MARATHON TRAINING: RUNNING FUEL

Throughout your marathon training, it is important to keep your body fueled and healthy both while running and resting. Here are some helpful tips to make sure you get the most out of your training, and your body remains in excellent shape. 

Fuel and Eating! As you begin to increase in mileage, you will start to notice an increase in appetite. As your body begins to burn more fuel, you need to give it more. Give it healthy whole foods packed in protein, healthy carbs and lots of fruits and veggies. Time your meals with your run. Know that you should give yourself about two hours to digest a large meal before running, that way the body can focus on the run rather than digestion. Also, make sure that as your runs get longer, you keep up with the increase in daily fuel to keep your energy levels balanced!

Hydration! Keeping fluids in the body becomes equally important to fuel. As your runs get longer, you will need to experiment with timing fluid intake. It is important to be hydrated prior to your runs and to hydrate post run as well. You may find it hard to drink while running, so experiment with taking small sips and planning ahead for water fountains along your training route. As your run gets longer, make sure to add in some type of electrolyte replacement, especially during the warmer months!

Rest and Recovery! This is equally important to running itself. Your body needs the off time to adapt to the stress that you are putting your body through during your runs. Take an epsom salt bath to relieve muscle soreness. Get a runners massage to target some of your cranky muscle and joints as they work hard. Make sure to get lots of sleep, so that your cells can repair your body and be ready for the next session.

Listen to Your Body! This is the most important idea when training. Your body will undoubtedly go through “running” pains as you get used to running. Pay attention to what it tells you. If you experience pain, maybe you need to take it down a notch or stop for the day. If pain lingers longer than a normal “muscle soreness,” have it checked out. Working on a problem sooner rather than later can mean the difference between injury and finishing your training.

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