The following information comes from Week Six of the Nutrition & Hydration Two-Hour Marathoner program of MarathonSkating.com.

Lesson Six: Nutrition for the Marathon: Follow these tips to nourish and hydrate your body before, during, and after the marathon.

• The night before the marathon, eat a high-carbohydrate dinner. This is not “carbo loading” (which involves having a carbohydrate deficit for several days and then loading up once your body adjusts to the deficit) but will still supply your muscles with the glycogen that you will need for fuel the next day.
  
  
• Stay hydrated by limiting your alcohol intake and drinking plenty of water the night before the race!
  
  
• Plan to eat a high-carbohydrate, balanced breakfast one to two hours before the race. Eating too early will leave you with an energy deficit. Good breakfast options include a cup of yogurt with a banana, a bagel with peanut butter, or one or two sports bars. Add a little protein to obtain a slower release of energy.
  
  
• Drink plenty of water the morning of the race. Stop drinking about an hour before the marathon, go to the bathroom five to fifteen minutes before the race, and then drink another cup or two of water immediately before the race. This way, you will be hydrated without having to stop at the bathroom during the race.
  
  
• During the race, drink plenty of water. Bring a hydration pack or water bottle with you and stop at the water stops. Some skaters will want to carry a nutrition bar as a snack. If you bring a snack, eat it before you bonk from lack of energy.
  
  
• After the race, drink plenty of water and eat a high-carbohydrate balanced snack, such as one or two slices of turkey on a bagel, a bowl of cereal with milk, or one or two sports bars. Avoid alcohol until you re-hydrate.