Marathon Nutrition Guidance ... help a newbie out!

So we have talked a little about this here and there but I was hoping to get more specific examples of what you have really done.

So being a wls patient ... what did you do to prepare the week leading to the marathon?   What did you eat the day before the marathon?    What did you eat on race morning?    Did you eat anything during the race beside gels and drinks?

I'm a little concerned about how pre race foods might effect me on a 26.2 mile run.   I'm concerned I'm going to have enough fuel in my body to last 26.2.    

I stay away from pasta and white flours.   I could do potatoes or other complex carbs.   Any ideas?

I want to prepare a plan to try out during my long training runs to get a system down prior to race day.   I have 3 halfs  ... Sept-Oct. and then a full in November. 

Thanks everyone!

Tom

Eat lots of brown rice and oatmeal pre race... mon tue & wed before race protein load... wed afternoon ease off the protein and switch to carb load on saturday (if your race is on Sunday) stay away from fiber like fruits wheat etc.... my dinner of choice before a big race is lasagna, but you dont do pasta so maybe pizza, oh wait you dont do flour, i dunno maybe chilli and orange juice??? Granola, nuts, corn, potatoes, peanut butter, bagels (whole wheat if you dont do white flour), pancakes (whole wheat again) ... The brown rice and oatmeal are great because they are complex carbohydrates so your body burns them long and slow and are great for sustained energy. The simple carbs like gels sports beans etc are for durin g the race when your body will burn them up fast and will help keep your level of glycogen up.

On the morning of the race, I usually have a bowl of oatmeal, 2-3 bananas and some granola... Bananas help to "Plug" you a little so you don't have to crap like a Canadian Geese out on the course... They have helped me tremendously with that issue. Stick with what works for you, everyone is diffrent, but for me this is what I do... Also BE SURE TO INCREASE YOUR SODIUM INTAKE 1-2 days prior to race. It is so important that you have enough electrolytes in your system come race day. I start doing a lot of sports drinks the day before, I put extra salt on everything because I burn 1200-1400MG of sodium an HOUR so I need the extra sodium. I do some salt tabs throughout the day and cornuts are really good for this as well.... They have a TON of carbs which is good, and LOADS of sodium, after all it is just fried corn., eat some banana chips the day or two before as well... TONS of potassium (Electrolytes)... Just my two cents, experiment now so you dont throw your body a curve ball on race day that could make for a difficult outing. Best of luck buddy! (just kidding bout the chilli and OJ by the way)

Dan,
Thanks so much for giving me your specific routine.  I appreciate it and will experiment with it myself. 

So another question for you.  What time / how many hours pre race do you eat your breakfast?  

What's the reason for avoiding fiber?  To make you not have to go the bathroom? 

Tom

YAHTZEE!!! Fiber = Runner's Trot... If your looking to leave bread crumbs so you will know how to get back to the finish line, without actually using bread crumbs, but feces, deffinetly do a Fiber Load!!!! I usually start taking in fluids and eating right when I get up... So if the race starts at 7, I will start eating at 5:30ish and will head to the event, and will deff munch down a banana 5 mins before race start. Best of luck bro....Again, be sure to have plenty of salt a couple days leading up to the race, it is critical!

I've only trained for a half I missed but what was working for me:
mac & cheddar cheese, peeled baked potato with cheddar cheese, peeled baked potato and Wendy's chili.  Spuds are complex carbs, its the junk we put on them that makes them bad.  PB and banana sandwich on wheat bread works for me too.
Good work on the prep races and getting to that level of competing.  Keep looking for an edge.

I also used glutamin (surely spelled wrong) for muscle recover and Creatine (both Body Fortress brand, powder form, from WalMart) a week or two before a race (I don't normally use otherwise) to get my muscles to hold some extra water and glycogen for race day.  Take it or leave that, just throwing it out there for ya.

Hey Joe,

You only missed the last 'e' - glutamine.

Linn

Creatine can Dehydrate you... I would recommend cycling OFF it before a race..

Thanks guys.

After sleeping on it, I also rembered the Lance Brand Nekot Peanut butter cookies have 32 gms of carbs.  They are tasty and go down well, espcially with a swallow or two of water,..but be warned, they are addictive and can cause weight gain if induldged too frequently.

Go ahead,...ask me how I know,.......

Thanks Joe!