How To Quickly Determine Your Ideal Marathon Training Diet
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, 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 planning your marathon diet strategies.
Your source of energy is the food you eat. All food is made up 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. 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.
Runners benefit the most from the amount of carbohydrates stored in the body. That is because you get more energy – per unit of oxygen consumed – from carbohydrates than you do from fat. What this means is that you get more energy for running when your body burns carbohydrates than you do when your body burns fat or protein. 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. (energy is measured in kilocalories)
To produce energy, your body converts carbohydrates into glucose. Carbohydrates provide 40 to 50 percent of your energy requirement when you are running at a moderate pace.Carbohydrates provide a larger percentage of your energy needs as you start working harder. 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 exercising hard, your body can’t devote much energy to breaking down protein and fat.During a marathon, you had much rather that energy be used for running faster.
Best Carbohydrate Foods for your Marathon Training
Carbohydrate needs are commonly based on the runner’s body size and activity level. Runners engaged in moderate-duration, low-intensity exercise require 5-7 g of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight. Runners engaged in long-duration and high-intensity exercise need 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 comes from eating too many 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. Whether the runner’s body uses fat for fuel for not 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 is one of the adaption mechanisms of the long run in marathon training.)
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 good rule of thumb is to get 10-12 percent of your total calories from protein. A general rule for endurance athletes is to consume between 1.2-1.4 grams protein per kilogram of body weight per day. Remember, extra protein is stored as fat.
You probably don’t need extra protein, what you do need is to eat protein from quality sources.
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. Your marathon training diet should include lean sources of protein.
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 expect it would be.
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. Your goal should be to eat 20 to 35 grams of fiber every day. The best way to do this is to consume 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. Add oats to meatloaf, breads 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.
