Nutrition schedule for marathon runners
Runners should increase carbohydrate intake 5 days before running, consistent with training time and distance; During and after running, you should pay attention to compensating for the energy consumed
According to sports and nutrition experts, in addition to regular exercise, to achieve high performance, runners need to supplement foods that help increase strength and store energy for use when running as well as replenish energy for physical recovery after running.
Doctors at the Bangkok Academy of Sports and Medicine (part of Bangkok Hospital, Thailand) suggest a menu schedule before and during the run to help athletes keep their bodies resilient and be able to run with good physical strength throughout the race. The meal plan is divided into 5 phases, from 5 days before running to 1 hour after completing the race.
5 days before the competition, runners should increase the amount of carbohydrates in their meals depending on the training time or distance corresponding to the competition to store energy in the form of glycogen. The body can store 80% of glycogen in the muscles, 14% in the liver and the remaining 6% as glucose in the blood.
Doctors recommend the amount of carbohydrates that runners need to prepare 5 days before running as follows.
Running time Carbohydrate consumption 30 minutes-1 hour/day 2-4 grams/1 kg body weight 3-4 hours/day 5-8 grams/1kg body weight More than 4 hours/day 8-10 grams/1kg body weight
For example, a male athlete weighing 70 kg trains for a marathon for 3-4 hours every day. Carbohydrate needs are about 350-560 grams per day.
The day before running, athletes should eat familiar menus or regular dishes, completing the meal with rice, flour and high carbohydrates as in the past 5 days. Besides, pay attention to protein sources from low-fat, easily digestible meat such as fish and cooked, skinless chicken. Limit eating seafood or raw foods as well as fresh fruits and vegetables high in fiber in large quantities because they can cause diarrhea or stimulate stomach secretions before jogging the next day.
Marathons are often held early in the morning, so athletes should prepare their bodies and prepare to eat at least 1-2 hours before competing. Suitable foods during this period are easily digestible foods such as sweet potatoes, oatmeal, and bread.
According to calculations by Thai doctors, the body needs 30-60 grams of carbohydrates per hour to run. To help increase efficiency in movement, suitable food for athletes while running should be in liquid, gel, or tablet form that is easy to chew and digest, and does not cause heaviness or stiffness in the stomach such as pre-mixed gel packs for athletes, electrolyte drinks, fruit juice, and chocolate. While running, athletes should not drink a lot of water at once because it can cause stomach distention. Ideally, you should take small sips continuously at water refilling stations.
After running, the body will be depleted of glycogen and must compensate for the energy lost while running. If athletes receive insufficient nutrition or too late, it can cause the body to become tired, slow recovery, and easily accumulate injuries. The most essential nutrients are carbohydrates to provide energy and replenish glycogen back into the body. Suitable carbohydrate foods within 1 hour of running should be easily digestible and quickly absorbed to replenish immediate energy, including essential minerals such as sodium, including drinks.
With the goal of contributing to making the community healthier through balanced nutrition combined with an active and healthy lifestyle, Herbalife has many products to help athletes maintain endurance before, during and after running. This nutrition brand has recently accompanied VnExpress to organize many Marathon running events in many localities across the country. VnExpress Vung Tau International Half Marathon Herbalife Cup 2026, on the morning of August 30, marked the 18th time the two units joined hands to successfully organize a running race.
