Eating for the Boston Marathon

Steve Richey thoughts:

I'm waiting for someone else to write an article on how to eat for Boston -- I don't have a clue. For an early AM race, I do think I have a clue, but not for one with a noon start. My plans for now are to carbo load as usual before hand, concluding with an early dinner on Sunday and to take in a lot of fluids Sunday evening. On Monday, will drink a can of Glycerna before 9:00 AM, and then pretty much nothing but water after that, and won't start taking gatorade or gels until around mile 8 -- just water before that. After mile 8, will take in all the fluids and sugar that I can. The idea is to avoid the insulin spike and to stay in fat burn for as long as possible. Then, once out of fat burn and into glycogen burn, to take in as much sugar (i.e ., gatorade) as possible. Will eat gels during the race, but they require a LOT of water.

On the other hand, for races 30K or shorter (i. e., events with no "wall"), I would be eating a gel right before the start (in order to create that same insulin spike that I try to avoid for marathons and ultras) and would be trying to avoid fat burn altogether -- would want to go straight to a hot full glycogen burn in mile one. But, for the longer events, that approach just brings the wall closer. The idea for those events is to stay in a combination fat/glycogen burn for as long as possible, because once you call to a full glycogen burn, the fuse is lit and the wall cometh -- unless you're REALLY good at refueling while running at race pace .....

Terry Lueders thoughts:

3 weeks leading up the race, eat more protein and less fat. Cut back on the ice cream and cookies (yes, Joel, I’m thinking of you). Double up on the chicken and protein smoothies. On the day of the race, eat a big breakfast with lots of fruit. Eat this as late as possible in the morning before getting on the bus to Hopkinton. Eat on the bus only if you can share it with others.

For me, the ideal breakfast is pancakes and fruit. Do not drink coffee or eat watermelon in the morning before the race. Both of them will help dehydrate you. You can have a shot of coffee or flat coke right before the race, like 45 minutes before. Only drink the last 3 hours before the race. And, finish up any secret power drinks one hour before the gun.