Fueling up for the Blue Nose Marathon: Dietitian teaches runners how to prepare for the big race

Sports dietitian Angela Dufour shares her tips for fueling your body ahead of a long run.

The Blue Nose Marathon is in Halifax this weekend which means runners are fueling up for a long burn.

Dietitian Angela Dufour said when you train, you’re training your gut too. She said it’s also important to understand some of the myths about preparing for a big race. Carb loading is one of them.

“It doesn’t actually have to be an enormous amount of carbohydrates,” Dufour said. “You’re just looking at probably one to two servings extra with a taper.”

Dufour said tapering off allows your body a chance to retain and store food energy but people always want to know what to eat right before the race. She said you should try different things in training so your body doesn’t surprise you but she recommends caffeine for an extra boost. One of her favourite pre-race snacks is a California prune, espresso and caramel latte.

“You need about 100 to 200 milligrams of caffeine,” she said. “So that’s like an hour to two hours before. Everyone’s a little different.”

For carbs she recommends a California prune oat pudding. With a glass of orange juice, she said it makes a great pre-race meal.

During the race, Dufour said focus on staying hydrated and fueled because your gas tank only lasts about 45 minutes.

“The glycogen tank,” she said. “Because that carbohydrate is stored in the liver and muscle.”

Dufour said you should top up with a carbohydrate-rich sports drink or gel, not just electrolytes. She said you should eat or drink something every 15 to 20 minutes. She packs hour-long food bags that include as much food she should eat every hour on a run.

After the race, Dufour said you should refuel, rehydrate and reload.

“Between 25 and 30 grams of protein and then three times that for carbohydrates within the first hour,” she said. “You probably want to repeat that again within the two hours.”