General Considerations

For athletes, water is the drink of choice for both general health and for runs lasting under 90 minutes.

Sports drinks should be consumed (along with water) for runs lasting over 90 minutes in duration.

Don't rely on your thirst mechanism to indicate signs of dehydration. Regarding running in the heat, it is virtually impossible to "catch up" on your fluid requirements once you sense that you're thirsty.

It is vital to stay well hydrated throughout the day. The color of your urine should be relatively clear. Urine that is darker or approaches the amber color is a signal that you are dehydrated and need to drink fluids (preferably water).

While there is much debate regarding the proper mix of foods, aim for 65 percent of total calories coming from carbohydrates.

Emphasize healthy foods in your diet along with limiting fried and high fat foods.

Preparing Nutritionally for the Long Run

For the sake of this discussion, let's assume your long run is scheduled for Sunday morning.

• Drink lots of water all day Saturday.
  
• Eat meals high in carbohydrates for lunch and dinner Saturday. Selecting the "right" foods is an important area of experimentation.
  
• Avoid foods high in salt and excessive protein/fat all day Saturday.
  
• Drink about 400 mls of water Sunday morning prior to your long run.
  
• Eat a light snack Sunday morning prior to your long run. This is also an important experimentation area in regard to food selection.
  
• Drink lots of fluids while running. Be sure to stop for water frequently throughout the run. For runs longer than 90 minutes, you MUST drink sports beverages (such as Gatorade, Poweraid, etc.) every 2 - 3 miles. Drinking on the run requires careful planning of the route (making sure there is water available frequently along with places to stash sports drinks).
  
• Consider trying the new "gel" carbohydrate replacement products. Be sure to chase them down with water to avoid stomach cramps and insure absorption. 
  
• After the run is over, continue to drink fluids (water, sports drinks, or juice are all great choices).
  
• As soon as possible (ideally within 15 minutes), have something to eat to replace depleted glycogen stores. Research has shown that to avoid muscle fatigue the next day, carbohydrates should be eaten as soon as possible following long duration exercise.
  

Marathon Nutritional Issues
  

The Week Prior to Your Marathon

As you scale back on the distance and intensity of your running during that last week before the marathon, realize that you will not be burning as many calories. Thus, you may gain one or two pounds if you don't cut back a bit on the quantity of your servings early in the week.

Use care in selecting foods to eat during this time period, aiming for quality foods rather than snack/high fat products.

Hydrate well the week before the marathon (water is best) and in particular, during the carbohydrate loading period (three days prior to the marathon). Research has shown that carbohydrates convert to glycogen more effectively when accompanied with the consumption of water. This is the time when you probably will gain a couple of pounds, but don't worry about it. This will be the fuel you will use during your marathon!

If you are travelling out town, be sure to pack healthy snack foods you may wish to eat the weekend of the marathon. Eliminate the need to search for a grocery store that stocks your favourite foods. 

If travelling by plane to your marathon destination, carry bottled water with you. Flying at high altitudes causes dehydration.

As mentioned above, carbohydrate loading begins three days before the marathon. Choose foods for lunch and dinner that are high in carbohydrates (e.g., pasta, potatoes, rice, etc.). Don't neglect fruits, vegetables, and some protein sources however. Try to really scale back on fats during this time.

The Evening Prior to Your Marathon

Be sure to eat carbohydrate products that have been "tried and proven" during your training period. Keep pasta sauces simple, avoiding high fat varieties (e.g., alfredo, pesto, etc.) 

Avoid eating lots of salad items and vegetables (roughage) as these may prove to be troublesome on race day as they may cause digestive problems. Stick to water during the evening meal. Because coffee and tea contains caffeine, these products may make it difficult for you to fall asleep easily. Caffeine (along with alcoholic beverages) are diuretics which can lead to dehydration.

The Morning of Your Marathon 
(Before the Race)

Continue to drink fluids up to 15 minutes before the start of the race.

Eat your final snack no more than 30 minutes before the start of the race.

During Your Marathon

Aid Stations - Do not pass up any fluid station. While it's okay to drink just water in the early miles, runners must consume sports beverages no later than after 90 minutes of running (and earlier if possible). Find out what works best for you in long practice runs.

Water is usually offered at the first tables at an aid station with sports beverages served near the end of the station. Squeeze the top of the cup into a "v" shape to create a smooth delivery of fluid directly into your mouth if you choose to run and drink through the aid stations. If necessary, walk through the aid stations to be sure that you are able to consume the entire contents of the cup. If you decide to stop and drink, please get out of the way of other runners.

Supplementing - Many runners now are taking advantage of the new gel products out on the market. These products will provide a fairly quick source of carbohydrates (energy). Be sure you chase these products down with water to avoid stomach cramps. Some runners find that stopping and eating a power bar, orange slices, jelly beans, etc. also provides needed energy. However, these items are seldom supplied at official marathon aid stations.

