Nutrition is very important for marathon runners. Keeping a good balance of what you eat and making sure your body gets what it needs are key things to focus on.

• Carbohydrates: Should make up 55–65% of your total calories. You can get these from whole grains, fruits, and starchy vegetables to give you steady energy.

• Protein: Should be 15–20% of your calories. Foods like lentils, beans, tofu, and curd help repair your muscles.

• Healthy fats : Should be 20–30% of your calories. Nuts like almonds, seeds, olive oil, and avocado help with hormone balance and support joint health.

• Drinking water: Staying hydrated is important. Start your run well hydrated by drinking about 400–600 mL of water two hours before running. During longer runs, take small sips every 15–20 minutes.

• Electrolytes: like sodium, potassium, and magnesium are essential. Foods such as bananas, coconut water, pomegranate, apples, blueberries, and leafy greens can help you get these.

Pre-race week

• Reduce your running distance by 40–60% to let your body fully recover before the race.

• Load up on carbohydrates 2–3 days before the race. Focus on complex carbs like oats or rice.

• Get enough sleep—aim for 9 hours each night to help with recovery and keep your hormones in balance.

Image credit: Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay ( Free to use under Pixabay content license, June 22, 2014)