There are a few key guidelines that you should follow that will make a huge difference in the effectiveness of your training and success of your race.

First of all, 60-70% of your diet should be carbohydrates such as potatoes, pasta, bread, rice, fruits and vegetables. 20-30% should come from protein and the remaining 10-20% from fats. It is also a very good idea to carbo-load before big runs, meaning eat a meal high in carbohydrates the night before a run.

Since you will be stressing your body more than usual, it is also recommended that you supplement your diet with nutritional supplements. Many ailments, aches and pains, and even injuries can result form improper nutrition, not to mention your body can recover more quickly and you can have increased energy and
endurance from supplements.

Hydration drinks provide three very important nutrients: water, electrolytes, and carbohydrates. As you train, your body burns blood sugar (glycogen) for energy and electrolytes (sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium) for proper muscle function. Hydration drinks consumed prior, during, and after runs will replenish all of these nutrients. One thing to be aware of, hydration drinks high in sugar can actually dehydrate you more than they hydrate you. It is recommended that your hydration drink have as little sugar and carbohydrates as possible and you get your energy (carbs) from another source such as Gu or PowerGel.

Muscle glycogen (carbohydrates) is preferred over fat for fuel for high intensity exercise of long duration because fat breakdown cannot supply energy fast enough. In addition, fat takes longer to digest than carbohydrates and thus should be limited in pre-exercise meals.

You're probably thinking to yourself, 'Well, obviously I need water'. The interesting thing is, the majority of runners, especially first-time runners, are either dehydrated or over-hydrated during training runs. For this reason we've decided to include water as a requirement and give you guidelines as to how much and how often to drink water. Symptoms of dehydration include muscle cramps, dizziness, over-heating, and exhaustion. Without adequate water your muscles can't function properly and your body has no way to cool itself off'the importance of proper hydration cannot be stressed enough.

Since there are no specific formulas for how much to drink, we offer several 'rules of thumb'to help you determine how much water to consume before and during your runs. We strongly encourage you to listen to your body and keep track of how much water you consume during each run, as well as weather conditions that can effect hydration and water loss.

The first rule of thumb is to hydrate early and often. Start drinking water or sport drinks 45 minutes before your run and continue right through the run. Since there are so many factors that determine your water needs, you'll have to determine the adequate amount for you. A good guide is 8-10 ounces every thirty minutes before the run.

The second rule of thumbs is that, for every 15 minutes of exercise, you consume 8-12 ounces of water. Again, this is a general rule, and needs to be modified based on weather conditions and your individual needs. Once you have the thirst sensation in your mouth, you are already dehydrated, so try and drink water before this occurs.

After your run, continue to consume as much water as you can without feeling nauseous until your urine is clear. This is a good indication that you are re-hydrated and can return to normal levels of water consumption.