Latest / Eat More Carbs | A Period Recovery Podcast / 109. How To Successfully Run The Boston Marathon

Transcript

109. How To Successfully Run The Boston Marathon · Eat More Carbs | A Period Recovery Podcast

0:00
Hey girlies, just a quick reminder before we dive into
0:02
today's episode. The information shared on this
0:04
podcast is intended to be general sports nutrition advice
0:07
and education related to period recovery for female athletes.
0:10
This is not specific to anyone individual and it may or may not
0:13
apply to your situation. If you are looking for
0:15
personalized guidance, be sure to apply to our RBSN Period
0:18
recovery nutrition coaching program.
0:20
Our four month period recovery program is designed to help you
0:22
sustainably get your period back and keep it.
0:24
You can apply now to get started in our program, and we'll leave
0:27
the link for the program below if you're not quite ready for
0:29
that one-on-one approach. That's exactly why we created
0:31
the Period Recovery Guide. It's designed to support the
0:33
girlies working on period recovery, specifically if you've
0:36
lost it due to hypothalamic amenorrhea.
0:38
The full guide is coming soon, but you can download a free
0:40
chapter right now to start your recovery journey.
0:42
This is the Eat more Carbs podcast.
0:49
Hello and welcome back. This is the More Carbs podcast.
0:52
It's Jenna here with Riley. Today we have a special guest on
0:55
Megan Mahoney to talk all about running the Boston Marathon.
0:58
Boston Marathon is just a few days away.
1:01
So when you listen to this, if you are running, if you are
1:03
running Boston, if you're running a marathon, this episode
1:06
is. For you, we're so excited to
1:09
hear all about kind of the Boston Marathon and all of the,
1:12
you know, special like fueling that goes into the Boston
1:14
Marathon. I remember first watching the
1:17
Boston Marathon like a couple of years ago and I just really
1:20
understand like all the behind the scenes that goes into that
1:24
race until recently. So if you're listening, you're
1:26
gonna probably be maybe just as mind blown as I was after
1:30
listening to this episode. I'm so excited for everybody to
1:32
hear all of the tips that Megan shares today.
1:34
Before we do that though, we are going to share our high and low.
1:37
So just a little bit about our week, the good and maybe the
1:39
part we wish had gone a little bit differently.
1:40
So Riley, kick us off. What's your high and low?
1:42
If you listen to a couple of episodes ago, my low was that
1:47
Root Riot was no longer at Costco and I was very upset
1:50
about it. They must have listened to the
1:52
Emer Cars podcast because it has now arrived back at my Costco
1:55
and I am very excited. I did buy 3 bags because I was
1:59
worried that it was going to go away, but you know, you got to
2:02
do what you got to do. You got to stock up on your
2:04
favorite products at Costco. I feel like sometimes when you
2:06
go to Costco and you find something good, you're not going
2:08
to find it again. Yeah.
2:09
Because it sells out. It does.
2:11
I know it's very, very upsetting, but I'm very happy
2:14
that it's back. Please don't go away.
2:15
I'm so happy for you. What about your love?
2:17
You're in Arizona, so you you are free from the lovely blanket
2:24
of yellow that is currently coating my house.
2:27
We were in Arizona at the beginning of the month and we
2:31
left. There was no leaves on our
2:32
trees. There was nothing going on.
2:35
I came back, the leaves are everywhere.
2:36
It's beautiful. It's amazing.
2:38
But my entire car is covered with yellow.
2:40
My driveway is colored with yellow.
2:42
There is clumps. I'm like not exaggerating.
2:44
There are like clumps that look like dead animals, like all over
2:48
the road of just yellow. OK, I saw a video, I think it
2:52
was on Instagram. It was probably on TikTok first
2:53
because that's how I see things. But it was that song yellow.
2:56
And it was like everyone in North Carolina right now.
2:58
And I thought of you because, like, people were writing like
3:01
messages on their windshield. Like, you're not exaggerating
3:04
when you say it's a true blanket.
3:05
Like everything just is yellow. It looks like it's snowed, but
3:09
it's yellow. It's bananas.
3:11
It is bananas and then it rains and you're like, oh, this is
3:14
lovely. It's going to, you know, wash it
3:16
all away. But it just like cakes.
3:17
It like concrete everywhere. And I know it just is me
3:21
complaining about the weather, but and we all have our, I feel
3:23
like everywhere across the US has their, you know, not so
3:26
great parts. I feel like right now it's just
3:29
a struggle because it's so nice out temperature wise.
3:31
And then you go outside and you're just a Nepal and cloud.
3:33
Not fun. Not fun.
3:34
How's Arizona though? How's your week going?
