Training Resource Center

2025 Boston Marathon Training Schedule

Note: to print this calendar, copy and paste the content into a Word Document.

For all Walk/Jog below: walk briskly for 1 min between every 3 - 4 mins of jogging

Low impact workouts: yoga, spin, elliptical, power walk, swim

2025 Boston Marathon Training Schedule

Note: to print this calendar, copy and paste the content into a Word Document.

2025 Boston Marathon Training Schedule

Note: to print this calendar, copy and paste the content into a Word Document.

2025 Boston Marathon Training Schedule

Note: to print this calendar, copy and paste the content into a Word Document.

Yoga classes and studios are ubiquitous and vary widely from hot yoga to athletic yoga to Ashtanga and beyond. There is a plethora of YouTube yoga videos and there is good ole basic stretching. Like with strength training, if you are experienced and regularly doing flexibility work, keep it up. If not, start this now, too. As always, start slow and easy and build gradually. Patience, which enhances yoga and which yoga enhances, is a real virtue here.

This excellent yoga routine was designed specifically for runners by nationally renowned yoga instructor, author of "Do Your Om Thing" and DFMC friend, Rebecca Pacheco. Rebecca also offers a beginner’s routine on YouTube.

Nothing new here. Taking spin classes or doing your own spinning workout is a wonderful way to get in a good workout when running isn’t in the cards. Whether you're nursing a running-related injury, it’s too dark outside or the weather sucks, a stationary bike can provide you with an excellent workout alternative to running.

Another effective running simulation is deep water running. In a swimming pool deeper than you are tall, use a flotation belt or, better yet, short fins, and replicate your running motion in the water. Zero impact might enable you to train through an injury that is preventing you from running.

Warming up and cooling down are critical aspects of every workout. They are essentially mirror opposites of each other. Warming up consists of starting your activity slower than you likely feel is necessary, for 5-10 minutes minimally. Cooling down entails continuing movement at a significantly lower level than your workout entailed, also for at least 5 minutes. And this is the exception to the rule of "when in doubt, less is more." More warming up and cooling down is better than less.

Physiologically, an appropriate warmup literally warms up our "cold" muscles by increasing circulation, heart and respiration rates, and blood pressure, and slowly stretches out our relatively tight muscles. Cooling down with considerably slower, easier movement does just the opposite, leaving you in a better position for your next workout.

Of all the activities in your marathon training repertoire, running will likely be the harshest and most demanding on your body. Therefore, the 3-5 runs you do every week require the most substantial warmup and cooldown. Workouts with less impact like elliptical machines, stationary biking, swimming, and/or rowing allow for a shorter warmup, but both are still important. If you are short on time and feeling rushed to complete a scheduled workout, reduce your time in the "meat of the workout" and complete a full and proper warmup. An abbreviated cooldown is less likely to cause a strain or injury but try not to make a habit of it.

"Dress for success." Translated into "runner-speak," attire yourself with high-tech running apparel. In colder weather, add a layer or two, switch to a knit hat rather than a baseball cap, and wear mittens rather than, or over the top of gloves—all of which you can remove and carry if you start to overheat. Again, high-tech fabrics are necessary—save those cotton shirts with great designs for post-run fun.

For those to whom frigid winter weather is an issue, remember to "dress for your second mile." When the temperature is below 40 degrees, expect to feel the chill when you step outdoors to start your run. If you are bundled up enough to feel comfortable in the cold air as you begin your run, you are overdressed. Properly attired for a running workout, you will warm up within a mile or so of easy running. Remember too, the credo we at DFMC have adopted: "There’s no bad weather, just bad clothing!"

Running shoes are obviously the most important part of a runner’s training garb. Ideally, rotate between two pairs of running shoes throughout the season but be sure both pair provide comparable support and stability you need. A subtle benefit occurs because every shoe model has its own rebound qualities and dispersing this, even a little, can reduce the chance of an overuse injury. And when replacing one pair you can rely more heavily on that second pair while you more casually break in your new pair.

If you run in a wintery climate, consider trail running shoes for a better grip on slippery roads. Strap-on spikes like Yaktrax are another good option when running on slippery roads and are a near must on snow and ice-covered trails. Discretion is the better part of valor so if footing conditions are treacherous, cars may be slipping around as much as you, so consider an indoor workout.

