Embarking on the journey to run your first marathon is an exciting and challenging endeavour. As you lace up your running shoes and hit the pavement, it’s essential to fuel your body adequately to optimize performance and ensure a successful training phase. In this guide, we’ll explore the key aspects of nutrition, focusing on meals and nutrition products that will support your training efforts, with an emphasis on proper fuelling and hydration.
The Foundation: Balanced Meals
- Pre-Run Meals:
Before a training session, aim for a balanced meal that includes a mix of carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats. Opt for easily digestible options, such as porridge with fruit, whole-grain toast with peanut butter, or a smoothie with yogurt and berries.
- Post-Run Nutrition:
Recovery is crucial after a training session. Include a combination of carbohydrates and protein to replenish glycogen stores and aid muscle repair. Examples could include a chicken pasta dish, tuna sandwich or grab a convenient OTE recovery protein shake. Recovery nutrition is going to be crucial for helping you achieve back to back training days, and allowing your body to adapt to the training you are doing.
OTE Sports Nutrition Products: Enhancing Marathon Performance
To optimize your marathon training, consider incorporating OTE Sports nutrition products into your routine. These products are designed to support endurance athletes during intense training sessions, and can be really helpful as the mileage starts to ramp up towards the all important 26.2 miles.
1. Energy Gels
During longer runs, especially those lasting over an hour, OTE Energy Gels provide a quick and convenient source of carbohydrates. Start experimenting with these gels during your longer training runs to understand how your body responds to them. Science would suggest that taking onboard 60g of carbohydrates per hour is a great place to start. OTE has two types of gels available. Our standard gel contains 20g of carbs, our Super Gel contains 40g of carbs. One of each per hour will help you hit your carbohydrate goal.
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2. Energy Chew
Not a fan of an energy gel? Why not try our OTE Energy Chew. Each bar delivers 23g of carbohydrates and added electrolytes. Not only are they light on your stomach and easy-to-digest; they’re bursting with delicious natural flavours. This makes them a great option for those that prefer to eat something, but will struggle to take on board normal food whilst moving.
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3. Hydro Tabs
Proper hydration is paramount. OTE Hydro Tabs can be dissolved in water, providing essential electrolytes without unnecessary sugars. Practice using these tabs during your training runs to find the right balance for your hydration needs. Ignoring hydration during long runs can lead to decrease in performance and cramp. Even though drinking whilst running is difficult, practise will make perfect before the big day. Also making sure you start your running session fully hydrated will be a big help. Sipping little and often is the most advantageous way to rehydrate.
Try out run specific bottles that are easier to hold.
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4. Recovery Drink
OTE Soya Protein Recovery Drink is an excellent choice for post-training recovery. It contains a blend of carbohydrates and protein to refuel your energy stores and aid muscle recovery. This is the quickest and most convenient way to tick off all your recovery needs. Plus the added vitamins and minerals help protect your immune system when your body’s going through a bit more stress and strain than usual.
Use it within 30 minutes of finishing a long run to maximize its benefits.
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Getting Accustomed to Sports Nutrition Products
- Trial and Error:
It’s crucial to experiment with nutrition products during your training phase. Start with smaller amounts to gauge how your body reacts. Pay attention to how these products affect your energy levels and digestion.
- Consistency is Key:
As you approach race day, stick to the nutrition routine that works best for you. Consistency will help your body adapt, minimizing the risk of gastrointestinal issues during the marathon.
- Variety Is The Spice Of Life
Try mixing up your flavours to prevent flavour fatigue during your long marathon build up. The last thing you want is to get to race day with barriers to fuelling because you’ve had too many Apple Gels!
- Practise The Process Of Fuelling
As much as trialling nutrition functionality in training is important, so is getting used to actually taking it on board. Opening and consuming an energy gel whilst run might on the face of it seem easy, but it reality it’s not, especially when you’re tired. Practising eating and drinking can make things a lot easier come race day.
Conclusion
Successfully training for a marathon involves more than just logging miles; it requires strategic nutrition planning. By incorporating balanced meals and gradually introducing OTE Sports nutrition products into your routine, you’ll be well-equipped to tackle the challenges of long-distance running. Remember, the key is to find what works best for your body, ensuring you’re adequately fuelled and hydrated for the big race day.