Foods for Marathon Runners - Suggestions?
StrongerByTheMiles
Posts: 60
I am training for my first marathon. It will be in October. I need to kick my food choices up a notch!
I am looking for suggestions for the best foods for runners to eat on a daily basis, for recovery, etc! Specific food items, as well as simple recipes are welcomed!
**I posted this here rather than the food board b/c I want items speficially important to marathoners! We all know that our bodies have different requirements than others!**
I am looking for suggestions for the best foods for runners to eat on a daily basis, for recovery, etc! Specific food items, as well as simple recipes are welcomed!
**I posted this here rather than the food board b/c I want items speficially important to marathoners! We all know that our bodies have different requirements than others!**
0
Replies
-
I love the Protein Bars made by Vega -- eat one before every long run, along with some coconut water or vitamin water zero. They give me plenty of protein and carbs w/o a lot of excess "junk" (or extra fat -- and I know I shouldn't worry about that, but I'll 'fess up to wanting to be a muscular but thin marathoner! Hah!)
If you're not familiar with the brand, Vega is a vegan line created by Brendan Brazier, a pro triathlete who created the Thrive Diet (still reading the book, but I like it so far!) I've been vegetarian for 20+ yrs, and part-time vegan, so his vegan diet isn't a stretch for me. It may be more extreme if you currently eat meat. I'm training for the Marine Corps Marathon in October, as well as 2 others in Dec. and Jan. Good luck to you!
Julie0 -
Pasta, rice and bread. You need to fuel your body with carbohydrates.0
-
I seem to do a fair amount of chocolate chip cookie loading...0
-
I seem to do a fair amount of chocolate chip cookie loading...
Ice cream is more my speed.0 -
**I posted this here rather than the food board b/c I want items speficially important to marathoners! We all know that our bodies have different requirements than others!**
Probably not as much as you think.
Beyond eating enough to satisfy the extra calorie expenditure associated with running, your current diet is most likely just fine as is. While there is a little extra emphasis on carbohydrates (it depends a lot on the amount of mileage you run), there's not much to it. You don't need any "special foods". Your marathon performance is going to be more about the quality of training you put in than any certain foods you eat. Just eat real food and enough of it to fuel your runs. That's it.
I also enjoy cake in addition to my chocolate chip cookies and ice cream.0 -
TBH i'm more aware of what not to eat! i eat carb and protein heavy (like boiled chicken and rice) and limit fruits and veg the day before a long run. i like peanut butter and apples together. i try and remember to take a good multivit. i also drink an electrolyte drink before a long run.
i avoid spicy foods and alcohol.
i drink heaps of h2o, eat loads of ice blocks, and eat pretty much whatever i want! what i want seems to change though!0 -
These are good tips! I like that a few of you suggested cookies/ice cream extra. I have been trying to stay away from unhealthy foods for carb loading, but that makes it very hard to get a high carb ratio for the day! Also, I really love sweets so I should embrace those times when they may actually help me a little - in moderation of course! I will have to look up the vega bars too! I am trying to find new, healthier ways to increase my daily carb intake - I know I need a little more, even for training runs.
I bought brown rice and I plan to start making more meals with that as a base. I also have recently started eating steel cut oats. I am not trying to completely change my diet, but I'm really trying to add new, good foods and recipes to it.
Salads and other low carb meals have been go-to meals for me for a long time. As a runner, I need to add carbs and make some changes. 0 -
These are good tips! I like that a few of you suggested cookies/ice cream extra. I have been trying to stay away from unhealthy foods for carb loading
stuff like rice and pasta is actually relatively low calorie in the scale of things, you load up on things like these and clean protein sources, and then make up your extra calories with your poison of choice. Im into cheesecake0
