One of the most important aspects of distance running that is often overlooked by many is mid-range nutrition. Proper fueling before running is enough to complete distances such as 5 kilometers and 10 kilometers. However, when you start getting into distances like half marathons and full marathons, your nutrition during your run can be the difference between whether you finish the race or not.
When running these longer distances, you can keep running and sweating for about 2, 3, 4, 5, 6+ hours. You’ll be burning thousands of calories during this period, so if you don’t take in any calories during your run, your body may start to suffer tremendously. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that you are eating enough of the right foods over these distances.
We worked with our partners at Runna to research the best snacks and foods to eat and the best drinks to drink while running. These will give you the best chance of properly fueling your body to complete the race.
5 Best Foods to Eat While Running
When it comes to eating during your run, you want something that is nutrient-dense and contains everything you need. The main things you need from food are calories and carbohydrates. This is because they are very effective at replenishing energy and boosting energy levels. Here are the 5 best foods you should consider eating during a long run.
Dates
When running long distances, the main thing you need to burn during running is calories. This is because, over the entire distance, you will be burning thousands of calories. Therefore, it is crucial to make sure you replenish your body with some of the calories you lose.
Dates are one of the most impressive running foods, packed with calories and carbohydrates. Also known as natural caramels, these amazing dried fruits are not only delicious but also help to significantly replenish glycogen levels in the body. This is important because glycogen is the body’s main source of energy during strenuous activity.
banana
One of the most common foods to eat while running is bananas. While many people eat a banana or two before a run, few realize how beneficial eating a banana during a run can be. In fact, they are not only needed to be consumed during longer distances such as half marathons and marathons, but they are also very beneficial during intermediate distances such as 10k.
An average-sized banana contains about 27 grams of carbohydrates that are digested very quickly. This means you don’t have to worry about it taking hours to digest or that you’ll feel the benefits, as they’ll be digested in about 30 minutes.
It’s also important to know that the more ripe and brown a banana is, the faster its natural sugars are absorbed into the bloodstream. Again making them very beneficial in giving you that extra burst of energy during long runs.
gummies
Another very effective and slightly more delicious running snack are gummies consumed during long distance races such as half and full marathons. Not only do these delicious treats provide an amazing pick-me-up and reward during your run, but they also offer a variety of benefits.
These candies are high in sugar, which your body can convert into energy, but have little fat or fiber, which can slow down how quickly your body absorbs food. As a result, they provide a vital burst of energy whenever you need it during your run.
Although they are very effective, in order to get the most out of them, you must use them correctly. You must understand that during exercise Your body can only use about 60 grams of carbohydrates per hour. Each gummy contains an average of 4-7 grams of carbohydrates, so don’t eat too many or you’ll increase your chance of stitches.
honey sandwich
Another snack that can provide huge benefits to runners is a honey sandwich on white bread. White bread is one of the most effective snacks for runners because it contains high amounts of fast-digesting carbohydrates. When you add honey to bread, you have a wonderful way to improve the flavor and carb content of each serving.
Such a large amount of carbohydrates will be able to send a lot of much-needed energy to the muscles in your body that need it. Not only will this provide you with energy, but it will also provide you with the nutrients you need to perform at your best.
Isotonic energy gel
Last but not least, a snack that most runners snack on during long runs: isotonic gel. These gels typically contain 20-30 grams of easy-to-eat, easily digested carbohydrates to give runners the energy they need when they need it.
In addition to containing high amounts of carbohydrates, these gels also contain important electrolytes. This helps reduce the risk of dehydration during your run and ensures your muscles have all the sodium, potassium, and magnesium they need to perform at a high level for an extended period of time.
The 4 best drinks to bring with you during long runs
While most people think that simple water is one of the best beverages to drink long-term, this is often not the case. In fact, there are tons of other drinks that are packed with nutrients that water doesn’t have. These added ingredients allow these drinks to not only hydrate the body but also replenish important nutrients.
coconut water
One of the best drinks to drink during a long run is coconut water. Whether you love it or hate it, its health benefits are unquestionable. When running long distances, such as full marathons and half marathons, you excrete large amounts of important electrolytes such as sodium, magnesium, and potassium. All this coconut water is rich.
In addition to replacing electrolytes, coconut water also contains high amounts of carbohydrates. This means that not only does it help rehydrate and replace lost important electrolytes, but it also provides the body with carbohydrates that can be used as extra energy.
pickle juice
Well, with that said, you have to hear us out. While this may sound completely disgusting to most of you reading this, we can assure you that it works. That’s because the brine in pickles is rich in sodium, so it can combat the salt lost through sweating during a half or full marathon.
Consuming just 60 ml of this substance provides 200 mg of sodium. This means that in order to replenish the salt and electrolytes lost during running, you only need a very small amount of the (for some people) delicious pickle juice.
fruit water
Water is extremely important. After all, our bodies are made up of approximately 70% water. Therefore, ensuring we are constantly staying hydrated, especially during strenuous exercise, is crucial to improving performance. However, there is a very simple way to take the benefits of water to a whole new level. Just add fruit.
Adding fruits like citrus, berries, melon, or even fresh ginger or mint to water not only helps enhance its flavor but also its nutritional value. This is because it adds extra nutrients and carbohydrates. Because of this, it is one of the best drinks a runner can have.
Sports drinks
Finally, another amazing drink to drink during a long run is a sports drink. Lucozade, Powerade, Gatorade and other similar brands of sports drinks are formulated to both enhance hydration and provide athletes with large amounts of easily digestible carbohydrates. This makes them very effective for consumption during long runs, as water and carbohydrates have a large impact on performance.
Research also shows that marathon runners who drink sports drinks during their runs can significantly increase their running time. No doubt this is thanks to the hydrating and energy-boosting benefits these types of drinks provide.
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