Lastly, always make yourself as visible as possible. Car-driver visibility is significantly reduced during the winter months (dirty windshields, increased solar glare at dawn and dusk, etc.) and drivers are typically distracted or simply not looking for pedestrians and thus do not see runners. DO NOT TRUST that an oncoming driver sees you and/or anticipates your next steps. Once again, if in doubt, choose an indoor option if available.

If you’re new to marathon training, speed work is optional and can be implemented later in the 18-week training program. One of the best ways to ease into this is to start incorporating "strides" into your weekly training regimen. Varying your runs to include a variety of paces in proper amounts of intensity (speed), duration (length of repeats), and frequency (number of times per week) will improve your ability to run at a faster pace for longer periods of time. To race faster you must train faster.

Strides are runs of about 100 meters, run at a quicker pace, after or in the final mile of regular training runs. The idea is to "polish off" your steady state run by stretching out and adding bounce to your stride. Start easy and accelerate gradually through the first 15 - 20 meters. Hold this quicker tempo/rhythm/pace (what feels to be 80 - 90% of your max effort/speed) for 60 - 70 meters. Then decelerate gradually over 15 - 20 meters, slowing back down to a jog or even a walk. Strides are not to be thought of as "sprints," but they are run at a quicker pace than your regular running pace – just never all out.

Focus on good form, rhythm and relaxation while letting your body run at a faster tempo. Stay smooth and relaxed as your feet reach out and grab the ground like tiger paws. Run on a smooth surface and, if possible, a soft one of grass, synthetic turf field or running track. This will provide cushioning and force you to drive your legs and arms a bit more, as these surfaces will absorb energy from each foot plant, requiring you to generate a little more drive with a focus on knee lift and backward arm drive. Visualize pulling yourself through the air, much as a swimmer pulls through water.

Again, the intent of running strides regularly as a part of most of your runs is to teach your body to run faster and more efficiently. They’re also an excellent introduction to running more extensive speed workouts.

If this is your first marathon or it has been several years since your last one, incorporating a scaled-down version of the recommended weekly speed workout list (see below) will still enhance your running prowess. Your first few weeks of doing these workouts, run the prescribed distances (repeats) at a manageable pace and reduce the suggested number of repeats if in doubt about whether you are doing too much too soon. If you have been running only steady-state pace for most of your runs, first introduce speed training by incorporating strides into your daily runs.

Ideally speed workouts are done on a running track. Outdoor running tracks are 1/4 mile and indoor tracks are 1/8 of a mile (8 laps = 1 mile). Both can be valuable training assets, especially indoors for those who experience cold snowy weather in the winter (most of the DFMC team roster). Local colleges, high schools, and even some health clubs have indoor tracks. Investigate access to any of these in your area. Traffic-free roads, treadmills, and parking lots are good alternatives to a track.

Simulated speed workouts can also be done on an elliptical machine. The Cybex Arc Trainer is the best elliptical machine for simulating your running motion. And if you choose to run weekly speed workouts on the roads or trails and you don’t know exact distances, run your fast repeats for time rather than distance. Calculate the length of time it will take you to run a given distance at a given pace, then alternate runs for this length of time at a given faster pace with one to two minutes of recovery jogging and/or walking between each one.

For example, an 800-meter repeat (1/2 mile) at 8:00 pace takes 4 minutes. On the road, warm up well, then run 10 x 4-minute repeats at what feels to be 80-90% your top speed/effort with a 2-minute easy walk/jog recovery between each. The first few should feel easy and comfortable, and your final few repeats should require your full attention.

Remember, dramatic transitions in training patterns can lead to injury. All changes to your current routine (adding hills, speed, weekly mileage, length of your long run, etc.) require patience. Ease into all new phases and gradually build on the quality and quantity of all your workouts.

Warm up for speed workouts with a minimum of 1-mile easy running and 4 - 6 X 100-meter strides. Cool down after a speed workout with a minimum of 1-mile easy jogging.

