Nutrition is definitely a crucial aspect of training and preparing for a marathon, 10-K, or mini-marathon. We will therefore be providing you with instructions and tips on what to eat and - more importantly - what not to eat! As we get closer to Race Day, you will have to pay more attention to your diet and eating habits.
General Nutritional Information
A well balanced diet for runners is to obtain 55% of your calories from carbohydrates, 30% from fats and 15% from proteins. Complex carbohydrates found in pasta, rice and fruit are preferable to the simple carbohydrates found in candies and soft drinks. Beware of fad diets that promise instant weight loss or more energy, particularly if they stray too far from the percentages above. Don’t starve yourself by eating too few calories. You need energy to run!
When to eat is almost as important as what you eat. If you’re heading out the door for an easy run, a glass of orange juice or a bagel may provide you with some quick energy, but unless you’re used to running with food and fluids on your stomach, you may get cramps. Normally, it takes after three to four hours for food to digest. It’s possible to run sooner than that after eating, but you need to experiment with pre-workout meals to find what works best for you. The warmer the weather, the more you’ll sweat, but your body will lose fluids even during cold weather workouts. You need to remain well hydrated; the way to do this is to drink frequently during the day. Water is the best replacement fluid. Flavored drinks are food in that they may encourage you to drink more. Alcoholic drinks, however, will dehydrate you. It is important, particularly in warm weather, to drink during the run.
Learning to drink
Once the race starts, hydration becomes important, particularly if it is a warm day. Drink, drink, and drink. Do this during your long workouts in practice too. Not only will drinking fluids make your weekend long workouts more comfortable, but it also will teach you how to drink and how often to drink. Drinking while you run is not an instinctive technique; you need to practice to do it properly.
Drink while running definitely is not easy. Unless you grasp the cup carefully, you can spill half the contents on the ground. If you gulp too quickly, you can spend the next mile coughing and gasping. If you dawdle at aid stations, you can waste precious seconds. And if you gulp down a replacement drink you aren’t used to, it might make you nauseous. Drinking on the run is necessary for survival. So drink up--but don't drink too much or too often, otherwise you'll waste time waiting to use the portable toilets along the course. You have to learn how to drink properly, and that's why you need to practice drinking during your long workouts.
