4 Steps To A Marathon Swim Nutrition Plan
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Having a tried and true nutrition plan is an incredibly important part of any marathon swim. A swimmer’s nutrition plan can literally make or break a their chance at completing a major marathon swim. To complete a marathon swim successfully, swimmers need to fuel themselves with the right nutrients to maintain their energy levels and avoid exhaustion. As a coach who specializes in marathon swims, I have seen many swimmers struggle with nutrition planning. It is an area that I focus on with my swimmers, especially early on in their training. Read on to learn how to start piecing together your own marathon swim nutrition plan.
Step 1: Determine Your Caloric Needs
The first step in creating a nutrition plan for marathon swims is to determine your caloric needs. The number of calories you need will depend on your body weight, gender, age, and the distance you will be swimming. As a general rule, swimmers burn around 500 calories per hour of swimming. Therefore, for a 10 km swim that takes 3-4 hours, you will need around 1500-2000 calories. This is a good starting point that you can use to refine your marathon swim nutrition strategy.
Step 2: Choose the Right Foods
The next step is to choose the right foods that will work for you. I personally do not believe there are any right or wrong foods. I have worked with athletes who use all liquid nutrition with electrolytes, carbohydrates and caffeine and I have worked with others who like to puree a bunch of fruit and mix it with water for a more natural source of fuel. A few major factors that I have my swimmers focus on when picking foods are how easy they are to get down, if you will get sick of the flavor of the foods later in your swim and how they make your stomach feel.
My personal feed plan is very simple. It is all liquid because that is easier for me to get down in 15 seconds. I alternate between CarboPro or Ryno Power and Gu Roctane. They have all the calories I need, electrolytes, caffeine and flavors I can stomach for hours on end.
Step 3: Decide When To Eat
The third step is to plan your feeding times. During a marathon swim, it's essential to fuel yourself regularly. Much like what you eat, there is no right or wrong when deciding when to eat. If you are new to marathon swimming, I recommend starting out trying to consume 150-200 calories every 30 minutes.
It's crucial to practice your feeding plan during training to ensure that it works for you. You will want to do a couple of long swims consuming 150-200 calories every 30 minutes and pay attention to how you feel. If you feel great and love it, then we are in business. If you still feel depleted in the later hours of the swim, then you may need to try increasing the calories a bit. If you feel bloated and full, then you may need to consumer less calories or feed every 45 minutes or hour. It is all about trial and error in training so you have a plan that is second nature to you when your big swim day comes.
Step 4: Adjust Your Plan as Needed
The final step is to adjust your plan as needed. Every swimmer is different, and what works for one swimmer may not work for another. It's essential to be flexible and adjust your nutrition plan based on your individual needs and preferences. It's also important to listen to your body during the swim and make adjustments if you feel that something isn't working.
Creating a nutrition plan for marathon swims is essential for swimmers to be successful. By determining your caloric needs, choosing the right foods, planning your feedings and adjusting your plan as needed, you can fuel yourself properly and complete your big swim successfully. As a coach, I always remind my swimmers that proper nutrition is just as crucial as physical training for marathon swims. By following these steps, you can ensure that you will have the energy needed to achieve your goals and push your limits in open water swimming.