What to Eat Before a Marathon

A marathon is not the race to guess your way through food.

For shorter races, a loose plan can sometimes get you round. A marathon is different. You are out there long enough for race-week meals, breakfast, gels, fluids, pacing and gut comfort to all matter at the same time.

The good news is that marathon fuelling does not need to become a spreadsheet. The best plans are usually calm, practised and a bit boring. You arrive with full fuel stores, eat a breakfast your stomach knows, take carbohydrate before you feel empty, drink to need and leave the experiments for another day.

That is the job. Fuel early. Keep it familiar. Protect your stomach.

Quick Answer

In the final 36-48 hours before a marathon, most runners benefit from a deliberate carbohydrate load built around familiar, lower-fibre foods. On race morning, eat a tested carbohydrate-based breakfast 3-4 hours before the start if timing allows. During the race, start fuelling early, often around 30-45 minutes, then keep taking carbohydrate at regular intervals.

Most runners use around 30-60 g carbohydrate per hour during a marathon. Well-trained runners with practised guts may build towards 60-90 g per hour, usually with a mix of gels, chews, sports drink or drink mix.

Drink steadily, use electrolytes when heat, sweat losses or time on feet make them useful, and avoid forcing large amounts of plain water.

Marathon Fuelling Timeline

Use this as a starting point, then shape it around your own training, start time and stomach.

A marathon is too long to solve with one breakfast. Race week tops up your stores. Breakfast steadies the morning. During-race fuel keeps carbohydrate coming in when your body is burning through it.

If one of those layers is missing, the later miles can feel much harder than they needed to.

Why Food Before A Marathon Matters

When you eat carbohydrate, some of it is stored as glycogen in your muscles and liver. During a marathon, your body uses that stored carbohydrate alongside fat.

The issue is that glycogen is limited. As it drops, your usual pace can start to feel harder. Your legs may feel heavy, your mood can dip, concentration can fade and simple decisions can feel strangely difficult.

That is part of what runners mean when they talk about "the wall". It is not always one single thing. Pacing, training, heat, sleep and muscle damage all matter too. But poor carbohydrate availability is one of the big pieces you can control.

Marathon nutrition has three jobs:

• Start with topped-up glycogen stores.
• Keep carbohydrate coming in before you feel empty.
• Choose foods and drinks your stomach can handle while running.

Get those right and you give yourself a much better chance of running the race you trained for.

What To Eat The Week Before A Marathon

Race week should feel settled. This is not the week for a sudden diet change, a new supplement, a huge salad habit or something you saw someone else doing online.

Your aim is simple: arrive fuelled, comfortable and confident that nothing in your food plan is a surprise.

7-4 Days Before

Seven to four days out, keep meals normal and familiar.

You do not need to carb-load hard all week. You do need to eat enough, include carbohydrates regularly and avoid arriving at the final two days already depleted.

Good meals can look very ordinary:

• Porridge, cereal, toast or bagels at breakfast
• Sandwiches, wraps, rice bowls or jacket potatoes at lunch
• Pasta, rice, potatoes or noodles at dinner
• Eggs, chicken, fish, tofu, beans, lentils or yoghurt for protein, if tolerated
• Fruit and vegetables in the amounts your stomach normally handles
• Fluids spread through the day

The taper can play tricks on appetite. Some runners feel less hungry because mileage drops. That does not mean your body has stopped preparing. Keep eating properly.

3-2 Days Before

Two to three days before the marathon, start leaning more deliberately into easy carbohydrates.

Carb-loading does not mean eating until you feel ill. It means making carbohydrate easier to fit in by choosing foods that give you more fuel without too much bulk.

That might mean:

• White rice, pasta, potatoes, bread, bagels, cereal, crumpets or pancakes
• Smaller portions of very high-fibre foods if your stomach is sensitive
• Moderate protein rather than huge portions
• Lower-fat choices so meals do not sit heavily
• Carb-rich snacks or drinks if big plates feel difficult

Beans, lentils, bran cereal and big salads are not "bad" foods. They just may not be your best friends in the final 24-48 hours if they make your stomach unpredictable.

How To Carb-Load For A Marathon

Carb-loading matters more for the marathon than it does for most common road races.

The point is to increase muscle glycogen before race day, so you start with more stored carbohydrate available. You do not need an old-school depletion phase. There is no need to run yourself empty, eat low-carb, then swing wildly the other way.

