Eating and drinking 48 hours before Marathon

brownian · 29-03-2011 4:30pm #1

"Everybody knows" that a massive feed of pasta the night before the marathon is the accepted wisdom for stuffing yourself with energy for the big day. Breakfast strategies vary, but porridge and bananas are frequently cited here on boards.

With the Conn marathon looming, I'd really like to get a bit more insight into what, when and how to eat in the days before the run. Since the run is Sunday morning, what to eat
- Friday lunchtime
- Friday evening
- Saturday morning
- Saturday lunchtime
- Saturday night
- Sunday morning.

I do know what I'm going to eat Sunday morning, as I always eat roughly the same for breakfast and I'm not going to destabilise my innards at a time like that (muesli, banana, yoghurt, coffee, brown toast with jam, maybe a grapefruit).

Should we be aiming for pasta-a-la-carbohydrate for every main meal for the two days leading up to the run? What about a big steak Friday night and a veggie dish on Saturday? Brown bread only, or batch sandwiches?

And, crucially, how much beer is too much beer on Friday and Saturday night?

What do people think?

menoscemo · 29-03-2011 4:59pm

Personally, I think the whole carbo-loading theory is over-rated.
The body can hold about 2,000 calories of carbs in the form of Glycogen in the muscles and liver, the rest of the energy you consume during the race will have to come from calories you take on during (gels and drinks) the race and burning of fat stores.

Since the storage limit is 2,000 cals of glycogen (for an average male) and it is not like you are starting with 0 calories of glycogen; it is pretty pointless to go eating tonnes of carbs for 2 days before the race (IMO). The one and only time i did this (before my first marathon) it ended up making me feel sick on the day.
Nowadays I just eat a little bit more bread/rice/potatoes the day before the race and drink plenty of water (this helps the body store the carbs as glycogen in the muscles). Personally i can't stand pasta. Breakfast should just be what you're used too. You just need to top up the little bit of Glycogen you might have used up in your sleep (not very much).

TFBubendorfer · 29-03-2011 5:07pm

menoscemo wrote: »

Personally, I think the whole carbo-loading theory is over-rated.

I agree. At least in how "carbo-loading" is usually done. Most people seem to think carbo-loading means eating a massive pile of pasta the evening before the marathon. That's wrong.

Most runners falter in the late stages of the marathon because their muscles can't take the strain any more, due to inadequate training, not because they are running out of glycogen.

Back to the OP's question. Before I was pacing the Dublin marathon last year, I got the following advice:

"Eat normal meals supplemented with simple carbohydrates (sugar , honey, etc) at the rate of 25 grams per hour for the rest of the day (it really depends on what you tolerate best (E. put a tablespoon of honey in tea, I think M. was drinking juices or energy drinks.)) This should give you a good buffer against low fuel. "

Krusty_Clown · 29-03-2011 5:21pm

There are many ways to skin a cat, and many ways to consume carbohydrates. It doesn't have to be pasta. Homemade pizza is good. Rice. Couscous. Sweet Potatoes. Vegetables.

As menoscemo and others (Tunney) have pointed out, you don't really need to bloat yourself with carbs (e.g. over-eating) as you will be doing less exercise over the week before the big race (because of tapering), so your glycogen stores will be less depleted. Typically I try to eat a decent carb rich meal two days before the race, and just eat a normal amount on the evening of the race. It's hard enough to get a night's sleep before the race, without feeling bloated. Maybe leave the steak until after the race?

I usually give up beer for 4-6 weeks before a big race (typically marathons only), but that's as much about sleep patterns/dehydration etc. I'll usually have a beer or glass of wine the day before the race though, as if it's good enough for Eamonn Coughlan, it's good enough for me.

brownian · 29-03-2011 5:33pm

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

"Eat normal meals supplemented with simple carbohydrates (sugar , honey, etc) at the rate of 25 grams per hour for the rest of the day ( "

Which day? The day before the run, I presume ? So that's 25g of carbo per hour for the Saturday, plus a reasonable dinner on the Saturday night? Thanks again.

ger664 · 29-03-2011 6:13pm

brownian wrote: »

And, crucially, how much beer is too much beer on Friday and Saturday night?

Alcohol will dehydrate you which not the way you want to wake up on the morning of a marathon. Only thing you should drink on Saturday is water and plenty of it.

brownian · 29-03-2011 6:22pm

ger664 wrote: »

Alcohol will dehydrate you which not the way you want to wake up on the morning of a marathon. Only thing you should drink on Saturday is water and plenty of it.

