Things to Remember About Fueling for a Half Marathon
By Briana Bruinooge RDN, CSSD
Co-author: Brooke Caplinger, Dietetic Intern, RDN-to-be
When preparing for a half marathon, your nutrition is as critical as your training plan. Understanding what to eat before and after your race can significantly influence your performance and recovery. This blog post will guide you through optimal nutrition strategies for half marathons, ensuring you're energized from the starting line to recovery.
What Should I Eat Before a Half Marathon
During exercise, your body utilizes glucose, which we get from carbohydrates, for quick energy. When we think about our race day nutrition, we want to ensure our body has enough energy to perform to the best of our ability. This is why you should consume primarily carbohydrates before you exercise.
Nutrition 1-Hour Before A Marathon
If eating 1 hour before exercise consume 1g of carbohydrates per kilogram of bodyweight (weight in pounds divided by 2.2) e.g. 150lb individual /2.2= 68 kg = 68 grams of carbs 1 hour before exercise.
Consume Moderate to Low Protein and Minimal Fat with Your Carbs
Protein and fat slow digestion and if you only have 1 hour before activity, that’s not a long time to digest the protein/fat. Everyone can experiment on the amount of protein/fat their body can handle close to exercise so long as it is WITH the carbs!
Keep fiber to under 10g
Fiber goals can also be individualized, especially if you are used to a high fiber diet then you may tolerate a little bit more fiber when compared to someone who eats a low fiber diet.
Hydration Considerations
Consume 8-16 oz of fluid with your pre-workout meal or snack.
Nutrition 2-Hours Before A Marathon
If eating 2 hours before, consume about 2g of carbohydrates per kilogram of bodyweight. E.g. 150 lb individual = 68 kg individual x 2= 136 g of carbs.
Can consume a moderate amount of protein and fat, a little bit more than if you only had 1 hour as now you have a little bit longer to digest protein + fat.
Consume 16-24 oz of fluid with your pre-workout meal.
Ultimately, total daily carbohydrate intake of 5-7g per kg of bodyweight is most important for performance and recovery for those exercising on average 60 minutes moderately to hard per day. For a 150 lbs person (68 kg) that would be 340g- 477g of carbs per day. Some low-active individuals the lowest amount of carbs would be 3g/kg body weight which would be about 200g of carbs for a 150 or 68 kg person.
Three Pre-Marathon Snack Options
Fueling your body an hour before a half marathon is crucial for providing the energy you need without causing digestive discomfort. These snack options are designed to be quick, convenient, and effective at delivering the carbohydrates necessary for optimal performance. Here are three excellent pre-marathon snack ideas to consider:
Pre-workout snack Option 1: For when you’re in a hurry or on the go
1 medium Banana (27g CHO) + 2 heavenly hunks or granola bar of some sort (32g CHO) + 8 oz beet juice or juice of choice (18g CHO).
Beets contain nitrates which help with athletic performance. Leafy greens and beets are rich in nitrates (NO3-), which convert to nitrites (NO2-) and then nitric oxide (NO) in your body. Nitric oxide increases vasodilation, which increases the diameter of blood vessels and allows for better blood flow to your muscles. Read more about nitrates in my guest blog post here!
Meal Total: 78g Carbohydrates. (Carbohydrates = CHO)
Pre-workout snack Option 2: Banana + Strawberry Nutella toast
2 slices of thick toast (30-42g CHO, 4g Fiber, 6g PRO, 4g FAT) + 1 TBSP Nutella (11g CHO, 1g fiber, 1g PRO, 5.5g FAT) + 1 banana (27g CHO, 1g PRO) + 4 strawberries (4g CHO)
Meal Total: 72-86g CHO
Instructions
Toast bread until golden. Spread 1 TBSP of Nutella on the bread, top with sliced banana and strawberries!
Pre-workout snack Option 3: Homemade Energy Balls
2 homemade energy balls (26g CHO, 5g fiber), and 1 banana (27g CHO, 3g fiber) OR 1 cup mango (21g CHO)
Meal Total: 47-53g CHO, 8g fiber
Homemade Energy Balls Recipe
Ingredients:
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup nut butter (peanut butter, almond butter, or any nut butter of your choice)
1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
1/2 cup flaxseed or chia seeds
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips or m&m’s
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
A pinch of salt
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, combine the rolled oats, ground flaxseed or chia seeds, and a pinch of salt. Stir well to distribute the ingredients evenly.
Add the nut butter, honey (or maple syrup), and vanilla extract to the bowl. Mix thoroughly until all the ingredients are well combined and form a sticky mixture.
