Running a marathon or half-marathon requires a lot of devotion and persistence. Marathon runners must organize not only their work-out schedule but also their diet. In fact, if you’re curious how athletes from other countries are doing, for example Poland, you can inform yourself more on bbfan.pl. Food really affects the performance of every athlete. Those who want to push it to the extremes and run a marathon must be very careful about what they eat.
Therefore, every type of food they take is crucial for their body, including their muscles, and even their brain.
Although there is no such thing as a “perfect” diet for marathon runners, there are a couple of things that they should focus on eating (and a couple of things they should avoid).
A Meal Before Morning Run
The majority of runners eat light food such as oatmeal in order not to create stomach problems when they run in the morning. They often need to insert one scoop of whey protein in order to gain strength and stop the catabolic process which usually takes place during the sleep.
Marathon runners also make sure that they do not overtake their morning food, but can sometimes add a slice of toast with peanut butter if they feel that they need a little extra energy for running.
Post-Run Meal
After completing their morning run, marathon runners usually want to drink a recovery drink that is usually a type of yogurt or something similar that will help them freshen up themselves and prepare for their day.
Breakfast
After they rest for a while, marathon runners need to eat their breakfast. They actually have a protein-filled breakfast, which means that eggs are often on the menu. In fact, anything that is nutritional and has enough fiber and minerals that will keep them healthy is a great choice. They sometimes even take yogurt or fruit after breakfast.
Lunch
Some things that many marathon runners prefer eating for their lunch include chicken wrap, avocado, spinach, and more. Actually, all types of food that are dense with nutrients can help with their training routine.
Dinner
Dinner should be light, but not too light as marathon runners still need to feed their bodies while they sleep. Some great meals that many of them love to eat include salmon, chicken, pasta, and more.
Sometimes, when the marathon date is getting near, many runners increase the number of meals per day and add more snacks and even the second dinner. This is often necessary as they really lose a lot of energy running and preparing for the marathon.
As you can see, runners do pay a lot of attention to what they eat, but they certainly don’t have to stay away from their favorite meals. Even professional marathon runners have their cheat days!