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It's Spring, follow our plans to prepare for your marathon!Spring is often associated with the opening of the marathon season in France and Europe. You need to prepare for a marathon several months in advance, there's no sense in improvising. If you plan on running a marathon in 2007, follow the advice of our nutritionist and maximise your chances of success.
Specific preparation…
A successful marathon results from considering three basic principles: setting a realistic objective, training regularly and ... having a balance diet. For sportsmen and women, diet is every bit as important as the weekly sessions. It not only enables them to optimise their weight but also to nourish the body in a way that helps it to achieve its full potential in competition. Adopt balanced meals with plenty of room for fruit, vegetables and starchy foods (bread, cereals, pasta, rice, semolina, potatoes, etc.). Meat, fish or eggs must be eaten every day for their contribution of high quality proteins. Avoid skipping meals and be careful of excess sugar or fat that can cause weight variations.Maximise your chances !
Water intake is a key element during training. Since the body is 2/3 water, a regular runner must drink at least 3 to 4 litres of water per day to compensate for losses. It's also important for a marathon runner to choose an appropriate energy drink. With its isotonic formulation, Hydrate & Perform provides optimum hydration and its energy and vitamin content promotes rapid recovery of the muscles, which minimises the risk of injuries.During the marathon, drink at each food stop even if you don't feel thirsty, and especially in warm weather because the water intake helps thermoregulation. If you find it difficult to drink during intense exercise, prolong the food stop by a few minutes by keeping a bottle of water with you and taking little sips at the rate of about ½ litre per ½ hour. Table 1 summarises the consequences of inappropriate hydration on the body, with harmful effects that can affect performance.
Table 1.
Consequences of inappropriate hydration for the body
- Disrupted thermoregulation
- Reduced muscular capacity
- Accumulation of lactic acid (waste products) in the muscles during exercise
- Cramps
- Illnesses, heat stroke
- Injuries: tendonitis or strained ligaments
- Cardio-vascular accidents
Minimise the risks of error
Make sure you test your equipment and foods for the stops during training. The week before the day itself, don't be tempted by crazy diets. One or two days before, a pasta dish will enable you to build up carbohydrate reserves, especially if the pasta is cooked al dente. The day of the event, don't change any of your habits. This helps fend off stress better. At least three hours before the start, have a "beefed up" breakfast including starchy foods (bread, toast, cereals), but light in fats or fibres for digestive comfort, not forgetting a drink. Coffee should be drunk in moderation given its diuretic effect.During the race, semi-liquid food should be preferred to facilitate gastric drainage. Carry your Isostar Actifood gel in your pocket and start eating it in portions of 10 g - or 5 g carbohydrate intake - with water right from the first food stop. Isostar energy gels are specifically suited for endurance events, thanks to their practical packaging, good digestibility and their formulation developed to supply immediate energy when reserves are depleted. Water and carbohydrate intake is important for elimination of lactic acid that accumulates in the muscles following catabolism associated with exercise and preventing the notorious "30 km wall".
The big day: get your head down without going against your true nature
Choose appropriate clothes that let the skin breathe properly and minimise water losses. Stay focused on your objective right to the end. Enjoy the race and don't start too quickly despite the euphoria surrounding the event. Seconds gained at the start of the race are often converted into minutes lost in the finishing time!If you are running in the 2007 Paris Marathon, come and meet our specialists on the Isostar stand in the Marathon'Expo on 12, 13 and 14 April to get advice on diet for sportsmen and women, check your water requirements and discover our new products.
Have a great race!
Isostar nutritionist, March 2007.