself will have to consist of 80% carbohydrates. Further training is no longer held until the very start, due to which the athlete will have a maximum level of energy, which is very important for a marathon.
- A rapid increase in the total amount of carbohydrate food and the maximum level of training remains for a long time, and 3 days before the start, the number of proteins and fats should be sharply reduced. Then, the number of various carbohydrate products increases in the diet, training can only consist of additional light exercises. Then, 3 hours before the marathon, there is a general diet consisting of 70-80% carbohydrates, 20% protein and 10% fat, that is, with a rich carbohydrate content in the meal.
Scientists have long proven that it is carbohydrates that will significantly affect the results in sports, since the human body will synthesize glycogen from these carbohydrates, that is, a source of energy.
Until the marathon itself, it is required to make a supply of glycogen in the body, and in order for such a supply to be enough for a marathon, a number of techniques are used to ensure that there are energy reserves in the form of glycogen.
3-6 months before the competition, doctors and nutritionists will have to study the reactions of each athlete's body and draw up individual diets. 7-9 days before the start, the amount of carbohydrates in the food should be up to 35%, 4-6 days up to 70%, and on the day of the competition up to 80%, such a diet with carbohydrates will increase the glycogen reserve.
Protein diet before the marathon
What is a general protein diet: fish, meat and seafood, as well as tomato juice and cucumbers, products should have up to 5 grams of carbohydrates. in 100 gr. food. Dairy products permitted are butter and kefir, cheese and milk, cream and cottage cheese, sour cream.
The classic pre-marathon meal plan is a protein meal plan followed by a carbohydrate special meal that's required for every athlete, according to top coaches. The main diet of a protein diet is beef and fish meat, as well as eggs, cottage cheese and cheeses, but there should be a minimum of flour, cereals and sweets.
Training should be light when dieting, these are small runs with accelerations, but immediately before that, a hard and intense workout is done.
The main condition here is the absence of spicy, as well as fried and ordinary fatty foods, the rapid alternation of strict diets is not desirable for diabetics. The rational task of the diet is to quickly increase the glycogen reserve in the athlete's body, that is, by the start he will have large fuel reserves.
Here's an example of a protein diet before a marathon:
- Day 1. Without the use of carbohydrates, breakfast green and black tea, you can cottage cheese and various hard cheeses, fish and meat during the day, as well as egg whites and broth. It is forbidden to eat fried, good training is required, that is, running up to 20 km, and for an experienced athlete up to 25 km or more.
- Day 2. Breakfast only tea and no added sugar, you can eat cottage cheese and cheese, in the afternoon food is the same as on Day 1 with red caviar, training is a free light run up to 8-10 km.
- Day 3. Breakfast is the same, that is, tea without sugar, you can eat cottage cheese, lunch as on Day 2, without fried food, run 3-5 km to warm up, you need to do acceleration, as well as jogging and a slight hitch. Then in the evening you can have sweet tea with a couple of crackers, you can also eat a bun.
- Day 4. Breakfast is sweet tea, you can have one bun and crackers, toast with honey and jam is also recommended, then jogging for 30 minutes, and then you can eat literally everything, but only in small portions. The lunch meal for Day 4 usually consists of rice and pasta, and you can also eat yoghurt and low fat regular kefir.
- Day 5. The food on this day is exactly the same as Day 4., light jogging for no more than 25 minutes, it is forbidden to drink juices, fresh vegetables in limited quantities are allowed.
- Day 6. Diet as in Day 5, workout 5 km at a normal warm-up pace, 3-4 accelerations, a cool down of 5 minutes is mandatory.
- Day 7. The day of the marathon itself, 2 hours before that, breakfast of 1-2 cups of sweet regular tea, you can also have crackers and jam.
What to eat a few weeks before the start
A marathon runner should clearly know what they are eating a few weeks before the marathon itself, as well as vitamins such as C and B complex, as well as multivitamins. Before the start, lard, coffee and oranges are excluded from the diet in a couple of weeks, it is also better to give up fatty and heavy foods.
It is advisable to forget about legumes, there should be less fiber-rich foods, overeating is prohibited even with carbohydrate dietary loads. It is recommended to be still careful with various dairy products, forget about experimenting with food and clearly follow the established rations. General meal plans will change a couple of weeks before the race itself, a rigid diet is already prohibited here.
A protein diet is mandatory, which should alternate with a carbohydrate diet, the main goal is glycogen deficiency. Thanks to diet and rigorous exercise, 14-15 days before the start, glycogen decreases from 1.5 mg to 0.5 mg per 100 g of muscle tissue. Further, such a loss is overcompensated and glycogen stores will increase to 3-4 mg, which is a normal protective reaction of the human body.