Weeks to Go	Workout Details
13	16-20X 400-meter repeats @ 10K race pace with 200-meter recovery jog after each. 400-meter recovery jog after # 4, 8, 12, and 16 (10K race pace is 40-50 seconds/mile faster than marathon pace).
12	12X 600-meter repeats @ 10K race pace with 200-meter recovery jog (400-meter recovery jog after # 4 and 8).
11	2X 400, 800, 1200, 1600-meter repeats @ 10K race pace with 200-, 400-, 600-, and 800-meter recovery jog, respectively.
10	8X 800-meter repeats @ 5K-10K race pace with 400-meter recovery jog (5K race pace is 60-75 seconds/mile faster than marathon pace).
9	20X 400-meter repeats @ 5K race pace with 200-meter recovery jog. 400-meter recovery jog after # 4, 8, 12, and 16.
8	10X 800-meter repeats @ 5K race pace with 200-meter recovery jog.
7	2X 400, 800, 1200, 1600-meter repeats @ 5K race pace with 200-, 400-, 600-, and 800-meter recovery jog, respectively.
6	10X 1K repeats @ 5K race pace with 400-meter recovery jog.
5	5X 1-mile repeats @ 10K race pace with 400-meter recovery jog.
4	10X 800-meter repeats @ 5K race pace with 400-meter recovery jog.
3	4X sets of 5 200-meter repeats @ 5K race pace with 200-meter recovery jog. 400-meter recovery jog between sets.

Using training paces to determine an appropriate marathon pace is not very reliable. This is another reason we recommend running one or two training races during marathon training season. But if you are unable to run a training race, consider running a time-trial effort workout. Recruit a training partner, or a few, to join you in a hard effort for 5K during a longer run. Run it on an outdoor running track or a location where cars or traffic lights won’t require you to stop. Most runners’ marathon pace is 60 – 70 seconds per mile slower than their 5K race pace. This will give you a close estimate of your marathon pace potential. You can then incorporate a 3 – 5 mile section of your weekend long runs at your projected marathon pace. Mid-week tempo training runs can include a 3 – 5-mile section at about 30 seconds / mile faster than your projected marathon pace.

Whether your marathon finishing time goal is well under 3 hours or anything under 6 hours, focus on the average pace necessary to achieve your time goal. Focusing on pace rather than finishing time helps us focus more on the process and less on the outcome. One truism that applies to all goal setting: "Excessive focus on the outcome will contaminate your performance."

First-time marathoners are counseled to disregard finishing time and focus on just finishing the race. While this is sound advice, it misses an important point. Though it may be slow and painful, a first-time marathoner in the early stages of a marathon training season could likely walk the entire marathon course well before being fully prepared. So "just finishing" really isn’t the total challenge and it shouldn’t be your sole race-day objective. Every marathoner hopes to cover the race distance in the shortest amount of time possible, given their running experience, fitness level, race-day weather conditions, number of high-fives and hugs to give and receive along the marathon route, etc. Consequently, having a "race pace" goal is important for every marathoner, regardless of intended finishing time.

A race pace goal also holds our feet to the fire during training. It gets us up and out the door when we might prefer to roll over and sleep in. It gets us to run those few extra miles, over another big hill, or to the track for speed work. You might do less of these if you were content to simply take a leisurely stroll from Hopkinton to Boston on Patriots’ Day.

Use this calculator from Runner’s World Magazine to provide you with training paces at various distances to pursue with a marathon race pace in mind. This calculator from HillRunner.com will determine your race time potential for any distance based on your race finish time at any other distance.

"It’s better to train than not to train—except when it’s better not to train."

If you’re experiencing lingering fatigue or lower motivation to train, you’re likely overtraining, or you have a low-grade illness that hasn’t fully expressed itself yet. If most of your workouts feel overly challenging, it’s time to take a break. General stresses from non-running related events may also be contributing factors so if this describes your past week or more, take a break from the daily grind that marathon training can become.

Reduce or stop your training effort for a few days to a week. Outdoor walks and relaxing yoga classes will be sufficient to sustain your fitness level. Get more sleep, evaluate your diet, and treat yourself to relaxing activities with friends to take your mind off training for a while. When you feel ready to resume running, start with a few short easy workouts. A few days of this tapered training should be sufficient to recharge your batteries without costing you any of the valuable fitness you’ve worked so hard to achieve.

The joy and excitement of training will return—it always does. And if you get that "sideways" feeling again, use the above strategy to once again respond and recover.

"Ninety percent of this game is mental; the other half is physical." – Yogi Berra

Goal setting is a major topic in Sport Psychology. The value of having clearly defined, moderately challenging, personally meaningful goals with dated checkpoints and a specific completion date seems obvious. However, focusing excessively on your outcome goal can "contaminate" your performance. Focusing on the process by which we achieve those goals more than the outcome goal itself is particularly important in making your goal setting successful. Focusing on the things over which you have control and letting go of the things over which you don’t, such as the weather, will significantly improve your chances for success and provide a more positive overall experience.

