What To Eat Before, During & After a Long Run (and why it matters!)
If you're heading out for a long run (anything over 90 minutes), what you eat before, during and after can make a huge difference to how you feel — not just during the run, but for the rest of the day too. Whether you're training for a half marathon, a full marathon, or simply love a long Sunday run, your fuelling strategy is key.
Here’s a simple, fuss-free guide to what to eat around your long run, especially tailored to those looking for nutrition for female runners — with vegetarian-friendly ideas and no faff.
🥣 Before Your Run: Carb Up (But Don’t Overdo It)
When it comes to pre-run meals for women, the most important thing is to fuel up with something that feels good in your body and provides slow-releasing energy. Long runs rely heavily on carbohydrates, which your body stores as glycogen — this is what keeps you going when the miles tick by.
About 2–3 hours before your run, have a carb-based meal or snack with a little bit of protein, and keep fat and fibre low to avoid stomach issues mid-run.
Examples:
Two slices of white toast with banana and a drizzle of maple syrup
A small bowl of porridge made with oat milk, topped with berries
A bagel with jam or a thin spread of peanut butter
Running early? If you can’t manage a full meal, a quick snack 30–60 minutes before still helps:
A banana
A slice of malt loaf
A rice cake with honey
If you're wondering what to eat before a half marathon, these same principles apply — light, familiar, carb-based meals are your safest bet for steady energy and a happy gut.
🍬 During Your Run: Small but Mighty Carbs
Once you’ve been running for about an hour, your glycogen stores start to run low. That’s when fatigue sets in — heavy legs, brain fog, and that awful feeling of having nothing left. The fix? Topping up with carbs as you go.
Aim for 30–60g of carbs per hour after the first hour. It doesn’t have to be all fancy sports gels (unless you like them). Start with small amounts during training so your gut can adapt.
Examples:
Energy gels (many are vegan – just check the label)
Jelly babies or gummy sweets
Dried fruit like dates
Sports drinks with carbs and electrolytes
Hydration matters too — take small sips regularly, and if you’re out for over 2.5 hours, adding electrolytes is a good shout.
These strategies are part of many carb loading tips for female marathon runners — it’s not just what you eat the day before, but how you manage your energy on the run itself.
🥗 After Your Run: Refuel & Repair
You’ve done the hard part — now it’s time to give your body what it needs to recover well. Eating within 30–60 minutes after your long run helps replace the carbs you’ve used up and gives your muscles the protein they need to repair and rebuild.
Carbs = energy stores
Protein = muscle recovery
The golden ratio is around 60:40 carbs to protein, so your body gets exactly what it needs.
Examples:
A smoothie with banana, oats, protein powder and oat milk
A wholegrain wrap with hummus, roasted veg and tofu
Baked sweet potato with beans and a sprinkle of cheese or nutritional yeast
Pasta with lentil bolognese and a side of roasted broccoli
Don’t forget to rehydrate, too. I personally recommend a packet of salty crisps and a can of sugary coke to replace the salts and begin the repair process!
💡 Final Tips
Stick to familiar foods and practice fuelling strategies during training, not just on race day
Try not to delay eating after your run — it makes a big difference to recovery and energy levels
Fuelling well doesn’t mean eating loads — it means eating the right things at the right time
Need Help Fueling Your Long Runs?
If you’re still unsure where to start, or want more personalised help with nutrition for female runners, I’d love to support you.
My Nourish & Stride coaching programme is designed specifically for women runners who want to fuel properly, feel better on their runs, and reach their goals — whether that’s getting stronger, running further, or losing a bit of weight along the way.
📩 Drop me a message to find out more.