The diet schedule can be 3: 3 or 2: 4, this is the ratio of carbohydrates to the number of days of the diet. It is required for another 30 days to do control regular training with a run of 32 km or more, the distances should be less than in the competition.
Already 14 days before the start, the consumption of carbohydrates with a low glycemic index increases, these are mainly products from whole ordinary wheat, as well as cereals and rice. Gradually increase the amount of this food 10 days before the race to reach the maximum 7 days before the marathon.
What to eat in the last week before the start
You should prepare before the marathon in advance, it is nutrition that is of greater importance here, food before training and after it should be thought out in terms of carbohydrates, fats and protein. A good sports nutrition with vegetables and fruits is recommended, while you can still eat seeds and nuts, and meat should only be from animals that ate grass, and corn and oats are also required.
Most of all you should eat vegetables, then fruits, eat even less meat and fish, now only dairy products and processed ordinary grains come. The consumption of vegetables and fruits is compulsory, food should only be of good quality, and there should be as little sweets as possible.
Workouts are best done in the morning, since competitions usually only take place in the morning, breakfasts should be carbohydrate, you can eat vegetables and fruits, be sure to have snacks, lunches with soup and whole grains, and dinners are usual without meat.
What to eat a few hours before the start
Different athletes have their own unique nutritional recipes 1-2 hours before the start, usually carbohydrates or a plate of good boiled pasta. Experienced marathoners can also advise oatmeal or buckwheat and rice, since these cereals are rich in various carbohydrates, this moment should be given a lot of time and attention, since the athlete's health and well-being depend on this.
Running with a good stomach is definitely not worth it, you can eat light foods, that is, bananas or apples, here a lot depends on the fact that if yesterday, even if you don't want to eat, then make a light breakfast. But you should not drink water half an hour before the start and this is a very important factor, it is quite possible to do with, if not apples, then various energy bars, you can also eat nuts and even dried fruits, that is, long carbohydrates.
Meals during the marathon
The required amount of carbohydrates
To increase the supply of total glycogen to the required level, a marathon carbohydrate load of up to 4000-4200 kC was invented, which depends on the specific organism.
Such a marathon diet is also referred to as MUN, its purpose is to reduce the reserves of glycogen itself to a certain limit, so that the body then begins to accumulate it only for future use, which is very important for an athlete.
You should take care of the normalization of glycogen even before starting 2-3 days, when it is better not to network carbohydrate products such as bread and cereals, it should also be borne in mind that for the first 75 minutes of running, up to 60 g of carbohydrates per hour are spent.
Fuel should still be refilled every 30 minutes of running, although what exactly the fuel will be depends on the runner himself; during the marathon, various energy gels in packages are perfect. An ordinary athlete prefers mostly natural conventional products, it can even be nuts and bananas, as well as seeds and even dried fruits.
The ideal option is still energy special bars, many athletes even eat regular sneakers, candies and dragees to increase their carbohydrate reserves. There are also cases when runners ate different potato products, although this is best only for an ultra marathon, and for distances up to 42 km, this should not be done, you also need to remember about the isotniks required to increase the rational level of carbohydrates.
Where to get energy for the marathon
The ideal energy for a marathon is carbohydrates, since during long and difficult races, energy will be taken only through the reserves of glycogen, which is a storage carbohydrate. Glycogen is the main form of storage of normal glucose in human tissue cells, the level of which drops during running, in addition to glycogen, fat and protein can serve as a battery.
It should be borne in mind here that the amount of carbohydrates and fluids that a person can handle increases during the marathon itself, so you can take a little more than usual. Protein food is used to restore the athlete, and the focus itself is on carbohydrates.
For each marathon, a pasta-party is arranged, where the athlete can increase his glycogen level, the best option is an energy gel, and water is also given in the marathon to recuperate, only the athlete's body must be ready for these gels in advance.
Healthy food options during the marathon
- Sports gel. Such a gel is the most effective and convenient nutrition in a marathon; here, in addition to the gel itself, amino acids and even caffeine can be used. Such a wonderful sports gel is a jam, the composition of the gel is quite effective and can be easily used during a marathon.
The gel is as easy to use as possible, has a sweet and even sugary taste, although it can also cause slight strange sensations, so it is recommended to test the gels even during training. According to the calculations of scientists, the gel is enough as an energy for the body for exactly 3 days of a race at a speed of 25 km / h, it is he who will restore glycogen, that is, fuel for running.
- Fruit. For each marathon, after 5 km, a common food point is set up, where water and food are given, the ideal option is cut oranges and bananas. Bananas are best eaten, as they contain many unique substances such as potassium and magnesium that will relieve a runner's cramps in a marathon.