Modern carb-loading is much simpler: reduce training, increase carbohydrate, keep foods familiar and avoid anything your gut does not trust.

When To Start Carb-Loading

Most marathon runners start around 36-48 hours before race day.

Some prefer a gentler 2-3 day build because it feels easier on appetite and digestion. That can work well if you get nervous, struggle with large meals or know your stomach does not like sudden changes.

The best time to test it is before a long run or tune-up race. A mini carb-load tells you what your stomach likes before marathon week arrives.

How Many Carbs Before A Marathon?

Broad sports nutrition guidance often gives a range of around 7-12 g carbohydrate per kg body weight per day for high training and competition needs. For marathon carb-loading, many runners move towards the higher end, often around 10-12 g/kg/day for 36-48 hours.

Treat that as a planning range, not an order.

Your target depends on your body size, usual diet, finish-time goal, appetite, gut tolerance and training history. If you normally eat quite low-carb, do not jump straight to the top of the range overnight.

Those numbers can look high because carb-loading is a short-term race strategy. You do not need to eat like this every week.

If the table feels too clinical, use the practical version: include carbs at every meal, add carb-rich snacks, use drinks if helpful and reduce bulky foods that stop you getting enough in.

Carb-Loading Foods That Usually Work Well

The best carb-loading foods are familiar, carbohydrate-rich and easy to digest.

Good options include:

• Rice
• Pasta
• Potatoes
• Bread
• Bagels
• Toast
• Crumpets
• Pancakes
• Oats or lower-fibre cereal
• Rice pudding or creamed rice
• Noodles
• Rice cakes
• Malt loaf
• Bananas
• Fruit juice
• Smoothies, if tolerated
• Low-fat yoghurt, if tolerated
• Sports drink, if useful

If you are stomach-sensitive, lower-fibre options often work better near race day. That might mean white bread instead of seeded bread, white rice instead of a large wholegrain bowl, or smaller servings of beans and lentils.

Common Carb-Loading Mistakes

Most carb-loading problems come from doing too much, too late, or too differently.

Watch out for:

• Saving everything for one huge pasta dinner
• Eating far more fibre than usual
• Keeping meals so high in fat that there is no room for enough carbohydrate
• Trying new foods, supplements or sports drinks
• Forgetting that sodium also comes through normal food
• Panicking about temporary weight gain
• Never practising carb-loading before race week

Temporary weight gain can happen because glycogen is stored with water. That does not mean you have done something wrong. For marathon week, the goal is to start fuelled, not as light as possible.

What To Eat The Day Before A Marathon

The day before a marathon is not only about dinner.

You will usually feel better if carbohydrate is spread across the day, rather than squeezed into one giant meal late at night. Smaller, familiar meals are often easier to handle, especially if race nerves are already kicking in.

A simple day-before rhythm could look like this:

• Breakfast: porridge, cereal, toast, bagel, pancakes or rice pudding
• Snack: banana, malt loaf, cereal bar, rice cakes or fruit juice if tolerated
• Lunch: pasta, rice bowl, jacket potato, sandwich, wrap or noodles
• Snack: bagel, crumpets, cereal, yoghurt if tolerated, or sports drink
• Dinner: familiar carbohydrate-based meal with a protein food

Drink steadily with meals and snacks. Do not force litres of plain water just because tomorrow is race day.

Day-Before Meal Ideas

Choose food you have eaten before runs, not the meal that sounds most impressive on paper.

Reliable options include:

• Bagel with jam, plus yoghurt if tolerated
• Porridge with banana and honey
• Pasta with tomato sauce and chicken, tuna or tofu
• Rice bowl with eggs, chicken, tofu or prawns
• Jacket potato with tuna, cheese or another familiar topping
• Noodles with a simple sauce and a protein food
• Sandwich or wrap with fruit and a drink
• Pancakes with syrup, honey or jam

If you know your stomach is sensitive, keep fat and fibre a little lower as the day goes on.

Day-Before Snacks

Snacks make carb-loading easier because they spread the work out.

Useful choices include:

• Banana
• Toast with jam or honey
• Bagel with jam
• Rice cakes
• Cereal bar
• Malt loaf
• Low-fibre cereal
• Rice pudding
• Crumpets
• Fruit juice or sports drink
• Yoghurt, if tolerated
• Smoothie, if liquids sit well

You do not need to snack for the sake of it. Use snacks when they help you reach the plan without feeling stuffed.

