Fluid Fundamentals #3:  What Fluid is the Best?

You should drink fluids when you run, but which fluid is best?  Water is sufficient on runs lasting less than one hour.  If your run will exceed an hour, if you are running in extreme heat, or if you sweat a lot, you will need a combination of fluid + carbohydrate + sodium.  The easy choice is a sports drink.  The sugar in a sports drink acts as fuel, but it also helps the fluid (water) get absorbed into your cells.  The sodium is also assists fluid absorption into your cells.  Hydration requires water into getting into your cells.  Water alone may not be enough for good hydration, unless you are also using a carbohydrate supplement, like Sports Beans or a gel.  These provide the carbohydrate and often the sodium, but you have to supply the water (usually one cup of water per gel).  Alternating between a sports drink and a water/carb supplement during long runs is an option, and the variety may encourage you to get more of the fluid and fuel that you need to succeed!

Fluid Fundamentals #2:  General Fluid Guidelines

Establishing your personal fluid needs is important, but there are general guidelines to get you started.  Before you hit the trail, however, measure out these “ounce” recommendations to get a good visual, and remember that one ounce is a “gulp”.  Many runners underestimate their fluid intake, setting themselves up for potential dehydration.

Before a run:  Drink 13 to 20 ounces of fluid fifteen minutes before a run.  This amount of fluid actually improves gastric emptying (rate at which fluid leaves the stomach), so start with a full tank.  Dehydration actually slows gastric emptying, so stay ahead of the game.

During the run:  Drink based on your personalized “sweat rate”, done by weighing yourself before and after running.  In general, a runner may need between 5 and 8 ounces every fifteen minutes during the run.  Fluid in the stomach helps gastric emptying.  Thirst is not a good indicator of fluid needs.  If you are thirsty, you may already be dehydrated.

After the run:  Replace fluids based on your weight change, about 16 to 20 ounces extra for each pound lost.  This can be done over the course of the day if no additional training is planned within 24 hours.  Otherwise, attempt to replace your lost fluids within 6 hours.   A hydrated urine color looks like lemonade, not dark like apple juice or tea.

Nutrition Tip #5: Eating Before a Long Run

Eating before a run lasting less than an hour is not always necessary, although hydration during a run of any length is important.  You will, however, need to consider fueling up prior to runs extending beyond an hour.   You may be running into new territory, going distances you’ve never done before, so give attention to your fuel needs.  Don’t wait until race week to figure out what to eat before a run…practice your marathon training nutrition starting today!

Ideally the body runs on fuel that has been stored in your body.  The body can only store up to 2 hours of carbohydrate in the form of glycogen, so it is important to start with filled fuel stores.  Eating enough calories, including carbohydrates, during the week helps to fill your muscles with carbs.  Be sure to follow longer weekday runs with carbohydrates to replace the muscles fuel stores.  Skipping these weekday run recovery snacks can leave you short on fuel by the weekend’s long run.

Eating enough calories, including carbs the day before and within a few hours of a long run helps fill your liver glycogen stores.  Low liver fuel stores will lead to early fatigue during your long runs.

You do use your fat stores for fuel during a long run, but the body requires carbohydrate to be present in your body in order to burn the fat.  So, even if you have plenty of fat stores, you can still face early fatigue if you have not eaten adequate carbohydrates.  Without carbs your body has to physically slow down. Carbs impact your brain, too.  Carb-depletion makes you feel like slowing down.   All this can be minimized with eating carbs (and hydrating well).

So, what is best to eat during the week?  Eat a variety of foods to get a mix of nutrients.  Carbohydrates are found in rice, potatoes, whole grain breads and crackers, pasta, fruit, vegetables, milk and yogurt.  Sports drinks and carb supplements (gels, sports beans) can fill in the gaps.  Cookies and desserts provide carbs, but without any nutrition, so go for whole food carbs first.  Lean proteins should be included during the week (fish, chicken, turkey, lean beef, nuts, seeds, beans, cheese, milk and yogurt).  Fats (trans-fat free margarine, salad dressings, olive oil) should be included to round out your calories.

As you approach a long run day, start cutting back on fat and fiber.  Foods higher in fat and fiber take longer to digest and process.   Sample carb-containing meals for the day before a long run:   a stir fry with rice, veggies and chicken.  A salty sauce can provide the extra sodium needed for the longer run.  You may want to skip the fried egg roll.  Another example would be a lean steak with a baked potato, dinner salad and a dinner roll (or two).   Or, try a turkey sandwich with a piece of fruit and baked chips.   The body does have a limit to how much carbohydrate it can burn per hour, so several smaller meals may have an advantage over fewer big meals the day before a long run.  The amounts you eat should be proportional to your body weight, and of course, keep up with your fluids during the week.