3:36
I'm so glad you asked about that because Milo is also kind of
3:39
weather related and that is we are starting the triple digits
3:42
this week. And for me in marathon training
3:45
right now, finding time to run outside when it's light out so I
3:49
feel safe and with it being in a temperature range that feels
3:52
appropriate to run in is becoming more and more difficult
3:55
as time goes on. Thankfully have just a few weeks
3:57
before I run so I won't have to do this a lot, but it's just so
4:00
hard to run outside when it is that unbearably warm.
4:04
It feels like a toaster oven outside.
4:06
I don't know any other way to describe it.
4:07
I just remember when we lived in Las Vegas, which is a similar
4:10
climate to Phoenix, you would walk outside and the warm air
4:14
would like hit you. Like you were opening an oven
4:16
and you were like expecting like a cookie smell or some type of
4:19
smell to hit you because you're like, I'm opening an oven right
4:22
now, but you were actually just walking outside.
4:23
And it just doesn't stop. That's such a great way to kind
4:26
of describe that feeling of like it just kind of hits you in the
4:29
face. My high, This is gonna sound
4:31
really backwards, but I promise it is my high.
4:34
I saw somebody share what I eat in a day on Instagram the other
4:38
day. And I know that this is
4:39
typically something we share on like the what drives us bananas.
4:42
And it's not something that we really appreciate content
4:45
creators sharing because everybody is so different and so
4:48
unique in what they need. I'm not not going to share this
4:50
person's specific information, but she is a runner and she
4:54
shared her what I eat in a day and it was so refreshing.
4:57
She talked about how she made sure she fueled with plenty of
5:00
carbohydrates because as a runner she needs carbohydrates.
5:03
She talked about how when she felt like she needed an extra
5:06
snack that she had one. She never shared specifics of
5:09
portions on her plate but she explained what she was eating
5:12
and why. And then she made sure to
5:14
include that she always has a snack after dinner because when
5:16
she has practice early the next morning, she feels her best when
5:19
she fuels with a PM snack. So it was such a refreshing what
5:23
I eat in a day. And it felt so much more
5:25
realistic to support performance than anything I've ever seen
5:28
online. And it was so wonderful to hear
5:30
her just like talk about how like it impacted her
5:33
performance. And then she also like talked
5:34
about how like it was things that she liked to include in her
5:37
fueling. So it was the best what I've
5:39
eaten a day I've ever seen. I love that.
5:41
Speaking of fueling and what you might want to be eating in a
5:44
day, we have Megan on the podcast today and she is going
5:47
to be sharing all about the Boston Marathon, fueling for
5:50
marathons, fueling specifically leading up to the Boston
5:53
Marathon and kind of how that race works and how it's a little
5:56
bit different from other marathons.
5:57
So we hope you enjoyed today's episode.
5:59
Megan, welcome to the podcast. Thank you.
6:02
Hello. We are so excited to talk with
6:04
you today. Before we get into some of like
6:06
the good running questions that we have to ask you, do you mind
6:09
sharing just a little bit about like who you?
6:10
Are sure I am. I'm also a dietitian and I work
6:14
in private practice where I work with a lot of active people,
6:18
including runners. And like I got here by way of I
6:23
guess when I was in grad school, my first job as a dietitian was
6:28
a campus dietitian that I was doing in tandem with my graduate
6:33
work. So I loved it because I was
6:35
like, I can be a dietitian and not have to work in a hospital
6:40
and I can, you know, help people with their fueling that actually
6:44
want to come and talk to me. That was my first experience in
6:47
working with active people that were, you know, pretty healthy.
6:52
It wasn't working with sick people necessarily, but helping
6:56
them to see how nutrition impacts performance.
6:59
And in that same realm, it was a lot of people struggling with
7:03
their relationship with food S maybe not on a sports team, but
7:07
they were an active person who was really struggling with their
7:11
fueling, mainly under fueling. After that, you know, I've had a
7:14
few different jobs from working in private practice to corporate
7:18
Wellness, teaching nutrition and sports nutrition at the college
7:21
level. I've really like loved all of my
7:24
jobs as a dietitian, which you know, brings me here.
7:27
So now I work with clients one-on-one, but also I give a
7:31
lot of team talks and group presentations, especially now I
7:35
live in Massachusetts on the South Shore outside of Boston.
7:39
So it's Boston Marathon season and a lot of different charity
7:44
teams and running clubs and groups are really ramping up for
7:47
the race. We're so excited to pick your
7:49
brain actually about the Boston Marathon today because you are
7:52
running it this year. I will never be fast enough to
7:55
unfortunately run the race, but we are going to cheer you on and
7:59
live through you vicariously. So we're really excited to chat
8:02
with you today about it. Thank you.
8:04
Well, we're so excited to chat with you today about it.
8:07
The Boston Marathon is one of the, I guess, 7 majors now,
8:11
which is weird to say. If you're listening and maybe
8:14
you're not familiar with the Boston Marathon, Megan, maybe
8:17
you could help kind of share a little bit about the race and a
8:20
little bit about like what's required to get in.
