How To Quickly Determine Your Ideal Marathon Training Diet
Marathon Training Diet
Nutrition is often an overlooked element of marathon training. To make your long training runs seem much easier, follow a marathon nutrition plan!
This article covers your day in and day out marathon training diet. More specific topics such as race week nutrition, what to eat on marathon race day , 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.
Food is your source of energy. Carbohydrates, proteins, fat and fiber are the building blocks of all food. Carbohydrates are tied to energy production, complete proteins are tied to tissue repair and building, fat provides body fuel and fiber is roughage. While most foods have trace amounts of all macronutrients, each food is typically rich in one macronutrient.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. Because oxygen often is the limiting factor in long duration events, your body will find it easier to use 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 how your body produces energy. Carbohydrates provide 40 to 50 percent of your energy requirement when you are running at a moderate pace. As you start running harder, carbohydrates provide a greater percentage of your energy requirements.Your body has to work hard to break down protein and fat into glucose to provide energy. So your body burns carbohydrates first. The harder you work, the harder it becomes for your body to devote energy for breaking down protein and fat.During a marathon, you had much rather that energy be used for running faster.
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 the same.
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. (Any calories you eat that your body can’t use quickly is turned into fat - no matter what the source of the calories.) 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. The decision to use fat as fuel will depend on how long the event lasts 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. Even though marathon training may increase your need for protein, most Americans already eat more than the recommended amounts of protein.
A protein intake of 10 to 12 percent of total calories is sufficient. A general rule for endurance athletes is to consume between 1.2-1.4 grams protein every day for every kilogram of body weight. Remember, extra protein 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.
Women trying to lose weight by cutting calories often forego healthy protein sources for bagels. 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. You should always include protein (lean 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. Getting enough might be easier than you think.
Soluble fiber may help prevent heart disease by lowering LDL, or “bad” cholesterol levels. Good sources of soluble fiber are oats, barley, beans, apples, oranges and other fruits and vegetables. 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
You can sneak fiber into your diet by adding vegetables to stews and casseroles. Add oats to meatloaf, breads and cookies. Fruit on cereal, as a snack and in salads are other options.
The above are guidelines for creating your marathon eating plan. You may want to read up on carbohydrate loading for your marathon race week.
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