Expert: Kimberly A. Tessmer, RD LD - 9/20/2004

Question
Ms. Tessmer

 This weekend I will be taking part in my first 26.2 mile (or 42.2 kilometer as we say here in Canada) marathon. I've trained as hard as possible given my time restraints from work and as a father of two kids who are involved in after school sports.
 I've completed two training runs over twenty miles. The only nagging injury is a small tear in my left soleus muscle which I'm taking mobicox and Advil for. I've done both of my long training runs with it and while it's not getting better, it's not getting worse. My Dr. knows about it and has given me her blessing.
 I know that I should be "carbo loading" this week but do you have any suggestions as to what foods this should include, besides pasta? How much protein should I include in my diet and how soon should I start hydrating myself (above the usual amount)?

Thank you for your help.

Rob

Answer
Drink at least 16 ounces of fluids such as water, juice, or a sports drink up to two hours before a competitive event.  Drink 4 to 8 ounces or more as tolerated of water or sports drink 5 to 10 minutes before your competition.  The idea is to also store up beforehand but not so much that you are uncomfortable and to drink enough during your competition to match your sweat losses.  You should drink 8 to 10 ounces or as much as you an tolerate every 15 to 20 minutes of strenous exercise.  It is also important to just drink water on a daily basis, exercise or not, to stay properly hydrated.

What you eat depends on the type of exercise, level of intensity and time of day.  You want to choose foods before the event that have a low glycemic index such as yogurt, bananas, oatmeal, bean soup, lentils or apples just to name a few.  Make sure you don't stuff yourself to the point you are uncomfortable though.  If you want to eat a bigger meal give it more time between eating and the start of the event.  The general rule of thumb is 3-4 hours for a large meal to digest and 2-3 hours for a smaller meal and 1-2 hours for a blended, liquid meal.  Eat a high-carb dinner the night before and drink extra water.  Include leaner proteins in your pre-event meals also and be careful of sugary foods. You can figure out protein needs by:
Competitive athlete, adult - 0.6 to 0.9 grams of protein per pound of body weight.

There is so much to learn about good nutrition and sports.  I just gave you some general tips.  I would highly suggest a book called, "Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook".  You can find it at www.amazon.com.  So much depends on your age, size, and how you react to eating certain foods, etc...  It can be very individualized.