How many calories for marathon training?

Hi all. I am new to this forum and had a question. I have begun training for a 1/2 marathon in April. I am actually going to start by doing a 5k in a few weeks (11/3). This will be my first marathon and I am excited but also scarred that I am getting my hopes up and then will not be able to complete it.   Anyways, my question is that I am concerned I am not eating enough. Since I have stepped up the training and jogging I have really been watching what I have been eating and eating better and less has become natural. I am only getting in between 1100-1200 calories a day. And maybe it is because of the training but a couple of times I have felt weak and like I have had low sugar. This is does not happen when training but just throughout the day. Like yesterday, it was like 6 hours and a meal later that I all of a sudden felt weak. I do not want to gain weight (actually I would like to lose) but I want to be healthy while training and jogging so is there a recommended calorie intake when you are training and jogging? Thanks for any help you can give. 

Boy, thats a tough one.  I can tell you that once I started marathon training, weight loss stopped for me.  I am not sure of the cause and effect though.  Did I eat more because I could or because I had too.  For the shorter maintenance runs, I don't think that I do anything different than normal but for the long runs, you are definitely going to have to ramp it up a little that day and the day before.  Depending on what you are doing now in the exercise department will also be a factor.  If you are exercising vigerously now than it should not be much of a change. I guess that my overall answer would be that you are probably not going to be able to function on that few calories while marathon training.  Are you training for a full of a half?  That can also play a factor.  There is a big difference with the two.  You would be more likely to be able to do it with the half.  One thing that you body needs to sustain itsself for long distances is carbohydrates.  There is no getting past that. Good luck.

Scott, What is it with the marathon training and weight??  I see you said that weight loss stopped for you.  Before I started my marathon training in July I was maintaining my weight and not running because of some minor surgery I had.  When I started training I actually put on a few pounds which are starting to come off now.  Have you read about this? 

Mary

I have read that many people who expect to lose weight training for a marathon end up gaining.   I think that there are two reasons.  One is simple.  The amount of muscle that you build adds weight.  The second reason in simple in concept but still is hard to grasp, for me.  Your body goes into crisis mode when you go on a 3 hour run.  It thinks that you are out hunting and gathering and needs to fuel up.  As soon as you get the chance to eat, the body takes advantage.  I don't know why I can't turn those days into big loss days but it just doesn't seem to work that way.  I really need to lose 15 pounds before Disney so the 39.3 miles doesn't kill me but I am having trouble finding the heart for it.

Misty, There will be some trial and error in achieving the proper balance.  I am still struggling with this and I've done 5 half-marathons and I am training for my first full marathon.  I average about 2000 calories per day.  Since I've started marathon training I've actually put on a couple of pounds.  Am I eating more?  I don't think so, but I should get back to keeping a food journal so I have a better handle on this.  I don't want to change anything right now as what I'm doing seems to work for the long training runs. 

If you have increased your workouts you might need to increase your food intake.  You might want to take with your nutritionist to see if she has any recommendations. 

Best of luck in finding the right balance! Mary

Thanks for everyone help. I think I do need to up my food intake more by eating 3 meals and two snacks a day. Especially since I am starting something new and working quite a bit. I jog 5 days a week. Although I am not up to much yet on jogging since I just started, it is quite a bit more activity than I am have done previously and when I really get up there in miles for the half marathon than I want to make sure I am doing everything right. I don't eat carbs much at all so I may have to find some good carb alternatives to put in my diet later on. I have a training program I am going to follow for these next couple of weeks to get me up to 5K. Right now I do between 2 and 3 miles a day but can only do about 1.25 and 1.5 miles straight without walking.  Which is a major achievement  for me. I could not even walk a mile a little over a year ago and now I am jogging it. I have read that speed does not matter for the first marathon and just completing it is what I need to work for. But then I have read that you should build to 10 minute miles. Right now I am working at a 4.5 speed so I still have a ways to go but I am looking forward to my first 5k in a few weeks and I hope I can get through the whole thing jogging without stopping. We shall see.

I had the same problem just befor my first 1/2 marathon. My Dr said I was not getting enough protien in my diet. While for eveyday living I only need 74g If I want to do this much execise i need to increase my protien by half 110-120g. So I supliment with another protien shake. I hope this helps. Deb