Featherstone Nutrition

I had the privilege to run the Berlin Marathon with Abbott Global. The week was an absolute blast! I loved the city, the crowd, and the race. I came away with a PR <right after turning 40> of 2:49:55 just 15 years after my first marathon of 3:58. What a journey!

After the marathon, I received a text and was told that I could come meet Eliud Kipchoge if interested. Of course I was interested, and I hightailed it to meet the GOAT.  It was an absolute dream. He was the nicest human, and I am so grateful to have met him and for his kind words <did Kipchoge just tell me that I’m fast?! yes he did.>

Eliud and I chatted about the race for a bit. Then, I just had to ask him:  “What do you eat for breakfast on race day?” and “What is your favorite food?” Check out the video below to find out!

The definition of the aerobic system is the “combustion of carbohydrates and fats in the presence of oxygen”. The aerobic system is how we produce energy from fuel for endurance efforts, which is necessary for all runners, no matter the pace. If we continually fuel, this system can keep functioning.

The aerobic system can be fueled by carbohydrates and/or fat. It is possible to utilize protein; however, the body spares protein breakdown at all costs. We know that when both carbohydrates and fat are available, turning carbohydrates into energy is more efficient and carbs are utilized more during high intensity exercise. If carbohydrates are not present, fat will be utilized as the fuel source.

Fat is utilized more at low-moderate intensities, but in the absence of carbohydrates, your body will indeed utilize more fat for energy. However, we also know that when glycogen is depleted, our bodies start to break down protein – and as endurance athletes, we want to build and support lean muscle, not break it down. Also, we mentioned above that the process of turning carbohydrates into energy is more efficient than fat <you will be able to give your body energy faster with carbs as the fuel source>, and carbohydrates are important for contractile function in the muscle.

Absolutely not. If you have fuel to use <aka carbs, fat, protein> and you are working at a higher intensity <aka high aerobic activity>, your aerobic system will produce energy from said fuel, no matter where they came from. Your energy systems do not know the difference between fuel from oatmeal, pop tarts, graham crackers, gels, or a banana.

A balanced diet with adequate protein at all meals, healthy fats, and matching carb intake for your current activity level is the best way to fuel your aerobic system. In our daily lives, for the most part, meals and snacks can consist of complex carbohydrates <giving you carbohydrates, fiber, and other nutrients>, lean protein, healthy fat, and color.

Being more strategic before and during your exercise with quick fuel sources that are easy to digest will help you get the energy you need the fastest, without upsetting your GI tract. Easily digestible carb sources: bagel, English muffin, toast, grahams, banana, etc.

The short answer is, yes, you do need carbohydrates, even when you are training at a low heart rate.

Carbohydrates are the preferred fuel source for our muscles. We can ingest carbohydrates for quick energy & use glycogen <carbohydrate stores> to fuel our runs. Of note, our bodies can turn glycogen into fuel faster than turning fat stores into fuel.

We have lots of research to show that during an aerobic activity <like running> our bodies are burning a combination of fat & carbohydrates. At a lower heart rate, our bodies utilize less carbohydrates than at a high heart rate. But even at a lower heart rate <around 65% VO2 max>, our bodies will use about 50% fat and 50% carbohydrates. (See the graph below)

As mileage and duration of an endurance activity increase, we know that our carbohydrate needs also increase. This means fueling with carbs on a daily basis, pre-run, intra-run and post run. Any endurance activity requires carbohydrates to perform our best.

So, while we use less carbohydrates at a lower HR, we are still using a decent amount of carbs as fuel. For an easy, low HR run over 1 hour, maybe we can stretch our fuel a little bit more <think taking a gel every 30-40 min instead of every 25-30 min>, but when you are in a longer endurance feat and want to feel your best, it is still recommended to fuel early and often so we don’t hit the wall.

Carbohydrates are the preferred fuel source for our muscles.

Pre-run carbohydrate intake improves endurance performance.

Carbohydrate availability is essential for muscle contractile function.

Carbohydrate consumption post-exercise aids in muscle recovery.

Carbohydrate storage in our muscles <glycogen> improves endurance performance.

MORE MILES = MORE CARBS

While it is possible to run without consuming many carbs, we have listed many reasons why it is beneficial to support your training with adequate carbohydrates, even if you are training at a low HR. The total amount of daily and intra-run carbs might be a little lower than someone working at a higher intensity, but it will depend. It is very dependent on your training volume, duration, body size, etc. If you need help figuring it out, reach out for a consult.

There are many options when it comes to race day hydration: Should you bring your own handheld or drink what is on course? How often and how much to drink? Should you drink water or electrolyte drinks? Let’s dive into what you need to be thinking about for your race day hydration.

Even before race day, we need to be smart with our hydration, to make sure that we are going into the race well hydrated. This means hydrating the day & night before and the morning of the race.

The night before: Drink 12-16 oz of an electrolyte drink. If your race is over 1.5 hours, and you’ve been carb loading, the extra water you drink with your carb load will help, too.

