Doing a marathon is no easy feat and having the best footwear, training and nutrition is key. Mike is set with the best shoes for the job the Bay Walker that will keep his feet happy during the marathon. Training by gradually increasing the intensity of the pace or the distance is the best way to train as trying to do a marathon without training will lead to an ambulance being called. As well as the physical training the nutrition Mike gives his body before, during and after is also key to making this impressive feat achievable.
What do you need before a marathon?
Fluids
- 1 It is important to start a race well hydrated. Monitoring the colour of your urine can be a good self-assessment tool, which should a clear, pale yellow colour. If it is very dark, the athlete should drink extra water to rehydrate.
- 400-600 ml of fluid should be drunk by Mike 2 -3 hours before a marathon, providing adequate time to go to the bathroom before the start.
1-2 hours before Mike trains he needs fuel which is:
- Rich in carbohydrate - prime your fuel stores
- Low in fibre – reduce likelihood of gut upset
- Low in fat–slow to digest
- Low in Protein –slow to digest
Ideas:
- Small bowl of oats + fruit + yoghurt
- Crumpets + banana + honey
- Small bowl pasta + tomato-based sauce
- Fruit smoothie
- Sough dough rye toast (more easily digested than regular wheat-based bread) + banana + honey.
- Raisin toast + jam
- Tub of creamed rice + canned fruit
- Tin of sweetcorn
During the marathon:
To keep Mike’s muscles fuelled with their preferred energy source being glycogen every hour he needs 30-60 grams of carbohydrate. This is when gels, lollies like snakes or jellybeans are a good go to. Another choice is to use sports drinks with included carbohydrate to not only rehydrate but add energy back to the body.
It is more beneficial to sip fluid regularly over the marathon rather than trying to ingest a lot of fluid in one go. Mike could use visual cues such as landmarks to remind you to drink can be a good way to remember. Every 60 minutes Mike needs between 600-800mls of fluids. Both the food and fluids need to be practised during training as the gut needs time to adapt.
What do you need after?
If Mike is training again that day, he can wait for his next meal or snack to recover. However, if he is training again that day it is best, he has a recovery meal or snack within 60 minutes of finishing his training. After exercising you need approximately 40-80g of carbohydrate with 20-30g of protein.
Foods containing 50g of carbohydrate
- 2 medium- large bananas
- 15 dried apricots
- 2 slices thick sliced bread
- 1 large bowl (60g) breakfast cereal
- 150-160g cooked pasta/ rice
- 3 (25g) cereal bars
- 1 large potato (250g)
Protein:
In one meal you can only use around 20-30g of protein before excess is stored as fat.
- 65g of beef, pork, or lamb or 80g chicken = approximately 20-25g protein
- 30g nuts, seeds, and nut/seed butters = approximately 10-15g protein
- 1 large egg = approximately 7g protein
- 100g tuna = approximately 30g protein
- 100-150g legumes = approximately 15-20g protein
- 2 slices of cheese = approximately 10g protein
- ½ cup of oats = approximately 7g protein
- 1 cup cooked quinoa = approximately 8g protein
- 100g tofu = 12-15g protein
- 100g yoghurt = approximately 10g protein
- 2 slices seedy whole grain bread = approximately 12g protein
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter = approximately 6g protein
The best way to determine how much fluid Mike needs after his marathon is to weigh himself before then after. The amount of weight lost is fluid and 150% needs to be replaced. This structure to and time to fuel is key for Mike successfully improve his physical fitness and allow the body to recover .
As you can tell, preparing for a marathon takes dedication and commitment. This is no easy feat and Mike is putting his body through some hard miles. This is impressive enough, but he is doing it for a great cause to raise funds for Leichhardt Public School (LPS) and is supporting your local community.
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