Developing Your Marathon Nutrition Plan -
Lessons from a Champion Marathoner
By Kelly Liljeblad Keane
2005 Houston Marathon Champion
McMillanRunning.com Coach

I learned the importance of proper marathon nutrition while racing my very first marathon in 1997.  Like many new marathoners, I learned this lesson the hard way.  I hit the wall at mile 20. I hadn’t ingested enough fluid or fuel to get me to the finish line. The incredible slow-down of my ‘bonk’ with a total lack of energy, legs feeling like lead, dizziness and nausea made me committed to avoiding this feeling in my next marathon.

Over the next few training cycles, I experimented and experimented, sometimes trying more and sometimes less fluid and carbohydrates over and over.  Several stomachaches and several bonks later I found my formula and I’ll share it with you now. (One note, this formula is simply a guideline for me and always has to be adjusted for heat and humidity. It is important to remember that every runner’s needs are different.)

Frequent Drinking is Better than Gulping

One thing I do is drink frequently throughout my marathon. I don’t overdo it but I do keep the fluids coming – even when I don’t feel thirsty.  Like most of the recommendations you’ve read, I drink approximately every 15-20 minutes and when I do drink, I make sure I take in 7 to 8 ounces of fluid – about the amount that is in a full cup at an aid station.

When I get my bottle (I’m lucky that I get to fill my own bottles before the event and have a special bottle at every elite fluid station at an aid station), I make sure that I drink all of the fluid I’ve placed in the bottle before I toss it aside.  You should do the same.  In fact, Greg always tells runners to grab a cup as you enter the aid station and another as you exit.  Since you’ll undoubtedly spill some just grabbing the cup, you’ll now have a good chance of getting the 7-8 ounces you want. Be patient in the aid stations and don’t just gulp the fluid and toss the cup.  Crimp the top of the cup and run with it as you drink.  Then, grab the second cup and do the same.   I estimate that across the marathon (2 and a half hours), I consume around 60 total ounces of fluid using this method and this is probably as much fluid as I can absorb and tolerate.

What I’ve found works best for me is half of the fluid as sports drink and half plain water, usually in alternating aid stations. My sports drink of choice is Clif Shot (www.clifbar.com) electrolyte drink mix (Apple Crisp flavor with Caffeine for me!).  I believe it maintains my blood sugar level, delivers energy to my muscles during the marathon and restocks my energy stores afterwards. I feel it also helps in my post marathon recovery, so I can be back on the roads training again with minimal loss of fitness.

Different Aid Stations = Different Drinks

My first 2 aid stations (at 5K and 10K for me), I just drink water. I do this because I am trying to relax into pace and I want to make sure those pre race jitters are gone and my stomach is ready to take in some sugar.  After that, I alternate water at one station and sports drink at another.  I do this until I get to later in the race (18-22 miles).  At this point, every station is just sports drink. 

Just for security and because you never know for sure if you will be able to get all the drinks down, I pin 2 Clifshots to my shorts. I have never taken both, but they are there for security. If I feel I need a gel, then I usually take one at the 16-17 mile mark and always with plenty of water.

Post-Marathon is Important Too!

After flying to the finish using my proven marathon nutritional plan, I always drink a recovery drink, such as the drinks mentioned on our website.  That way I begin the recovery process right away. Of course, I then treat myself to a celebratory meal in the evening!

I have found this nutrition plan through years of experiments. I have found that it works for me and I stick to it. As I mentioned early, it is important to note that everyone is different. We all have individual tastes and preferences.  The take home message from this article is that you need to have a proven plan for your marathon. You need to experiment during training to find the plan that consistently works for you. You need to be prepared to bonk in training and to have an upset stomach while finding your plan. 

You need to focus on fluid and fuel replenishment during a marathon and if you do, you increase your chances of setting a new personal best or even accomplishing a dream goal like I did in winning the Houston Marathon. 

Some obvious, but often forgotten tips:

1. Don't try anything new on race day.  Training is for experimenting.  Know what works BEFORE you get to the race.

2. Make a plan and execute your plan.  Go through the same schedule and foods that worked for you in training.

3. Be prepared to change your plan if necessary. If it’s hot, you know you’ll need to drink more. If your stomach is sloshing then you’ll need to drink less for a couple of aid stations.

4. Continue to replace fluids and electrolytes after the race. Replace every one pound lost by drinking at least two cups of fluid.  

5. Plan on your event. Different race distances require different nutrition strategies.

6. Run hard and have fun.

Kelly Liljeblad Keane was the 4th fastest US marathoner in 2005. She was the winner of the Houston Marathon and is a USA Track & Field certified coach.  She coaches runners at www.mcmillanrunning.com.

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