8:22
Sure. Yeah.
8:23
So the Boston Marathon, there are essentially 3 different ways
8:27
that you can get a bib to run the race.
8:30
The first way that most people are familiar with is through
8:33
qualified in a different marathon.
8:36
So the Boston Marathon qualifying times pretty much
8:39
change every year. And then they kind of gaslight
8:42
you because they're like, you need to run 3 hours and 25
8:45
minutes, but then they're like, well, you actually had to be 11
8:48
minutes faster than that if you actually wanted a number.
8:51
So joke's on you, good job with trying to qualify and actually
8:56
qualifying, but you don't get a number.
8:58
So first you need to qualify with a buffer.
9:01
I would say that that is the first way to run the Boston
9:04
Marathon, which is like really unfortunate.
9:06
Hopefully something changes in the future where if you qualify,
9:09
you get a number if you want. The second way is through the
9:13
charity program. So there's a lot of different
9:16
charities that you can run with from really large organizations
9:19
and hospitals to smaller charities, especially in this
9:23
area. Some charities they might get
9:25
like 3 numbers or five numbers. So it depends on who you know, I
9:30
think in like the different applications and how much money
9:33
you're willing to fundraise. So for the larger charities, the
9:37
fundraising goals are a lot higher than they were five years
9:41
ago. So a lot of charities that you
9:43
need to raise like $12,000 or more.
9:45
So that's the second way is applying to a charity.
9:48
And then the third way would be an Invitational entry.
9:51
So that's pretty much for VIP people, like celebrities or all
9:57
of the like towns along the route, they get a certain number
10:00
of bibs. So if you know the right person,
10:03
you might be able to get a bib that way.
10:06
So the race in itself, once you have acquired your number, is a
10:10
point to point race. So it makes the morning
10:14
logistics of race day a little bit challenging.
10:17
There's that extra element of getting like 45 minutes to get
10:22
to Hopkinton, which is the town where the Boston Marathon
10:25
starts, and you take the bus from the Boston Common, which is
10:30
downtown Boston. So it's about 45 minutes that
10:33
you're on the bus. Somebody always makes a joke
10:35
like, oh, this is a long bus ride and we have to run back.
10:39
Like every single time I've been on that bus, somebody makes the
10:42
joke. And then, you know, the only way
10:44
back is by foot unless you're hopping on the train.
10:48
You know, it's umm, notoriously a very hilly course.
10:53
There's kind of like a caveat there.
10:54
So the first half, if it was 1/2 marathon, you would get a PR.
10:59
It's mostly downhill and flat. And then the hard part about
11:03
Boston is that there's 567 miles of hills towards the latter half
11:09
of the race starting around mile 16.
11:11
So that's kind of the the challenging element there.
11:15
In addition to the weather, which is very unpredictable in
11:19
Boston, where I've run it and it's been 75° and I've run it
11:23
and it's been 30° headwind, freezing rain, you can almost
11:27
guarantee that it's not going to be a perfect weather day in my
11:30
experience. But you know, anything is
11:32
possible. I know that we have SO many
11:34
questions about the logistics of running and timing and all of
11:37
those things because Boston has so many components to it that we
11:40
need to be mindful of. But before we get into some of
11:43
those like Boston specific questions, can you just take a
11:45
couple seconds and like explain to everyone like the importance
11:48
of fueling a marathon and fueling Boston?
11:51
Yes. So fueling any marathon is going
11:54
to be like imperative to not hitting the wall.
11:57
We've all heard of the wall and if you've properly fueled your
12:01
long runs and races, maybe you've never hit the wall.
12:04
But if you haven't properly fueled with your quick, simple,
12:08
easy to digest carbs during your long runs, if you're out there
12:11
longer than like 2 hours, you're going to hit that wall.
12:15
So it is avoidable. So for any marathon, any run
12:19
that's over 2 1/2 hours, you need 60 or more grams of carbs
12:24
every single hour that you're out there.
12:26
And if you practice with that, a lot of people can tolerate more.
12:30
So we see elite runners that are out there running like 2 or 2
12:34
1/2 hours, and they're getting 90 or more grams of carbs an
12:38
hour. So what we know is that more is
12:41
more when it comes to fueling with carbohydrates.
12:44
But the limiting factor is going to be your gut and how well you
12:49
can digest it and how much you've practiced it.
12:52
And if you're somebody who has started dabbling in long runs or
12:56
your marathon training and you've given up on fueling
12:59
because your stomach hurts, your gut can be trained.
13:02
I think it's really important to think of your gut as just
13:06
another muscle that needs to be trained like you do your
13:08
strength training, like you train your lungs in your heart.
13:11
You also need to keep in mind that you need to train your gut
13:14
and like look at the hot dog eating contests, right?
13:17
Like not everybody can eat 75 hot dogs.
13:21
They train for that. So you can get your 60 grams of
13:24
carbs an hour during a long run. OK.
13:26
So hopefully that helps to make you feel better that like it can
13:30
be done. And another thing is that, like,
13:32
gels aren't the only way to get carbs during a long run.
13:36
And I think that that's something that so many runners
13:39
are like, I just can't get past the taste.
13:41
I can't get past the texture. Yeah, I'm with you, Riley.
13:45
Like I recently have just been getting such like the ick from
13:49
gels. I'm so sick of it, like where
13:52
you can get through your long run with gels, but then you
13:55
might get like towards the end, you have one or two left and
13:58
you're like the thought of one more.
14:00
I'm just gonna like cut this run short.
14:02
So there are other ways. I think that like the new hot
14:05
thing that everybody's doing are Nerds gummy clusters.
14:09
I'm not even joking, but there are so many different options
14:11
for like choose that are like gummy candies with salt.
14:15
There are so many options out there.
14:17
I love the new watermelon ones. Like those are my new thing.
14:21
They taste like a sour packed watermelon.
14:23
I think that most people, if that's the type of candy that
14:26
you like, is fine with getting a handful of those every couple of
14:30
miles. So it just comes down to like
14:32
what you're willing to fuel with what you're willing to carry.
14:35
Is it easy for you to tear open? Are you going to be taking it
14:39
while you're running or are you going to pull over to the side
14:41
and stop for a little bit to take your fuel?
14:43
Like those are all things that you want to consider when you're
14:45
developing your own fueling plan and practicing on your long runs
14:49
for half marathon or full marathon or any sort of brace
14:51
like that. You've.
14:52
Used the terminology a long run multiple times.
14:55
So fueling during your long run, what would you classify as a
14:58
long run? When do people need to start
15:00
fueling or when do they need to start practicing with their fuel
15:03
during these long runs? Yeah, that's a really good
15:05
question. I think that a lot of the times
15:07
people will get into these training blocks and they're
15:09
like, oh, I'm only running 10 miles so I don't need to fuel or
15:13
I'm only running this many miles so I don't need to fuel.
15:16
My personal guideline is like between 75 and 90 minutes.
15:21
If your run is over that, then you need to fuel, but there's no
15:25
run that's too short to fuel either.
15:27
So if you're going out for like a five mile run and you don't
15:31
need to eat anything in the middle of that, but maybe you
15:35
didn't get your Full breakfast, maybe you didn't get anything
15:38
for breakfast, then yeah, you need to fuel during that run
15:41
too. So I think that like there is no
15:43
lowest number mileage, but I would say anything over like
15:47
7590 minutes, you would want to be making sure that you're
15:50
getting some sort of carb in there.
15:52
I love that because I think a big like myth that we see with
15:56
the athletes that we work with and a big misconception is this
15:59
idea that like if you fuel on too short of a run, it's a waste
16:03
of carbohydrates or I wasted my energy.
16:06
Maybe you didn't need the carbohydrate during that run,
16:08
but now you've like kick started your recovery.
16:10
We have to stop thinking about like these fueling periods and
16:13
like singular blocks, like everything is connected when it
16:16
comes to fueling your body. Exactly, like I really do
16:19
believe that more is more when it comes to carbs, especially
16:24
like surrounding that run. It's definitely not going to
16:27
hurt at all. I love this more is more.
16:30
I think that is such a great approach to thinking about
16:32
fueling your body and making sure you have enough
16:34
carbohydrate to fuel your body when you are in the middle of
16:37
marathon training. I've never heard it said that
16:38
way before and I love that. It's like we're in these
16:41
constant blocks of training where like you have to do this
16:45
again tomorrow and you don't want to be operating in a
16:48
deficit all the time because it's so easy to get in a deficit
16:52
because your needs are so high. So if you're not fueling up,
16:55
refueling, hydrating all of those things correctly, then
16:59
it's really easy to get in a deficit where we see things down
17:02
the line like injuries or stress fractures or just burnout and
17:07
like mentally not able to get through the training.
17:10
You mentioned this a little bit earlier when you're actually
17:12
talking about your pathway into the role that you do now, where
17:15
you were talking about that you were working with active adults,
17:18
but they didn't see themselves as athletes because they weren't
17:21
on a team. I think it's really interesting
17:23
because a lot of individuals don't really associate
17:26
themselves with being an athlete.
17:28
But to run a sub 325 or a sub 315 or a sub 333 35 marathon, to
17:35
run a half marathon and you're an athlete, a lot of people
17:39
don't think that they need to maybe do some of these other
17:41
things when it comes to fueling or recovery because they don't
17:45
see themselves as an athlete. Right, they see themselves as a
17:48
recreational gym goer that picked up running.
17:51
And it's still important to fuel no matter what you consider
17:55
yourself as far as like an athlete for sure.
17:57
Can you share a little bit about like the specifics of Boston?
18:00
I have so many questions because of like rumors that people share
18:04
about the race specifically, like the bus ride there, staying
18:08
in Athlete Village and the later start times to this race.
18:10
Like most of us are used to kind of showing up at the start line
18:13
to a race and running pretty quickly after we get there.
18:16
But that's not necessarily how Boston works.
18:19
Can you like explain how that goes and then how you might
18:22
approach fueling if you're running that race?
18:25
Yes. So like the morning, like I
18:28
said, is really stressful for a lot of people because most
18:31
people will stay in the city and take the bus out to Hopkinton
18:35
and the bus is usually about two hours before you start.
18:38
So the start time for Boston is if you are a qualified runner,
18:43
depending on how fast you qualified, you're either
18:46
starting the run at 10 o'clock 10:30 or 10:50 or something like
18:51
that, between 10:00 and 10:50. And then the charity runners
18:54
start at 11:15. So that's pretty late for
18:59
starting a marathon where, you know, when all said and done
19:03
right from the time that you start, you're not eating again,
19:06
like outside of your gels for four or five, 6-7 hours, not
19:11
even saying anything about how long it's going to take them to
19:14
finish the marathon. But like when you get back to
19:16
your hotel or Airbnb, you shower, you can actually get a
19:20
meal. You're not eating again for a
19:22
while. So what I recommend is that
19:25
people get to breakfast in the morning or two meals, having one
19:29
like 4 hours before they start, so around 7715 and then the next
19:34
one around 9:00, between 9:00 and 9:30.
19:36
Like how much is really going to depend on like your weight, your
19:41
goals, but mostly what you've practiced with because I don't
19:45
want anybody like eating for the first time a bagel before their
19:49
marathon when they've never had a bagel before a training run.
19:52
So it really comes down to like what you've practiced with, but
19:56
in terms of how much, usually what I'll recommend is like your
19:59
body weight in carbs is what you want in the morning.
20:02
So just split that in half and divvy it out between your first
20:05
and your second meal. It can be a mixture of drinks,
20:08
juice and honey and all those extra things that you can add to
20:11
your food. But you know, use foods that
20:13
like you've had before prior to a long run, that's going to be
20:17
your best bet for things to like digest and settle well.
20:20
And then when you get to Athletes Village, you might need
20:23
to eat your second breakfast on the bus.
20:25
So that's something. That you want to consider is
20:28
just the portability of whatever you're eating.
20:30
I had somebody who was typically doing, like, some rice cakes.
20:35
He was like, well, I don't think I'm going to want to eat rice
20:37
cakes on the bus. And I was like, yeah, like, I
20:38
wouldn't really recommend. So instead, he's having Eggo
20:41
waffles with banana and honey and making that a sandwich and
20:44
bringing it with him. And it's something that he's
20:47
had. It wasn't his first choice, but
20:49
like, it makes sense to do something like that.
20:51
Know thyself. That's what I always say.
20:54
Know thyself, what you're willing to eat, what you're
20:56
willing to bring with you, get as many carbs in as humanly
20:59
possible. And then when it comes to the
21:02
hydration piece, I usually say stop drinking around like 60 or
21:06
90 minutes before you start just because you don't want to be at
21:09
like mile 2 and be like, Oh no, I have to pee.
21:12
So I usually say stop until like you're lining up, have a few
21:15
sips, and then just utilize either the water stops or if
21:19
you're carrying a handheld bottle.
21:20
OK. I have a question about the
21:22
water stops at the beginning because I've heard that the
21:24
start of the race is so crowded, but it's sometimes hard to
21:27
navigate those fueling stations. So is it better to bring your
21:31
own water because hydration can be harder during those first
21:34
couple of miles? Or have you found that when
21:36
you've run, you're still able to get hydration from the aid
21:38
stations? Yeah, there is plenty of
21:41
hydration for the runners. So the beginning of the race,
21:45
you're right, it is so narrow. Like the towns of Hopkinton and
21:49
Ashland are really small towns. It's a small little St. that
21:53
you're running in. So there's a lot of congestion,
21:55
but there are so many stops on either side of the road.
21:59
Water endurance, Gatorade, lemon, lime flavor.
22:02
So like, if that's what you have practiced, then use that.
22:05
But if you haven't practiced and you have a sensitive stomach,
22:08
then, you know, maybe consider different options like carrying
22:11
your own. But for the most part people are
22:13
usually like OK with using the water stops.
22:16
That's good to know because I think that that's a fear for
22:18
people for sure, is showing up to a race and not being able to
22:22
get something from an aid station because a race is
22:24
crowded. There are a lot of participants,
22:26
and of course, everybody wants to run fast at Boston.
22:28
What tips do you have for helping navigate such a
22:31
difficult race from a fueling perspective?
22:34
Oh, it is so hard. Like I said, the first half, I
22:37
don't want to say it's easy because it's still 13 miles, but
22:40
the first half is relatively easy.
