To eat or not to eat before DCM

ct_roy

Ok folks first time marathon runner here.

I've not eaten before any of the race series runs and some of my shorter LSR's.

I have eaten before some of the longer LSR's (the 16,18,20 milers) and suffered from a bit of the runners trots.

In summary my gut feeling (pun not intended) is that i shouldn't bother eating at all the morning of the marathon. I've performed best in races to date when not eating but this race is obviously a little longer and I'm concerned not eating will mean I'll hit the wall earlier than I otherwise would.

I normally fill up on club energise before and during races.

What think ye?

TFBubendorfer

It's entirely up to you - some people like eating before, others don't.

Personally, I normally don't eat before running, but I will have a bowl of porridge about 3 hours before the marathon. That way it has left my stomach by the time I'm at the start line.

RoyMcC

You won't get around if your body is depleted. You should at least ensure you stock up on the carbs the night before. And have a plan for taking on sorces of energy during the race.

But as Thomas says there's no right or wrong answer.

Condo131

ct_roy wrote: »

I've not eaten before any of the race series runs and some of my shorter LSR's.

You can get away with that for the shorter races. I wouldn't advise it for the marathon

ct_roy wrote: »

I have eaten before some of the longer LSR's (the 16,18,20 milers) and suffered from a bit of the runners trots.

You're eating something that disagrees with you. Fruit, juice, high-fibre??

You probably realise already that your gut gets a fair ol' churning around as you run, so anything in your lower system gets moved on a lot faster. Avoid anything that might accelerate this.

ct_roy wrote: »

I normally fill up on club energise before and during races.

Beware of some of these drinks. After a bad experience, I recommend diluting most down to 4 parts water to 1 part energy drink.

As Thomas says, porridge or something similar, a an hour or two beforehand is good. I prefer brown rice, with a small bit of soup added for extra flavour.

Another good reason for eating beforehand is that peristalisis sets in about an hour after eating and you will have to go for a 'dump', emptying your system.

There is some good advice for the day here.

Also advice for the last 2 weeks here - bit late, but most still valid.

Good luck on the day!

RacoonQueen

Even when I have a big brekkie I still feel absoultly starving at 22 miles or so.

ct_roy

Condo131 wrote: »

You can get away with that for the shorter races. I wouldn't advise it for the marathon

You're eating something that disagrees with you. Fruit, juice, high-fibre??

You probably realise already that your gut gets a fair ol' churning around as you run, so anything in your lower system gets moved on a lot faster. Avoid anything that might accelerate this.


Beware of some of these drinks. After a bad experience, I recommend diluting most down to 4 parts water to 1 part energy drink.

As Thomas says, porridge or something similar, a an hour or two beforehand is good. I prefer brown rice, with a small bit of soup added for extra flavour.

Another good reason for eating beforehand is that peristalisis sets in about an hour after eating and you will have to go for a 'dump', emptying your system.

There is some good advice for the day here.

Also advice for the last 2 weeks here - bit late, but most still valid.

Good luck on the day!

thanks for the excellent pointers
i'll do a dry run tomorrow morning and get up early and have some porridge/weetabix before my 8 miler and see how it works out

nerraw1111

I plan to have some pasta on toast before the marathon as recommended by some veteran marathon runners.

Dunebuggy

Did my 1st marathon last year, Porridge honey and Bananas !! Super !!

Brown bread honey and Bananas also good if you don't like porridge.

Make sure you have something !!!!!

Items to avoid - Smoothies, Orange Juice and yogurts and I guess beer :-)

mrak

I can't eat for fear of runners trots so did one on an empty stomach no issues (had gels, etc). However I'd say it might depend on your target time if you expect to take 3.5-4 hours or more I'd say a good breakfast might be important (provided you're not like me and a couple of hours of jiggling around gets things going).

rainbow kirby

I know I'll be having my usual pre-race breakfast: porridge with dried fruit and honey, a bagel with Philadelphia and jam, and a cup of rocket fuel coffee. I've had it before all my long runs, I see no reason to change.

Krusty_Clown

rainbow kirby wrote: »

I know I'll be having my usual pre-race breakfast: porridge with dried fruit and honey, a bagel with Philadelphia and jam, and a cup of rocket fuel coffee. I've had it before all my long runs, I see no reason to change.

Snap. Except it's Nutella, instead of philadelphia.

RacoonQueen

I'll be a bagel or two with a cup of tea.

Before Conn I had two bowls of bran flakes and 2 slices of toast and a pot of tea with lots of sugar...still felt starving at 24 miles. Last year for Dublin I had 2 bagels left on the Sunday evening, got up on Monday morning and they were NOWHERE to be seen. Looked in the bin and sure enough there they were under the waste coffee beans from the coffee perculator...I was so desperate for my bagels I even fished them out of the bin to see if they'd been fully covered with the plastic wrapping and thus saved from bin icky ness, alas, it wasn't to be they were covered in coffee(both of them, I took the top one out to see if the bottom one was salvagable)...my dad was the only one who had been up and is the only coffee drinker in the house and to this day he still swears it wasn't him who threw them out. Anyway, I ended up with a couple of slices of toast and by the time I hit mile 21 I was starving and could feel my stomach rumbling. By the time I hit Nassau street I felt like I was going to faint with hunger. Not eating before the marathon just isn't an option for me, I would never make it around.