Ok so first step begin your hydration and fueling from the beginning
I played basketball and I had a coach always tell us.. you play how you practice!
Picture this you are ready to complete your first half or full marathon or you’ve completed many..but you’ve always struggled with fuel, hydration or wondering why you seem to run out of steam despite your training.
You decide the night before to try a new energy gel or goo one of your run friends has been raving about…she thinks its great so why not! Enter use of gel at about an 45-60min in and then in desperation trying to find the nearest port a potty!!! EPIC FAIL
Lets avoid this scenario!
A little background importance of water/hydration/electrolytes
Water delivers the goods ie nutrients to muscles and assists in temperature regulation
So dehydration or over hydration can clearly have negative effects
Chew or sip on this….performance will decrease if you are 1% dehydrated and it will decrease significant if you are 2% dehydrated
Key: practice what you are going to do on race day
Check out the video of my Runner Wine-down show in which I discuss more detail on Hydration & Fuel below!
How to determine your water loss: measure body weight before your run and after your run (source: Runnersworld)
Sweat loss (ounces) is equal to bodyweight after exercise
General guide: drink 2 cups (16oz) of water for every pound that has been lost
DURING TRAINING RUNS
General Guidelines
- If you run in the morning: a lot of people for short runs meaning under 45min go fasted and that works for them.. (not a dietician) BUT if you are hitting it longer than that try 1 cup of a carb drink or energy gel+ water (I can’t handle gels that well so a trusty banana or a couple of tbsp of honey that gives you about 30g of carbs
- Lunch time bunch: light pre-run snack about a 300cal snack probably works eat 1-2hrs (just loose guidelines, test yourself)
- Evening runner: eat regularly and balanced throughout the day to prepare yourself for the late run (resource: runnersworld)
Energy requirements
Water/Electrolyte replacement:
Runs under 60minutes= water is best bet
Runs greater than 60min you will need a little something extra! Think electrolyte replacement
Experiment drink 4-8oz water every 15-20min
FUEL: Over 90minutes you will need additional carbs from gels, bars or other foods you can tolerate! You have to experiment
Need approximately 30g CHO per hour of exercise (gels take with water to speed delivery of energy and help with GI disturbances
AFTER EXERCISE:
Carbs+Protein
Then make sure to replace your hydration/electrolytes as well
Important especially after a >90min run get your PROTEIN preferably within 15-30min (build and repair what you just broke down..muscles, tendons
Half or Full Marathon
Up to 120min aim for 30-60g of carbs/hr
Over 120min aim for 60-90g of carbs/hr
Carb loading
And race day use of gels: can think about a slurp every 2-3miles (15-30min) to help stave off glycogen depletion
Caffeine helps too!
REMEMBER This is a guide not a replacement for a developed plan from a RD
Get tips to keeping running at your best by joining my weekly text list in which I send a runners strength or mobility exercise every Tuesday morning via text just text the word runnerstrength to 317-316-0290