Immediately Following Your Marathon

After crossing the line, get something to drink (e.g., water, sports drink, etc.) Although it may be tempting, hold off on consuming alcoholic beverages until later in the evening if you feel so inclined.

Within a few minutes of finishing, grab something to eat.

After you return home or to the hotel, have a nice lunch. This should be a well-balanced meal that includes the majority of its total calories in carbohydrates. Don't overlook consuming at least 20 percent of the total calories from protein sources.

Nutrition Basics

Is nutrition too complicated? These 10 simple commandments are guaranteed to make you healthier, fitter and faster 1. Plan your diet Devise a sensible eating plan that you can stick to, which will suit your lifestyle. Don’t set yourself unreasonable targets for food consumption. Unless you’re seriously overweight, it’s unlikely that your diet will need to undergo drastic restructuring. Start by analysing what you are eating now. Sit down with a pen and paper and ask yourself some questions about your dietary habits. Do you have breakfast? Do you feel tired and hungry by the time you run in the evening? If your diet is repetitive and boring you may not be getting the variety of foods necessary for adequate nutrient intake. 2. Eat little and often Frequent snacking throughout the day is a sure way to avoid low blood sugar levels and tiredness by the time you get home for your run. Research shows that eating little and often is best for runners… as long as you’re eating the right things! Make a point of taking high-carbohydrate snacks to work with you so that you aren’t caught out. Avoid high-fat snacks such as crisps and chocolate, opting instead for high-carbohydrate and low-fat snacks, which make the best fuel. Dry breakfast cereal, plain popcorn, bagels, low-fat crispbreads, bananas and other fruit are all excellent choices. 3. Don’t ignore the main meals Regular sensible snacking is important, but proper meals are where carbo-loading really counts. Pasta is deservedly the runner’s favourite, but there are plenty of other excellent high-carbohydrate foods, such as rice, baked potatoes, lentils, muesli and even baked beans. Still, beware! Some high-carbohydrate foods are also high in fat. Lasagne, thin-crust pizza, croissants and granola are some of the worst culprits. 4. Supplement those supplements Instead of spending a small fortune on pills and potions to supplement your diet, try to ensure that you get the vitamins and minerals you need from the food you eat. It’s a big mistake to think that a supplement will completely satisfy your nutritional needs. Taking a pill might give you the recommended daily amount of a particular vitamin, but you also need protein, minerals, fibre and energy in the form of calories, which no pill will provide. 6. Drink more water Water is the body’s most important nutrient. It makes up between 50 and 60 per cent of your bodyweight and provides the medium in which most of the body processes occur. Aim to drink throughout the day, with a pint of water (or a sports drink) an hour before you run, and half a pint for every 30 minutes of running. On days when you run you should aim to consume five litres during the day, twice as much as is necessary on rest days. 8. Don’t forget your pre-race meal You’re well-versed in the idea of carbo-loading, but there are still a few tricks of the trade that can help you to race at your best. Firstly, don’t overeat late the night before as this will make sleep harder to come by. Secondly, don’t think of that final plate of pasta on the eve of the race as your last meal. Your body will use up some of that food energy overnight, so make sure you have breakfast. European 5000 and 10,000m champion Sonia O’Sullivan chooses bread or cereal, coffee, perhaps a banana and lots of water, but the carbohydrate combination you opt for is up to you. Just cut right down on fat and protein, which take a long time to digest. Coffee is fine if it’s part of your normal routine – just be sure to drink plenty of water along with it. 9. Learn to drink on the run Lengthy races – 10Ks and longer – often have drinks stations to replace lost fluids, and if you are running a marathon they will help you to scale the dreaded ‘wall’. Drinking on the run is an import element of technique and one you will need to practice prior to your race. Before you start the race, find out whether the drinks stations are providing water, or carbohydrate drinks as well. If you plan to use a carbo drink, be sure that you’ve tested it in practice runs. As you approach the station look right; most runners prefer to veer left to collect their drink, so the other side is often less crowded. Grab the cup with one hand and instantly cover the cup with the other if you plan to drink it as you run. Don’t be afraid to stop and walk; a few seconds spent drinking properly will easily pay off in terms of performance. 10. Carbo-load for recovery Immediately after a race or a hard run it’s important to refuel your body with high-carbohydrate food or drink. The first four hours after strenuous exercise is a crucial time for taking on new glycogen to replace what you’ve lost lost while working hard. Aim to keep stocking up every 15 minutes or so rather than gorging on one meal, because this maintains higher blood glucose and insulin concentrations, which in turn makes greater absorption into the muscles possible. Recent research suggests that including around 25 per cent protein in your recovery food will optimise the recovery of your muscles.