What to feed a marathon runner for breakfast?

[Jill]

My godson is coming to stay with us on Saturday prior to running the London Marathon on Sunday.  I've a pasta meal planned for dinner that evening but am not sure what to give him for breakfast.  Would porridge be too heavy? Fruit too low in carbs?  Suggestions from experienced runners gratefully received.

[Jill]

[BarriedaleNick]

More of a cyclist than a runner but I would go for a mix of complex and simple carbs.
For me that's porridge with dried fruit and low fat milk (with a bit of honey!).

You may find he has something in mind if he is experienced and has a routine..ask him!

[PurpleHeather]

There is only one thing to do and that is to ask him.

Not only what but what time he wants it too. Same with the dinner. Pasta sounds ideal but you never know. All these fast and slow release foods can be complex.  A serious athlete may even bring all their own stuff. So don't take offence if this is what he wants to do.

I am sure bananas come into it somewhere.


If he says Pie and chips for dinner and a bacon butty with ketchup, for breakfast don't expect him to be a front runner.

Good luck

[Jill]

Thanks both but the problem is that he's a rugby player, and he's never run a marathon before so I'm not sure he'll know either!

[:(]

Porridge, toast and jam/honey.

And if youre seeing him afterwards, take food, lots of food.

[SamLouise]

My brother's a marathon runner so I'll ask him and try to get the info on here in time (I sometimes have trouble pinning him down!) He has told me on many occasions to stick jelly babies in my pocket for energy boosts when I start to flag on long walks or when I'm at the gym.  Good luck to your Godson, well done him!  :D 

[djbrenton]

I ran probably over 100 marathons over the years ( now years ago too). My morning regimen was always porridge or muesli with fresh orange. Another tip is black coffee. A high caffeine level helps you burn fat once your glycogen levels are depleted ( i.e you hit the wall).  I'd be wary of taking high sugar items on a long run. Once your muscles are depleted, if you take a sugar hit, your muscles can over-react and draw sugars away from your brain which can lead to a blackout. I once tried glucose tablets after 18 miles and nearly fainted. I then read up on why and avoided such things since.

If he's never run a marathon then make sure he realises that he must start drinking at the first station whether he thinks he needs to or not. This may seem obvious but at the London Marathon registration once ( when I was representing a sports drinks company who sponsored me) a runner asked me if I thought he should drink during the race or whether it might slow him down!!!!

[Jill]

Thanks, peeps.  Looks like porridge and black coffee then.  He's running for the Prostate Cancer Charity, so I want to make absolutely sure he's adequately nourished.

[Jeannine]

I have absolutely no advice but please wish him good luck from me and tell him to stay safe.He is doing a wonderful thing, and   he will pay for it I am sure. so a big thank you from me..

What is his first name..so we can cheer him on.

I always watch it cos I saw the movie See How She Runs with Joanne Woodward and always vowed I would do it one day!!Some chance, but I envy  your Godson, bless him.

XX Jeannine

[djbrenton]

One other tip. tell him not to worry about the time. London isn't about a PB it's about the experience. I was a sub 3 hour marathoner but always spent 4-5 hour at London, stopping off for food and drinks and soaking up the atmosphere. As a first timer it should be about enjoying it not half killing yourself trying to achieve target times.

[Jill]

Thanks DJ.  Very good advice which I will pass on - I'm sure it will be a fantastic experience for him.  He just phoned: he is very nervous but excited and loves the idea of porridge to set him up.  Thanks again.

[Mr Smith]

It would not surprise me if he turned up with his own supplies for his breaky, all the same the best if British to him, :)

[Unwashed]

Ideally you want a settled stomach on race day because you really don't want to have to take a dump half way through the race, but you'll want to lighten the load before you start - sorry if that was a bit more than you wanted to know.  You don't want to go screwing with your matabolism so just eat normally on Saturday.  Coffee is a really bad idea because it dehydrates you, and you want to be very well hydrated before the race.

[djbrenton]

Coffee is a really bad idea because it dehydrates you, and you want to be very well hydrated before the race.

And your experience is????

Rehydrating is easy. Hitting the wall is hard. Anything that makes fat conversion easier makes it more likely you'll be able to finish the marathon. Before you 'correct' me about diet and long distance running I should point out I used to run ultramarathons, including 124 miles in 24 hours and also used to write articles for Running magazine. My advice about coffee originally came from a close friend of mine Dr Lynn Fitzgerald, one of the foremost experts in extereme effort nutrition and a past world record holder at the 100km and 24 hour events. People rarely drop out of marathons through dehydration. Hitting the wall is a far more common reason.

As regards eating normally on the Saturday you do have a point. Carbo loading is something of a science, and if not operated correctly can be counter-productive. It also doesn't work for everyone. Pasta is never a bad isdea the night before a race but should be eaten early.

[rosebud]

 My son is also a marathon runner, he has Pasta the night before about 8pm, not sure what he has for breakfast he belongs to a running club so i am sure he gets very good advice.
He also climbed  2 mountains  for charity Everest & last Dec, he climbed Kilimanjaro?? spelling.
A very proud mother is typing this  ;D ;D :P.

Very good luck to your Godson Jill, i wish him all the best, yes take it reasonable very hard hitting that wall.
Tepid salt water for all the blisters,     nice loooooong soak in the bath also.

[Unwashed]

Best of luck for everyone running tomorrow.

DJ, I wasn't aware of the beneficial effects of caffine.  Clearly I don't have your experience - I doubt there are more than a handful of people in the country who do.  I ran Clarendon in 06 and plan to run it again next year.  Although caffine is a diruetic I can see that opinion has moved on a bit and I see how it might actually have a nett benefit for a marathon runner.  I'm going to see how I get on with it in training.

[antipodes]

I warn people off the dried fruit though, my hubbie runs distances and when he ran a marathon some time ago, the dried fruit gave him the runs halfway thru!  something else sugary is a good idea to keep in your pocket.

[Jeannine]

How did he do ? XX Jeannine

[Jill]

He did it!  Thanks for asking.  His first marathon, in 4.5 hours, has raised over £3000 for the Prostate Cancer Charity.  And he's thinking about running again next year.  It really was a fantastic day.  We stood near the Tower of London and actually saw him run past, then caught up with him at the end.  Wonderful atmosphere - London at its best.

[Jayb]

A huge Well Done that man  :) and sounds a wonderful day all round  :)