We tend to confirm our greatest fears, so it’s important to focus on what we want to achieve, rather than what we fear or wish to avoid. Mentally frame each situation in the positive, rather than the negative. One of the many benefits of engaging in activities that facilitate getting us mentally into the present moment (i.e., repetitive activities like running, walking, spinning, rowing, swimming, meditation, etc.) is the brief respite we get from the angst of negative emotions like anxiety, fear, regret, etc. All those negative thoughts reside in the past (as in regret) or in the future (fear, doubt and/or anxiety about some upcoming event). Getting our mind into the present, where those brief timeouts from negativity exist, is of tremendous benefit.

When you find yourself in that seemingly perpetual negative conversation while on a training run or in a race, turn your tenor positive. When real fatigue begins to set in, rather than reprimand yourself with "don’t quit," "don’t cramp," "I knew this would happen," "I’m not good enough," and so on, return to those dimensions of your running over which you do have control: "relax," "keep your rhythm," "breathe," etc. Tell yourself to stay focused on running relaxed and rhythmically and focus on your breathing.

Another tenant of the mental aspects of performance is visualization: rehearsing in our mind’s eye what we’re likely to experience on race day. The Apollo 11 team that first landed on the moon didn’t decide what to do next after they touched down on the moon. They had mentally rehearsed hundreds of times what that first-time experience would be like before actually experiencing it.

"If you believe you can, you might. If you believe you can’t, you’re right."

Run a local road race or two as part of your marathon training. A shorter race a few weeks out will provide you with a shorter-term goal on which to focus your training attention. The race itself will provide a vigorous training effort. And your race result will reveal your current fitness level better than any workout. Your training-race paces can serve to determine your most appropriate marathon pace, pursuant to race-day weather conditions.

Running one or two training races throughout our marathon training season will also provide a good mental simulation of marathon morning: pre-race excitement in the days leading up to your race, early-morning pre-race rituals, getting yourself to the race site, pinning on your bib number, lining up in your assigned corral, anticipating the starting gun, jostling with the crowd of runners on a race course, focusing on rhythm and relaxation while maintaining a somewhat challenging speed/effort, summoning what energy you have left in the final few miles. This experience of simulating marathon day will be of significant value even if you run it as a training effort rather than as an all-out race. Use any practice race as an opportunity to test out your pre-race meal, warm-up routine, and race-day attire. The fresh air and comradery with the other racers will make any training race worth your effort, regardless of your speed.

Tapering for a marathon entails a gradual reduction of training load—essentially shortening all our runs, reducing the length of our cross-training workouts and perhaps taking more full rest days during the final two to three weeks prior to the marathon. This recovery period typically follows our final long training run. If you’re healthy, feeling fit, and your training is going well, you may prefer a shorter taper. If so, consider doing more of your training on indoor equipment to reduce leg pounding and increase recovery time between harder running workouts. Your minimum taper period should still be at least two weeks.

Getting extra sleep by going to bed earlier rather than sleeping in will enhance your recovery too. And if you’re feeling more fatigued than usual, mentally or physically, further reduce your workouts with shorter and easier non-impact exercise, just to keep moving.

If you’re still feeling strong and energetic, adding some short strides to the end of your runs will help sharpen your stride and put a little more bounce in your legs. But don’t overdo it. The hay is in the barn. Focus on getting well rested. The most important thing is to be healthy and free of lingering aches and pains on Patriot’s Day.

Use your final few medium-long training run(s) to simulate what you are likely to experience on marathon morning. Visualize what race day morning will entail in terms of timing your breakfast, what and how much to eat, relative to when you’ll start running.

Lay out your race day gear the evening before your final few longer training runs, even if you don’t wear it. Be sure to wash and try on your team singlet and running shorts, if they’re new, to be certain they fit well and don’t chafe. Other items to have ready for race morning are your favorite gels or GU, sunscreen, sunglasses, a light-colored mesh ball cap, etc. Also, have prepared a thin rain jacket, a mesh long-sleeve shirt, gloves, and a knit cap in the event we get a wet and/or cold day.

Doing all this the few weeks prior to marathon weekend will help reduce race-weekend scrambling, which can turn your positive-energy excitement into negative-energy angst.

Congratulations! You did it! You ran the Boston Marathon. Whether this was your first marathon or twentieth, you're likely still intoxicated with the emotional and psychological high that such an accomplishment imparts. Eventually, though, that delightful buzz will dissipate.

Nearly all marathoners eventually experience a psychological post-race letdown. It can take a few days or a few weeks but sooner or later it will happen. And once you're able to walk downstairs without that excruciating quad-burning pain, your desire to resume serious training may be gone or significantly diminished.

So now what? Is that all there is? "One-and-done?!" Your pre-race excitement likely created a very high set of expectations. As incredible as running the Boston Marathon was, you're coming to realize that so much of the quality and meaning of the entire marathon experience resides more in the process—your daily workouts, new friendships, social media interactions, creative fundraising, etc.—than the outcome of your race. From the day you applied for the DFMC team until your final post-marathon celebratory drink, you likely thought that crossing the Boylston Street finish line would be a transformative moment in your life. And it was, whether you're feeling that way now or not.

At some point, you will get back in the saddle and start a new process, be it toward your next marathon or some other mountain to climb. If you're already looking forward to your next race, it's important that you give your mind and body sufficient recovery time. Resuming your goal-oriented training regimen too soon could jeopardize your next training cycle. As with your marathon race pacing, it's far better to err on the conservative side, taking at least a few weeks for light, low-impact activity (biking, swimming, elliptical machines, soft-surface easy running, etc.) before zeroing in on another ambitious long-range goal like another marathon or an Ultra or Ironman. Shorter races and easier efforts with a focus on simple participation rather than pursuing a new personal record should be the order of the day for at least the next month. A total of four to six weeks of light recovery exercise should be sufficient for most marathoners to fully recover from this or any marathon effort. Just as it was with your marathon preparation, recovery is mostly about getting your mind right—and your body comes along for the ride.

If you struggle with figuring out what to eat before a run, you are not alone. It’s a tough act to balance. If you eat the wrong food or eat too close to your run, you risk an upset stomach or GI distress. On the other hand, if you enter the workout fasted or eat too little, your energy levels may crash mid-run. It takes patience and practice to nail your fueling strategy. Below we have some guidance to help you determine what pre-run fuel is best for you.

If you have less than an hour before your run:

• Snack – easily digestible carbohydrate
• Aim for 20-30 grams of carbohydrates
• Examples:
• Apple sauce: 16 g carbs
• Graham crackers (2 full cracker sheets): 25 g carbs
• Sports drink (12 fl oz): 22 g carbs
• Banana (medium): 25 g carbs
• Dried mango (4 pieces): 28 g carbs
• Pretzels (1 oz): 25 g carbs
• Goldfish (55 pieces): 20 g carbs
• Stroop waffle: 18 g carbs
• Sports gel: 20 g carbs
• Rice crispy treat: 25 g carbs
• Toaster waffles (2): 30 g carbs

If you have 1-2 hours before your run:

• Snack or small meal – mostly carbs, some protein and fat
• Aim for 40-120 grams of carbohydrates and 8-16 oz of fluid
• Examples:
• PB&J on an English muffin and a banana
• Bagel with jam and Greek yogurt
• Low fiber cereal with low-fat milk and fruit

If you have 3-4 hours before your run:

• Balanced meal – mix of carbs, protein, and fat
• Aim for 75-180 grams of carbohydrates and 12-24 oz of fluid
• Examples:
• Chicken or tofu stir fry with rice and vegetables of choice
• Turkey and cheese wrap with pretzels and fruit
• Oatmeal with high protein milk, nut butter, and fruit

Sufficient fuel during exercise helps to maintain your energy stores throughout the run. When fueling a run, you need three things: carbohydrates, water, and electrolytes. The amounts vary depending on how much time you will spend running.

If your run is less than 45 minutes:

• No fuel needed
• Water if desired

If your run is 1-3 hours:

• 30-60 grams carbohydrates per hour
• 12-16 ounces of fluid per hour
• 250-750 milligrams of sodium per hour

If your run is longer than 3 hours:

• 60-90 grams carbohydrates per hour
• 12-16 ounces of fluid per hour
• 250-750 milligrams of sodium per hour

Fueling options – non-gel, food-based:

• Fruit snacks (1 pouch): 19 g carbs
• 1 fig bar: 19 g carbs
• Pretzels (1 oz): 25 g carbs
• Applesauce: 16 g carbs
• Jelly beans (1 oz): 26 g carbs
• Gummy bears (1 oz): 21 g carb
• Clif Bar: 43 g carbs
• Dates (3): 18 g carbs
• Sports drink (12 oz): 22 g carbs

Fueling options – gels and energy chews:

