Mary Doman has some experience training for marathons. The membership director of DC Road Runners has run four of them, including the most recent Boston Marathon, so she knows better than most that the training part is just as painful—if not more so—as the actual 26.2-miler.
In the midst of her training, Doman decided to keep a two-day food diary, giving us a glimpse into how an active marathon runner stays fueled and healthy after lots of long runs and yoga classes.
Day 1
Breakfast: “Before a long run, I always eat peanut butter and banana on toast and have coffee with soymilk. I let this sit for a while before I head out. There are mixed reviews among runners about the pros and cons of having caffeine before a run, but it works for me.”
Drink 1: “I took a break with the DC Road Runners Club at Georgetown Running Company for some Gatorade at about mile 11. No way I drank this whole thing—that would have been bad news for my stomach during the second half of my run!”
Drink 2: “After my 19-mile run, I stopped to pick up some chocolate milk and water to sip on the bus ride back home. Chocolate milk is sort of worshiped by runners as a magical refueling drink.”
Lunch: “When I finally got home, I had gained my appetite back and made a ham, egg, and cheese wrap with a side of broccoli. Plus I had about four glasses of water over the next few hours.”
Snack: “In the afternoon (after a nap!) I went to see a movie with my boyfriend. We grabbed some chips and water to snack on during the show.”
Dinner: “Date night continued with dinner at Zengo. The food was great, but perhaps ‘small plates’ weren’t the best idea after a massive workout. I was still sort of hungry after!”
Snack: “We shared a peach and some chocolate for dessert and sipped some coconut tea.”
Day 2
Snack before a six-mile run: “Before normal or shorter runs, I start off with a handful of animal crackers and coffee with soymilk. I don’t like eating too much before a run, but I need to have a little something for fuel. I became addicted to animal crackers about a year ago after I ate one too many at my local coffee shop, Tryst. They’re simple and light on the stomach.”
Breakfast: “Oatmeal is probably my favorite food. I cook it with water, milk, a mix of Kashi cereal, cinnamon, part of a banana, a sprinkle of flax seed, and the best part—a spoonful of peanut butter. I add a giant mug of tea and water.”
Snack: “Grapes and more water.”
Lunch: “A big salad with avocado, cheese, some fish, salsa, mango, and some other veggies. This salad actually wasn’t that great, but at least it was nutritious, right? Plus more water.”
Drink: “A little coffee after lunch to keep me rolling through the afternoon. Mondays are tough!”
Snack: “Some pita chips and seltzer water. A year ago this would have been soda, but I’ve sort of given up soda. It can’t be good for you. Before leaving work, I downed one of the granola bars in a pack (there’s two) to tide me over during my evening yoga class.”
Dinner: “Black bean and veggie tacos on low-carb multigrain wraps, featuring lots of beans, peppers, spices, lettuce, Greek yogurt (a perfect substitute for sour cream, in my books), and, of course, cheese. A nice ending to a long day!”
For more food diaries, visit Well+Being’s Food Diaries page.
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