Was it two years ago that the Six Nations final match was the night before the Conn Marathon...that was hard night to stay beer free. But I know you're right - horsing into the pints is not great prep. I was hoping someone would suggest one or two was no big deal (thanks, Krusty!).:)

liamo123 · 29-03-2011 6:25pm

ger664 wrote: »

Alcohol will dehydrate you which not the way you want to wake up on the morning of a marathon. Only thing you should drink on Saturday is water and plenty of it.

A beer or two the night before a marathon is IMO not going 2 affect race day once uve hydrated and carb loaded correctly in the days previous.. Its all about relaxing and chilling the night before and if a beer helps that so b it... Its like a pre marathon ritual for me at this stage....

ronnie085 · 29-03-2011 6:42pm

My secret weapon the evening before any race, pancakes and nutella mmmmm, 5k to marathon, well even some recovery runs, any excuse really, sorry, back to the proper answers .......

griffin100 · 29-03-2011 8:16pm

The week of a long event I try to make sure that at no time do I allow myself to get hungry. I eat as normal with top ups in between meals as necessary and I make sure I include salt in the last few days. I eat my last big meal / dinner early enough the night before race start so that hopefully it's worked its way through - dropping half a dozen gels on a stomach that's still digesting last nights big feed is a big no no for me.

Alcohol wise a couple of glasses of red wine the night before a race helps keep the sugar levels up nicely!

There's no science to this, it's just what works for me.

TFBubendorfer · 29-03-2011 8:58pm

brownian wrote: »

Which day? The day before the run, I presume ? So that's 25g of carbo per hour for the Saturday, plus a reasonable dinner on the Saturday night? Thanks again.

Actually it was 2 days before the race, in this case Saturday for a Monday race. Unfortunately he never told me what to do the day before :rolleyes:, so I just did the same again on Sunday. It worked well for me, but I was pacing that particular marathon rather than racing it, which certainly makes a difference.

josh79 · 29-03-2011 9:01pm

i was listening to marathon talk the other day think it was episode 4 or 5 they where talkin to one of the main nutritionists for lucazade sport they done a survey after a marathon and a very large pecentage of people carb load wrong he said a little extra with each meal a few days b4 with plenty of water should do the trick and v large meals after roughly 4pm the day before should b avoided

brownian · 29-03-2011 9:02pm

Great, thank you for the clarity, TFB.

josh79 · 29-03-2011 9:08pm

just rechecked the ipod its episode 5 the guys name is nick morgan recommended listening if ur unsure of carb loading

Wonkagirl · 07-04-2011 7:29pm

I think the risks are that you'll sooner over load, than underload on the carb front.

I did this for Gaelforce09. Stuffed my face with pasta and bagels for the 4 days prior, then ended up bloated and constipated and pretty much in pain during the race as a result! Wont be making that mistake again.

I think a good clean diet, with plenty of veg, wholegrains like spelt pasta, bulgar and the like and LOTS of water is the winner. I will be having a feed of pasta the evening before (Trattoria Magnetti on quay st!) alright, but otherwise i'll operate as normal.

Race morning it'll be hot water and lemon, porridge, eggs and a large coffee. banana on the bus then. Followed by 2 hours of PAIN! BRING IT ON!

elnino23 · 07-04-2011 8:49pm

am i right in thinking that if im maintaining my weight thro the gain in mileage in my training plan then im getting my carbo intake right?

brownian · 07-04-2011 9:08pm

Wonkagirl wrote: »

Followed by 2 hours of PAIN! BRING IT ON!

Gotta love the 'tude!:D

TFBubendorfer · 08-04-2011 10:35am

elnino23 wrote: »

am i right in thinking that if im maintaining my weight thro the gain in mileage in my training plan then im getting my carbo intake right?

That's how I have been operating for the last 7 years.

yop · 08-04-2011 11:05am

I was the same as WonkaGirl, I decided that at 12.30am on the first GF to have some pasta!

Within 5 km of the start I puked it!

pgibbo · 08-04-2011 2:50pm

One other thing to watch for between now and the race is not to eat fibrous foods. Last thing you want is to have to do a "Paula"

anymore · 09-04-2011 11:19pm

The use of gels and energy drinks have made much of the glycogen loading redundant. The second last marathon I did, i eat fish and chips the night before and the last one was chicken and chips. On both occassios I improved my time. I do swear by priidge on the morning though and bananas.

Eating and drinking 48 hours before Marathon

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