Nutrition to Fuel Your Fall Marathon: Training, Race Day, and Recovery

Written By Kate Braddon, RD & Taylor Braddon, 4th Year Dietetic Student

Training for a marathon is a complex task that involves many moving parts. Focusing not only on training but also high quality nutrition is an important part of preparing your body for the race. For runners getting ready for a fall marathon such as the Toronto Waterfront Marathon or the Fall Colours Run in Ottawa, having a nutrition strategy is beneficial to support training, recovery and race-day performance. Marathon nutrition isn't just about what you eat on race morning or the days leading up to the event, but rather the weeks and months before. 

Building Your Foundation

Before worrying about gels or race-day breakfast, make sure you are eating enough to support your training. Carbohydrates are your main source of fuel during endurance exercise. As your weekly mileage increases, regularly including foods such as pasta, rice, potatoes, oats, bread and fruit can help maintain your glycogen stores and support your training. Protein is important as well, helping with muscle repair and recovery. A general target for endurance athletes is around 1.2-2.0 g/kg of body weight per day, depending on training demands and individual needs. Practicing consistency will be the key to success in your training. Going into a long run under-fuelled can affect both how you feel during the run and how well you recover afterwards.

Make Your Long Runs Your Practice Runs

Your longest training runs are the perfect opportunity to experiment with your marathon nutrition strategy.

For runs lasting several hours, research supports consuming approximately 60-90 g of carbohydrate per hour to help maintain carbohydrate availability during exercise. This can come from gels, chews, sports drinks or other easy-to-digest carbohydrate sources. You don't necessarily need to start at 60-90 g/hour. If you're currently taking very little carbohydrate, gradually increase your intake and see what your stomach tolerates. This is also where you can test when you want to fuel. Practice taking your gels or other carbohydrate sources at regular intervals so that your race-day strategy feels routine rather than experimental. A 2025 study of 160 marathon runners found that participants consumed only about 35g of carbohydrate per hour on average, well below commonly recommended amounts. This highlights an important point: knowing that you should fuel is different from actually practicing enough fuel during your long runs. Everyone is different, so some experimentation will be necessary to find your ideal amount of fuel during runs. 

The Days Before the Race

As race day approaches, your goal is to arrive with your carbohydrate stores topped up.

During the 36-48 hours before a marathon, carb loading can help maximize muscle glycogen. This doesn't mean eating one enormous pasta dinner the night before. Instead, increase carbohydrate across your meals and snacks during the day.

Try snacks and meals such as:

  • Oatmeal and bananas

  • Bagels and toast

  • Rice or pasta

  • Potatoes

  • Cereal

  • Fruit

  • Sports drinks or other carbohydrate-containing beverages

Keep foods familiar, particularly if you are prone to stomach issues. Race week is not the time to experiment with a new restaurant, supplement or unusually large meal.

Race Morning

Your breakfast should provide carbs without leaving you feeling heavy. Depending on how early your start time is and what you have practiced during training, options could include:

  • Oatmeal with banana and honey

  • A bagel with jam

  • Toast with honey and fruit

  • Cereal with banana

Aim to eat approximately 1-4 g/kg of carbohydrate in the 1-4 hours before the marathon, adjusting the amount based on your timing and tolerance. Hydrate normally before the start rather than trying to “water load”. Your goal is to begin the race hydrated and comfortable, not feeling like you need to make an emergency stop before the starting line.

Fuel the Distance

Unlike a 10K, a marathon is long enough that your pre-race meal and stored glycogen won't carry you all the way to the finish. Keep taking in carbs throughout the race. A combination of gels, chews and sports drinks can make it easier to reach your carbohydrate target without relying on one food or product. The best strategy will depend on your pace, stomach tolerance and what is available on the course.

Fluids and sodium are also worth considering, particularly if the weather is warm or you are a heavy sweater. The fall months in Ottawa can range in temperature so this is something to consider closer to race day. Your needs are individual, so use your long runs to practice how much you drink and how you respond. 

Recover and Refuel

Once you finish the race, your body still has work to do. Think about carbs to replenish glycogen, protein to support muscle repair, fluids and electrolytes to replace what you've lost. You don't need a complicated recovery meal. Something as simple as greek yogurt with granola and fruit, a smoothie with milk and fruit, eggs and toast, or chicken and rice can provide a combination of carbohydrate and protein. Keep eating carbs throughout the day after the race to allow yourself to properly replenish your glycogen stores and recover. 

Key Points 

Training for a marathon is about more than logging kilometres. Nutrition is part of the training plan.

Start practicing your fueling and hydration during your long runs, build your carbohydrate stores in the days leading up to the Ottawa Army Run, and arrive at the start line with a strategy you already know works for you. When race day comes, your nutrition should feel just like another part of your training, not a last-minute decision. 

Good luck! 

References

Jiménez-Alfageme, R., Pino Garrone, F., Rodriguez-Sanchez, N., & Romero-García, D. (2025). Nutritional intake and timing of marathon runners: Influence of athlete's characteristics and fueling practices on finishing time. BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation, 17, 26. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-024-00801

Jeukendrup, A. E. (2014). A step towards personalized sports nutrition: Carbohydrate intake during exercise. Sports Medicine, 44(Suppl 1), S25–S33. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-014-0148