Elite Marathon Training Series: Hendrik Pfeiffer – Diet, Sleep & Stretching Part 2
When it comes to hydration, what are your opinions on that? Some like electrolytes during training, some drink a particular type of supplement, what’s your preference?
I made a big change in my everyday life when I changed my club and I left my parents’ house, because I don’t know why, but my parents made the mistake that they always drank Coca Cola or Fanta, and that was bad. Later I noticed it wasn’t a good way but when I was younger I had Fanta or Cola every day. I see that it wasn’t good for me, and when I left my parents’ house and moved to the city where I live now, and I changed my sporting club and university, I also changed my drinking habits.
I managed to only drink water and sometimes maybe apple juice and for me that was a big step of success because it was very tough for me to not drink Fanta or Cola because sugar is like a drug. You become addicted to that, and I had to struggle very hard to change that. But now when you come to my house there won’t be any coca cola or any sugar drinks. Now I only drink water and sometimes some juices, but it’s rare. That was a big thing for me when it comes to my every day life, when it comes to competition I have no experience with that because I’ve only run one marathon in my life, and for half marathon I don’t need hydration along the way.
During my first marathon it was big experiment also concerning hydration – until 30km I only drink water and for the last 10km there was a buffer in my water, but for me it wasn’t a big thing – I think I could run 2:13 if I only drank water. But I don’t have enough experience with that – it might be good to have a better drink during the marathon race, but as I said for half marathon or 10km race I don’t need any hydration, except if it’s 40 degrees celcius. What’s important for me is to drink a lot of water after a tough workout and maybe eating a banana but there’s no secrets concerning drinking habits, just “do not drink sugar” is my motto.
So you don’t drink electrolytes in training at all?
During my workouts I just drink water – maybe in my future marathons it could be but i have to plan that with my coach because I have absolutely no experience with that. Some people use gels, maybe that’s something that’s interesting for me, but at the moment I’m just drinking water.
Obviously you train at such an intense level almost every day with the speeds of your runs, and if you don’t consume any electrolyte drinks containing potassium or essentially any sugars, I’m surprised you don’t have any muscle cramping issues – do you take any supplements for that or do you just not experience any of those issues?
I’m strictly against supplements because I’ve heard so many stories about there being something inside then that you don’t know or cannot risk, and I don’t want to do it. I think if you eat the stuff you like and eat a lot vegetables in the evening, you get everything you need. i’m not a friend of supplements – only if I go to altitude I take some iron, because that could be necessary, but I’m against supplements.
What is your take on stretching? Do you do much of it, do you think its important?
For me it’s alternating at the moment, because I used to not stretch after a long run because I thought I don’t want to do it, I feel like going to bed now, or I could be eating something now. But it’s something I’m changing at the moment, I do 3-4 workouts a week after a progressive run and I force myself to do it, for 45mins I stretch with straps and that’s something I’ve done since I was injured now. I did it regularly and I have improved on that. I have to admit that in the years before I didn’t do it enough – maybe that is why I got my achilles problems, I’m not sure. Something like should never happen again, that’s why I take it seriously now. But that’s something that’s not popular, and that’s often why people say “oh i don’t want to do it now, I’m done with training” but it’s something that I want to change.
On the topic of sleep, what are your thoughts? Some people sleep 6 hours and some people sleep 11 hours, how important do you think it is and how often do you like to sleep?
I try to get at least 8 hours, that’s important to me. I don’t like to get up early, that’s a weakness of mine. But if you have a goal in mind, you manage to get up 7am in the training camp, but in everyday life I usually get up at 7.30 or 7.45 and that’s why I can go to bed at 11 in the evening. I’m a big fan of power naps at 1 or 2pm, but unfortunately it’s not as possible as it was 2 years ago, when I was only studying next to running. Now I have a job and a lot of things to do and that’s why I need the time to do my other duties. I would like to do a power nap 3-4 times a week, 30min-1hr nap, but it’s not so easy. But next year I focus more on running and there are European Championships, maybe I try top change my work-run balance, but this year it is tough. Now in Monte Gordo I always sleep an hour every day.
