Marathon Eating Sessions

Picture by Citymama

I love eating.  It is one of the greatest perks of running that you can stuff your face at times without worrying about gaining a few pounds.  In fact, if you want to get out training regularly it is essential that you eat enough to avoid the effects of over training.

One of the often asked questions though is what to eat when training and racing.

If you are training for shorter durations (up to 60 or 90 min or so) and particularly if you are aiming to lose weight, water should be all you need when training. 

Your body holds supplies of energy as carbohydrates (glycogen) in the muscles and liver, and that pesky fat.  You will readily use the stored carbs and will also start to burn fat, although this is less readily used.

However when you increase the duration you are training you will eventually run out of immediately available energy – more commonly known as “hitting the wall” to marathon runners.  Runners typically burn between 700 – 1200 calories per hour, so can use well in excess of the usual recommended daily calorie requirement during the course of a marathon.  Imagine not eating for a day and then trying to jump up and run for a few miles!

So, you need to get calories on board when running - but what and when?  One of the common strategies used is that a runner waits until they start to feel tired and will then start eating, as if their magic sports drink or bar will put sugars directly into their muscles, by-passing the whole digestion thing.

Start eating early.  There is a limit to how much carbohydrate you can digest per hour, and so little and often throughout the entire race will give you the best energy supply.  Personally I like to snack just before the start and will be eating again within the first half an hour of a race.

A good breakfast of slow-release carbs (ie, porridge) an hour or two before the race will also help to keep energy available for your muscles for longer periods into the race.

So what to eat?  Simply, whatever you can.  Usually a mix of simple (sugary carbs) and slightly more complex, slow release (maltodetrine is the usual choice in off-the-shelf sports drinks) carbs is a good to maintain energy levels.  However, too many sugary snacks can get quite sickly and can cause you to dehydrate which is also going to slow you down.  Also, carbs aren’t the only source of energy - fat or protein can both be used for energy by your body.  Find out what works for you.

Personally I usually have an isotonic (sugar solution approximately equal to the sugar concentration in your body) or weaker solution drink, and various snacks – chocolate, cake, flapjacks, and Nutella sandwiches are all pretty staple if I am going for 3-5 hours.  I also find that orange juice is a great choice for slower release carbs.  I also always avoid things that are very dry or require excess chewing, which I am sure is as unpleasant for other people to witness as it is for me to try to eat.

So, make experimenting with food and drink part of your training.  Try to get around 50g of carbohydrate (about a standard sized chocolate bar) for each hour you are out and, most importantly, never try something for the first time during a race!

What are your favourite race snacks?