Contents
General nutritional guidelines for marathon preparation
Protein: 2 grams per 1 kg of weight. Protein source – fish, chicken, turkey, cottage cheese, eggs, protein shakes, protein bars.
Saturated fats: 20 grams per day. Source – butter, lard. Best consumed in equal portions twice a day – morning and evening.
Unsaturated fats: 50 grams per day. The source is vegetable oil and fish oil.
Carbohydrates (mostly unrefined): up to 800 grams per day. Source – cereals, cereals, potatoes, beans, wholemeal pasta.
Breakfast… 1-2 soft-boiled eggs, 100 g low-fat cottage cheese, oatmeal with jam, a glass of milk, 1 slice of multigrain bread toasted in a toaster.
Dinner… Vegetable soup, 100 g of turkey or fish, baked potatoes, vegetable salad with vegetable oil, 1 slice of bread.
Afternoon snack… Toasted bread with jam, fruit, tea, protein bar.
Dinner… Oatmeal or buckwheat, pearl barley, millet porridge with butter, toasted bread made from multi-grain bread with jam and butter (10 g), a glass of protein shake with 1% fat milk. Half an hour before bedtime, 2-XNUMX glasses of kefir or yogurt with one percent fat content.
Three days before the marathon
There is a standard scheme of carbohydrate saturation of the body, when 3 days before the competition the intake of carbohydrates is reduced, and on the eve of the marathon, the athlete actively consumes foods high in carbohydrates. The pre-competition dinner and breakfast, according to this scheme, consists of only carbohydrates.
On the day of the marathon
You will need to eat the last meal no later than 3 hours before the start of the competition. It is advisable that this was a serving of wholemeal pasta. For breakfast, you can drink sweet tea, but not more than 1 cup, otherwise the body will begin to secrete excess fluid and the marathon will start from the toilet. During the race, it is necessary to observe the drinking regime – to consume an isotonic drink (with added carbohydrates) at each food point. It is important not to drink more than 250 ml one-time, otherwise unpleasant sensations will appear in the stomach.
Sweating we take losses
During intense exercise, there is an active loss of not only energy, but also water and vital electrolytes (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chlorine salts).
On average, when doing light fitness (including jogging), an untrained person loses 0,5 liters of sweat in 1 hour.
| Microelement | Loss of trace minerals through sweat for 1 hour of running |
| Sodium | 0.575 g |
| potassium | 0.115 g |
| Chlorine | 0.740 g |
Therefore, specially for athletes, so-called isotonic drinks have been developed, which help to restore the energy and water-salt balance in a timely manner. Isotonic drinks replenish the loss of electrolytes, as they contain sodium, potassium, chlorine, magnesium, calcium. In addition, they supply the substances necessary for the production of energy, which is actively consumed during exercise. In this respect, they differ in composition. For example, some drinks contain sugars (carbohydrates) that are absorbed quickly. It is most optimal if the drink contains carbohydrate in the form of a polymer. It releases energy slowly and thus provides the body’s needs for a long time.
It is recommended to drink an isotonic drink at a rate of 0,5 liters per hour, preferably in 100 ml portions (4 small sips every 10 minutes of training). Also, a drink is needed after exercise to improve the recovery processes in the body.
Universal energy source: some theory
A universal supplier of energy for all types of living cells in the body is the ATP molecule, adenosine triphosphate. It is a kind of battery that is constantly recharged and discharged, supplying energy to every cell of the body. There are three biochemical systems for the reproduction of ATP, which, if necessary, are automatically activated by the body. The choice of system depends on the duration of the load.
For very short but high-intensity activities (for example, running 100 meters), the phosphagenic system (creatine phosphate) is used, which provides the body with energy for a period of about 10 seconds. With a longer exercise (for example, running 400 meters), the glycogen and lactic acid system is activated, it provides the body with energy, which is enough for about one and a half minutes of intense exercise. For all longer strenuous activities, including marathon running, the body activates the aerobic system, in which the muscles receive ATP and use the energy they contain from carbohydrates and fats.
If these nutrients are not enough, then proteins are used to obtain energy (this is typical for situations in which the body is experiencing severe hunger and all other sources of energy have already been exhausted). Glucose, necessary for the reproduction of ATP, enters with food, is broken down in the gastrointestinal tract and enters the circulatory system, from where it enters the muscles. Excess glucose is stored as glycogen or fat. If this glucose is no longer enough, then it is taken from the muscles and liver, where it is stored in the form of glycogen.