Nutrition is an important topic for people with diabetes. This also applies to Markus: he is paying very close attention to his diet in preparation for the Jungfrau Marathon in September.
Can you describe your typical daily diet while training for a marathon?
At the moment I am not really following a special diet, but during race week for the first four days, I reduce my carb intake and mainly focus on having more fats and protein like meat and cheese especially for breakfast, unless I have a hypo then I treat it with glucose. Then three days before the race I greatly increase my carb intake having carbs with every meal. This is called carb loading and works well for me. Then during the race I have good carb and fat stores in my body. During the race i control my carb intake by having glucose tabs and just water to drink, sometimes adding salts if its hot weather and I am sweating more.
What are your go-to pre-run and post-run meals or snacks?
Pre-run I will eat a carb containing meal mainly focus on low GI carbs. After the run I notice I could drink 2 liters of fluid before needing to go to the toilet, I think this is a sign that I needed to drink more during the race, however if my glucose levels are in range I don't like to drink to much as I notice it affects them. After the race I drink whatever is available and cold! My favorite meal to have after a race is Cordon Bleu!
Do you have a nutritional expert supporting you with preparation for the marathon?
I find out what is best for myself without a dietitian: I get some tips from a sports scientific, but I wrote all the details down and I try everything out on my own.
We should try it for ourselves: as soon as we start training, we need to document everything and learn from what happened.
How do you balance your carbohydrate intake to ensure you have enough energy for long runs without spiking your blood sugar?
Its important to think about the fat intake also as this will effect when glucose is digested and spikes in the blood. I do not really aim for a specific amount but I eat at least between 250 and 300 grams a day.
What role do drinks and hydration play?
Hydration replacement is very important, I prefer to stick to water as this does not effect my glucose levels. Most of the stations at the race will provide isotonic drinks however the amount of carbs in these vary greatly therefore it makes it very difficult to predict what will happen my glucose levels. I take water and if I need some carbs I will have the fruit that is provided at the stations usually banana or apple or a gel. In some races they also provide beer at the stations, this can be helpful as it does contain carbs however you need to be careful with the alcohol as its can have unpredictable effects on glucose levels.
Is there an amount of fluids you aim to consume during training or in a race?
I drink around 100ml every half an hour, maybe more if it is a hot day, it will increase to 200ml, depending on the heat. But in the mountains, where my next marathon takes place, it is colder.
Do you count calories or have any goals for the amount of protein and fat that should be eaten?
I do not have a goal here, it does not matter how many carbs I get or calories I consume, I just do not want to be hungry anymore after eating. It also depends on the training hours. If I do more I eat more and vice versa.
For my protein intake, I mostly take around 30-60g of protein powder in the morning. During intense training weeks I will also have some extra protein. When I think that I need it and my body tells me, that it needs something, then I try it. e.g. two or three days of more protein.
My protein is very low on carbs. I mix it with water so it does not affect my glucose levels.
What do you eat after intense training sessions or competitions to aid recovery?
My favourite meal is Cordon Bleu, also because it consists of fat and carbs. After a race, every meal is perfect. I think I will burn 3000-4000 calories, so it does not matter what I eat.
Do you use any specific supplements to support your training and diabetes management?
Not really, sometimes I take normal salt during the race, if it is hot it is easier to take some salt with water and my sugar in form of Dextro Energy.
What are some of the biggest nutritional challenges you face as a person with diabetes when preparing to run a marathon?
At the moment there is no big challenge. I will see when I approach the race, I had a little mistake at my last race. I think it was due to a lot of fat in the meal the night before the race which cause a glucose spike but I could correct it.
The plan for this marathon I will set my target range on 150mg/dL (8.33mmol/l) and I will not start the "Ease-Off" mode. Maybe when I get to the steep part of the mountain I will go into "Ease-Off" and turn it off after because my heart rate will go up in the altitude.
The best runners will run the marathon in around four hours. My focus is between five and six hours, hopefully under six.
Do you keep an eye on your weight?
I make sure that I stay between 68 and 72 kg. If I want to be really fast I go down to 65kg. Its easier for a long run to have more body fat and muscles.
Have you developed any specific tips or strategies to help you optimise your performance and blood glucose control?
Documentation is key. Everybody knows best for himself. And only documentation can bring me all the data and information on what I need.
