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Nutrition


Garfield2010

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I am gonna do the city to city marathon. It should take around 6 hours.....

 

What kind of food should I take with? Enegry bars? I guess I need to eat for at least the firs 30km's.

 

It is running so I cant carry to much stuff as well...... How long does a pasta breakfast really last?

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You have to get in some extra carbs the day before. Energy drinks like 32gi work fine for this purpose. Drink 2 bottles throughout the day. Have a pasta dinner the night before and a low GI breakfast the day of the race. Say 2 slices of toast with jam and some coffee.

 

You can sip an energy drink on the way to the race as well.

 

Being a running race you cant take energy drink with you and the ones provided will spike your sugar levels. Take some gels,bars or even better some baby potatoes. Drink water and some energy drink on the route. Leave the Coke for the last 10k's.

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Cool thanks. So in other words you are saying that the build up is more important that the event itsself.

 

What can I take for cramps? Some guys take disprin. Maybe increase sodium intake as well the day before?

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I really struggle to eat energy bars while I am running, it is hard to chew and swallow when you are gasping for air.

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Cool thanks. So in other words you are saying that the build up is more important that the event itsself.

 

What can I take for cramps? Some guys take disprin. Maybe increase sodium intake as well the day before?

 

I think I read on the internet that there is no scientific proof that there is anything that helps with cramps, that is of course excluding extra training.

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I really struggle to eat energy bars while I am running, it is hard to chew and swallow when you are gasping for air.

 

Ja well if you do these kinds of distances then you walk when eating etc.

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Cool thanks. So in other words you are saying that the build up is more important that the event itsself.

 

What can I take for cramps? Some guys take disprin. Maybe increase sodium intake as well the day before?

 

Yeah the build up is very important. But you have to keep an eye on urself during the event and force urself to take in liquids and solids even though you may think you dont need.

 

As for cramping, there is no answer. My suggestion would be to keep well hydrated the week before the race, eat a bit more salt and hope for the best.

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Ja well if you do these kinds of distances then you walk when eating etc.

 

I never walk, stuffs up my rhythm/pace. Isn't this just a 50km race?

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Haha

 

Normally in IM you dont have any rythm in any case after the 180km bike ride!

Yes you have, but it is s---l---o----w ... very slow

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Cool thanks. So in other words you are saying that the build up is more important that the event itsself.

 

What can I take for cramps? Some guys take disprin. Maybe increase sodium intake as well the day before?

 

Whatever you do, please do not increase the sodium intake the day before, excess sodium can lead to organ failure, u need to be really careful. Cramping is not caused from nutrition very rarely is it, cramping is caused by not training sufficiently for the event at the desired pace.

 

all the best

M

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Just to be clear here all:

 

Build up of course is important for an endurance event, but there are some really key factors you need to understand:

 

1. What kind of training have you done for the City to City, whats your longest runs, if you tell me 21 then I will say why are you bothering to run it, you are definitely not prepared for a distance like this. So hopefully your training has been on track.

 

2. The week before an event like this, coffee, sugars etc should be avoided, stick to healthy fruits and vegetables, complex carbs, lean proteins, such as egg, chicken and fish. Hydrate daily

 

3. Carbo loading can be started 2-3 days before with taking in a carbo drink such as 32Gi but only 2 bottles a day 2 days before should be sufficient.

 

4. DO NOT over eat, its not necessary, eat small meals, digestive comfort is critical. Your carbo meal should be lunch time the day before the race, not so much at dinner, at dinner you have a light mixed meal so you can get a good nights sleep, over eating will cause u discomfort a bad sleep and really u dont want that.

 

5. Morning of the race, eat a good low GI meal, such as 2 slices of low GI toast with jam, oats, future life, pronutro etc. Avoid milk products, avoid caffeine and stick to easily digisitible stuff.

 

6. On the way to the race yes u can sip on 32Gi, but I dont like to fill my bladder everyone is unique, so I eat the 32Gi chews well nibble on them to keep my energy levels topped up.

 

7. Relax and enjoy the race, and start off slow, dont get caught up in out pacing yourself, run like you train.

 

later

M

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1. What kind of training have you done for the City to City, whats your longest runs, if you tell me 21 then I will say why are you bothering to run it, you are definitely not prepared for a distance like this. So hopefully your training has been on track.

 

I have done a lot of 21km's. My longest runs have been 30km road and a 25km trial run(Springbok vasbyt). I have also done the 30km walk the talk for what it is worth.

 

 

2. The week before an event like this, coffee, sugars etc should be avoided, stick to healthy fruits and vegetables, complex carbs, lean proteins, such as egg, chicken and fish. Hydrate daily

 

Thanks I will do

 

3. Carbo loading can be started 2-3 days before with taking in a carbo drink such as 32Gi but only 2 bottles a day 2 days before should be sufficient.

 

What about the "de-carb" theory stating you must keep away from carbs from Monday to Friday?

 

5. Morning of the race, eat a good low GI meal, such as 2 slices of low GI toast with jam, oats, future life, pronutro etc. Avoid milk products, avoid caffeine and stick to easily digisitible stuff.

 

Cool

 

6. On the way to the race yes u can sip on 32Gi, but I dont like to fill my bladder everyone is unique, so I eat the 32Gi chews well nibble on them to keep my energy levels topped up.

 

Ok

 

7. Relax and enjoy the race, and start off slow, dont get caught up in out pacing yourself, run like you train.

 

Thx

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@Garfield re cramps: In Chris McCormack's book "Im here to Win" he talks about the cramping issue, there are two types of hydration: one at a Muscular-Cellular Level and one at a blood plasma level.In some cases when people hydrate just with water 2-3 days before a race they fill their plasma volume but the osmois across the cell wall does not happen. U need to hydrate your muscles. He used a mineral based hydration approach that contained magnesium, calcium, potassium and sodium to saturate the muscles. He started by eating bananas and supplements slowly and then integrated this as not to shock the system.

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Thanks. Yep I also read that book. Very interesting what he learned from bodybuilders.

 

In general I dont really cramp.

 

Last question. What can I take to stop lactic acid buildup? I reckon when I get to 40km's that this will be the real challenge..

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Thanks. Yep I also read that book. Very interesting what he learned from bodybuilders.

 

In general I dont really cramp.

 

Last question. What can I take to stop lactic acid buildup? I reckon when I get to 40km's that this will be the real challenge..

You don't want to stop lactic acid buildup, its a myth actually, latest research shows it improves performance ;-)

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