Learn what to eat before, during and after a run to fuel performance, recover faster and support consistent training without overcomplicating your nutrition.
13 min read
Running rewards consistency, but consistency depends on recovery. Whether you are training for your first 5km, building towards a half marathon or preparing for a long-distance event, your nutrition shapes your energy, performance, muscle repair and injury resilience.
This guide explains what runners should eat before, during and after training, how much protein they need, and when supplements such as whey protein, creatine, collagen and electrolytes may be useful.
Running places a high and repeated demand on the whole body.
Every session draws on stored carbohydrate, challenges fluid balance, creates muscle damage and increases the need for recovery nutrients. The longer or harder you run, the more important fuelling becomes.
The key nutrition priorities for runners are:
Glycogen is the stored form of carbohydrate found in your muscles and liver. During moderate-to-high intensity running, glycogen is one of the body’s most important fuel sources.
When glycogen stores run low, runners commonly experience fatigue, reduced pace, heavy legs or “hitting the wall”.
Runners and gym-goers both need enough protein, carbohydrates and total energy. The main difference is the balance.
A runner’s nutrition plan usually places more emphasis on carbohydrate availability, hydration and recovery between frequent sessions. A resistance-training athlete may place a heavier emphasis on protein distribution, muscle gain and strength adaptation.
| Nutrition priority | Runners | Resistance-focused gym-goers |
| Primary fuel need | Carbohydrate for training intensity and endurance | Carbohydrate and protein for strength sessions |
| Protein role | Muscle repair, recovery and injury resilience | Muscle growth, repair and strength adaptation |
| Hydration | Critical, especially in heat and longer sessions | Importance, but usually less performance-limiting |
| In-session fuelling | Useful for runs over 60-75 minutes | Usually not required |
| Key risk | Under-fuelling, low energy availability, dehydration | Inadequate protein or total calories for muscle gain |
These are general guidelines. Individual needs vary based on training load, body size, sweat rate, event goals, heat exposure and appetite.
For personalised targets, runners should speak with an Accredited Sports Dietitian.
Before a run, the goal is to start with enough available energy, stable blood glucose and minimal gut discomfort.
For most runners, this means choosing easy-to-digest carbohydrates and avoiding large amounts of fat, fibre or very heavy protein close to training.
For longer or harder sessions, a pre-run meal 2–3 hours before training should focus on carbohydrates, with moderate protein and low-to-moderate fat.
Good options include:
Sports Dietitians Australia commonly recommends carbohydrate-based pre-exercise meals, with the exact amount depending on body size, session duration and intensity.
A smaller carbohydrate snack can help if you have not eaten recently or you are heading into a harder session.
Good options include:
Keep this snack simple. The closer you are to the run, the easier it should be to digest.
Fasted running can work for some easy, shorter runs, especially for experienced runners who tolerate it well.
However, fasted training is not ideal for every session. Hard intervals, tempo runs, long runs and race-pace efforts usually benefit from carbohydrate availability.
A practical approach is:
Runners with a history of low energy availability, disordered eating, menstrual disruption, stress fractures or ongoing fatigue should be cautious with fasted training.
Protein before a run is not usually the main performance driver. Carbohydrate matters more for immediate running intensity.
That said, including a small amount of protein in a pre-run meal can support muscle protein balance, especially for runners training frequently or doing double sessions.
A practical pre-run option is a smoothie with banana, oats and a light serve of whey protein.
For runners who want a fast-digesting option, True Protein WPI 90 is a whey protein isolate made from Australian grass-fed whey and Informed-Sport certified. It can be useful when you want protein without much fat or lactose.
During-run fuelling becomes more important once runs extend beyond about 60–75 minutes.
For shorter easy runs, most runners do not need carbohydrates during the session if they have eaten adequately beforehand.
For longer runs, carbohydrates help maintain blood glucose, delay fatigue and support pace.
| Run duration | During-run nutrition guide |
| Under 60 minutes | Usually no fuel needed |
| 60-75 minutes | Water may be enough, depending on intensity and heat |
| 75-150 minutes | 30-60g carbohydrate per hour |
| Over 150 minutes | Up to 90g carbohydrate per hour, using gut-trained strategies |
Good during-run carbohydrate sources include:
Gut tolerance is individual. Practise fuelling during training before using a strategy on race day.