- Dried fruits. Dried fruits have a rather high energy value, since they are high in calories, useful and important for health, although they can cause sensations in the abdomen during a marathon. Such dried fruits usually include dates and dried apricots, only this product should still get used to when training before the marathon.
- Izotnik. Isotniks will be distributed both at a distance and after the marathon itself, it serves to restore salt and water balance, although the isotnik gives a load in the liver area, which can lead to mild pain in the side.
- Cola, Energy. Such energy and cola are usually given closer to the finish line, since in the middle of the distance, cola can cause unwell. It is recommended to drink energy drinks and cola only without gases and diluted with pure mineral water, which is recommended by experienced athletes.
- Sports bars and chocolates. More than half of the athletes will definitely prefer this meal for the marathon, although seasoned runners say the sweets can be heavy on the stomach.
- Sports nutrition. Such a regular sports diet is Creatine, which is drunk even before the start, as well as BCAAs and Carnatine, which are required for the use of fat as fuel, Caffeine and Guarana are also recommended, but the athlete should be able to take them.
What to eat after the marathon?
Such aspect as recuperation after the marathon itself is a very important link, whatever the experience of the athlete. If the running distances are short, then the person comes to his senses very quickly, and if it was a big marathon, then the athlete will be able to recover only after a 14-day window.
Such a recovery period will be the same for both an experienced marathon runner and an ordinary person, in order to recover faster, certain nutrition, massage and muscle stretching are required. It also requires a good salt bath to relax the muscles and improve the functioning of the joints, in addition to this, a regular walk on the streets of the city is required.
The athlete's body after the marathon will be dehydrated, so a person needs to drink vitamin juices, as well as eat a lot, the diet should be nutritious, fortified and rich in carbohydrates.Immediately after the marathon, when the body calms down, you should take more easily digestible carbohydrates with the addition of a small amount of protein, and preferably eat 1-2 bananas a day.
Food should be high in carbohydrates, and protein food is also required for muscle recovery, this recovery process must be carried out rationally and wisely. If the body requires water, then it should not be denied, chicken soup will be very useful and vital for a marathon runner, which will quickly restore your strength.
It is recommended to eat less fatty foods, since it is poorly digested, the main thing is that there are more carbohydrates and proteins, which should be supplied in a certain amount. Many marathon runners use such an important point as ordinary mineral water with the addition of honey and various jams, green tea is also very useful.
Food for a quick general recovery should consist of about 80% carbohydrates, it can be cheeses and various salads, as well as spaghetti, buckwheat and rice, be sure to eat seafood. It is also advisable to forget about fatty foods and sweets, there must be a variety of whole grains, as well as vegetables and bread.
Reviews of marathon runners about food
Gilmore, 33, USA, California, 5th place in the Boston Marathon 2006. It is recommended to pay attention to food in advance, if the race is on Sunday, then increase the amount of food taken from Wednesday. Do this in advance, as the body will be able to absorb only 300 calories of carbohydrates from one serving, and even more of them are required to start. You should eat a little more than is usually done in order to properly fill your tanks, and the body is prepared for the competition.
Fauja Singh, India, started running when he moved from India to London, then he was already 80 years old, and in a year to 90 years old he ran the London Marathon in 7 hours. And already at 93, he ran this distance in 5 hours and 40 minutes, making a world record, Fauja gives everyone advice not to eat fried foods, quit smoking, avoid alcohol, and also be vegan and eat less meat.
Madonna Bader, Washington, USA. Bader, at the age of 83, is actively involved in marathon and cycling, this nun from the United States has been participating in triathlon since 52 years. Madonna Bader recommends a common diet for marathon runners from various cooked raw vegetables, and she considers a healthy lifestyle the best medicine.
Dmitry Baranovsky, a record holder in Ukraine, winner of marathons in Fukuoka, a marathon runner recommends a varied diet, and he himself adores food from ocean and sea cuisine. The athlete usually eats 2-3 times a day, in addition, he says that light snacks should be made, usually cheese and a bun, as well as omelets and green tea.
Yaroslav Mushinsky, the record holder of Moldova, loves to cook, recommends all marathon runners to eat more seafood, and in a very different form, Yaroslav's breakfast is toast with tea or coffee with ordinary chocolate.
Even before the marathon, athletes should prepare for important competitions 3-4 weeks before the marathon, it is very important to pay more attention to their personal diet. The main goal of such nutrition is to prepare your body well for distances, so that there are no complex consequences, and the body does not refuse to continue to work.
For the marathon to go well, sports nutrition is highly recommended, that is, a variety of gels and powders, energy special solutions, such nutrition should be without synthetics. Thanks to rational special pre-marathon diets, the athlete's glycogen stores will significantly increase from 3200 kC to 4200 kC, which is very important for the future marathon.