You may benefit from a carb-rich snack the hours or night before a long run, which could be a bowl of pretzels, a smoothie or a bowl of cereal.  Keep the fiber content low, as fiber can take from one to three days to exit the body.

It is ideal to eat or drink carbs one to four hours before a long run to fill your liver carbohydrate stores (which can empty within fifteen hours of not eating carbs).  Eat by tolerance, keeping the fat and fiber low so the foods will empty your stomach in time to run.  Ideas include toast or an English muffin with jelly, a lowfat-low fiber nutrition bar, crackers, or a yogurt.  A small amount of protein may be necessary for longer runs, and could include cheese or peanut butter on the toast or crackers.  If you can’t tolerate solid food, at least drink some carbs before the run in the form of a sports drink.  You should be hydrating before a run anyway.

Keep a training log of what you eat before each long run and make notes on how the foods were tolerated and how well energized you felt.  Go the distance and start training with a carbohydrate-rich diet today!

Nutrition Tip #6: Should you eat anything during a long run?

Are your energy levels fading during the long runs?  Eating carbs during the week and within recovery snacks allows the body to store fuel called glycogen.  The body breaks down this glycogen for fuel, along with breaking down fat for fuel.  A few factors will impact if you need to “eat” more fuel during a long run to complete the long run in strong fashion.

1. The body has a storage limit of about 15 to 20 miles of glycogen fuel.  If you’ve eaten adequate carbs during the week you have good jump on muscle glycogen storage.  Eating a carb-containing snack the night before or morning of a long run helps to fill your liver glycogen storage.  Failure to fill both stores puts you at an immediate disadvantage for the fuel needs during a long run.  Not only will you physically fade, but the lack of fuel impacts your brain.  Runners with carbs in their system have a mental advantage of feeling stronger.  Runners who are carb deficient tend to rate their runs has tougher and more exhausting.
   
   
2. Most of us have plenty of fat stores, but the body has to have liver glycogen carbs for the fat burning process to work.  (I’ll skip the biochemistry lesson, but it could make for interesting conversation during a long run).  Minimal carbs in storage will limit your fat fuel use and the body will require you to slow down or stop running.
   
   
3. Some runners can’t stomach food before a long run, so supplementing the body with carbs is a necessity on long runs.

So, yes, you should eat (or drink) carbs during a long run.  A runner needs carbohydrate fuel during a run.  Most runners, even if having eaten well during the week, will need to consume carbs during runs lasting longer than an hour).  Carbs can be in the form of sports drinks (14 grams carb per 8 ounces), gels (25 grams carb per gel), sports beans (25 grams carb per packet), dried fruit (4 grams carb per one apricot) or candy (carb varies, so you can read the nutrition label).

Is one carb choice better than another?  Not really.  Choose what is convenient (sports drinks take care of both the carb and hydration issues), and what you tolerate.  You should practice with a variety of carbs during a run, remembering that you will need to carry your carb of choice during the marathon.  Do not count on getting handed a free gel in the flavor you tolerate or a banana during the actual marathon---it may or may not be there when you are.  Before giving up on carbs, experiment with different flavors and combinations.

How much carb is needed during a long run?  The human body can process between 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour, depending on your size and how you train.  Start with the lower amount and work up as needed.  For example, 16 ounces of Gatorade Endurance provides 28 grams of carbohydrate.  This may be plenty of carbs for an hour, but you’ll have to drink additional water to meet your fluid needs.  The higher end of the range could be accomplished with 16 ounces of Gatorade and one gel (again with water to meet your fluid needs) per hour.

Try to incorporate carbs during your run.  The difference may be amazing!

Nutrition Tip #8: Tummy Troubles

If you have experienced an upset stomach or intestinal problems as your mileage has increased, check out these nutrition considerations:

