Here are 3 tips to help you run your best Miami marathon, or half marathon
The Life Time Miami Marathon and Half Marathon will be back on Sunday, with 18,000 runners lining up for the 6 a.m. start in front of the Miami-Dade Arena.
And while many have run the race before — it’s in its 21st year — there are more than 3,000 who are first-timers. One piece of advice from the experts:
“You should not change your diet up, change your drinking habits, change how you’re dressing, change your shoes,” said Dr. Michael Swartzon, a sports medicine physician with Baptist Health Orthopedic Care and co-medical director for the Miami Marathon and Half Marathon.
What you should do is focus on staying hydrated, eating right and exercising just enough to stay active, without exhausting yourself, according to Lisa Dorfman, an author, athlete and performance dietitian who works with the U.S. Special Operations Command at Homestead Air Force Base. The former University of Miami sports nutritionist has previously worked with Olympic athletes and is known online as the Running Nutritionist.
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Here are tips to heed for Sunday’s race:
How to hydrate
The National Academy of Medicine recommends men consume around 8-12 cups (2-3 liters) of fluids daily and women around 6-9 cups (1.5-2.2 liters). However, not everyone needs the same amount of water. It can vary by person.
You don’t need to hit that fluid count with water alone. You can drink sports drinks and eat foods that provide potassium and magnesium, two essential minerals the body needs but are depleted through running. Foods high in potassium include bananas, oranges, watermelon, avocados, coconut water, dried fruits such as raisins and apricots and almonds and cashews. Foods high in magnesium include chia and pumpkin seeds, almonds and cashews, black beans, edamame and peanut butter.
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What you shouldn’t drink: Alcohol. It dehydrates you and can affect your body’s energy levels. However, if you are planning to drink alcohol this week, keep it to one or two beers, and avoid drinking alcohol the day before the race, she said.
What to eat before the race
Miami is a foodie’s haven. This can make meal prep in the days leading up to the marathon challenging, especially for visitors.
Dorfman said you can indulge in South Florida’s diverse cuisine through Thursday and eat more plain foods on Friday and Saturday.
Some suggestions:
For breakfast, plain cereal with a smoothie. You could also have a few eggs. Or peanut butter on toast with a banana. For lunch, a grilled chicken sandwich on whole wheat bread. For a snack, a sports bar or a high carbohydrate drink. For dinner, 1 to 2 cups of pasta, though “don’t overload on the sauces” with a chicken breast or a few meatballs.
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“You don’t want to load up on protein the night before because protein is not your main energy source for the race, it’s really going to be those carbs and it’s going to be those plain carbs,” Dorfman said.
What to avoid: sugary foods, spicy foods and foods that you’re not used to eating, according to Swartzon.
How much should you exercise before half/full marathon?
While it’s important to stay active before the marathon, you shouldn’t overdue it.
Warm-ups are OK but avoid long runs, especially the day before the race, according to Swartzon. Also, don’t try to add any new exercise regimens to your routine.
While it’s OK to run a couple of miles Thursday, Dorfman recommends only running a mile or a half on Saturday to make sure you’re rested for Sunday. Swimming in the pool or light yoga on the beach may be good alternatives too.
And when the day of the race comes, make sure “to listen to your body,” Swartzon said.
This story was originally published January 25, 2023 at 4:03 PM.
