Top tips the week before running a marathon

This Saturday is the Hawkes Bay marathon or I should say the Hawkes Bay running festival as we see the marathon, half marathon and a 10k fun run. If you have been out hitting those limestone paths for the last few months then we at Results want to say good luck. 

With one week to go the hard work is done. It’s time for tapers and carbs… lots of carbs 😉 

There are four important considerations to keep in mind

First up, you need to keep yourself healthy and in peak shape the week before. You want to know you’re recovering effectively from those last training runs or workout sessions. Lastly you need to prepare your body for the actual event ensuring you are fuelled up with all the nutrients your body needs for you to perform at your best.

Hydration, hydration, hydration 

Ensuring proper hydration in those last few training sessions will allow your body to recover adequately and effectively. Not only does being properly hydrated increase energy but it also acts to keep your muscles and joints lubricated.  Running and sweating increases the amount of fluid we need. Lack of fluid can cause dehydration which can cause symptoms of increased heart rate, headaches and fatigue which is certainly not what you want before a marathon.

Carb loading 

The goal of carb loading is to maximise glycogen stores thus enabling you to get the most amount of available energy during your run. Back in the 90s carb loading strategies spanned over three days of glutinous pizza and pasta bingeing. These days the research shows that a 24 hour carb loading period is more than sufficient to replenish and maximise glycogen stores. 

On the day before the big event you want to start focusing on eating carbs throughout the day with all main meals and snacks. For most part your carbs should be high GI natural sources. Personally I like white rice, potatoes and fruit. That said it’s NOT time to experiment and you should know what sits well for you. A heavy day of carbs can cause stomach upsets, bloating and other digestive issues. Hopefully all the food trials have been tested. 

Aim for around 7g per kg of bodyweight over the course of the whole day.