Though fun runs and organized races like the Utah Valley Marathon can include thousands of people of all skill levels, shapes, sizes, and speeds, running is very much a personal activity and journey. From head to toe—from the shoes you wear to the thoughts, music, and nutrition you take in—runners, walkers, and everybody in between need to find what works best for their bodies, abilities, and goals.
“You’re an N of 1,” said Dr. Miriam Cortez-Cooper, an associate professor and assistant program director of the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMU). “You’ve got to do the experimentation on yourself. Your best bet is to experiment around with your training runs—find out what works for you, what doesn’t work for you.”
In a recent RMU Pulse podcast episode, Dr. Cortez-Cooper—an accomplished physical therapist and lifelong runner who has qualified for and completed the Boston Marathon (including the 2013 bombing year)—shared practical, experience-backed insight on an important aspect of distance running: nutrition management.
Dial your nutrition in, and your race can go smoothly and as swiftly as your legs can take you. Ignore it, and you risk bonking, hitting the wall, and having a rough day on the road or in the porta-potty.
Here are some things to consider when it comes to nutrition management for marathons and other longer runs:
- Hitting the Wall?: It can happen when carbohydrate stores (liver and muscle glycogen) deplete. Symptoms include heavy legs, fatigue, and reduced performance. You must slow down and rely more on fat. “You just feel like you just run into this brick wall—you just can’t run at that pace anymore,” Dr. Cortez-Cooper said. “When you run out of liver glycogen, your brain just doesn’t function as well. Your legs start feeling heavy, like somebody strapped 5-pound weights on your ankles.”
- Carb Loading Simplified: Aim for 65%-70% of daily calories from carbs in the 2–3 days before a race (or about 4-7 grams/kilogram for many women/smaller athletes).
- Race Morning Fueling: Eat easily digestible carbs, perhaps a bagel and/or banana, 2–3 hours prior to the start of your race. Adding a small simple carb source (gel or date) 15 minutes before the gun goes off to give yourself some quick energy to get off on the right foot.
- During the Race: Target about 60-90 grams of carbs per hour, preferably on the higher end if your body tolerates that much while being jostled around. Use gels, dates, or even chewable candy (gummy bears and Nerds Gummy Clusters are popular choices for some athletes) every 20–30 minutes. Eating carbs with sugars from glucose and fructose can lead to better absorption. Be sure to practice and find out what works best for your gastrointestinal system and performance before race day to avoid GI issues and sluggish results. “We were designed to eat lots of sugar,” Dr. Cortez-Cooper said. “The current recommendation is about 90 grams of carbohydrates per hour during your race. But the general rule is if you can stomach more carbohydrates, the better off you are.”
- Hydration & Electrolytes: Balance fluids, electrolytes, and carbs. Some runners prefer separate sources, switching between water and sports drinks, while others choose to glug down Gatorade, Powerade or whatever the course offers at aid stations. Again, test this out in training. Keep in mind that more carbs are needed in more extreme conditions, whether it be extra hot or cold temperatures or at different altitude levels.
- Caffeine: It’s hard to carry a coffee pot or bottles of Coke around while running, so some runners choose to give their bodies a boost by ingesting 3-6 milligrams/kilogram of body weight of caffeine in their gels or sports drinks. Experiment and adjust for your personal sensitivity.
- N of 1: It’s worth repeating that training experimentation is a critical component of a successful runs and results. What works for Sebastian Sawe, the Kenyan who recently logged an unbelievable sub-two-hour marathon, might not work best for you. Or it might. Test different strategies on your long runs. Track what keeps you strong without GI distress.
- Strike Up a Conversation: Runners generally love to help others reach their potential—while telling you what works/doesn’t work for them—so don’t be shy asking around, either. Some runners might tell you what they carry in their race belt or fanny pack, which could lead to you trying out a different food, drink, or nutrition-storage method.
- Don’t Skip Long Runs: Weeks before your marathon, you should build up to 20-22 miles in order to practice pacing, fueling, and learning when your body feels like it’s hitting the wall. Those runs give you important data that can improve your race performance and future runs.
- Recovery: Refuel with carbs within two hours after long training runs for better recovery. Take advantage of the watermelon, bananas, drinks, and food at the end of the run, and stay on top of your post-race fueling to replenish your body.
- Biggest Mistake?: Not trying, of course! But under-fueling or infrequent fueling during longer efforts can thwart your best intentions and hopes. It’s a good idea to plan your fueling timing around the aid stations, so do some prep work beforehand to find out how often you’ll get a chance to grab a cup of water or a sports drink and gel to see what you need to bring with you. Beware that sometimes aid stations can run out of certain items during races, too, so have a contingency plan for that.
“Nutrition is something that some people probably overlook,” Dr. Cortez-Cooper said. “They’re so focused on the actual running part. Hopefully, they will start experimenting with what works for them.”
By taking the time to experiment in training, listening to your body, and fueling smartly, your legs—and possibly your next PR— will thank you.
(RMU is a proud sponsor of the Utah Valley Marathon.)
