Running Nutrition
Whether you’re running your first 5km park run, or training for a marathon, getting our nutrition right on race day can make all the difference to our time, enjoyment but also whether or not we finish(!).
So here are my top tips for how our nutrition changes as we lead up to a race.
Week leading up to race day
Let’s break down how to fuel the week before your race — because great performances start well before the start line. So, let’s imagine race day is Sunday.
Monday to Thursday: Keep It Steady
No need to carb-load just yet. Stick to your usual balanced meals — ideally following my Meal Math Formula: a mix of carbohydrates, protein, healthy fats, and plenty of colour (aka fruit and veg). I’m assuming your training volume is tapering now, so energy demands are lower. The goal here is to maintain normal glycogen levels, not overfill the tank too early.
Friday & Saturday: Time to Carb-Load (Smartly)
This is when the carb strategy kicks in. From Friday onwards, you'll want to increase your carbohydrate intake to help maximise glycogen stores (stored carbohydrate in our muscles and liver), which is our body’s most efficient fuel source for endurance events like marathons.
At the same time, it’s best to reduce fibre, fat, and protein. These nutrients slow digestion and can increase the risk of gastrointestinal discomfort on race day — bloating, cramping, or those dreaded emergency toilet stops (aka the trots). Keep meals simple, familiar, and easily digestible.
Here are some of my favourite high-carb, low-fuss meal ideas.
Breakfasts:
White bagels or crumpets with jam, honey, and/or banana
Pancakes with syrup or fruit compote
Toast with honey and a small glass of fruit juice or smoothie
Porridge with honey, jam and/or banana
Lunches:
Pasta with tomato sauce and a sprinkle of parmesan
White rice with sweet chilli chicken (light on the chicken)
Jacket potato with baked beans and/or cheese
Sushi
Dinners:
Chicken teriyaki with white rice (light on veg)
Risotto with pumpkin, butternut squash or asparagus
Noodles with a light soy or sweet sauce and chicken or fish
Snacks:
Fruit smoothies
Bananas
Flapjacks
Dried fruit like dates (in moderation as they’re quite high in fibre)
Race Day Nutrition: Don’t Wing It. Ever.
Race day is not the time to experiment with new breakfasts, mystery gels, or that “magic hydration powder” your mate swears by. The golden rule: stick to what you’ve tested. If you’ve still got a long run coming up before race day, use it to rehearse your full race day routine — from breakfast timing to in-race fuelling and hydration. Practice like it's the real thing.
Pre-Race Breakfast: High-Carb, Low-Everything Else
Your goal is to top off glycogen stores without upsetting your stomach. That means easy-to-digest, high-sugar, low-fibre foods — ideally 2–3 hours before the start.
Here are solid, tested options:
White bagels or crumpets with jam, honey, and/or banana
Pancakes with syrup or fruit compote
Toast with honey + a small glass of fruit juice or smoothie
Porridge with jam, honey and/or banana (go light on the oats if they usually sit heavy)
Keep protein, fat, and fibre to a minimum — these slow digestion and can make you feel sluggish or bloated.
In-Race Fuelling: 30g Carbs Every 30 Minutes
The rule of thumb: 30g of carbohydrate every 30 minutes, starting in the first 30 minutes of the race — don’t wait until you feel tired. Glycogen depletion doesn’t end well for anyone - it’s also known as ‘hitting the wall’. A mix of the following can work well — again, stick to what you’ve tested:
Fuel Ideas (approx. 30g carbs per serving):
Energy gels (caffeinated or non-caffeinated)
Sweets (Jelly babies, wine gums, Haribo, Percy Pigs etc)
Energy chews (Clif Bloks, High5, etc.)
Isotonic sports drinks (e.g. Lucozade Sport, Maurten, Tailwind)
Carb drink powders (maltodextrin mixes)
Dried fruit like dates or mango (if you’ve tested them - they’re high fibre)
Homemade energy balls (low fat/fibre)
Soft white bread with honey (works well for ultra distances)
Mix and match based on what your gut tolerates, and what’s logistically easy to carry. This is one of the ONLY times you’ll hear me recommend eating sweets…
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