22:42
So like you don't have these big scary climbs that you've all
22:46
heard of those Newton hills, so you're not dealing with those
22:49
obstacles yet. I say drink at every, every
22:53
fueling stop for the water or the Gatorade.
22:56
So you know, making sure that you're getting, I usually say
22:58
like at least one of those cups is probably 4 oz depending on
23:03
who pours it. So trying your best to get most
23:06
of that at every stop, which is every mile starting at mile 2.
23:10
So trying your best to get most of it, you're probably going to
23:12
dump a little bit. So if people can get, you know,
23:15
close to their sweat rate, that's usually good, which can
23:17
also help to prevent digestive distress when you're out there.
23:21
So we can sidebar that for later.
23:23
And then when it comes to like later in the race with fueling,
23:27
so I say like every 30 minutes between 20 and 30 minutes, fuel,
23:31
you want to fuel early on in the race because who knows what your
23:36
stomach is going to feel like at mile 22.
23:38
So fuel early and often in the race just because you want to
23:42
like consider that piece, which it's not ideal, but it could
23:46
happen. And then when it comes to like
23:48
fueling on the hills and caffeine, which we can talk
23:52
about caffeine in a second, But when you're fueling and the race
23:55
is hilly, I usually say look at what's ahead.
23:58
If it's the time to take your gel in like a half a mile, but
24:02
you see heartbreak kill, maybe take it at the bottom of the
24:05
hill like a little bit earlier than you need to or take it on
24:08
the downhill from the hills because you're running up a
24:11
hill, your heart rate is getting higher.
24:13
If you're digging through your belt or you're digging through
24:15
your pockets looking for your gels, you're tearing it open
24:18
like it's it's not easy to do. Your heart rate gets a little
24:21
bit higher, you get a little bit like hotter and sweatier.
24:24
It's just harder. So I say either take it a little
24:26
bit early or take it on the downhills so that way you're not
24:31
making it a lot more stressful than you need to.
24:33
And then when it comes to your fluids, I utilizing what's on
24:39
the course, especially the waters, but you need a source of
24:42
salt. So it's like probably more than
24:45
you think. A lot of people who run Boston,
24:47
they're like first time marathoners or first time Boston
24:50
marathoners and it's so exciting, but they don't
24:53
consider like their carbs and their salt.
24:56
They just think that like, oh, I'm drinking the water, I'm
24:58
good. Like there are some really good
25:00
products out there. If people don't want to carry a
25:02
handheld, Salt Sticks has these salt pills and they have 215
25:07
milligrams in a pill, so they're utilizing gels or chews that
25:11
have a little bit of salt in them, supplementing with like 2
25:14
salt pills every hour. Then you're probably close to
25:17
what you need if you're not willing to do a sweat test to
25:20
actually figure out how much you need.
25:22
So again, know thyself. Are you a salty sweater?
25:25
Are you a heavy sweater? And try to figure out like, you
25:28
know, if you lost a liter of fluid in an hour, then you need
25:32
close to 1000 milligrams of salt in an hour.
25:35
So you just need to figure out how you're getting getting that
25:37
salt. You're probably not going to
25:40
hurt your performance by getting more salt, but you definitely do
25:44
not want to under salt. So that's really the only
25:46
electrolyte that you need to think about despite what like
25:49
sports drinks marketing wants you to know.
25:52
Think about your salt and that's all I care about.
25:55
And then what is going to be on the course for fuel is more in
25:59
so more ink. Gels are hydrogels.
26:02
They don't need to be taken with fluid like the other gels and
26:05
sports fuels like other options do.
26:09
That's a positive. If you do struggle with GI
26:11
distress, they have more of a jello texture, like they're a
26:14
lot thicker than some of the other gels.
26:17
They're clear and they're an interesting texture.
26:20
I'll just leave it at that. They're mildly sweet.
26:23
So like if you're picky, you might actually like that better
26:27
than like a chocolate goo. So it just, you know, it
26:30
depends. You would want to have practiced
26:32
it by now if you are running Boston, but you're going to see
26:36
those right before mile 12, I think at 17 1/2 and then at 21
26:42
or 21 1/2. So you can't just utilize what
26:46
is on the course. You need to make sure that even
26:49
if you use more ends and plan on using them on the course, you
26:52
want to have enough to get to mile 11.
26:54
I would even say like assume that they're not going to be
26:57
there and if they are, utilize them and take extra or whatever.
27:01
But in case you drop something like I just don't trust that
27:05
there's like just assume there's not a enough.
27:07
OK. But yeah, that's, that's what's
27:09
on the course. So you're getting three stops
27:11
with gels, but that's it. You definitely need more gels in
27:14
a marathon. I think that's such a big thing
27:16
because a lot of times in a marathon people will look at the
27:19
course and then see what's offered and be like, oh OK,
27:21
that's plenty of fuel to help me get through.