What To Eat The Night Before A Marathon

The night before a marathon is not the time to prove you can eat the biggest pasta bowl in the restaurant.

Pick a dinner you know sits well: carbohydrate-based, familiar, moderate in protein and lower in fat if your stomach is sensitive.

Good Dinner Options

Reliable dinners include:

• Pasta with tomato sauce and chicken, tuna, tofu or prawns
• Rice bowl with chicken, tofu, eggs or fish
• Jacket potato with tuna, cheese or another familiar topping
• Noodles with tofu, chicken, eggs or prawns
• Simple stir-fry with rice or noodles
• Soup with bread, plus yoghurt or fruit if you need more
• Wraps with potatoes, rice or bread on the side if useful

Pizza can work for some runners if it has been tested and is not very greasy or huge. For many runners, pasta, rice, potatoes, noodles or bread are more predictable.

What Time Should You Eat?

Eat earlier if you can.

For many runners, an early-evening dinner gives the food time to settle, helps sleep and makes breakfast easier in the morning. A huge late meal can mean reflux, bloating, poor sleep or no appetite when the alarm goes off.

If travel means you arrive late, keep it simple. A sandwich, rice pot, pasta pot, bagel or jacket potato can be a better call than a heavy restaurant meal at 9.30 pm.

Best Marathon Breakfast

Marathon breakfast should be practised, carbohydrate-based and early enough to digest.

Most runners are better off eating before a marathon. Starting with no breakfast is risky unless you have tested it carefully and know it is safe and suitable for you.

3-4 Hours Before The Start

If timing allows, eat your main breakfast 3-4 hours before the race.

Start with carbohydrate. Add a little protein if it sits well. Keep fat and fibre lower if your stomach is sensitive.

Breakfast options include:

• Porridge with banana and honey
• Bagel with jam or honey
• Toast or crumpets with jam
• Cereal with milk or a familiar plant milk
• Pancakes with syrup, honey or jam
• Rice pudding or creamed rice
• Banana smoothie with oats, if liquids sit well
• Low-fat yoghurt with cereal or granola, if you know it suits you

If the race starts at 9 am, breakfast around 5.30-6 am may work. If that sounds grim, prepare as much as you can the night before and keep the choice simple.

1-2 Hours Before

One to two hours before the marathon, keep food smaller and simpler.

This can work if the race starts early, travel gets in the way or nerves make a full breakfast difficult.

Options include:

• Toast with jam
• Banana
• Half a bagel
• Crumpet with honey
• Rice cakes with jam
• Cereal bar
• Small bowl of cereal
• Sports drink if solids are difficult
• A practised gel

30-60 Minutes Before

This is top-up time, not breakfast time.

Use a small amount only if it helps you feel steady and you have practised it.

Small top-ups include:

• A gel
• A few bites of banana
• A few jelly sweets
• Half a slice of toast
• Rice cake with jam
• A few sips of sports drink

Do not use this window for a new bar, a large snack or an untested supplement.

If The Race Starts Very Early

Make the morning easier before you go to sleep:

• Put breakfast out.
• Pack race fuel.
• Fill bottles if you are carrying them.
• Decide coffee timing if you use coffee.
• Check travel time and bag drop.
• Choose a backup option in case nerves shut your appetite down.

If you cannot face a large breakfast, use a smaller carbohydrate option plus drink-based fuel if that suits you. Banana, toast, bagel, rice cakes, sports drink or a gel can all be useful. Practise that routine before a long run.

Avoid starting a marathon with no breakfast unless it is a tested plan and safe for you.

What To Drink Before A Marathon

Hydration matters, but more water is not always better.

The aim is to arrive normally hydrated: not thirsty, not bloated and not stuck in the toilet queue because you panic-drank on the way to the start.

The Day Before

Drink steadily with meals and snacks.

Water is fine. Milk, tea, coffee and other drinks can contribute to daily fluid intake for many people. Sports drink can also help some runners combine fluid and carbohydrate during carb-loading.

Include sodium through normal foods, especially if you sweat heavily or the weather is warm. That might simply mean eating bread, cereal, soup, cheese, salted potatoes, your usual salty foods or a sports drink you have practised.

Do not force litres of plain water. Overdrinking can leave you sloshy and may increase the risk of exercise-associated hyponatraemia during long events.

Race Morning

Drink with breakfast, then sip if thirsty.

In the final 30-60 minutes, take small mouthfuls rather than large bottles. Give yourself time for the toilet. If you are waiting in a start pen for a long time, small sips usually work better than panic drinking.

