Nutritional intake and timing of marathon runners. Influence of athlete's characteristics and habits on finishing time

Abstract

Background Endurance athletes’ competitions have increased over the decades and marathon races are becoming increasingly popular. Proper nutrition is critical for optimal performance and long-term health in marathon athletes. This study aimed to investigate runners’ nutritional intake, especially fluids, food, and supplements, competing in the Seville Marathon. A descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out to obtain information on the consumption of liquids, food, and supplements. A total of 160 runners who were primarily men (87.5%) aged 42.2 ± 7.3 years who participated in the 2022 Seville marathon took part in the study. Results There was no significant difference (p > 0.050) between marathon finish time or sports experience and fluid, CHO, sodium, and caffeine intake pre- and post-competition, except for athletes who met CHO intake recommendations during the competition that were more likely to finish the marathon in less than 180 minutes. Conclusions The intake of CHO, sodium and caffeine was low compared to the current recommendations. The intake of fluids was at the lower limit of recommendations. Most athletes did not receive nutritional counselling by a D-N, which may explain why athletes failed to meet specific nutrient recommendations. Future investigations with a larger sample size are warranted to assess the relationship between dietary intake and finish time.