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Nutrition for Runners

What to eat before, during, and after your runs. Covers daily nutrition, race day fuelling, carb loading, and hydration.

Intermediate

Overview

You can't outrun a bad diet — but you also don't need to overthink this. Good nutrition for runners comes down to eating enough of the right things at the right times to fuel your training and recovery.

Golden Rule: Eat real food, eat enough, and don't try anything new on race day.

Daily Nutrition for Runners

The Big Three

Macronutrient Why Runners Need It Good Sources
Carbohydrates Your primary fuel for running — stored as glycogen in muscles Rice, pasta, bread, oats, potatoes, fruit
Protein Repairs and rebuilds muscles after training Chicken, fish, eggs, beans, lentils, yoghurt
Fat Long-lasting energy source, essential for health Nuts, avocado, olive oil, oily fish

How Much?

Training Level Carbs Protein Fat
Light training (3–4 runs/week) 5–7g per kg bodyweight 1.2–1.4g per kg 1g per kg
Moderate training (5–6 runs/week) 6–8g per kg bodyweight 1.4–1.6g per kg 1g per kg
Heavy training (6+ runs, high mileage) 8–10g per kg bodyweight 1.6–1.8g per kg 1g per kg

Example: A 70 kg runner doing moderate training needs roughly 420–560g carbs, 98–112g protein, and 70g fat per day.

Pre-Run Fuelling

Timing What to Eat Examples
2–3 hours before Balanced meal with carbs, some protein, low fat Porridge with banana, toast with peanut butter, rice with chicken
1 hour before Light carb snack Banana, energy bar, toast with jam
30 min before Small simple carbs if hungry Half a banana, a few jelly babies
Nothing? Runs under 60 min on an easy day are fine fasted Water is enough

During Your Run

Run Duration Fuelling Needed What to Take
Under 60 min Nothing — just water if thirsty Water
60–90 min Optional — 30g carbs per hour Energy gel, jelly babies, banana
Over 90 min Essential — 30–60g carbs per hour Gels, energy drink, sweets, flapjack pieces

Important: Practice your race fuelling in training. Never try a new gel or food on race day — your stomach needs to be used to it.

Post-Run Recovery

The 30–60 minutes after a run is your recovery window. Your muscles are primed to absorb nutrients.

What to Eat Why Examples
Carbs + Protein (3:1 ratio) Replenish glycogen and repair muscles Chocolate milk, yoghurt with granola, chicken wrap
Within 30 min Quick snack to start recovery Banana + handful of nuts, protein shake
Within 2 hours Full balanced meal Pasta with meat sauce, rice bowl with veg and protein

Race Week Nutrition

Carb Loading (2–3 Days Before Race)

Carb loading isn't about eating mountains of pasta. It's about increasing the proportion of carbs in your diet while slightly reducing fat and fibre.

Day What to Do
3 days before Increase carbs to 8–10g per kg. Reduce fat and fibre slightly
2 days before Continue high carbs. Keep meals familiar
Day before High-carb meals. Avoid high fibre, spicy food, and alcohol
Race morning Your tested pre-race meal, 2–3 hours before start

Race Day Eating

Meal Timing Example
Breakfast 2–3 hours before start Porridge with honey and banana, or toast with jam
Pre-race snack 30–60 min before Half banana or a few jelly babies
During race As per your fuelling plan Gels at planned intervals (practiced in training)
Post-race Within 30 min Whatever's at the finish line + a proper meal within 2 hours

Hydration

When How Much
Daily Aim for pale yellow urine — roughly 2–3 litres per day
Before a run 500ml in the 2 hours before
During a run (under 60 min) Sip when thirsty — don't force it
During a run (over 60 min) 150–250ml every 15–20 min
After a run 500ml in the first 30 min, then keep sipping

Electrolytes: For runs over 90 minutes or in hot weather, add an electrolyte tablet to your water. Sodium, potassium, and magnesium help prevent cramps.

Common Nutrition Mistakes

Mistake Problem Fix
Not eating enough Low energy, poor recovery, increased injury risk Track your intake for a week to check
Trying new food on race day Stomach cramps, nausea, toilet emergencies Test everything in training first
Avoiding carbs Carbs are your primary running fuel — you need them Embrace carbs — they power your runs
Skipping post-run food Slow recovery, more soreness, increased fatigue Always eat within 30–60 minutes of running
Overcomplicating it Stress about food hurts performance Eat real food, eat enough, keep it simple

What's Next?

Fuelled and ready to train: