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1. Increase your fuel to cover your training
Every day, you need to cover for what you run. This is not just during the run (though that is important too), but at meals and snacks outside of your runs as well. Many runners do not eat enough to cover for their training, which makes it hard for the body to recover and prepare for the next run. This can lead to injuries or illness during training. A rule of thumb is that you burn about 100 kcal per mile you run. Add this number to a base of 1500-1800 kcal daily for metabolic functions and daily activities outside of running. This is the total you should be eating each day.
2. Increase your fluids to support efficient fuel usage
Nutrients are metabolized and transported throughout the body using water. Therefore, make sure you are drinking fluids throughout the day (again - not just during the run) to better help the body use that food you are eating. Not sure if you are drinking enough? Use the color of your pee as a guide - when you pee (which you should be peeing multiple times daily), it should be a light yellow color (think lemonade).
3. Check out the race course
How can you train well if you don't know what to expect? It is great to know if a course is hilly or flat, but it is also important to know where the aid stations are located and what each aid station will provide.
4. Practice your plan
Once you know what the course provides, you should be training with those products (unless you intend on carrying your own fuel). You need to create your race nutrition plan and start practicing it weeks in advance to make sure it is spot-on come race day.
5. Make sleep a priority
While this isn't technically a nutrition-focused point, good sleep plays a huge role in recovery. Make sure you are sleeping 7-9 hours each night on average. This will help your body most effectively use the food you eat for recovery and rebuilding overnight.
Your Nutrition Coach,
RDKate
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