Refueling Strategy for Completing a Marathon in 4 Hours

Completing a marathon in four hours is a challenge that requires careful planning. Not only is physical training important, but also nutritional strategy.

For many athletes, reaching this mark means facing great physical demands and the need to avoid gastrointestinal problems that could affect their performance.

In this article, our contributors Crown Sport Nutrition y Ruben Cuenca Arce They present us with the keys to preparing the appropriate supplies, ensuring that each runner reaches the finish line with energy and without complications.

Nutritional Preparation: General Keys for 4-Hour Runners

Before going into details about the provisioning strategy, it is important to remember some general recommendations.

Any runner who wants to complete a marathon in four hours must:

• Ensure a good rest between training sessions to optimize recovery.
• Follow an individual nutritional strategy, adapted to your lifestyle and the demands of your training.
• Training the digestive system, that is, getting used to consuming liquids and gels while running to avoid problems on race day.

In our consultations, we find that many runners follow pre-designed training plans that do not always suit their needs. For example, a plan designed for a person with good tolerance to exercise may be too demanding for another runner with less physical capacity, which increases the risk of injury and exhaustion.

The same goes for nutrition: each athlete must adapt their intake and fueling strategy to their metabolism and personal goals.

Two Approaches to Fueling: What Kind of Runner Are You?

There are two types of runners looking to complete a marathon in four hours, and each requires a different refueling strategy:

1. Runners with High Cardiovascular and Metabolic Demand

These are the athletes who will be running close to their effort threshold, demanding both cardiovascularly and metabolically. For them, the refueling strategy is essential to maintain a constant performance throughout the race.

• Hydration: It is important to reinforce hydration in the days leading up to the marathon. It is recommended to include 1 litre of hypotonic drink per day, prepared by diluting a sachet of isodrink Crown Sport Nutrition in 1 liter of water.
• Refreshment Plan: During the marathon, a total of 240 grams of carbohydrates should be consumed, distributed as follows:
  • During warm-up (15-20 minutes before the start): 1 Energy Gum bar.
  • During the race:
    • At 45 minutes: 45 grams of carbohydrates via energy gel.
    • At 15 hour and 25 minutes: Energy Gel with XNUMX grams of carbohydrates.
    • At 2 hours: Energy Gum Bar with 22 grams of carbohydrates.
    • At 2 hours and 45 minutes: HyperGel 45 with 45 grams of carbohydrates.
    • At 3 hours and 30 minutes: Energy Gum Bar or Energy Gel, depending on tolerance.

This plan ensures a constant intake of carbohydrates, maintaining the glycogen levels necessary for the effort.

2. Runners with Lower Cardiovascular and Metabolic Demand

For those looking for a more conservative approach, with less cardiovascular demand, the strategy may be different. These athletes focus more on endurance and prefer to avoid any stomach upset by running at a comfortable pace.

• Hydration: Just like high-demand runners, they should increase their hydration in the days leading up to the race, but they can opt for a lower intake during the race.
• Refreshment Plan: The recommendation is to consume 45 grams of carbohydrates per hour.
  • during heating: 1 Energy Gum bar.
  • During the race:
    • At 50 minutes: Energy Gum Bar with 22 grams of carbohydrates.
    • At 40 hour and 25 minutes: Energy Gel with XNUMX grams of carbohydrates.
    • At 2 hours and 30 minutes: Energy Gum Bar with 22 grams of carbohydrates.
    • At 3 hours and 20 minutes: Energy Gel with 25 grams of carbohydrates.

This more moderate approach allows the runner to maintain energy without overwhelming the digestive system, which is essential for those not accustomed to a high carbohydrate intake.

Crown Sport Nutrition Recommended Products for Marathon

• HYPERBAR 45: Energy gummy bar with 45 g of carbohydrates in a 1:0,8 maltodextrin ratio and extra sodium (165 mg) with a neutral flavour.
• HYPERGEL 45: Energy gel with 45 g of carbohydrates in a 1:0,8 maltodextrin ratio and extra sodium (165 mg) with neutral flavour. Available in caffeine-free and caffeine-free versions (80 mg).
• ENERGY GUM BAR: Energy gummy bar with electrolytes. Available with and without caffeine. Provides 23 g of carbohydrates per bar. With 64,4 mg of caffeine per bar (strawberry and cola flavors only).
• ENERGY GEL: Technical energy gel with different types of carbohydrates for rapid and sustained absorption, salts to help hydration and amino acids (BCAA and others) to optimize performance.
• ISOTONIC DRINK (ISODRINK & ENERGY): Premium isotonic with carbohydrates, salts and amino acids in proportions according to science. With BCAAs and Glutamine. Anti-doping certification by Informed Sport.

Final Tips to Avoid Intestinal Problems

One of the biggest fears of runners is suffering gastrointestinal problems during the race, due to the great physical demands and the consumption of food and drink during prolonged effort.

To avoid this, it is essential to test the nutrition strategy during training, especially during longer workouts.

In addition, the introduction of caffeine, either in gels or capsules, can be considered, as long as the runner has already tested his tolerance in previous training sessions.