People running marathonIt’s officially marathon season, with the London Marathon looming for the tens of thousands of people who’ve signed up for the feat.
And as Jan Lavis, an expert at We Run who has herself run 103 marathons, says, ”’The marathon starts long before the start line.”
“How you fuel in the days before your race can make a huge difference to your performance,” she continues.
“The most important thing is to stick to what you know, respect your body, and trust the training you’ve been putting in over the months leading up to race day.”
That involves your consumption of caffeine, a stimulant which many runners rely on to give them an energy boost through coffee or gels, and which may even aid recovery.
Caffeine can be helpful, but don’t overload your system on the big day
While some running is likely to make your runs better, too much can make you jittery, sweaty, and even affect your heart rate.
“This can put you off your peak performance, which is where you need to be to complete a marathon,” Lavis shares.
And while Runner’s World puts the limit at roughly 400mg, the may-time marathon runner told us: “Caffeine sensitivity is a highly personal thing, dependent on many factors, including your genes.
“My general advice is to keep your caffeine intake the same in the build-up to your marathon – don’t be tempted to ramp it up to give yourself an extra ‘kick.’”
Any other advice?
Yup – the expert shares that timing matters, too.
“If you want to use a caffeine sports product during the marathon, consider that it can take 30 minutes to an hour to get into and peak in your system, so timing is key,” she reveals.
“A caffeine performance boost is useful in the latter part of a race. However, too much, if you’re not used to it, can also cause gastric issues.”
In other words, use the amount of caffeine your body’s used to, and don’t overdo it before you’ve had a chance to process its benefits; neither your heart nor your bowels will thank you.
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