Urine colour can be a rough clue, but it is not perfect. Pale yellow can suggest you are reasonably hydrated. Very dark urine, strong thirst or low urine output may suggest you need more fluid. Very clear urine may simply mean you have overdone it. Foods, supplements, timing and some medicines can all affect colour.

Electrolytes

Electrolytes are not magic, and not every runner needs them before the start.

They may be useful if:

• It is hot or humid.
• You sweat heavily.
• You expect a long time on feet.
• You are using a sports drink you have practised.
• You know from training that sodium helps you feel better.

Salt marks on kit can be a clue, but they are not a prescription on their own. Use them alongside weather, sweat rate, expected duration and what has worked in training.

Electrolytes do not make overdrinking safe. Drink to need.

Coffee And Caffeine

Coffee can help some runners feel more alert and ready to work. Caffeine can also cause jitters, anxiety, reflux, urgent toilet trips, a racing heart or stomach discomfort.

Use it only if you have practised it.

Coffee can fit if:

• It is already part of your pre-run routine.
• You know how much suits you.
• You have time for the toilet.
• You are not stacking it with multiple caffeinated gels or energy drinks.

Some runners use caffeine later in the marathon through gels, chews or cola. This can help, but it should be planned. Too much caffeine can make the race feel frantic or upset your stomach.

If you are pregnant, keep caffeine below 200 mg per day in line with NHS guidance and speak to a healthcare professional if you are unsure.

For more detail, read RunFuel's running hydration guide.

What To Eat And Drink During A Marathon

During the marathon, the main fuel question is carbohydrate.

You are not trying to replace every calorie you burn. You are trying to keep enough carbohydrate available to support pace, concentration and decision-making through the later miles.

How Many Carbs Per Hour?

Many marathon runners use around 30-60 g carbohydrate per hour.

Trained runners may build towards 60-90 g per hour, especially for longer or faster efforts, but that takes practice and suitable products. Higher intakes usually work best with multiple transportable carbohydrates, such as glucose and fructose blends, because the gut can absorb them through different pathways.

Do not jump to 90 g per hour on race day because you saw it online. Build gradually in long runs.

When To Start Fuelling

Start early.

For many runners, the first fuel comes around 30-45 minutes. Some take a gel 10-15 minutes before the start, then begin their race pattern later.

Do not wait until you feel flat. By the time you feel empty, fuel has less time to help.

How Often To Take Fuel

Build the plan around time, not only mile markers.

Mile markers can help, but pace changes, crowding, hills and aid-station placement can shift everything. A watch reminder every 20-40 minutes is often simpler.

The timing depends on your target:

• 30 g/hour might be one gel every 40-45 minutes, depending on gel size.
• 45-60 g/hour might be one gel every 25-35 minutes, or gels plus sports drink.
• 60-90 g/hour usually needs a practised mix of gels, chews, sports drink or drink mix.

Check labels. A gel might contain 20 g, 25 g or 30 g carbohydrate. Drinks vary even more.

Gels, Sports Drink And Real Food

Marathon fuel can come from:

• Gels
• Chews
• Sports drink
• Drink mixes
• Bananas
• Jelly sweets
• Dates
• Malt loaf pieces
• Small sports bars, if tolerated

Gels and drinks are popular because they are easy to carry and easy to count. Real food can work, especially for slower runners or run-walkers, but it needs to be easy to chew, swallow and digest while moving.

Should You Take Gels With Water?

Usually, yes.

Most standard gels are better tolerated with water unless the product says otherwise. Water helps dilute the carbohydrate and can reduce the chance of gut discomfort.

Avoid taking standard gels with strong sports drink unless you have practised that exact combination. The carbohydrate concentration can become too high for some stomachs.

Some isotonic gels are designed to be taken without extra water. Practise those too.

Match Fuel To The Course

Your plan needs to work with the course, not just your notes app.

If your gels are better with water, time them near water stations or carry fluid yourself. If you plan to use the course sports drink or gels, practise with those products before race day if possible. If you cannot practise them, carry your own familiar fuel.

Do not assume every station will be easy to use. Crowds, dropped cups, missed tables and surprise flavours are all normal marathon problems. Have a backup.

Marathon Fuelling By Finish Time

Finish time changes the plan because time on feet changes fuel and hydration needs.

Use this as a starting point, then personalise it in training.

These are planning ranges, not commands.

