Marathon training and food

[Girlintheframe]

I’ve impulsively signed up for a marathon at the end of this year. I did complete a 1/2 marathon May 2025 and doing a full one is a bucket list item.

My concern is nutrition. During the 1/2 training I managed to gain 5kg. I was just so so hungry. I lost it all over a few months. At the moment my longest runs are 16km and my body seems to have adapted and I’m no longer ravenous.

I am worried about how to manage my nutrition once I start training and mileage (and hunger) ramps up. I know it very common for people to gain weight during training and it’s not the be all and end all but I would rather avoid the months of dieting post race.

It’s defo fat by the way and not muscle (though there may be some of that). All 5kg appeared to have stuck to my abdomen! Probably because despite increasing my carb intake (red rice, quinoa, oats etc) I just couldn’t get enough of them including junk ones!

Would really appreciate any tips

What would you tell yourself if you hadn't exercised and craved junk or excess carbs? Would you eat it anyway or say you don't need it?
You can't out exercise diet, and even long training runs won't burn up multiple plates of chips.

You are hungrier when marathon training but you just need to eat enough to fuel your body. You don’t have to eat every carb after every run. I didn’t gain weight while marathon training. If anything I had to remember to eat enough not to loose. But I know it’s a common thing.

I don’t like gels and so I kind of trained myself to function and run distances without a lot of fuel. So I don’t know if that played a part at all. The only training run I ate anything on was the 20 mile one where I had two energy bytes. not saying this is optimal for performance, it really probably isn’t, but I didn’t get the excessive hunger I’ve heard some people speak of. I also generally have a fairly high weekly mileage anyway so I suppose marathon training probably added only 5-10 miles a week to what I would do anyway at its peak.

eat until you feel like you’ve had enough fuel. For me that’s so I feel strong rather than floppy but not stuffed.

You just have to deal with the weight gain if there is any.

People manage it differently, I think the more training you do the more you'll learn what works.

I got a 20min pb in the marathon last year 5kg heavier. Some of that is gym and gaining muscle, some isn't!

I'm very greedy so I ate like a horse when marathon training, but I also ran 60-70 miles a week, so it would have been hard to gain weight.

Anyway, my general advice would be to run much slower for most of your runs, especially the long ones. You can train your body to become more efficient at burning fat as fuel and although obviously that doesn't mean the fat won't come back if you overeat, it may mean that you don't feel quite as ravenous for carbs the whole time.

Thanks everyone. Some things to think about and try.

What was your typical diet when training for a half-marathon?
Were you eating a lot of carbohydrates to fuel your runs?

@StylishAndBeautiful I upped my carbs to 50% and changed a lot of the quality of my carbs, so red rice instead of white, sourdough, wholewheat pasta etc. I was often not hungry on run day but the day after I would feel really ravenous. Craving were strong especially for sugary junk food, even after eating and feeling full.

I used gels when running and tried to eat carbs/protein within an hour of getting back. I do however run fasted. I know it’s not ideal but because I need to go 1st thing, I just can’t face food.

Now I run between 15-17km as long run day (deliberately kept it low to avoid the hunger) and I’m able to eat normally and feel satiated. Just a bit worried when I have to start upping the mileage

I've never used gels and run half-marathons on an empty stomach.

Usually eat something about an hour - 2 hours after finishing, but not a big meal.
(Typically something like a cheese scone without butter or oatcakes, or a spinach and poached egg wrap)

I couldn't do the 'fuel loading' but that might be me.

I'm the same. My long runs are 12 miles on Sundays and are always run fasted. My appetite disappears with a run so struggle to eat after too. I do have a cup of tea after though.

I wouldn’t change my diet to up the carbs. I run a lot and have for years, I just eat a healthy balanced diet. You really don’t need much more fuel. I expect the extra carbs are making you hungry.

I expect the extra carbs are making you hungry. This.
I get false hunger if I eat too much carbs, especially if they are high-GI.

That’s a really good point @Jaffalemons. Years ago I used to be keto and hunger dropped considerably with no carbs.

i think I upped them because everywhere you read/hear about training it talks about fuelling runs properly, only I’ve no idea what properly really means. Clearly didnt do it last time hence the weight gain!

Interesting how many here run fasted too. Again everything I find about fuelling talks about eating fast acting carbs prior to a run but I just can’t face food first thing at all.