The morning of: Drink 12-16 oz of an electrolyte drink (or a cup of coffee/tea + electrolyte drink). Stop drinking 1 hour before your race to decrease the need for bathroom stops (sips are ok if needed).

This is a personal decision that only you can make. Think about what will make you more comfortable on race day: not carrying a handheld or bringing your own drink so you know exactly what you are getting.

Pros of carrying your own bottle: not battling at the crowded aid stations, running better tangents without weaving for tables, and drinking the electrolyte drink you trained with each week

Cons of carrying your own bottle: something to hold in your hand, may throw off your natural gait & arm swing without enough practice, and fluid is provided on course

This decision can get tricky, especially if your fluid and electrolyte needs are high. Getting help from a sports dietitian to create a plan that works for your needs is a great option.

If it’s a cool race day and you aren’t a very heavy/salty sweater, it’s possible that drinking water to thirst & with gels or chews can work for you, especially for shorter to half marathon distance.

If it’s warm or you are a heavy/salty sweater, you will need more electrolytes. You can consume electrolytes from one or a combination of: on course electrolyte drinks, electrolyte drink in your handheld, race fuel, and salt caps/tabs.

If you are planning on using an on course hydration drink, practice with it during your long runs, so you know you tolerate it. We don’t want to try anything new on race day!

First, it depends on your individual needs & sweat rate. We need anywhere from 2 – 20 oz of fluid per hour in races over 60 minutes. That’s a wide range. And, we often aim to replace around 1/2 of our sweat losses during a race. We never want to drink back all our sweat losses during a race and we should never drink more than we lose via sweating while racing. <Of note: we never want to drink more than 25 oz fluid per hour as this increases our risk of a dangerous condition called hyponatremia.>

You also need to consider what/where you are drinking. If you are using what’s on course, make sure you look into where the aid stations will be. Many big races and marathons will have them at every mile (or close to it) but others may not.

Most race cups have about 3-4 oz, but how much you ingest will vary. If you stop or slow to a walk to drink, you may be able to drink all or most of it in. If you are running while drinking, it’s likely that you will only get 1-2 oz per cup.

If you are bringing a handheld water bottle, you will know exactly how much you are drinking.

Often, we train in weather that is very different from race day. Ideally, we use the sweat rate calculator to determine how much sweat we lose per hour in predicted race conditions and this can help guide our fluid strategy on race day.

Use your sweat rate data to determine how much fluid you will need, and then figure out how much and how often you need to drink.

We all know that hydration needs are very individualized, and there are many choices to consider with hydration products and drinking methods. The best thing your can do is to have a plan. Use your sweat rate & sweat composition data to make your plan. If you need help, please reach out for a Last Minute Crunch Time Session with Meghann or a Customized Race Day Fuel & Hydration Plan.

Many of us have experienced GI <gastrointestinal> issues on long runs or race day. GI issues can be in the form of nausea, sloshy stomach, vomiting, cramping, or diarrhea. Let’s take a look at what can cause it & what we can do to prevent it.

Often, dehydration is the cause of GI distress during long runs or on race day. When you are dehydrated, there is less blood flow to your GI tract, and thus, your body cannot digest and absorb nutrition & fluid as efficiently.

To avoid GI distress caused by dehydration, make sure you hydrate well the entire day before a long run or during your carb load leading up to your race. Hydrate the morning of the run with electrolytes and take in enough fluid & sodium during your run. If you are a heavy/salty sweater or it is warmer outside than you prefer, consider hyperhydrating the night before a long run or race.  <To read more on hydration needs, check out our Hydration page>.

Some of us have stomachs of steel and can eat whatever we want leading up to a long run or race. But, for those of us who don’t, too much ‘roughage’ the day before leaves a little too much ‘behind’ to cause problems the next day during the run. Take a look at what we are eating the night before and the morning of your run/race. Focus on getting in simple carbs and limiting fat and fiber, which may cause GI distress. Those with sensitive stomachs may need to skip the salads and veggies the night before those long runs and races. Simple carbs include: white bread, pastas, rice, bagels and crackers, fruit juices, sports drinks, etc.

If you dump too much sugar from gels and hydration drinks in your stomach at one time or you aren’t used to taking nutrition during your runs, it may cause GI distress. Be sure to mix your hydration drinks according to the directions so they aren’t too concentrated. And, train your gut to take gels during your long runs <use our calculator to determine your needs>. You may need to play around with different types of drinks and gels to find what works best for you.

When your core body temperature increases, gastric emptying decreases, and so does the absorption of nutrition. Hydration is one of the keys to this – so make sure you are well-hydrated going into your run & stay on top of your hydration during the run. Try to stay as cool as you can – wear the right clothing, find some shade when possible, cool off in a sprinkler – whatever gets the job done.

As your rate of perceived exertion (RPE) increases, your ability to absorb nutrition and fluid decreases. This is a big reason why I always say ‘Fuel Early & Often’ – If we fuel early & often while we are feeling good before our RPE gets too high, we will have a little wiggle room at the end if we cannot tolerate fuel at that time. And during a race, we will have more fuel stored from our carb load to fall back on.