Health Tips

presented by Mayo Clinic

 Mayo Clinic on Nutrition and Hydration for Runners

As you are planning your upcoming long runs, are you also considering your meal plans?  Good nutrition can help your body function at its best but certain foods can even help optimize your performance.  It’s important to increase your protein, carbohydrate and antioxidant needs while training and try various strategies of eating in practice to see which foods and beverages work best for you.  Do not try something new the day before and day of the marathon.

Fueling your body is important so that you run your best race.  Here are some suggestions from Mayo Clinic:

Day before: The foods you consume the night before a marathon should be ones you know you tolerate well. This should include foods high in carbohydrate, moderate in protein and low in fat.  For example: pasta with a marinara or lean meat sauce, salad, bread and low-fat milk and fresh berries or melon for dessert.

These foods help fill your muscles with extra glycogen (the body’s storage form of carbohydrate), so you have more carbohydrate available to burn during the marathon.

Before the race: Choose foods low in fat, high in carbohydrate, but not too high in fiber, with moderate amount of protein. Try eating two to three hours before the race.  Example: bagel and yogurt with juice or low-fat milk.  For runners who don’t tolerate eating food the morning of a race, sports bars or energy gels are good options.

During the race: Most marathoners find they perform better if they consume carbohydrates during the race. Thus, a sports drink is preferred over water.  However, some runners find they need more carbohydrate to maintain their blood sugar level than what a sports drink provides. For them, eating something at some of the water stops is crucial for success.  There is a large variety of bars, gels, and even dried fruit that can be helpful – just be sure to determine what works best for you in your training runs.

Right after: After the race, eat and drink early and often, in the first hour and every two hours afterwards, so the body does a better job of replenishing carbohydrate and repairing muscle damage.  Chocolate milk and yogurt are good because they combine carbs and protein, but you can always add fruit and bagels to get the carbohydrate intake higher.  Also, be sure to replenish your fluid stores with lots of water.

Bottom line: Nutrition can make a difference in your performance but you need to practice these things in training so you know what works for you.