Long run fueling and nutrition
This is part of a series of posts I’m doing this spring focused on marathon training. To get these “Marathon Monday” posts in your inbox, sign-up here!
Guest blog post by:
Morgan Zinsli Bettini, MS, RDN/LDN, RYT
Contact Morgan here for personal nutrition advice
Coach Carl here with a quick intro to this week’s post …
Good nutrition is a vital part of successful training for any race — but it’s especially important for the marathon. All those miles in training require proper fueling. But good nutrition can also be super confusing. You’ve got a million different fad diets, confusing labels, and studies that come out every week that contradict each other about what is the best thing for your running.
Of course good nutrition is going to differ in some aspects from person to person based on preference, allergies, etc. But there are still some really important aspects that are going to be universal to everyone running a marathon.
That’s why I turned to Morgan Bettini — a registered dietitian with a Masters in sports nutrition — to help cut through the static. We’ve already looked a lot in this series about the long run and why it’s so important. So I asked Morgan to put together a nutrition plan to make sure you’re getting the most out of the hard work you put in during your long run. That means proper fueling both DURING the long run and AFTER the long run.
Check out her recommendations below, and use the guidelines presented (and a little trial and error) to put together your own nutrition plan to maximize your long runs NOW — so you’ve got plenty of time to practice it before race day.
To download a PDF of this handout, click here.
About Morgan Zinsli Bettini
Morgan is a registered dietitian with a Masters degree in Sports Nutrition and a registered yoga instructor. She counsels a variety of patients and clients to help them make healthy choices accessible and improve their health, running, and quality of life. When she’s not running or enjoying yoga, she can be found stand up paddle boarding or enjoying time outside. If you are interested in working with Morgan to maximize your training, she can be reached by email here.