How to prepare for a marathon

A four-week plan for you to run like a champ.  

Jason Johal, trainer and Carlyne Remedios, Sr Nutiritonist at Center of Obesity and Digestive Surgery share how you should prepare for a marathon, even setting a timetable and a diet plan just for you.

Fitness

Photograph: Sthitaprajna Jena/Wikimedia Commons

Training for a marathon is a challenge in itself so the key is staying focused and motivated all the way to the big day. It’s not just about building physical stamina but also mental stamina in order for you to stay focused and achieving your goals. Training and nutrition plays a vital part and very few (if any) can complete a marathon without it; so it’s important to have a plan.

I know it is spotting the obvious but one’s footwear will be the most important piece of gear so make sure you go to a shop specialising in running shoes.

Of course running is important in preparation but rest days are equally important in allowing the muscles to recover, strengthen and prepare you for the next run. When beginning training, you shouldn’t throw yourself into the deep-end with intense long distance running. Instead, ease into it with a combination of running, walking and strengthening your body with core exercises. Consequences of not doing this can cause injuries which will set you back by a week. To make up for the lost time, one will push themselves even harder causing another injury. The cycle can continue until the race week resulting in a bad experience.

With all that in mind, your training should begin where you are and not where you want to be with a gradual increase in mileage each week. Mix your training up with harder runs and slower runs so the body can adapt to the stress of a marathon.

As you progress with your training you will know what works and what doesn’t so keep a log of all the training you do.

Below is an example one can follow to prepare for a marathon at an intermediate level.

As you can see, the training is intense but varied to keep you motivated and focused. The mileage per week increases with one long run a week. 2-3 weeks before the race day it is important to reduce your training so your body can recover and be in peak condition for the big day.

Don’t forget that recovery days and eating correctly is the only way you can utilise and optimise your training programme in effectively preparing for a marathon.

Eating to run

It is important to start learning and understanding your body. What foods suit you and what foods don’t? This is crucial so that in the days before the run you know exactly what foods you can and cannot consume to give you the best outcome.

Everyone’s body is different and every person’s tolerance to foods also differs. So it’s important to understand what foods suit YOU!

Carbohydrates are an important source of energy for your body

50 per cent - 65 per cent of your total calorie intake should come from carbohydrates. Remember that you have to increase your carbohydrate intake and NOT Calorie intake. Complex carbohydrates, like the ones mentioned below, are the way to go:

• Brown rice, whole wheat bread
• Multigrain or whole wheat roti
• Oats, muesli
• Sweet potatoes, Yam (suran), Carrots
• Banana, chikoos

Proteins are required to build and repair the body.

Aim for about 1gm protein per kg body weight (for example if your weight is 80 kg you should be eating 80gms of protein)

Good sources of non-vegetarian protein are:

• Egg whites, skinless chicken breast, fish
• Good sources of vegetarian sources are
• Soyabeans and soya products, dals and pulses, paneer or cottage cheese, milk and curd/yoghurt

Good fats are required for your body as well.

About 20-25 per cent of total calorie intake should come from fats.

Sources of good fats are:

Nuts and seeds: almonds, walnuts, peanuts, sesame seeds (til), flaxseeds (alsi), pepitas (pumpkim seeds).

Avoid: Deep fried and fried foods, fatty meats, full fat dairy products, bakery products (like biscuits, cakes, pastries, croissants)

Water is extremely important to keep yourself hydrated.

A simple test to make sure you are well hydrated: your urine colour should be light straw coloured. If it’s not, drink some more water.

Besides plain water other liquids to keep yourself hydrated are:

• Thin buttermilk
• Fresh fruit juices
• Lime juice
• Sports drinks
• Water infusion (water with slices or cubes of fruit in it, like melon, lemons and mint, orange and basil)

4 weeks to the marathon:

By this time you should have trained your gut and learnt what foods work for you’re and what don’t.

While training for the marathon you will have rest days and training days.

During rest days it is important to decrease the carbohydrate intake and up the protein. One meal should be carbohydrate dense and the other 2 main meals and snacks should be protein dense.

Start off with a protein rich breakfast:

• Egg white omelet or egg white bhurjee (scrambled eggs) with a slice of whole wheat toast + 1 glass of low fat milk OR
• 1 bowl of sprouted moong with low fat curd

Lunch

• Whole wheat or multigrain rotis or brown rice + paneer preparation + dal + salad OR
• Grilled chicken breast with oven roasted vegetables (including potato, carrots, pumpkin) + brown rice

Dinner

• Stir fry tofu with vegetables OR
• Steamed fish with sauteed greens (spinach and green beans)

Mid-day protein snacks:

• Roasted peanuts and chana
• Protein bar
• Black chana chaat
• Soya nuts
• Grilled paneer cubes

3-2 weeks

On training days it is important to have maximum carbs and moderate protein. During this time complex carbohydrates are best as it slowly releases energy.

Breakfast

• Unsweetened museli with low fat milk topped with fruit OR
• Poha (rice flakes) with peanuts + 1 banana

Lunch

• Brown rice paneer pulao or chicken pulao with mixed vegetable raita OR
• Chicken or paneer kathi roll (multi grain roti) with mixed vegetable raita

Dinner

• Carrot tomato soup + Aloo paratha with cucumber raita + soya palak sabji OR
• Carrot tomato soup + multigrain bread chicken breast sandwich with salad

Mid-day snacks

• Fresh fruit
• Dry fruits and nuts
• Hummus and pita bread
• Apple slices with peanut butter

1 week

With just a few days left for the big day, you will be reducing the intensity of your training; this will let your body store the carbohydrate as glycogen, which will be converted into energy to fuel your run on D-day.

About 3 days before the big run it is also important to up your carbohydrate intake – carb-loading. Aim for about 10 gms per kg body weight. In simpler words half your plate should be filled with carbs like bread, rice, rotis, potatoes and the remaining with protein and vegetables. This way you also balance the calorie intake, by reducing the amount of protein and fat in your meals.

In these days, also cut out the high fibre items from your diet. Avoid foods that will cause you bloating or gas. So have white rice instead of brown rice, limit leafy vegetables and beans.

Few hours before the run have a low GI meal (glycemic index is a number associated with a particular type of food that indicates the food's effect on a person's blood sugar level)

• Chicken sandwich
• Peanut butter on toast
• Oats with milk and fruit
• During the run high GI foods are important to keep refuelling your body, like
• Bananas
• Low fibre energy bars
• Jelly beans
• It is important to keep hydrated as well. Keep sipping on water, sports drinks or fruit juice.

After the run:

It is best to eat a protein-carbohydrate combination within 15-30 minutes of your run for recovery:

• Chicken sandwich or paneer sandwich or tuna sandwich
• 1 scoop of protein shake
• Yoghurt and fruit