• Maurten Gel 100: 25 g carbs, 34 mg sodium
• Gu: 23 g carbs, 55 mg sodium
• Gu chews: 44 g carbs, 125 mg sodium
• Gatorade Endurance energy gel: 20 g carbs, 100 mg sodium
• Gatorade energy chews: 24 g carbs, 70 mg sodium
• Clif bloks: 48 g carbs, 100 mg sodium
• Clif shot: 24 g carbs, 90 mg sodium
• Honey Stinger gel: 24 g carbs, 50 mg sodium
• Honey Stinger chews: 37 g carbs, 160 mg sodium
• Power Gel Original: 26 g carbs, 210 mg sodium
• Huma energy gel: 22 g carbs, 105 mg sodium
• Skratch Labs energy chews: 36 g carbs, 180 mg sodium
• UCAN energy gel: 19 g carbs, 50 mg sodium

Recovery is the stage where you maximize the benefits of your hard work and prepare your body for your next training session. It is the process of reloading depleted energy stores, repairing and building new muscle tissue, and rehydrating after exercise. To achieve full recovery, your body needs three things: carbohydrates to restore depleted energy stores, protein to repair and build muscle tissue, and fluids and sodium to effectively rehydrate.

What to eat immediately after finishing your run (30 minutes to 1 hour):

• 3:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein
• 10-20 grams of protein
• Higher glycemic index carbohydrates, such as bread or white rice, to provide glucose more quickly to muscles
• Fluids to replace sweat loss
• If you don’t have much of an appetite after a long run, start with liquids or a small snack to hold you over until the next meal
• Examples:
• Chocolate milk
• Pineapple and banana smoothie with protein powder
• Greek yogurt with granola and berries
• String cheese or beef jerky and crackers
• Protein bar and applesauce
• Dates and peanut butter
• Pretzels and hummus
• Peanut butter and banana toast with a drizzle of honey
• Rice cakes and hard-boiled eggs
• Trail mix and milk
• Pita chips and cottage cheese

What to eat in the 2-4 hours following your run:

• A complete meal with whole grains, protein, color, and fat
• Pro tip: incorporating anti-inflammatory foods in your post-run meal can further boost your recovery process
• Examples: fatty fish, avocado, nuts and seeds, dark leafy greens, bright orange fruits and veggies, tomatoes, berries, cherries
• 20-40 grams of protein per meal
• Continue to drink liquids, taking small sips frequently with food
• Examples:
• Tuna salad sandwich on whole grain bread and fruit
• Vegetable omelet with avocado toast
• Bean and cheese burrito with rice, peppers, and onions
• Pasta with grilled chicken, spinach, tomatoes, and pesto
• Salmon with roasted sweet potatoes and broccoli

It is not uncommon for runners to neglect proper hydration during the cold winter months; however, just because it’s no longer hot and humid outside does not mean you can throw hydration out the window. During prolonged training, two problems arise from impaired fluid electrolyte balance: dehydration and overhydration. The former involves water and sodium losses in sweat and urine that are inadequately replaced, whereas the latter involves excessive consumption and retention of dilute fluids. Practically speaking, when you are not taking in enough fluids, or on the contrary taking in too many fluids, everything in the body works less efficiently. This means your body won’t be able to digest and absorb carbohydrates as well, which will then impact glycogen stores and consequently performance by decreasing the time to exhaustion and increasing the rate of perceived exertion.

Hydration strategies:

• Start out well hydrated. Be sure to drink regularly throughout the day, aiming to drink half your body weight in fluid ounces each day.
• Example: A 160-pound runner should aim to drink 80 ounces (10 cups) of fluid per day.
• Determine your sweat rate: Weigh yourself before and after your run. Track the fluid you drink during the run as well.
• For an hour run: (Pre exercise weight post exercise weight) + fluid consumed during run = your hourly sweat rate.
• Drink 16-24 ounces of fluid for every pound lost.
• Drink early and often. Don’t wait until you are thirsty to start drinking. Drinking 3-6 ounces of fluid every 15 minutes will help you stay hydrated throughout the run.
• On the flip side: Monitor how much you drink. Stick to drinking a maximum of 10 ounces every 15 minutes to prevent overhydration.

Electrolytes: what, why, and how?

