That “transformation” includes major victories such as a gold medal in the 5,000 meters at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and first place at the Chicago, New York City, Boston and Grandma’s Marathons.
Before lining up again for the New York City Marathon, Scaloni, now an RD, said: Well + good The inside scoop on what her marathon fueling plan is like.
The day before
Because wheelchair racing is lower impact than running, Scaloni said most of the training involves high intensity and high volume. That means Scaloni almost always eats a high-carbohydrate diet. Therefore, it was only the day before that she began to take race-specific nutrition in earnest.
It starts with drinking carbohydrate-rich drinks. She targets a fluid intake of 80 ounces, including her 32 ounces from sports drinks such as Gatorade.
Her pre-race dinner is usually provided by the race organizer, but she likes to follow a little routine. For carbohydrates, eat rice, potatoes, pasta, etc. This also includes lean proteins such as chicken and fish. “I don’t avoid too many vegetables, but I don’t eat dried kale salads, for example,” she says. “I try to cut down on the fiber a little bit, but cooked vegetables are always delicious.”
Drink most of your last fluid of the day at dinner so you don’t wake up all night to go to the bathroom, and also take in electrolytes such as sodium to help retain electrolytes. That way, you’ll just drink a glass of water when you brush your teeth.
““Sleep is just as important as nutrition,” she says. “And not having to go to the bathroom multiple times a night is a big part of that.”
The morning of the race
Like any other morning, Scaloni starts race day with a large glass of water to rehydrate after sleep.
She typically eats breakfast a few hours before training, but before a race, especially a race that requires attention like the New York City Marathon, which begins on Staten Island, it can take several hours between breakfast and the start. there is. So she will eat more meals with complex carbohydrates and protein, such as oatmeal and yogurt or peanut butter. I’ll probably have a Clif Bar and Gatorade. Because she knows she has time to digest. And because she doesn’t want to go hungry halfway through. race. Then, bring Gatorade, Powerade, or Scratch Her Lab Carb Hydration Mix on the bus or in your tent right before the start.
Coffee is also essential. “My favorite thing to do is bring my own AeroPress if I get the chance. I usually use about 16 grams of beans and grind it,” she says. “Or if you don’t have that option and you have a coffee shop, I like to have a Red Eye, which is a cup of coffee with a shot of espresso.”
on the course
Scaloni wrote his master’s thesis promoting consideration of the unique needs of para-athletes. Some people have impaired gastrointestinal function due to spinal cord injury. Just the position an athlete assumes in a sports wheelchair can interfere with the gastric system. She also points out that: “We have gloves on our hands, so we have to be a little more thoughtful about just the act of eating.”
Scaloni’s go-to strategy is to load up her CamelBak with 60 grams of carbohydrates from Skratch Labs’ hydration mix and drink it through a straw (mostly on downhills when she doesn’t need to push with her hands).
Her advice to other marathoners
There’s a classic running adage. “Don’t try anything new on race day.” And that also applies to marathon fueling plans. Scaloni suggests training with exactly what you plan on eating during the race, down to brand and flavor. “Digestive issues while running are very common, but I think trying to identify what your body can tolerate while running is very important to completing a marathon at your best. ” she says.
Along the same lines, she suggests eating an early breakfast or eating multiple small meals like you would on race day. And as for the free Dunkin Donuts coffee at Start Village, only sign up if you usually drink coffee right before your run. “if [you’ve] “I’ve never had it before,” Scaroni warns. “It’s not necessarily the best day of the year to try it.”