1. Think about the timing of certain foods eaten prior to a run.  Fiber from whole grains, beans, fruits and veggies can take one to three days to exit the system.  So, a high fiber Friday may not be the best for a long run on Saturday.  Fiber is very healthy for digestion, but save the high fiber for meals after a long run or heavy workout.
2. Fat is slow to digest compared to carbs and lean protein.  Fat is found in oils, butter, salad dressings, fried foods, regular milk and cheese and many processed foods.  It may take up to four hours for a high fat meal to leave your stomach.   Even a healthy diet should include some fat, but a runner many want to cut back on fat the day before a longer run or heavy workout.
3. Carbohydrates are key to running success, but too much carbohydrate or the carbohydrate type may prompt porta-potty issues.  The adult body can process between 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour, depending on your body size (1 gel is 25 grams carb and 1 cup Gatorade Endurance is 14 grams carb).  What is not processed sits in your stomach, then intestines, looking for somewhere to go.  This could leave you feeling heavy or having to “make a run for it”.  Also, certain types of carbs may not be as well tolerated as others (for example, fructose vs maltodextrin as seen on the ingredient list of whatever you are using).  Keep track of the carb types you use and how the training run goes.  If “Brand A” gel doesn’t sit well, try “Brand B” or a different carb source altogether on the next run.  Same goes for sports drinks.
4. Caffeine has been supported in research to give runners a slight boost, but too much caffeine may be the root of your tummy troubles.  Caffeine stimulates the movement of food through the intestines (not a good thing during a run).  Caffeine is also linked to indigestion/heartburn and to prompting the body to overuse your carbohydrate stores.  Plan your caffeine amount and timing carefully.
5. Fluids are important to maintain good hydration.  Starting a run with fluids in your stomach “opens the gate” for the fluids to normally empty into the intestines for absorption.  An empty stomach is a like a “closed drain”, with any fluid taken later sitting in the stomach and having a slower time emptying as it should.  Also, it is estimated that a fluid intake of one liter per hour is the maximum usually tolerated.  Nausea can be a sign of dehydration and heat illness, so start a long run hydrated and maintain hydration during a run without overdoing the quantity.
6. Nerves prompt the speed of food through the intestines.  From a nutrition standpoint, feel confident that you can try different nutrition strategies during training until you find what works for your body.  You won’t need to be nervous before a long run or race if you’ve resolved these issues in prior training.
7. Women may experience changes in food tolerance during normal cycles, so closer attention to your food/fluids may be necessary at certain times.
8. Keep track in your training journal of what food/drinks work and what doesn’t.  You may feel better with rice as your main carb instead of pasta.  You may find that you have to back off on the alcohol on Friday nights.  You may think you can’t run with a light snack before a run, but that might be what you need to carry you in those last few miles.  On the other hand, you may need to cut back to a smaller pre-run snack now that the miles are adding up.  Everyone is different.
9. Still an issue?  Think through what else has changed…herbal supplements, vitamins, amino acids, electrolyte supplements?  Are the performance benefits outweighing the gastro-intestinal side effects?  How about your sleep patterns?  Also, talk to your doctor about any medications you are taking, or the potential for medications for your stomach/intestinal issues that are not resolved with common food changes.  Lastly, find time to relax and take the pressure out of your running, especially if you think your nerves are part of the problem.

Listen to your body and make some simple adjustments to get your gut in gear!

Nutrition Tip #9:  Does snacking fit into a healthy marathon nutrition training plan?


Marathon training increases your need for both fuel and nutrition, so healthy snacks may be the “supplement” of choice. Here is the nutrition logic to support snacking.

Fueling your body about every four hours during the day helps to maintain your glycogen (fuel) stores. So, a snack may help fill in the nutrition gap when a healthy meal plan is interrupted at work or with your training schedule.

Do you not have access to fruits and veggies or real food at a meal (at work or on the road)? Packing healthy snacks can provide the nutrition you are missing during the day.

Try a light snack an hour before a long run to “top off” your fuel needs for the run rather than running on empty. Eat a recovery snack after a long run, especially if you don’t have a healthy meal planned in hour after a run. Recovery snacks are more important for refilling your fuel tank if you will be running or cross-training the next day.

Do you need to gain weight, but can’t imagine eating more at a meal? Adding healthy snacks into your day can help you meet your calorie goals in a more comfortable manner.

Need to lose weight? Small snacks during the day may keep your hunger level more balanced, allowing you to have more control of your intake at mealtimes.

Think vitamin/mineral supplements are easier? Maybe, but they are not complete fuel and nutrition for the body. Healthy snacks can provide calories, carbs, protein, electrolytes AND the vitamins/minerals.

Okay, what about cookies? Hey, if you are meeting all your nutrition needs and there is still room for calories to maintain your weight…then enjoy a treat.

Now, all this does not mean you should snack constantly just because you are in marathon training. You will gain weight if you eat more calories than you burn in a day. So, balance your snacks and meals with your activity level.

Try these healthy snacks to boost your marathon training nutrition!

