Nutrition plays a central role in fitness and any training regimen. In the case of marathon running, a good diet is the fuel that helps the marathoner run the 26.2 miles to the finish. Adopting a diet that prepares one to perform well during a marathon begins long before race day.
While training, carbohydrates should comprise most of the runner’s caloric intake. According to a September 2022 Very Well Fit article, 60 to 65 percent of a runner’s diet should be carbohydrates. For endurance runners, this percentage can be as low as 50 percent. Fruit, potatoes, starchy vegetables, steamed rice, whole grain bread, and whole grain pasta can promote performance, especially in the case of whole grains, which retain more natural vitamins. Runners must also consume 10 and 35 percent of protein, such as poultry, lean meats, low-fat dairy products, beans, eggs, and fish. Proteins are essential to the diet because they help the person feel satiated longer. Long-distance runners should consume 1.2 to 1.4 grams of protein for every 2.2 pounds (kilograms) of body weight daily. Runners must also consume fats, vitamins, and minerals. Fats cause weight gain, so runners should curtail their fat intake to 20 to 35 percent of the entire diet focusing on eating foods low in saturated fats and cholesterol. Good sources of fat come from nuts, oils, and cold-water fish. Finally, vitamins and minerals are needed to repair the damage that happens because of intense exercise. Free radicals that appear after exercise cause cell damage, but consuming Vitamins C and E, calcium, iron, and sodium, whether naturally in foods or by supplement, can neutralize some of the damage that free radicals cause. This training diet should carry the person until a week before the marathon. Beginning on the third or fourth day before the race, the runners should start carbohydrate loading or storing as much sugar (glycogen) in the muscles in the days leading up to the race. Some experts suggest adding 3.6 to 5.5 grams of carbohydrates for each pound (8-12 grams per kilogram). They also recommend eating bananas (a good magnesium source), quinoa, pasta, white rice, potatoes, and pancakes. The morning of the race, the runner should plan to eat three to four hours (ideally) before the race so that the carbs will be digested and moved along the bloodstream when the race begins. Runners should then eat a small snack an hour before the run. Simple carbs like porridge, bagels, or sandwiches are good fuel sources. Runners can also enjoy a cup of coffee. Outside of this diet plan, runners can improve their performance during the run by following these other suggestions. While sitting down to a hearty meal the night before might be tempting, some runners suggest eating light to avoid feeling heavy the next day. Furthermore, marathoners should try eating their evening meal as early as possible and snack later on foods such as pasta, bagels, pizza (no more than two slices), rice and chicken, or sweet potatoes if hungry. Foods that runners want to avoid include highly fibrous or fatty foods, which might cause gastrointestinal issues. Avoid introducing new foods into the diet the day before the race, and try not to overeat. Runners should also avoid taking sweet drinks because, while the sugar gives the runner a boost of energy initially, it also causes the person to experience a slump.
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