One thing that we often see in the running world is blanket fueling advice. Things like: “Take 40-60g of carbs per hour” during the long run and refuel with carbs and protein right after you run.
But the truth is, the fueling needs of someone running a 7 mile long run very easy 4 months out from a marathon and someone running 16 miles with 3 x 2 miles at marathon goal pace 2 months out from a marathon are vastly different.
Let’s break this down:
Fueling When You’re 3–4 Months Out From Your Race
When you’re running fewer miles and doing less intense workouts, your body has more time to “catch up” on glycogen stores. When you run easy miles (truly easy, meaning your heart rate is in zone 1-2), your body burns a higher percentage of fat vs. carbohydrates.
When you finish that easy 5 miler, you’ve burned both fat and carbs & since you ran around 1 hour, the glycogen debt that has been created is fairly small. If you ate a carb heavy snack or meal before the run, there is less of an urgent need to refuel immediately with extra carbs – this glycogen debt can be replenished more easily through your normal eating.
Should You Take Gels During Early Long Runs?
What about long runs in early training? Generally, it is recommended to take gels for any run exceeding 75-90 minutes. But, in the base building phase, it is less crucial to take the recommend 40-60g/hour than it is in other phases.
That doesn’t mean you should skip it though – taking gels in the base building phase is helpful to get your gut used to taking in calories and fuel during a run. Additionally, it will help you perform better and recover faster.
Fueling When You’re 1–2 Months Out From Your Race
Once you get into the building and peak portion of training (2 months out from your goal race), fueling well and often is no longer optional. It’s now a game changer. As the intensity and mileage ramps up in training, you start to dig a hole if you aren’t fueling adequately.
When you’re in peak training for a marathon or half marathon – say running 35-50+ miles per week, doing a speed workout on Tuesday and a tempo run on Thursday or maybe in your long run – you are burning through a lot of glycogen – aka carbs. During intense exercise, your body can no longer use fat as fuel as quickly, and it relies on quick burning carbs – stored in your muscles in the form of glycogen.
Why Carbohydrates Matter More During Peak Training
If there’s a limited supply there, & the body cannot generate ATP quickly enough, power output drops, and paces feel harder to sustain, or you simply cannot sustain them at all.
If you don’t have those carbs available, you’ll feel flatter on your run. You won’t be able to hit the paces as easily. And even if you do, your body won’t adapt and recover as quickly as it would if it were fully topped off.
This is why you need to ingest more carbs during a long run or even a longer speed workout in order to have the energy you need. In addition to that, your body cannot “catch up” on the carbs without more carbs in the daily diet as well.
Why Practicing Fueling Early in Training Matters
If you haven’t practiced your fueling during those first weeks of training, you may not feel hungry before your runs. And your stomach may rebel a bit when you introduce fuel, especially if you’re getting the recommended amount per hour on a long run – its a lot and without practice, your stomach may not be happy.
So do you need less fuel during the early months of training? Yes. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t fuel at all.
Benefits of Fueling Properly During Marathon Training
Understanding how to fuel for the current demands of your training means:
- Feeling like you could go another mile at the end of your long runs
- Hitting paces during speed workouts
- Recovering faster so you wake up Monday morning ready to train again
- Not gaining unwanted fat during training or even losing fat during the early phase if desired
What to Do If You’re Unsure How to Fuel Your Long Runs
So what do you do if you aren’t exactly sure what to do? When in doubt, it’s better to over-fuel a bit than under-fuel a long run. Just be sure to keep the rest of your meals balanced and healthy.
Happy running,
Nicole Dobransky
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