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Marathon fuelling

Running / Popular

Carbs per hour, gels and practising race nutrition.

What coaches agree on

  • Rehearse your exact race-day fuelling plan - the same products, amounts and timing you'll use on the day - repeatedly in training long before race day, not just in the final weeks.
  • Carb-load in the 2 to 3 days before race day, aiming for roughly 8 to 12 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of bodyweight per day by shifting the balance of your normal meals toward carbs rather than simply eating more food.
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  • Work out your own sweat rate and hydrate with an electrolyte drink at regular intervals through the race, not just plain water.

Common mistakes

  • Using a fuel on race day that you haven't tested in training - including relying on whatever brand the aid stations happen to hand out - because a product your gut doesn't recognise often triggers cramping or GI distress.
  • Under-fuelling during the race, or only starting to take on carbs once your energy has already dipped, leaves you trying to catch up after the fact, right when your gut is least able to absorb it.
Fueling Your Ultramarathon
Intermediate

Fueling Your Ultramarathon

Coach's take: The most rigorous, numbers-backed fuelling breakdown in this group — build your plan around this one.

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