27:24
And in reality, we probably need so much more than what is
27:26
offered, which is why some people end up hitting that wall
27:29
even if they have practiced with Morton before.
27:31
And then they think that they're going to be fine with it.
27:32
And then they're like, I don't understand why I hit the wall
27:34
and it's like, well, you only fueled 3 times and you've been
27:37
running for 3 1/2 hours. Exactly.
27:40
You mentioned caffeine a little bit.
27:42
I feel like every race I run, I am next to somebody who has an
27:46
energy drink in one hand and a gel in the other hand right
27:50
before the race. How do we feel about that as
27:52
somebody who is a runner themselves and as a dietitian
27:55
who works as runners? I'm just like not into the
27:57
energy drink thing. Like it's just not something
28:00
that I recommend and it's something that I try to get
28:02
people away from. It's a personal choice.
28:06
I think that there are loaded with more than they need to be.
28:09
However, like coffee can be helpful or tea or like regular
28:13
sources of caffeine. It's going to peak about an hour
28:17
after you take it. If you are a coffee drinker,
28:20
then maybe you have your coffee like in Athletes Village, but
28:23
then you get into like am I going to have to go to the
28:26
bathroom at mile 2? So it's kind of like you have to
28:29
make that decision for yourself. I personally just have my coffee
28:33
in the morning. I am a coffee drinker, but then
28:35
I'll utilize A caffeinated gel or two throughout the race.
28:39
So keeping in mind when you're developing your fueling plan,
28:43
1:00 AM. I used to caffeine.
28:45
Do I like the way that caffeine makes me feel?
28:48
Because if not, then the benefits do not outweigh the
28:52
risks of GI distress, feeling jittery, feeling anxious, your
28:56
heart rate increasing. But it can also help your
29:00
performance a little bit. It can make the efforts feel
29:02
slightly easier. So if you tolerate it well, then
29:06
it can help you. But more isn't more when it
29:08
comes to caffeine. I usually tell runners to limit
29:11
it to one or two gels for a marathon.
29:14
So think about where you need that extra push, where you need
29:17
that extra mental clarity at least.
29:20
So an hour before you reach the Newton Hills is where I would
29:24
recommend definitely placing one of them and then figuring out
29:27
like what I want to add 1 again towards.
29:31
Like maybe once I get to Boston College or a little bit before
29:35
that, which is like the top of Heartbreak Hill to help you keep
29:38
you going towards the end. So just kind of playing around
29:41
with where you might insert those.
29:43
I think that that's a better strategy than like chugging an
29:47
energy drink before you start. You might agree.
29:50
I do agree. I actually think it's really
29:52
interesting because the energy drinks I feel like are just pure
29:55
caffeine and a lot of runners like myself included, like as a
29:59
person, I have the nervous peas, right?
30:01
Like I have like a little bit of a pre performance anxiety.
30:04
Yeah. So all of my liquids before,
30:06
like I really want them to have like at least multiple feeling
30:08
focuses. So it's like electrolytes and
30:10
carbs and like, you know, how am I getting in multiple things
30:14
within this beverage? And I think sometimes with an
30:16
energy drink, it's just like pure caffeine, no calories, no
30:19
carbs. And I feel like it can make it
30:21
worse. Can't think of anything.
30:24
Whereas you're right, like we should be able to kill multiple
30:26
birds with one stone when it comes to our fueling.
30:29
Especially like morning runners where you're rushing out the
30:31
door. Like if I'm only willing to
30:33
drink something, can it be a high carb beverage that also has
30:37
some salt? And then it's like check, check,
30:39
check. Everything is so purposeful.
30:41
I feel like when you're a runner and you have that like very
30:44
detailed or very time restrictive situation in order
30:47
to make it like work the best way possible, like how can we
30:50
like use this in every way? Yeah.
30:53
Well, thank you so much, Megan. We have a couple ending
30:55
questions for you. This is a Eat More Carbs
30:57
podcast. So what is your favorite
30:59
carbohydrate? Oh easy pasta.
31:02
Best carb hands down. Death row?
31:04
What type of? Pasta.
31:06
I'm a Rigatoni girl. I'm a very simple gal, so like a
31:10
bowl of Rigatoni, butter, salt, Parmesan.
31:14
It cannot be beat, cannot be beat.
31:16
And not be beat. What is your favorite?
31:19
Like pre workout or pre run fuel?
31:21
Oh OK, so if it's a shorter run I'll do something like a banana
31:26
or like an applesauce. Just something quick.
31:28
But for a long run, I love pop tarts.
31:32
Do you have a favorite pop tart? Oh, I just do like the Raspberry
31:36
or strawberry like I just do the fruit ones.
31:39
What about you? I like the Trader Joe's knockoff
31:42
pop Tarts or like the pomegranate flavor I think is
31:46
what it is. I don't know, it's pink.