Under 3 Hours

Faster marathoners often run at an intensity where carbohydrate matters a lot.

Many well-trained runners in this group use a higher carbohydrate plan, sometimes 60-90 g/hour. That level needs gut training, product practice and attention to fluid. Do not improvise it.

3-4 Hours

For many recreational marathoners, consistent fuelling can make or break the final 10K.

A practical plan might use gels every 30-35 minutes, plus water and some sports drink if tolerated. The exact number depends on gel size, breakfast, body size, weather and gut comfort.

4-5 Hours

For 4-5 hour runners, the goal is to fuel early and keep the pattern going.

You may not need aggressive carbohydrate targets, but you do need a plan you can repeat when tired. Gels, chews, sports drink and small food options can all work if you have practised them.

5+ Hours Or Run-Walk

Longer time on feet gives you more chances to forget the plan, under-fuel or overdrink.

Use reminders. Keep fuel easy to reach. Mix textures if one product gets sickly. Pay extra attention to weather, course access and how your stomach feels.

How To Use Marathon Gels

Gels are useful because they are portable, compact and easy to count.

They are not magic. They are just one way to get carbohydrate in while you run.

How Many Gels For A Marathon?

It depends on your finish time, carbohydrate target, gel size and whether you also use sports drink.

Many gels contain roughly 20-30 g carbohydrate. Check the label.

Example:

• A runner aiming for 40-50 g/hour over 4 hours needs roughly 160-200 g carbohydrate during the race.
• If each gel contains 25 g carbohydrate, that could mean 6-8 gels.
• If they also use sports drink, they may need fewer gels.

That is why guessing on race morning rarely works.

When Should You Take Your First Gel?

Many runners take their first gel around 30-45 minutes.

Some take one 10-15 minutes before the start, then begin their race rhythm later. Both approaches can work. The important thing is not waiting until you already feel bad.

How Often Should You Take Gels?

Many marathon plans use gels every 25-40 minutes.

That depends on:

• How much carbohydrate is in each gel
• Whether you are also drinking sports drink
• Your target grams per hour
• Your stomach tolerance
• Where water stations are

If your gel needs water, time it near water access or carry fluid.

Should You Use Caffeine Gels?

Caffeine gels can help some runners, especially later in the marathon.

They can also cause jitters, stomach issues, anxiety, a racing heart or sleep problems after the race. Do not stack caffeinated gels, coffee, cola and energy drinks without knowing your total caffeine intake.

Practise caffeine in long runs. It should make the race feel more manageable, not chaotic.

How To Use Marathon Aid Stations

Aid-station planning is part of marathon fuelling.

Do not wait until race morning to discover the course uses a sports drink you hate, cups you cannot drink from or gels you have never tried.

Before race day, write down:

• Water station locations
• Sports drink locations
• Gel or food stations
• Product brands and flavours
• Whether drinks are in cups or bottles
• Where you will take each gel
• What you will carry yourself
• What backup fuel you will take

If aid stations are every 5 km and you plan gels every 30 minutes, those two patterns may not line up perfectly. Plan by time first, then match water stations where possible.

If you miss a station, do not panic. Use your backup and return to the plan.

How To Avoid Hitting The Wall

Hitting the wall is the marathon moment most runners fear.

It can feel like a sudden switch: heavy legs, low mood, poor concentration, slower pace and the strange sense that the finish has moved further away.

Fuelling is not the only factor. Pacing, training, heat, sleep, muscle damage and confidence all matter. But nutrition is one of the biggest levers you can control.

To reduce the risk:

• Carb-load properly in the final 36-48 hours.
• Eat a practised breakfast.
• Start fuelling early, often around 30-45 minutes.
• Keep taking carbohydrate before you feel empty.
• Drink to need and use sodium when conditions call for it.
• Avoid starting faster than your training supports.
• Do not skip fuel because the early miles feel easy.
• Practise the plan in long runs.

The wall is easier to prevent than fix. Fuel may still help once you are in it, but it takes time to absorb and the race is already harder than it needed to be.

How To Avoid Stomach Problems

Marathon stomach problems usually come from a mix of intensity, nerves, food choice, fluid, heat and untested products.

You cannot control everything. You can reduce the obvious risks.

