Ask the Experts: Marathon Nutrition Q+A with Ruth McKean

RUTH MCKEAN

Iccle Jim wrote (see)

Ruth,

I'm not sure about calorie intake / expenditure: I'm a tad short, and have always been a little overweight, though 2 years ago I followed a juice-based plan and lost 2 stone between new year and London in April. I've kept that off since, but can't shift any more.

I usually run 25-35 miles per week, and my Garmin suggests I burn 3 to 4000 calories a week running. I appreciate I do eat/drink some of that back on, but when my scales say I have a BMR of 1400 only, I'm not sure what I can do! am I really burning half my BMR with a 7 mile run?!!!

I weigh myself once a week and keep track of it, and cannot find any link between anything!

My diet is generally sensible, I don't do fast food, and eat plenty of meat and veg etc. I rarely drink these days too - might have had 6 pints this year so far..!

Cheers

Jimbo

Jimbo

It is so hard to help with the little info I have above and perhaps a change of routine in running may help some more intense running with these miles, are you sure there is not any extra calories coming from drinks such as smoothies, fruit juices, fancy coffees etc The more muscle mass you have the more likely you are to burn calories when resting so even some circuit or light weights to increase this?

Sorry for lack of help! 

RUTH MCKEAN

jimmyp wrote (see)

Ruth,

I am running the brighton marathon and staying in a hotel the night before, the race start at 9 and I am not sure what time I should eat breakfast and what sort of foods would be good.  On my long runs now I am able to eat porridge or weetabix at least an hour before the run of approx 22 miles and taking 2 gels on the way.

What would you recommend to eat the night before and in the morning ?

Thanks

James

Hi James

A well practised breakfast is what is needed and practise not only  type of food but also timing. I would eat at least 2 hours and cereal (porridge or weetabix is perfect) with some fruit juice  You can then have a banana  1-2 hours before or if like sip on sports dirnk. If only using 2 gels you may be a very fast runner but I would carry extra one at least. The very best of luck!

RUTH MCKEAN

james

Sorry , the night before: low fat meal: pasta /rice and tomato based sauce or large jacket potato with baked beans etc  with glass of fruit juice of full sugar cordial or soft drink then as  in hotel make yourself a jam sandwich (before leaving home) and eat this before bed!

RUTH MCKEAN

knight rider wrote (see)

Hi Ruth, some great advice bing posted on here - you're a very quicker typer too! I'm getting a bit bored with sandwiches, are tortilla wraps any good as a subsitute for bread or not enough carbs?

Hello KN!

Some other options: oatcakes/crackers/ pasta/rice/cous cous salads and try different types of bread. lots of different types to keep it interesting!

RUTH MCKEAN

sal f wrote (see)

Other than protein what would you recommend to speed up muscle repair? Having recently suffered from a sprained metatasal joint do you recommend any foods/ supliments to promote tendon and ligament healing?

Hi there

Funny you should ask this as an athlete I work with also asked me this question yesterday! and there is nothing out there that is proven to help. You could logically claim that foods which enhance collagen productionwould be useful such as vitamin C containing foods (brightly coloured fruits typically)
 and certain amino acids/proteins found in animal protein (meat/fish/eggs and milk products) but this is really digging to suggest something - I am sorry, time and good all round nutrition is the only think likely to help. Glucosmine also very unlikely to help.

RUTH MCKEAN

Thanks everyone I think that is all the questions answered. Best of luck to you all.

[Deleted User]

Ruth - thanks very much for that advice. Have tried to get a straight answer from the GP for years. Often get a "why would you want to run - why not a brisk walk!". This is very helpful and greatly appreciated. Steve

E mmy

Thanks for the advice Ruth It's greatly appreciated.

[Deleted User]

I also have T2 diabetes diet controlled and found your reply to Tentsmuir Runner very helpful I tend to use maltodextrin with elite for electrolytes but find I struggle from about 13 to 16 miles I tend to try and carbo load days before marathon. am runing Manchester marathon on 29 April do you have any sugestions to what I could use instead of maltodextrin.

Tiptoes

Morning Ruth:

Quick Question, I'm a coeliac and have trouble finding energy snacks from the big names, have even found some of the gels containing gluten, any ideas or suggestions please.

Lee

[Deleted User]

Hi Lee - the Lucozade gels are supposed to be (says on their website). I am not coeliac, but my wife is and is a runner, but for the record, I rate them as best anyway. SIS Go Gel are also apparently Gluten free, but contain Xanthan gum which I know some coeliacs react to - and again, for the record, though easier to take, especially on the move, they do not have the same carb content and I find them less effective.

Hope this helps

RUTH MCKEAN

Scouse wrote (see)

I also have T2 diabetes diet controlled and found your reply to Tentsmuir Runner very helpful I tend to use maltodextrin with elite for electrolytes but find I struggle from about 13 to 16 miles I tend to try and carbo load days before marathon. am runing Manchester marathon on 29 April do you have any sugestions to what I could use instead of maltodextrin.

Do you use anything else as well as the maltodextrin? Are you starting feeding early enough? It is a little late to be trying new things but have you tried drip feeding jelly babies/beans/other similar type jelly sweets say one every mile on top of current fuel stategy. The other non tested option is to try a carbohydrate drink/mixed with protein so a 3:1 mix (many commerial drinks companies now do these) but you still need to stick to your fluid needs and not overdrink so may still need to take on board other sugar or to try an extra gel at say 11miles or work out what you are doing now and increase intake by 5-10g at each fueling point you have to see if this helps.  

RUTH MCKEAN

Tiptoes wrote (see)

Morning Ruth:

Quick Question, I'm a coeliac and have trouble finding energy snacks from the big names, have even found some of the gels containing gluten, any ideas or suggestions please.

Lee

Hi Lee

Do you mean for fueling you during an actual race or just in general?

[Deleted User]

No I only use maltodextrin, but I will try the jelly beans / extra gel on my next long run. I have used For Goodness Shakes which is 3:1 carbohydrate/protein mix after long runs and it seems to aid recovery.

RUTH MCKEAN

Would not suggest you use the for goodness shake during but as you are doing this after perfect.! the carb & protein drinks are the ones just as high five 4: 1 or similar that are desgned to use during (not milky type drink such as the milkshakes as these would not go down very well during  a run for most people) but I would do the jelly babies /extra gels as the first line of defence !

RUTH MCKEAN

RUTH MCKEAN wrote (see)

Tiptoes wrote (see)

Morning Ruth:

Quick Question, I'm a coeliac and have trouble finding energy snacks from the big names, have even found some of the gels containing gluten, any ideas or suggestions please.

Hi Lee,

As far as I can see ISOGELS, SIS GO GELS AND LUCOZADE GELS are gluten free. The maltodextrin comes from maize in the GO and high five and in lucozade the glucose syrup which can be derived from wheat and barley but the gluten is removed from this and I am pretty sure that you can eat foods with glucose syrups and even wheat based maltodextrins. So most gels should be fine. You will struggle more with commerial sports bar but these are not so essential as you can get this energy from regular gluten free foods.

Hope that helps.

Ruth