Running Nutrition: What to Eat Before and After a Run

Running is steady and continuous, so your fuel needs depend almost entirely on how fast and how long you go. A 30 minute easy jog with a run club uses modest energy. A two hour long run uses a lot of the carbohydrate stored in your muscles and liver. Unlike team sports there are no breaks, and the bouncing makes a full stomach harder to tolerate than on a bike.

Calories burned

765

kcal / h, 75 kg

How many calories does running burn?

Before the game

For an easy run under an hour, you do not need special fuel. Many people run fine in the morning on just water or a small snack. Before a long run or race, eat a carb-based meal 2 to 4 hours before, staying within the 1 to 4 g of carbohydrate per kg range, and go easy on fibre and fat to keep your gut calm. Runners often find they need more time to digest than other athletes, so leave a gap.

3 to 4 hours before: a real meal

Bagel with peanut butter and banana
Oatmeal with maple syrup and blueberries
White rice with a fried egg
Toast with honey and a glass of orange juice

30 to 60 minutes before: a small snack

Half a banana
A couple of dates
A small handful of pretzels

Bagel Peanut butter Banana Oatmeal (cooked)Maple syrup Blueberries White rice Egg Honey Orange juice Dates Pretzels

During

For runs under about an hour, water is enough, and on cool days you may not need even that. From about an hour to two and a half hours, the guidance is 30 to 60 g of carbohydrate per hour: gels, chews, dates or a sports drink all work. For runs longer than that, up to 90 g per hour from mixed carb sources may help, but only if your gut is trained for it. Practice your fuel on long training runs, never for the first time on race day.

After

After a long or hard run, have about 20 to 40 g of protein (0.25 to 0.4 g per kg) with carbs. After an easy 30 minute jog, your next normal meal is enough. If you run again within 24 hours, eat a good amount of carbs in the meals after.

Chocolate milk and a banana
Eggs on whole-wheat toast with avocado
Greek yogurt with granola and raspberries
Pasta with chicken and spinach

Chocolate milk Banana Egg Whole wheat bread Avocado Greek yogurt (plain, nonfat)Granola Raspberries Pasta (cooked)Spinach

Hydration

Sweat rate varies a lot between runners and with the weather. The goal is to keep weight loss under about 2% of body weight on long runs, without drinking so much that you gain weight, which can be dangerous. Weigh yourself before and after a long run to learn your rate. In summer, run early, carry fluid or plan a route past fountains. For every kg lost, drink about 1.25 to 1.5 L over the next few hours, with some salt if you sweat heavily. Sweat rate calculator.

Tips

Practice race-day breakfast on a long run first.
If your stomach is touchy, choose low-fibre carbs like white bread or rice before running.
Carry a gel or dates on any run over 75 minutes, even if you do not plan to use them.
Do not overdrink. Gaining weight during a long run is a sign you are drinking too much.

Questions

Should I eat before a morning run?

For an easy run under an hour, many people do fine with nothing or a small snack like half a banana. For long or hard runs, a carb-based snack or breakfast helps.

When do I need gels on a run?

Usually only on runs longer than about an hour. The research suggests 30 to 60 g of carbs per hour for those efforts.

What should I eat after a long run?

Protein and carbs together, such as chocolate milk, eggs on toast or pasta with chicken. About 20 to 40 g of protein is a good target.

How many calories does running burn?

It depends mostly on your weight and pace. The compendium lists running at 8.5 METs at about 8 km/h and 12 METs at about 13 km/h.

Sources

Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. American College of Sports Medicine joint position statement: nutrition and athletic performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2016;48(3):543-568.
Kerksick CM, Arent S, Schoenfeld BJ, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: nutrient timing. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:33.
American College of Sports Medicine, Sawka MN, Burke LM, Eichner ER, Maughan RJ, Montain SJ, Stachenfeld NS. American College of Sports Medicine position stand: exercise and fluid replacement. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007;39(2):377-390.
Herrmann SD, Willis EA, Ainsworth BE, et al. 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities: a third update of the energy costs of human activities. J Sport Health Sci. 2024;13(1):6-12. Activity lists at pacompendium.com.

Running nutrition