If you are preparing for a major race, such as a marathon, you are surely thinking about nutrition.
After all, your nutrition should ensure that you arrive at the starting line with fully stocked energy reserves.
Priority Increases with Race Duration
As a rule: major nutrition experiments should be avoided before a competition. The shorter the race distance, the less important pre-race nutrition becomes.
While marathon runners rely on full energy stores, for a 5-kilometer race a full glycogen store is not needed, and the body will hardly use fat reserves during such a short high-intensity effort above the anaerobic threshold.
Carbo-Loading Before the Marathon
Returning to the marathon, in the last few days before the race, carbo-loading plays a central role. The goal is to fully top up the glycogen stores.
However, drastic changes to eating habits could be risky. Only familiar foods should be consumed, and no experiments should be attempted shortly before the race.
Glycogen Stores as an Energy Source
During a marathon, the body primarily (but not exclusively) uses glucose as an energy source because it is the fastest-available fuel. Therefore, glycogen stores must be full before the marathon.
Glucose is a simple sugar stored in the body as polysaccharide glycogen. During the marathon, glucose levels can be increased by consuming energy gels and carbohydrate drinks.
Beware of the Pasta Party!
In the last three to four days before the marathon, foods should be consumed that are high in carbohydrates but also well tolerated by the runner.
Ideally, foods with complex carbohydrates and a low glycemic index (GI) should be eaten. These include potatoes, whole grains, rice, and pasta. The evening before the race, avoid overeating (beware of the pasta party), as carbohydrate-rich foods take a long time to digest and can disrupt sleep.
Vegetables the Night Before?
The athlete platform SweatElite asked elite runners about their pre-race dinner habits. Here are the answers:
Multiple Olympic champion Mo Farah relies on pasta, steamed vegetables, and grilled chicken. Elite runner Desiree Linden eats white rice. Meb Keflezighi loves pasta, eating spaghetti with meatballs, sauce, and Parmesan. Kara Goucher also prefers pasta dishes. Sara Hall tries to eat many small meals the day before the marathon, including chicken, rice, and pasta. She avoids vegetables to prevent fiber in the gut during the race.
The Last Meal Before the Start
On race day, the last pre-race meal should also consist of carbohydrates with a low glycemic index (GI). It is important to eat slowly so that satiety is reached even with a small amount of food.
The meal should include a small amount of fat and protein, as these accelerate the feeling of fullness. An ideal example is a bowl of oatmeal with banana.
According to a study by the American College of Sports Medicine, the last larger meal (breakfast) should be consumed three to four hours before the race. This allows enough time for digestion so that you start the race with a full glycogen store but not a full stomach.
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