Hence, these are the reasons marathon runner's stay away from high carbohydrate foods the week before the race, and then stock-up a few days before the marathon. By staying away from carbohydrates the week before the race, the runner depletes the glycogen storage in his muscles. An excess consumption of carbohydrates few days before the race leads to an above average deposit of glycogen in the muscles, therefore, producing an above average storage of energy for the latter part of the marathon. Body building foods, such as protein, minerals and some vitamins, allow growth, maintenance and repair of the body. Examples of such food are meat, poultry, fish, cheese, milk and milk products.
Protein is an important part of an athlete's diet - it helps heal injuries to muscles and bones.
The richest forms of protein foods are corned beef, cheese, dried peas and peanuts. Athletes who suffer a shortage of protein in their diet usually suffer fluid formation around the knee and other joints, in addition to muscular weakness and fatigue. Another proven fact about the runner's diet is that more meals are better than fewer meals in a day. The result is improved performances in the runner. Studies have shown that five meals a day lead to a total work output of an athlete that is greater than that achieved from three meals a day.