31:47
Yeah, mine's pink too. It just looks like Jelly.
31:49
Yes. I do like the brown.
31:51
I don't know why, but like I'm brown sugar or like cookies and
31:54
cream person. Like I can't do the fruity
31:57
flavors. Like that's why I struggle with
31:58
gels I think a lot of the time too because I don't like that
32:01
like gel jam thing, even though I like Jelly and jam, I just
32:04
can't, I don't know. I can't do the fruity ones.
32:06
So I'm like a brown sugar. Person no, that's fair.
32:09
We you just like crumble that up and take it on a long run.
32:12
I know I did try the nerd gummies recently and I am
32:15
somebody likes the gummy bear, but I don't know if I can chew
32:17
the nerds gummies. I think I might choke on those.
32:19
Yeah, they are like very like there's the crunch and the, the
32:23
like sticky the. Chewing and the running for me,
32:25
I just can't. I can't do it.
32:27
I'm like I can't keep moving my feet and chew at the same time.
32:29
In the winter time, I know that you live in sunny Arizona, but
32:33
like in the winter time, if you have pockets, it's a lot easier
32:36
than in the summer when you're just wearing like a tank top and
32:39
shorts. It's harder.
32:41
Like where am I pulling these gummies out of?
32:43
What is your favorite way to carry fuel during a marathon?
32:47
Because Riley and I are always looking for recommendations for
32:50
deep pockets and shorts or running belts or things like
32:52
that. So what is your way or favorite
32:54
way of carrying fuel during rice?
32:56
Oh my gosh, so I actually just got new shorts because I thought
33:00
that like every runner was wearing track Smith.
33:03
Like I thought that track Smith was the running outfit.
33:06
So I ran 1/2 marathon a couple months ago.
33:09
Everyone's in bandits. So I ordered some clothes
33:12
naturally, and the shorts, they have 4 pockets in the back for
33:17
your gels. So I practiced with those and so
33:21
I really like that I've never carried my my fuel and just my
33:24
clothes before. That's like my new way.
33:26
But if you're not wearing Bandit or any other brand that has the
33:30
pockets, I have a flip belt. It carries my phone and like I
33:34
just shove everything in there. It's so unflattering.
33:38
I will say at the beginning of a marathon when you just have this
33:41
big belt around you, like it's heavy.
33:45
So it's encouraging to fuel because you want to get rid of
33:48
some of it. So I would say that those would
33:51
be my two ways. But winter time, you got a coat
33:54
on, shove them in your pockets. It's a lot easier to just grab.
33:57
I can honestly say I don't remember the last time I ran on
34:00
a coat so. Oh, Jenna, I'm so.
34:03
Jealous. I know the but I also run it
34:05
100° sometimes. So you know, it's the trade-offs
34:08
we take sometimes. Yeah, it's true.
34:10
Megan, what is your favorite post workout fuel or post run
34:12
fuel? Definitely a smoothie like that
34:15
is my go to after because again, you can kill multiple birds with
34:19
one stone and then I can ease into my breakfast.
34:23
So I'm a morning runner, but I know that if I can get my
34:26
smoothie that has bananas and berries and almond butter and
34:30
whole milk, sometimes protein powder, and my creatine, I can
34:34
get all of the nutrients that I need and buy me some time before
34:37
I want to like, sit down and have a bowl of oatmeal or
34:39
whatever I love. That liquid energy for the win.
34:43
Megan, what is your favorite pair of kicks?
34:45
They can be running shoes. They don't have to be running
34:47
shoes. Oh well, for running, I always
34:50
wear ASICS GT2000, that's what they're called.
34:54
They're trainers. They have support for flat feet,
34:57
which I have. So I also recently got the Nike
35:01
Alpha Flies, but I haven't worn them.
35:03
So I'm not going to race in them because I just haven't had time
35:06
to like practice in them. So I think I'll like them.
35:09
They fit really well. I love it.
35:11
Megan, this has been so great. You have shared so many fueling
35:14
tips, not only for Boston, but for runners and runners running
35:17
any type of race. I think it's so, so important
35:19
that any runner listened to this episode.
35:21
But if someone has more questions for you about running,
35:24
Running Boston, how can they find you?
35:26
How can they reach out to you? Yeah, find me on social media at
35:29
Nutrition for Runners. So I should be pretty easy to
35:31
find. That's my handle and you can
35:33
message me, you can e-mail me, but anything that you need to
35:36
know should be right there. We are going to leave Megan's
35:39
information in the podcast show notes so that way you can easily
35:42
find her and reach out to her. Thank you so much for listening
35:44
to this episode of the Eat More Carbs podcast.
35:46
Megan, thank you so much for being on this episode.
35:49
Please make sure you rate, subscribe, and review.
35:51
And as always, remember to Eat More Carbs.