Banana and peanut butter
Peanut butter and whole grain bagel
Whole grain bagel and cheese slice
Cheese stick and crackers
Graham crackers and milk
Milk and cold cereal
Cold cereal mixed with dried fruit
Dried fruit and nuts
Nuts sprinkled in yogurt
Yogurt with berries
Berries in a muffin
Muffin and 100% fruit juice
100% fruit juice and pretzels
Pretzels mixed with popcorn
Popcorn sprinkled with Parmesan Cheese
Parmesan cheese on breadsticks with pasta sauce for dipping
Pasta sauce with crispy zucchini sticks
Crispy zucchini sticks with ranch dressing
Ranch dressing with fresh veggies
Fresh veggies stuffed in a pita pocket
Pita wedges (baked) with hummus
Hummus on a whole grain tortilla
Whole grain tortilla with melted cheese
Melted cheese in a rolled up slice of turkey
Sliced turkey wrapped and mustard around pretzel rod
Pretzel rod with almond butter
Almond butter on a whole grain English Muffin
English Muffin with cottage cheese
Cottage cheese with peaches
Peaches on frozen yogurt
Frozen yogurt in a smoothie
Smoothie made with a frozen fruit bar and milk
Milk with a healthy nutrition bar

Nutrition Tip #11:  Does Salt Matter for Marathon Runners?

Absolutely!  Salt contains sodium, a nutrient that has two major jobs related to endurance running.  One job of sodium is related to muscle contraction.  Muscle cramps can be caused by many things, including dehydration, muscle fatigue, a lack of potassium or lack of sodium.  If you sweat a lot, or have white streaks on your skin after running, or are prone to muscle cramps, you may need more sodium.

A second job of sodium is to help you retain water, a good thing during endurance running in the heat.  Studies show that a person who drinks a sodium-containing liquid, like a sports drink, remains better hydrated than a person who just drinks water.  If you choose not to use a sports drink, you may want to find another way to take in sodium.  This could include regular salting of your food at mealtimes during the week, taking a salt packet or electrolyte powder with water during your long runs, or experimenting with salty snacks or gels, chews and sports beans that have added sodium during the run.

Testing your sodium requirements is not practical, but if hydration or cramping is a concern, you may want to rethink your sodium intake.  The standard recommendation for an average American adult is to consume less than 2300 milligrams of sodium daily.  This is not enough sodium for an adult runner during marathon training.

Marathon training is not the time to go low sodium for most runners (although you may want to discuss blood pressure and sodium issues with your physician).  Here are ten items that you may want to include, along with plenty of carbs, within your healthy meal plan during marathon training:

Cottage Cheese
Deli Meat, like Turkey and Lean Ham
Olives
Pickles/Pickle Juice
Prepared Rice Mixes
Soy Sauce
Low-fat Salad Dressing
Soup
V-8 Juice
Whole Grain Crackers

Nutrition Tip #10:  What NOT to Eat Before the Marathon

Everything that you are going to eat and drink before the marathon should be practiced over and over and over during training.  We have a few long runs left before the big day, so keep testing out your pre-marathon food strategy.  It may be a good idea to even practice some of the strategies on shorter runs just to get your timing down.

First, if you haven’t trained with it, don’t try it before the marathon.  No magical food or drink will make up for lack of training.  You’ll be tempted, but don’t do it!!!  If you’ve never eaten pizza before a long run, for example, you won’t know how the fat and spices will impact you the next morning.  This strategy applies to all the goodies you’ll gather at the marathon expo.  While these may be great products, don’t try them before or during the marathon if you haven’t trained with them.  Save all the goodies for your training later this fall.

Second, don’t focus on just one large carbo-loading feast the night before the marathon.  Your body can only process so much food at once and this is the night you want everything to process fully!  It would be more beneficial to have a constant carbohydrate intake all through the week leading up to the marathon.  Thursday and Friday before the marathon can be bigger meals, but you may want to eat smaller and more frequent amounts of carbohydrate on Saturday, including an evening snack and a light pre-marathon breakfast .  You should practice this constant carb-up routine in these last weeks of training, eating to a comfort level, not a feasting level.  Save the fun and feasting for after the race!

Third, keep your pre-marathon food choices light in fat and low in fiber.   Fatty foods, including sauces, fried foods, chips and rich desserts may take too long to digest.  Fiber is a filler…great for weight management, but not a good feeling before the marathon.  However, if that bowl of bran cereal is a necessary part of your everyday routine and you’ve been on that routine all during marathon training, don’t stop now! 

Make sure your pre-marathon foods and drinks have been tested in training.  You still have time to fine-tune your food choice and food timing so you’ll perform well and finish strong!