What to eat and drink before Miami Marathon, Half Marathon

The Life Time Miami Marathon and Half Marathon resume on Sunday, with 18,000 runners starting at 6:00 a.m. in front of Miami-Dade Arena.

Many have run the race before, but some are new to it. Advice from an expert:

“You shouldn’t change your diet, you shouldn’t change your drinking habits, you shouldn’t change your clothes, you shouldn’t change your shoes,” says Michael Swartzon, Ph.D., sports medicine physician with Baptist Health Orthopedic Care and co-medical director of the Miami Marathon. said. and a half marathon.

According to Lisa Dorfman, author, athlete, and performance nutritionist who works for U.S. Special Operations Command at Homestead Air Force Base, all you need to do is stay hydrated, eat right, and stay active without exhausting yourself. The former University of Miami sports nutritionist has previously worked with Olympians and is known online as a running nutritionist.

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Here are some tips to keep an eye out for Sunday’s race.

how to rehydrate

The American Academy of Medicine recommends that men drink about 8-12 cups (2-3 liters) and women drink about 6-9 cups (1.5-2.2 liters) a day. However, not everyone needs the same amount of water. It can vary from person to person.

You don’t have to achieve that hydration level with water alone. You can drink sports drinks and eat foods that provide potassium and magnesium, two essential minerals your body needs, but running depletes them. Foods high in potassium include bananas, oranges, watermelon, These include avocados, coconut water, dried fruits such as raisins and apricots, almonds and cashews. Foods high in magnesium include chia and pumpkin seeds, almonds and cashews, black beans, edamame beans, and peanut butter.

Read the following: Can drinking water slow down aging?A guide to staying hydrated

What not to drink: alcohol. It can dehydrate you and affect your body’s energy levels. Please avoid it.

what to eat before a race

Miami is a foodie paradise. This can make food preparation difficult in the days leading up to the marathon, especially for visitors.

Dorfman said you can indulge in South Florida’s diverse cuisine through Thursday and eat simpler foods on Friday and Saturday.

Some suggestions:

Plain cereal and smoothies for breakfast. You can also have several eggs. Or peanut butter on toast with bananas. Grilled chicken sandwich on whole wheat bread for lunch. For snacks, sports bars and high carb drinks. For dinner, have 1-2 cups of pasta.

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“You don’t want to eat a lot of protein the night before because protein isn’t your main source of energy for the race. It’s actually carbs, and it’s going to be simple carbs,” Dorfman said.

Foods to avoid: Sweet, spicy, and unfamiliar foods.

How long should I exercise before a half/full marathon?

Staying active before a marathon is important, but it shouldn’t be delayed.

A warm-up is fine, but avoid long runs, especially the day before the race, says Swartson. Also, don’t try to add new exercise regimens to your routine.

Running a few miles on Thursday is fine, but Dorfman recommends running just a mile or 1.5 miles on Saturday to make sure you’re rested on Sunday. A swim in the pool or some light yoga on the beach can also help.

And when race day comes, try to “listen to your body.”