The Runner’s Kitchen
Plan food around early runs, evening sessions and long runs. Explore carbohydrate guidance by duration, practical meal ideas and recovery nutrition.
Plan from the time you have between waking and running. A familiar, smaller snack can be more practical than forcing a large breakfast immediately before heading out. A long or demanding session needs more preparation than a short easy outing.
Try the banana-and-jam bagel when it fits your digestion window. Overnight oats can be ready for afterwards. If nerves or time make solid food difficult, practise a smaller portion or a familiar drink during training.
Try this recipeBanana & jam bagel90 g carbohydrate · 10 g protein per default serving ↗A run after work can end up many hours after lunch. Keep lunch substantial enough for the day and consider a familiar snack before the session if the gap is long. Have dinner ingredients ready so recovery does not depend on finding the energy to cook from scratch.
Chickpea couscous works as an earlier lunch when fibre agrees with you. Chicken rice bowls, tofu noodles and lentil pasta are options for afterwards. Choose according to appetite and the session, not a rule that every runner needs the same plate.
Try this recipeSticky ginger-lime chicken with charred broccoli86 g carbohydrate · 57 g protein per default serving ↗Think about the previous evening, breakfast, food during the run and what you will eat afterwards. Rehearse the foods and amounts you intend to use. A race is a poor place to discover that a new breakfast or concentrated drink does not agree with you.
During-run carbohydrate guidance follows time and intensity, not distance alone. Use the planner below with your expected duration, then practise a manageable strategy. Include carbohydrate from drinks, chews and food as well as gels.
Combine carbohydrate foods, a protein source and something to drink. The next ordinary meal can often do this job. When a full meal is some time away, a yoghurt bowl or smoothie can be a useful bridge.
After a longer run, a light soup or small snack may be only one part of recovery. Add bread, rice or another meal component and keep eating across the day. Short turnarounds between demanding sessions need more deliberate planning with qualified support when needed.
Try this recipeSweetcorn, cheddar & chilli muffins30 g carbohydrate · 11 g protein per default serving ↗Put the guidance into practice
A 10K can take very different amounts of time. Start with the run you expect to do, then use the guidance as something to practise in training.
| Time & effort | Starting point |
|---|---|
| Less than 45 minutes | Carbohydrate during the run is usually unnecessary. |
| 45–75 minutes of hard effort | Small amounts, including carbohydrate mouth sensing, may help. This is not a requirement to carry several gels. |
| Around 1–2.5 hours | 30–60 g carbohydrate per hour is common guidance; adjust for intensity and tolerance. |
| Longer than 2.5–3 hours | Up to 90 g per hour can suit demanding endurance events after practice. Above 60 g per hour, use multiple transportable carbohydrates such as glucose and fructose. |
Before exercise lasting over an hour, broad guidance is 1–4 g carbohydrate per kilogram in the 1–4 hours beforehand. That range is not a target to force immediately before every run. Choose an amount and timing that you have rehearsed.
Loading, breakfast and during-run fuel are separate parts of the plan. Hydration and sodium need their own assessment; do not turn carbohydrate grams into a fluid target.
From the Kitchen
Quick breakfasts, something ready after a run and proper dinners for the evenings you train.
Breakfast · 40 min prep & cooking + 1 h cooling & chilling
Coffee-soaked baked oats with a creamy yoghurt layer and a cocoa finish. Breakfast with the flavour of tiramisu, made ahead.
Snack · 40 min prep & cooking + 10 min cooling
Golden savoury muffins with sweetcorn, pockets of cheddar and a little chilli heat. A useful alternative to another sweet snack.
Dinner · 40 min prep & cooking
Caramelised chicken in a glossy soy, honey and lime glaze. Charred broccoli and rice catch every spoonful of sauce.
Dinner · 45 min prep & cooking
Juicy turkey meatballs in a rich tomato sauce, with a little smoked paprika and a full bowl of pasta.
Dinner · 53 min prep & cooking
A warming bowl of soft lentils, golden squash and tofu, with ginger, coconut and lime.
Lunch · 35 min prep & cooking + 5 min resting
Crisp-edged beetroot patties with a soft bean centre, salty feta and lemon yoghurt. The trick is squeezing out the beetroot first.
The Weekly Kitchen
Friday food inspiration for the week ahead. Choose what sounds good to you, from protein-packed dinners to carb-loading ideas and something sweet.