Start here:

• Practise race breakfast before long runs.
• Practise gels, drinks and timing at marathon effort.
• Keep fat and fibre lower in the final 24-48 hours if your stomach is sensitive.
• Avoid new foods, drinks, gels and supplements.
• Do not overdrink before or during the race.
• Take standard gels with water if the product recommends it.
• Avoid combining gels with strong sports drink unless practised.
• Give yourself time for the toilet before the start.
• Know the course fuel before race day.

If you have IBS or a sensitive stomach, individual tolerance matters more than generic food lists.

Simpler pre-race options often work best:

• White toast or bagel with jam
• Rice cakes
• Banana
• Low-fibre cereal
• Crumpets
• Rice pudding
• Sports drink
• Familiar gels or chews

Vegan runners can use toast with jam, oats with fortified soya milk, banana, dates, rice cakes, crumpets, suitable malt loaf, sports drink, vegan-labelled gels, or simple tofu and rice meals earlier in the week.

Dairy-free runners can use plant milk, soya yoghurt if tolerated, toast, bagels, rice, potatoes, fruit, sports drink, smoothies with familiar ingredients or dairy-free cereal bars.

Gluten-free runners can use rice, potatoes, gluten-free toast or bagels, gluten-free oats, rice cakes, banana, yoghurt if tolerated, eggs, tofu, suitable sports drinks and suitable gels. Always check labels if you have coeliac disease or allergies.

If gut symptoms are frequent, severe or unpredictable, do not keep guessing with race-morning food changes. Get personalised advice.

Practise Your Marathon Nutrition Plan

Your long runs are rehearsals.

Race day should not be the first time you try your breakfast, carb-load, gels, drinks, caffeine or carry system.

Long-Run Dress Rehearsals

Use key long runs to test:

• Dinner the night before
• Breakfast timing
• Breakfast portion size
• Carb-loading before the longest runs
• First gel timing
• Gel frequency
• Water with gels
• Sports drink tolerance
• Caffeine timing
• Carrying fuel in pockets, belt or vest
• How the plan works in warm weather

Train Your Gut

Gut training means gradually practising the carbohydrate intake you want to use on race day.

If you currently take one gel in a long run, do not suddenly take eight gels on race day. Build the plan in stages. Add fuel gradually. Practise at marathon effort. Notice what your stomach accepts.

Higher carbohydrate targets, especially above 60 g/hour, usually need more practice and suitable products.

Write Down What Works

After long runs, note:

• What you ate the day before
• What you had for breakfast
• When you took fuel
• How many grams of carbohydrate you took per hour
• What and how much you drank
• Whether you used caffeine
• How your energy felt
• How your stomach felt
• What you would change

This is one of the easiest ways to build a marathon plan that belongs to you.

Final Race-Day Checklist

Before race day, know:

• Your breakfast
• Your breakfast timing
• Your gel or fuel target
• Your first fuel time
• Your backup gel or snack
• Your drink plan
• Your caffeine plan, if using one
• What is available on course
• How you will carry fuel
• What you will avoid changing

"Nothing new on race day" sounds boring until it saves your race.

After The Finish

This guide is mainly about what to eat before and during a marathon, so keep recovery simple here.

After the finish, think fluids, carbohydrates, a protein food and sodium if it was hot or you sweated heavily. Appetite can be strange after a marathon, so start small if needed, then eat again later.

A recovery drink plus a banana, yoghurt with granola, a sandwich, rice bowl, jacket potato, eggs on toast or a smoothie can all do the job.

For a full recovery breakdown, use RunFuel's dedicated guide on what to eat after running once published.

When To Get Personalised Advice

Most runners can build a solid marathon fuelling plan with familiar foods and careful practice.

Get personalised advice if you:

• Have diabetes or blood glucose concerns.
• Are pregnant or breastfeeding.
• Have a medical condition affected by food, fluid, caffeine or exercise.
• Have food allergies, coeliac disease or complex dietary restrictions.
• Have IBS or recurring gut symptoms.
• Have a history of disordered eating or feel anxious about fuelling.
• Are worried about under-fuelling, RED-S, missed periods or recurring injuries.
• Repeatedly feel dizzy, faint, shaky or unusually weak when running.
• Have repeated cramping, vomiting, diarrhoea or confusion during long runs.
• Are losing weight unintentionally or struggling to eat enough.
• Are using medication that affects hydration, blood pressure, digestion or blood glucose.

RunFuel can help with general running nutrition guidance, but it cannot assess your medical history, allergy risk or individual symptoms. If the same issue keeps showing up, get support from a qualified professional.

Marathon Nutrition FAQs