I’m not convinced that the medical / pro athletes would ever run fasted. I think it’s a more insta fad. That said I’ve just run 5 miles before breakfast as I have no time. Came back and my usual boiled egg tomato and rocket. I’m off out and will eat chia pudding and berries, elegant I get back.

what I’m saying is I don’t purposely run fasted.

@Jaffalemons ,I run on an empty stomach because i prefer it and have done so since well before instagram. Isn't it down to personal preference?

Yes of course but the whole dialogue around running ‘fasted’ is a new thing. It’s the fashion and recommendation that I’m adding doubt to. There is some evidence and thought that it’s not good for women. Any experienced runner will have a personal preference and less likely to be ‘influenced’.

Oh right. I always thought I was a bit weird for doing it and for not being able to face much to eat afterwards.

I can remember gels being the latest fad years ago and it seemed to be the chubby plodders or the super-fast runners who used them.

I didn’t have breakfast this morning before I went out as I was taking my dog on a 5k trail plod. So that’s fine.

I will force down two bits of toast and peanut butter before my 13 mile long run tomorrow, I don’t think I’d perform well if a tried to run 13 miles with some of those miles at race pace without anything. I don’t want it and I don’t enjoy it but I stuff it down. I wouldn’t fuel during a run of that length though unless it was a race and I might have a couple of entry bytes at around mile 10.

I think it’s personal preference and finding what works for you. I don’t fuel with gels but will always eat before a long run, I’m lucky that I can munch down a flapjack on the start line of a race and feel ok running on it. Some people have gels every few miles, some have nothing at all. We are all different.

but if you don’t want to gain too much weight when marathon training then don’t over do the carbs. Apart from the night before the race. Then eat all the carbs 😂

I am not a pro runner but I was at one point 'sub elite'. There is good evidence for running fasted as long as it is low intensity. I could happily run 20 miles plus before breakfast at a nice easy pace but I would never do it for a hard training session or a race. The idea is that you train your body to become more efficient at using fat for fuel.

I’m not convinced that the medical / pro athletes would ever run fasted. I think it’s a more insta fad

Definitely not an insta fad. I was doing it, as were most other decent standard runners I know, before insta was even a thing. Didn't think it was that popular tbh, most "influencers" seem to be into yoghurt and seeds and stuff, not dashing out the door after a coffee.

I'm not a pro athlete but I run at what you'd call a fairly high level. I never eat before training runs unless they're around two and a half hours or more (so 18+ miles ish). And sometimes not even then. I'll make myself eat before races though I don't really want to.

@BarnacleBeasley@FeelinTwentySixPointTwothat’s really interesting! I’ve tried running after breakfast and it just doesn’t make me feel good. Plus 99% of the time I just don’t have the time to eat even if I wanted to.

Can I ask, do you fuel when you run? I did 15km today low intensity and had a gel. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t, just depends how I feel. I am however a slow runner so will spend a long of time on my feet training for a marathon. I see lots of conflicting advice on when and what to fuel on.

15km today low intensity and had a gel. You don't need a gel for a 15K low intensity run.

I was especially tired today that’s why I had one but often don’t. However I hear all the time that anything over 60 mins you should be taking on fuel, as a slow runner 60 mins doesn’t get me that far

Have always done Sunday long runs fasted. Actually all am runs fasted.

would always have porridge before a race though.

it wouldn’t occur to me to fuel during the run for that distance but would have had something to eat before going out.

I ran a half marathon distance today at training pace (1:54) and didn’t feel the need to fuel during the run at all. Didn’t bring anything to fuel with, I didn’t even bring water. But I did have 2 pieces of peanut butter and jam on toast, a coffee, a glass of squash and a glass of water before I left so that I knew I would be fine. There is also a tap you can drink from on the route if needed but I didn’t bother.

we are all different though. And if you’re a slower runner you’ll be spending more time exerting yourself than if you’re a bit faster. So do what works for you.

Exercise before eating has been a thing recommended to some people by PTs/fitness bods for decades. I think it's the language of calling it 'fasted' that makes it sound faddy. When it usually just means you do it first thing before breakfast.

The whole idea that you're 'fasting' when you're asleep I think might be a newer concept. But not the idea of not eating late at night. That's also been around for sons.