Conscious pre-workout nutrition is one of the elements that truly impacts the quality of marathon preparation. A proper pre-workout meal, a well-thought-out strategy during exercise, and proper post-exercise recovery help maintain high intensity and limit the accumulation of fatigue.
For amateur runners, it's crucial to match your nutritional strategy to the type of training session – your body has different needs during intervals than during long runs or strength training.
How to eat before different types of training?
I. Long runs (90–150+ minutes).
This is a high-energy unit. A meal 2–3 hours before a race should:
- base on carbohydrates (60–70% of energy),
- contain a moderate amount of protein,
- be low in fat and fiber.
In practice, the following work well:
- Czarniecki pasta with light tomato sauce and sliced chicken or turkey breast,
- white rice with egg and boiled carrots,
- wheat rolls with cottage cheese and a small amount of jam.
If you're adding vegetables, choose those you tolerate better before your run and that don't cause digestive issues, such as zucchini, cooked carrots, peeled cucumbers, peeled tomatoes, or butterhead lettuce. The goal of this meal is to maximize glycogen replenishment without burdening your digestive tract.
II. Intervals and tempo training.
Quality training requires good carbohydrate availability, but typically doesn't require a very large meal volume. Two to three hours beforehand, the following is recommended:
- wheat or egg pasta with sliced turkey in a light tomato sauce,
- white rice with tofu and a small portion of zucchini,
- sandwiches made of wheat bread with cottage cheese or skyr.
Light sources of protein include eggs, semi-skimmed cottage cheese, skyr, plain yogurt, natural tofu, and lean fish like cod or pollock. The goal of this pre-workout meal is to provide energy without feeling heavy during faster runs.
III. Running Strength (runs, skips, supplementary training).
Although the duration may be shorter, the intensity of such a workout is high. It's worth having a light carbohydrate meal 1.5–2 hours beforehand. This could be, for example, toast with honey and plain yogurt, or a small portion of cornflakes with plain yogurt and strawberry jam. A meal that's too heavy or fatty can cause discomfort during dynamic exercise.
Nutrition during exercise – how much and when to eat?
For exercise lasting longer than 75–90 minutes, it's recommended to consume 30–60 g of carbohydrates per hour at moderate intensity. The most common solutions are:
- carbohydrate gels, e.g. those from B-PAC by AronPharma,
- carbohydrate energy jellies,
- isotonic drinks, e.g. isotonic carbohydrate from B-PAC,
- bananas,
- energy bars (with carbohydrates, not proteins).
It's best to start eating early—consume your first carbohydrate source right before your run, and the next one about 30-40 minutes into your run—don't wait for a significant energy drop. Test products on long runs, gradually increasing the amount of carbohydrates and observing your body's reaction. It's best to do this a few weeks before the race, not just a few days before. Typically, gels are taken with water to reduce the risk of stomach upset. For example, B-PAC energy gels are a great option., thanks to the consistency of the hydrogel, do not require washing down with water.
AronPharma has prepared a special Marathon Runner Set for runners competing in the Energa Gdańsk Marathon. You can try it throughout your run preparations to learn which products your body tolerates best and which flavors suit you best.
Anabolic window and post-workout recovery – practical tips
The first 30–60 minutes after exercise is a great time to begin recovery. This is the time to eat a meal to replenish muscle glycogen and accelerate the body's recovery process.
After training, it is worth providing:
- 1.0–1.2 g carbohydrates/kg body weight,
- 20–30 g protein.
In practice, this may be:
- pasta wheat with chicken breast or tofu,
- rice with eggs and cod,
- milkshake based on milk with banana and skyr,
- sandwiches made of wheat bread with turkey and natural yogurt.
Vegetables that can complement your meal include zucchini, carrots, peeled tomatoes, or lettuce. Fat should be moderate—excess fat can delay stomach emptying and slow the recovery process.
Training hydration in high temperatures
Remember that hydration is an element that also requires training and planning. Dehydration of 2% of body weight can significantly reduce performance. Therefore, it's important to regularly replenish fluids to avoid dehydration. During exercise lasting longer than 60 minutes, it's recommended to drink 150-250 ml of fluid every 15-20 minutes. In high temperatures, include sodium-containing beverages, and after training, replace 125-150% of lost fluids (based on the difference in body weight before and after the run – simply weigh yourself before and after).
Common stomach problems in runners – how to avoid them?
Many runners are familiar with the feeling of their stomach giving out when they least expect it. Common causes of gastrointestinal problems include:
- excess fiber eaten before the run (e.g. legumes, cruciferous vegetables, whole grains),
- too large and fatty meal,
- a large portion of raw vegetables,
- consuming gels too quickly or taking too many carbohydrates with them (it is worth preparing the gels in advance, calculating the demand for running training),
- no testing of nutritional strategy (remember to never test new products on the day of the start, because you do not know how your body will react to the new product in the face of effort).
To reduce the risk of the above conditions:
- limit fiber and fat before long units,
- choose easily digestible vegetables that you know are not harmful to you,
- test products gradually and early enough, when you still have at least 6 weeks or more until the start,
- keep your watering regular.
The digestive tract can be trained—we call it gut training. However, it requires consistency, time, and a conscious approach. It's best to plan ahead and incorporate this into your training plan. Most importantly, test your nutrition at the same training paces that will later be your race pace.
In summary, pre-workout nutrition isn't about complicated regimens, but about consciously matching food to a specific type of effort. Proper preparation before training, a well-thought-out strategy during the run, and rapid recovery afterward allow amateur runners to train effectively, avoid energy slumps, and fully utilize the potential of marathon preparation.
The few weeks before the race are also the best time to test new products and nutritional strategies – checking which solutions actually work for your body and which ones trigger intestinal problems. Don't wait until the last minute. Experimenting during the preparation period gives you comfort and confidence on race day. All this experience will pay off on the Energa Gdańsk Marathon starting line – there's no room for chance, but rather room for a consciously developed plan.
Agnieszka Gruszka, Sports dietitian and psychodietician
For years, she has been combining scientific knowledge with sports practice. In the past, she trained as a regatta sailor, and triathlon was her sporting adventure. Currently, she is active in mountain biking and running. In her work, she provides nutritional support to athletes of various disciplines, including young competitors—including her son Grzesiek, who trains mountain biking.
