Training for a marathon requires you to do a lot of work. You will need to make sure your body is in the best shape possible. If you're not in good shape, then you won't stand a chance to complete all of those miles. While part of that training involves exercise (running, conditioning, even some weight lifting on some occasions), another aspect involves diet. If your diet is not on point, then you risk sabotaging yourself and not successfully completing the race.

Your body needs the proper nutrients to recover after training for the grueling race. If you eat junk food or simply don't have enough of the proper healthy foods in your diet, then you are not going to have a successful training period leading up to the big event. Your body will be worn down and tired and you won't have proper recovery. So, in order to maximize your ability to run the race successfully, here are some things you should add to your menu.

Carbohydrate-Rich Drinks

The old adage that you should eat a ton of pasta before a race has some merit. The reason that people used to eat huge plates of pasta the night before the NYC marathon was because they were carbo loading. This is a strategy that relies on the energy source that you find in carbs. This is based on the fundamental nutritional knowledge that there are three categories that food generally fall into: fats, proteins, and carbs. You need all three, but for energy, carbs are supreme. These carbs can come in many forms, from sugary candy to potatoes and the aforementioned pasta. However, pasta has a few drawbacks. First, it has a lot of calories and if you're looking to stay light for the marathon, then it might not be a great idea. Secondly, it's a heavy meal. You don't just eat a big pasta meal and then go for a run. This was why people tended to eat the big meal the night before.

A better alternative is to get carbohydrate drinks. These are light and easy. You can even drink them before a run, or right after a run. As you know, eating a big bowl of spaghetti doesn't lend itself to prolonged exercise right after. So, you should look it buying some of these carbohydrate-rich drink products. You might even use them during a run in order to get some extra energy.

Bananas and Fruit

After your training runs you want to make sure you refuel with carbs and healthy nutrients. Instead of eating sugary "health" bars, you should look into using bananas and fruit. In addition to using the fruit to get healthy sugars (which are basically carbs) you will get important antioxidants and other important things that help your body repair itself after a long workout session. Bananas are especially good because they have potassium (which is great for preventing muscle ache).