• What:
• Electrolytes – such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium are minerals within our bodies that carry an electric charge. They play a key role in maintaining fluid and pH balance, blood pressure, muscle contractions, nerve impulse transmission, and glucose absorption. Prolonged training can disturb fluid balance through sweat loss, which in turn can negatively impact your performance. The amount of electrolytes loss during training is highly individualized and varies depending on total sweat losses and how "salty" of a sweater you are. Symptoms of electrolyte imbalance include: GI distress, nausea, headache, dizziness, fatigue, and muscle cramps.
• Why:
• Electrolytes, specifically sodium, encourage the body to hold onto fluids, preventing dehydration. In addition, electrolytes stimulate thirst, encouraging you to drink more fluids.
• How:
• If you are running for less than 60 minutes, it is not necessary to use an electrolyte supplement as long as you are properly recovering with food and water.
• For longer runs (longer than 1 hour), prioritize taking in electrolytes before, during, and after exercise. Make sure to select an electrolyte supplement with adequate sodium levels, as sodium is the main electrolyte lost in sweat. To account for salt loss through sweat, you will need anywhere from 250 to 750+ milligrams of sodium per hour.
• If you are using a sports drink to replace electrolytes, while also using fueling products like gels, you will need to make sure the sports drink is consumed separately from the gels, and taken with water to increase absorption.
• Electrolyte supplements are sold in many different forms, including powders, sports drinks, tablets, chews, and gels. It is important to note that one product is no better than another—it all comes down to personal preference, convenience, and individual tolerance. Examples:
• Skratch Labs Sports Hydration Mix: 380 mg sodium
• Tailwind Nutrition Endurance Fuel: 310 mg sodium
• Nuun Sport Electrolyte Drink Tablets: 300 mg sodium
• Pedialyte Electrolyte Powder: 490 mg sodium
• SaltStick Electrolyte Caps: 215 mg sodium
• Liquid IV Electrolyte Drink Mix: 500 mg sodium
• Gatorade (20 oz): 270 mg sodium

Spread your nutrition out.

Try to eat little and often throughout the day rather than just super-sizing your usual meals. Eating five or six smaller meals is much more effective than stuffing yourself at dinner only to feel nauseous and lethargic. Use your hunger as a cue: if you are hungry within an hour or two after a meal, try increasing your portion sizes or adding more quality nutrients to your meal.

Carbs are not the enemy.

In fact, carbs are your best friend during marathon training because they are your preferred energy source. You should be consuming a diet high in carbohydrate content, ideally greater than 60% of your total calories. Without adequate carbohydrates, you risk selling yourself short in terms of performance potential, energy, and recovery.

Pay attention to protein.

If you are hungry all the time and eating enough carbs, you may want to take a look at your protein intake. Protein needs increase during training in order to repair the muscle tissue that gets damaged when running. Protein promotes the sensation of fullness, as it is slower to digest, so frequent doses of protein throughout the day will aid in controlling hunger. Whether you are a plant-based runner or a meat-lover, aim to consume a good source of protein at least four times a day.

Don’t fear fats.

Not all fat is bad for you. Your body requires some fat to help absorb vitamins and to provide essential fatty acids the body cannot product itself. These nutrients support recovery, immune health, and injury prevention by decreasing inflammation. Try incorporating fats into your post-run meals and snacks, such as nuts and seeds, nut butter, olive oil, avocado, and salmon.

Aim for 5-9 servings of produce per day.

Eating a diet rich in color has multiple benefits. First, most fruits and vegetables are high-volume for the serving size, meaning they make you feel full even when you are ravenous. Additionally, fruits and vegetables are dense with nutrients necessary to support your running and overall health. For example, B vitamins are needed for carbohydrate and fat metabolism while magnesium and calcium are important for proper muscle contraction.

Eat on rest days.

Just because you are not exercising does not mean you need to eat less on that day, especially when marathon training. If your rest day falls after a long run, you may be entering your day in a calorie deficit. In this case, you will likely feel hungrier than normal, so honor that hunger by eating.

What:

Carbohydrate loading entails increasing your carbohydrate intake 3-4 days prior to racing. Yes, you heard that right your carb-load should begin 3-4 days before race day. Contrary to popular belief, if you’re looking to fully lock and load your fuel tank for race day, that giant bowl of pasta the night before isn’t going to do the trick. The goal of carb-loading is to completely fill your energy stores for race day, helping to prevent that performance-limiting fatigue that may cause you to hit a wall.

Why:

Carbohydrates are the body’s primary energy source and critical to your success on race day. Your body stores these carbohydrates in the form of glycogen in your muscles. These stores are readily available and quickly release energy, allowing you to stock up to 2 hours of additional energy for racing. However, as you run, you deplete your glycogen stores, aka the extra energy you had packed away. The depletion of these stores results in fatigue, decreased performance, and increased perceived exertion, to name a few. Therefore, in order to sustain the demands of racing and optimize performance, you need to make sure your fuel tank is filled to the brim with carbohydrates before heading to the starting line.

