Fueling for Marathons and Ultra Walks
On longer distance walks, your body will exhaust its ready supply of energy and also become dehydrated. Preparation is the key to being able to complete the longer distance and recover from the experience.
In this three part series on long distance walk preparation, I asked my long distance walking experts how they trained for these distances, what they wore and what they ate and drank along the way. This week we look at refueling during the event.
Regina:
Since my marathons have all been German and French IVV marathons, I rely on the food
and drink supplied at controls.
Tea every 5k Along about the middle, light sandwiches, cake, and apple and orange slices
are usually supplied. I suppose the experts won't approve, but around 30k and 35k I will
also have a schnapps, for the pain in my feet. I used to have a beer, which is probably
better for dehydration but, if there are not a lot of bushes, causes other problems.
(Editor's note: Beer and schnapps are traditionally available at walking events in
Germany.)
Christina:
Drink!!!
Water, more water, lemonade, coffee with milk and sugar when you feel wobbly.
Some people prefer cola when their stomach gets upset.
Eat your regular meals and keep doing so during a walk, but always go easy on the fat: it
takes too long to get rid of it.
Whole grain stuff is also too much when you do a 50 km. Have easy to digest food.
Whatever you like. If you don't like to eat, EAT ANYWAY!! Remember, YOU wanted to do a 40
or 50 km. walk. So stop whining and eat and drink.
When you do these distances regularly and don't do speeds over 7.5 km. per hour you will
find there is hardly any need to eat 'out of the ordinary' other than an extra sandwich,
an extra banana or a candy bar. All the rest comes with your regular meals. By then your
body is accustomed to this sort of thing.
Mary:
(Mary is planning for a long distance hiking event.)
For food, we plan to carry powerbars, Gu, and maybe some gorp, homemade jerky, or
brownies.
We don't like to stop to eat, since then the muscles get stiff and it's hard to keep
going. I find it hard to digest food while exercizing, so I also tend to drink lots of
Gatorade or Koolaid (for the sugar as well as the liquids).
We'll both have fanny packs for the food, raingear, entry card & water. I may also
give in and carry a camera.
Right now, since there's no support, I've been carrying two tall biker bottles, but we'll
only carry one short bottle each on the day of the event, since we'll be able to refill at
checkpoints.
Klaus:
Bring with you a bottle of pure water and remember to drink much.
Use the water bottle for the time walking, and buy your other beverages at the rest stops.
Mineral water, coke and juice are good beverages.
When the weather is warm, the drinks must not be too cold. That may "shock" the
stomach.
Also warm coffee or tea is good - even on warm summer days.
By cold weather warm cocoa is a very good thing to drink.
Food: To keep up the sugar balance fruit and Danish pastry is good, but also think of
protein: Sandwiches with some kind of meat and/or cheese gives you both carbon hydrates
and protein. Please remember: "Black" bread is better than white bread as it
goes slower into the blood, and thus it works for a longer time.
Net Links:
Diet and Sports Nutrition Net Links
Gu carbohydrate gel
Powerbar and Powergel
Clif Bar and Clif Shot
Training to Walk a Marathon
