Previous days – 2 to 3 days before the race day
1. More salty food like Olives, salted almonds etc.
2. More carbs
3. Electrolyte tabs the night before…one per hour for say two hours before sleeping
4. Carb rich dinner
5. No protein
Step by Step Plan
At 4 AM – Once – One banana, Two pieces of bread butter jam and one salt tab and 250 ml of water, Coffee
5:30 AM – Right before race starts one salt tab
From 6 AM to 10:00 AM
Every 30 minutes – Alternate Gu gel Roctane/Banana/Chocolate and Alternate 150 ml of water/coke
Every 60 minutes – One salt tab or if you feel a tingle or cramp then take two. But not more than that.
Post Run
If possible then Curd + Turmeric. Econorm – Probiotic.
Check for GI Distress signs and change accordingly. Semi solid food or liquid food – Rice, curd. Lots of protein.
Icing at the end,
I tried to follow my own plan this past sunday.
Goal (s)
1. Stay on foot for four hours.
2. Try to run most of the time.
3. Try to cover 36 kms in the four hours. 9 km per hour
Nutrition
1. Got up at 4. Ate a banana instantly. Sipped a little water.
2. After getting ready, prepared toast with jam and butter – 2 and tea. Had it.
3. Did not eat the salt tab. Big mistake.
Started running at 5:15
1. Did not push myself at all. Felt real good. Chit chatted with my support.
2. After 30 minutes had a little gatorade. 100 ml perhaps. It was cold.
3. After 1 hour, covered 9 kms, was happy. Drank a little more gatorade and salt tab. because right leg was not feeling quite right.
4. After 1 hour 30 minutes i knew something was wrong in the right leg so i had another salt tab, piece of banana. a little coke.
5. After 2 hours, covered 18 kms, felt good except the right leg. Left over banana. a little coke.
6. At 21k, right leg felt odd…had two salt tabs. and gatorade. and a little chocolate.
7. At 22k, got a slight cramp. was cursing myself for not doubling down on salt from the beginning. Stretched a little. The cramp went away. Thank god i thought. let me carry on as much as possible.
8. After this point…every 2 kms it was either gatorade + banana or gatorade + chocolate or coke.
9. Covered 27 kms in 3 hours. Thanked god for seeing me through to 3rd hour.
10. 32 in 3 hour 35 minutes. Wow a good workout finally. Will i survive 4 hours. perhaps yes. God i really really want to leave 32 behind. way behind. Remembered muthukrishnan saying that a full marathon consists of 3 half marathons and the third one begins at 32. scary.
11. 36 km in 4 hours. yuhuuu..i did it. but wait a minute can i carry on?
12. carried on for 30 minutes more and completed 40 kms in 4 hours 30 minutes. ecstatic.
Nutrition plan worked like a charm. Pace was perfect. Did not need to gulp gels..yuck.
Summary –
1. Banana – Toast with jam and butter – Tea – Worked wonder for me as breakfast. Should have taken 2 salt tabs as well with them.
2. Simplified Nutrition plan – Banana OR Chocolate bite every 2 kms with Gatorade or Coke.
3. One salt tab every 4 to 5 kms or if tingle then 2.
4. Coke is your friend in a 4 hour+ run.
Some dry fruits and Chikki are also good option in between.