How:

In the 3-4 days prior, your total daily calories from carbohydrates shifts from 60-70% to 80-90%; OR 3.6-5.5 grams of carbohydrates per pound of body weight per day.

Example: A 150-pound runner should aim to consume 540-820 grams of carbohydrates per day.

Overall calorie intake does not need to increase, just the proportion of calories coming from carbohydrates. Think of this as eating differently, not necessarily more you are increasing carbs, while simultaneously decreasing your intake of fat, protein, and vegetables.

Choose carbohydrate dense foods such as breads, bagels, oats, rice, pasta, bananas, potatoes, crackers, pretzels, etc.

• Foods that contain 50 grams of carbs:
• 1 large bagel
• 4 graham cracker sheets
• 2 slices large bread
• 1 cup cooked pasta
• 1 cup cooked rice
• 2 servings pretzels or crackers
• 25 animal crackers
• 16 oz juice or lemonade
• 2 cups dry cereal
• 1 cup dry oats
• 1 large baked potato
• 1 cup applesauce
• 2 bananas
• 2 cups pineapple
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• Make this easy for yourself: Calculate your grams of carbs needed per day, divide that number by 50, and that’s how many servings you need to eat above per day.

Aim for easily digestible, low-fiber options to prevent GI distress. For example, opt for white bread over whole grain, white pasta over whole wheat.

Focus on hydration. As we increase carbohydrates, we also want to increase fluid intake. Keep a water bottle with you, alternating between water and a sports drink.

"Hitting the wall" refers to the point during a marathon where your body simply runs out of energy. It is an unpleasant and common experience for runners the miles are flying by, you are cruising right along, and then all of a sudden around mile 18-21, your legs feel like they weigh eight tons each. This point during a marathon coincides with the depletion of glycogen stores. And while it may not be the sole reason for this sudden lack of energy around mile 20, adequate nutrition can help you delay this point—or better yet—completely prevent it. Below are some recommendations to help you avoid the dreaded "wall":

Train your stomach and practice your fueling strategy.

How ever you choose to fuel, it is imperative that you experiment with timing and type of fuel prior to race day. Waiting until race day to try out your fueling strategy is a gamble you don’t want to take. Start by making small adjustments to your fueling as needed, and trial-run those until you have a dependable plan. You want to build up your fuel while increasing the length of your runs so that, come race day, you’ll know exactly what your stomach can tolerate. For example, start small with a sports drink and then once your stomach has adapted to the liquid, slowly add in small amounts of easily digestible carbs like gels or chews.

Carb-load 3-4 days before and start fueling early and often in the race.

In addition to stocking your glycogen stores in the days leading up to the marathon, you want to start tackling nutrition in the first 30 minutes and then every 30-45 minutes going forward. Muscle glycogen stores are limited so you want to proactively refuel with carbohydrates to extend endurance and delay the onset of fatigue. Fully stocked glycogen stores = a well fueled body that will finish strong.

Stay hydrated with both fluids and electrolytes.

Start drinking early and continue at regular intervals throughout. 3-6 ounces of fluid every 15 minutes or 12-16 ounces per hour.

What to eat the night before the race:

• Don’t overeat. Your dinner should be on the smaller side and carb-heavy. Prioritize consuming carbs that are low in fiber to prevent diarrhea, intestinal cramping, and bloating. Dine on something you know you can handle so you don’t wake up race morning with an upset stomach.
• Do your best to avoid a late dinner. Aim to eat on the earlier side to ensure your body has enough time to fully digest. If you get hungry before bedtime, go ahead and snack on something high in carbs, like dry cereal or rice cakes.
• Avoid anything spicy, high in fat, or highly acidic, such as tomatoes and chocolate, to prevent GI distress.

What to eat the morning of the race:

• Two to three hours before the start, aim for to consume 150 grams of carbohydrates, such as a bagel with peanut butter or a bowl of oatmeal and a banana. Don’t try anything new. If you normally consume coffee in the morning, then do so on race day. Stick to a routine you have tested several times while training and what you know will work.
• About two hours before the race, drink 12 to 16 ounces (2 to 3 cups) of fluid to ensure you’re well hydrated.
• To top off your energy stores, consume 15 to 20 grams of carbs and 8 ounces of fluid within 30 minutes of the start. Fuel on quick digesting carbs, such as gels, chews or sports drinks that your stomach is familiar with.