Fold in the mini chocolate chips. Roll into 20 balls. Place on parchment lined baking sheet and place in the fridge for ~15-30 mins, until firm. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze them to last even longer!
Macros Per energy ball: 13g CHO, 2.5g Fiber, 2g PRO, 6g FAT
What To Eat After A Half Marathon
After an endurance workout your body needs carbohydrates to replenish those used during exercise and, in addition, your body also needs protein to provide the building blocks for your muscles to grow and repair. A post workout meal should be high in both carbohydrates and protein.
Current guidelines recommend consuming 1 g/kg of carbohydrates and 0.25 g/kg of protein (or more depending on age) within the first 4 hours post exercise. So, for a 150lb (68kg) individual, this would mean consuming 68g of carbohydrates and 17g of protein.
Tips for Post-Marathon Nutrition
If you have a poor appetite after your workout, try liquid options such as a protein shake or smoothie and add some carbs to it like fruit.
High quality proteins are important for the growth and repair of muscles post exercise. These include protein from animal sources (meat, fish, dairy, whey).
Avoid only using collagen as your protein source after, as this is low in leucine which is the amino acid necessary to build muscle to help with recovery.
The International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends 0.25g/kg of high-quality protein immediately post-exercise. For example, 150 lb individual = 68 kg = 17g protein.
Consuming carbohydrates with protein post-exercise can help to improve muscle protein synthesis and replenish carbohydrate stores quickly.
Three Post-Workout Meal Options
Refueling your body after a half marathon is just as important as fueling before the race. Proper post-workout nutrition helps replenish glycogen stores, repair muscle tissue, and promote recovery. Here are three effective post-workout meal options to consume within two hours after your run.
Post-Workout Option 1: For When You’re in a Hurry or On the Go
Protein shake (30g PRO) + Clif bar (44g CHO, 9g PRO) + apple (25g CHO)
Meal Total: 69g CHO, 39g PRO
Post-Workout Option 2: Easy Buffalo Chicken Rice Bowl
1.5 C of cooked rice, pre-packaged (66g CHO, 6g PRO)
3 oz of cooked, shredded chicken (precooked, rotisserie, canned OR sub canned tuna) (26g PRO)
¼ C of frozen edamame (5g PRO, 4g CHO)
2 T of Buffalo sauce
2 T Fat free ranch (6g CHO)
Optional spices: garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder
Meal Total: 76g CHO, 36g PRO
Instructions
While rice is cooking or microwaving, fill a small bowl with steaming hot water and place frozen edamame in the bowl (water may need to be changed 1-2x to completely thaw). Or microwave the edamame according to the package's instructions.
In a separate bowl, mix chicken and buffalo sauce. Feel free to get creative here by adding spices such as garlic powder, pepper, onion powder, etc!
Place rice in a bowl, add drained edamame and buffalo chicken, drizzle with fat free ranch.
Post-workout Option 3: Avocado Sweet Potato ‘Toast’ with Turkey Sausage + Eggs
1 medium sweet potato, sliced longways into 3 toast-like slices (31g CHO, 3g PRO)
1 small avocado (21g FAT, 12g CHO, 3g PRO)
2 eggs (12g pro) + 2 egg whites (7g PRO)
3 turkey sausage links (13g PRO)
1 Tbsp hot honey (18g CHO)
Meal Total: 61g CHO, 38g PRO
Instructions
Preheat the air fryer or oven to 400ºF. Coat sliced sweet potato in a thin layer of olive oil or spray. Place in the air fryer for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until tender in the middle and crisp on the outside.
Prepare turkey sausages as instructed on package
While the sweet potato is cooking, prepare your eggs. Sunny side up, scrambled, poached, etc however you like your eggs.
Mash and divide avocado equally across all pieces of sweet potato. Serve with eggs & sausages, drizzle with hot honey.
Final Half Marathon Fueling Tips
What you put into your body before and after your marathon is a big deal when it comes to optimal performance and recovery. During your marathon, your body utilizes glucose, which we get from carbohydrates, for quick energy.
It’s important to consume easily digestible carbohydrates 30-60 minutes before a workout to give you the fuel you need! After your marathon, it is important to consume both carbohydrates AND protein to assist with optimal recovery.
No two runners are alike, and neither are their nutrition needs. Personalize your meal plan based on your unique requirements, lifestyle, and training regimen. Consulting with a sports dietitian can provide tailored guidance to help you achieve your goals.
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