Hello Runner,
Welcome back to your weekly moment of endurance nutrition!
Happy Weekend!
How are you? I hope you’re doing fine :)
Another week has passed, and it's spring! I can't wait to see the flowers all over the city and for the weather to improve....because the weather in Barcelona is terrible!
Apart from that, I thought I'd got better, but I've only got worse. I've been sick for over a week now, and I haven't run.
I managed to do some light training this week, but no good running. My mood isn't very good because of it. But I know I need to be patient.
Last Sunday was the Barcelona Marathon, and although I didn't participate, I loved the energy! I'm lucky because the route passes right by my street, so I can watch it from my balcony. So I watched for a while from home, even saw my coach running (who, by the way, did it in a spectacular time of 2h45), and then went towards km 41-42 to cheer on the runners who were finishing it!
My friends and I shouted so much that I was voiceless for two days!!! hahahahah…Seeing so many people finishing such a beautiful competition was so much joy and emotion.
Watching a marathon up close is very interesting. You see a lot of happy, proud athletes, crying in pain, limping, cramping, walking, dehydrated, without strength, hitting the wall, you name it.
As I had some friends who took part in the marathon, this week I asked them about their intra-race nutrition, what they did wrong and regret, what they should have done and didn't, etc.
I got a wide variety of answers, and some of them were frightening.
I've listed the main ones below, which I think are the most important, and I'll explain what you can do to avoid making that mistake again.
Barcelona Marathon from my balcony
BCN MARATHON INSIGHTS
Some runners did not know about nutrition and ergogenic resources
I think that was the scariest thing of all for me. How can someone decide to run a marathon and not know the difference between essential amino acids and carbohydrates? Yes, some people thought that L-carnitine supplements (which are an amino acid) were the same thing as carbohydrate gels.
If you're a runner, cyclist, or triathlete, you need to know the basics of nutrition and how essential it is in your competitions.
→ Ergogenic resources are any nutrient, practice, pharmacological, or psychological method that increases performance. Examples: water, carbohydrates, caffeine, nitrates, etc.
Some runners didn't consume carb gel for fear of getting unwell
If you're running a marathon, there's no need to be afraid of consuming carbo gel.
→ What you should do BEFORE the race is buy a few different brands of gels and try them out in training. That way, you'll find the best option for you and one that won't cause you GI problems.
One of them didn't plan his hydration during the race and ended up completely dehydrated at the health center.
That scared me a lot, too.
Hydration is a serious matter and must not be neglected in any way. Remember that if you get dehydrated during the race, it's practically impossible to get hydrated again.
→ Ideally, you should calculate your fluid loss during your pre-race training sessions so you know roughly how much you'll need to hydrate during the marathon. From there, you can put together a hydration plan for your race.
One of them took some chocolate (like Snickers) to eat during the race
Milk chocolate contains sugar, which will at least stabilize blood sugar, but it also contains a lot of fat, which can cause GI issues during the race.
→ In a marathon, the ideal is to use other resources as a source of energy (for example: carbohydrate gels and carbohydrate drinks) which won't cause GI problems and are easier to carry during the race.
Another didn't carb-load a few days before the marathon
Carb-loading is a very interesting strategy to do in the days before a long race to make sure that all the muscle glycogen stores are full before the race starts. I owe you an email about this, I haven't forgotten!
→ What we eat daily when we train is very important. And what we eat in the days before a marathon is also extremely important. This way, we ensure a full supply of energy for the race and avoid hitting the wall.
One of them, who sweats a lot, hasn't used electrolytes or salt tablets
→ Runners who sweat a lot and have a salty sweat should use electrolytes, salt tablets, or even isotonic drinks during the marathon.
This brings us back to the topic of hydration, which must be taken seriously. Electrolytes/salt tablets will help with hydration and cramps, too.
Some used the gel earlier than planned or didn't even take all the gels they were supposed to.
Even if they don't work with a sports dietitian, some runners with more knowledge do their own nutritional planning for the race. And even then, many make mistakes about the number of gels they should take or even which km they should take them. This can get in the way and even increase the time of the race.
→ The idea is to have a correct nutrition plan, test it during your training sessions, and stick to it during the marathon.
As you can see, some mistakes can be trivial and still cost you months of training and effort. Other mistakes are absurd and can cost you your health.
If you're a runner and have any doubts about certain topics or think you're doing something wrong, get in touch with me. Let's talk, and I'll help you with your questions.
You can reply to this email, DM me on Instagram, or send a message on Strava (all my socials are listed at the end of this email)...whatever is easiest for you!
Track of the week 🎧️
This week's Track of the Week is a very pleasant light rock song by a band that makes perfect music for yoga flows.
Play it during your Zone 3 or 2 training.
I've chosen the track Sweater Weather by The Neighbourhood
Any questions or something you would like to share, drop me an email
Wishing you a great weekend and week ahead!
Here’s to health and good runs⚡️
Ana Paula Alonso