Marathon fueling: what to eat before, during and after
Marathon fueling comes down to three numbers: two to three days of carb loading before the race, breakfast two to three hours before the start, and 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrate every hour on the course. This page sets out the timeline, the foods and the amounts. The generator adds a fueling estimate to your plan when you enter your body weight.
Marathon fueling strategy on one timeline
A marathon burns through stored carbohydrate somewhere after two hours at goal pace. The fade that follows is what runners call the wall. Fueling moves the wall past the finish line: fill the stores before the race, top them up during it, refill after.
| When | What | How much |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 3 days before | Rice, pasta, bread, potatoes, bananas, juice; less fiber and fat than usual | Carbs become most of each meal; total food stays about the same, since training is light |
| Night before | A familiar meal, mostly carbs, little fat, moderate protein | A normal portion, eaten early in the evening |
| Morning, 2 to 3 hours before | Toast with jam, a bagel, oatmeal, a banana, a sports drink | The breakfast you practiced before long runs, no more |
| During the race | Gels, chews or sports drink, with water | 30 to 60 g of carbs per hour, starting around 45 minutes in |
| First hour after | Carbs plus protein: chocolate milk, a sandwich, a rice bowl | Whatever stays down; keep drinking |
Build your free marathon plan
Same engine as every plan on this site, but with your race date, your run days and your longest recent run. Prints to PDF, exports to your calendar. No signup.
What to eat before running a marathon
The night before, eat what you ate before your best long run. Pasta with a simple sauce, rice with chicken, a plain pizza: all fine, as long as they are familiar and not too fatty. Eat early so the meal is digested by bedtime. Skip the salad and the beans. Fiber the night before is the usual cause of a bad race morning.
Race morning, eat two to three hours before the gun. The classic breakfasts work because they are mostly carbs and low in everything else: toast with jam or honey, a bagel with peanut butter, oatmeal with a banana. Sip water or a sports drink until about 30 minutes before the start. Then stop, so you are not looking for a bathroom in mile three. If nerves kill your appetite, a sports drink and a banana are better than nothing.
How to fuel during a marathon
Aim for 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour. Most gels carry 20 to 25 grams, so that is one gel every 30 to 40 minutes. Wash each one down with water at the next aid station. Start early, around 45 minutes in, well before you feel the need. By the time you feel empty it is too late to catch up. Runners with sensitive stomachs do better with smaller amounts more often, or with sports drink instead of gels.
Every gel and drink you plan to use on race day should have been used on a long run first. Find out what the race hands out on the course and either train with that brand or carry your own. Enter your body weight in the generator and the plan shows a fueling estimate alongside the long runs so the rehearsal starts in week one.
Hydration for marathon runners
Drink to thirst at the aid stations, a few sips each, rather than a full cup at every table. On a cool day most runners need little. On a warm day, drink at every station and add electrolytes, either in the drink or as tablets. Overdrinking plain water for hours is its own risk, so match intake to the weather and to how much you sweat on long runs.
After the marathon
Eat within the first hour, even if you are not hungry: carbs to refill, protein to repair, fluids to rehydrate. Then eat a proper meal when the appetite returns, usually a few hours later. The rest of the week is covered in marathon recovery. The training that puts the fueling plan to use is on the 16-week marathon plan page. The pace you are fueling for is on the marathon pace chart.
Frequently asked questions
What should I eat the night before a marathon?
A familiar meal built on carbs with little fat and fiber: pasta, rice, potatoes or a plain pizza. Eat early and do not overeat; the carb loading happened over the previous two days.
What should I eat on the morning of a marathon?
The breakfast you ate before your long runs: toast and jam, a bagel, oatmeal or a banana, two to three hours before the start, with water or a sports drink.
How long before a marathon should I eat breakfast?
Two to three hours before the gun. Closer than that, keep it small and liquid.
Can you eat pizza the night before a marathon?
Yes, if a plain cheese pizza is something you have eaten before long runs without trouble. Skip heavy toppings and extra cheese.
How much should I eat on the morning of a marathon?
A light meal, the same size you ate before your longest run. More than that sits in the stomach; less leaves you short in the second half.