Hydration is especially important for runners in Australia because heat, humidity and sun exposure can increase sweat losses.
The Australian Institute of Sport recommends athletes begin exercise well hydrated and replace fluids according to individual sweat losses, thirst, session duration and environmental conditions.
For many runners, the best approach is to:
Electrolytes are most useful when sweat losses are high or runs are long.
Sodium is the key electrolyte lost through sweat. Replacing sodium can help support fluid balance during long runs, especially in hot Australian conditions.
Electrolytes may be useful for:
For shorter easy runs, water and normal meals are often enough.
After a run, the goal is to repair muscle, restore glycogen and rehydrate.
The most effective recovery meal or snack includes:
A simple recovery target is 20–40g of high-quality protein with a carbohydrate-rich meal or snack.
Good post-run options include:
For most recreational runners, total daily intake matters more than eating within an exact “window”.
However, eating within 30–60 minutes can be useful when:
A practical recovery structure is:
Within 30–60 minutes: protein plus carbohydrate
Within 1–2 hours: a balanced meal with vegetables, protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats
Protein is not just for gym training. Runners need protein to repair muscle fibres, support immune function and maintain the tissues that help them tolerate repeated impact.
The repeated loading of running creates muscle microdamage, particularly during downhill running, speed work and longer sessions. Protein helps the body repair this damage and adapt to training.
Endurance athletes generally need more protein than sedentary adults because regular training increases muscle repair and adaptation demands.
The Australian Institute of Sport suggests endurance athletes may need about 1.4–1.8g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, depending on training load and goals.
That means:
| Body weight | Daily protein target at 1.4-1.8g/kg |
| 55kg | 77-99g per day |
| 65kg | 91-117g per day |
| 75kg | 105-135g pr day |
| 85kg | 119-153g per day |
Spreading protein across the day is usually more effective than eating most of it in one meal.
A simple structure is 20–40g of protein per meal or snack, across 3–5 eating occasions.
Runners do not need protein powder if they can meet their protein needs through food.
However, protein powder can be useful when appetite is low, time is limited or training load is high.
Protein powder may help runners who:
Whole foods should still form the foundation of a runner’s diet. Protein powder is best used as a convenient tool, not a replacement for balanced meals.
Explore whey protein for everyday recovery.
Whey protein is a practical post-run option because it is rich in essential amino acids, including leucine, which helps stimulate muscle protein synthesis.
Muscle protein synthesis is the process your body uses to repair and rebuild muscle tissue after training.
For everyday recovery, True Protein WPC 80 is a versatile whey protein concentrate made from Australian grass-fed milk. It provides a complete amino acid profile and is a practical option for runners who want to support daily protein intake.
For runners who prefer a leaner option with less lactose, True Protein WPI 90 may be more suitable.
Supplements are not essential for every runner, but they can be useful when they solve a clear problem.
For runners, the most relevant supplements are usually those that support recovery, convenience, hydration or specific training demands.
Creatine is best known for strength and power training, but it may also have a role for some runners.
Creatine helps replenish phosphocreatine, a quick energy source used during short, high-intensity efforts. For distance running, it is unlikely to directly improve steady-state endurance performance in the same way carbohydrates do.
However, creatine may support runners who include:
Creatine may also support recovery between repeated high-intensity efforts.
True Creatine uses creatine monohydrate, the most researched form of creatine. A common evidence-based approach is 3–5g daily, taken consistently.
Runners should be aware that creatine can cause a small increase in body mass from water stored in muscle. This is not fat gain, but it may matter for weight-sensitive athletes.
Collagen may be useful for runners who want to support connective tissue, including tendons, ligaments and cartilage.
Collagen is different from whey protein. Whey is rich in essential amino acids for muscle repair, while collagen provides amino acids such as glycine, proline and hydroxyproline, which are abundant in connective tissue.
The evidence around collagen is still developing, but some research suggests collagen peptides taken with vitamin C before loading exercise may support collagen synthesis.
A practical approach is:
True Collagen provides hydrolysed collagen peptides that dissolve easily in drinks. It can be used in coffee, smoothies or juice.
Collagen should not replace complete protein sources such as whey, eggs, dairy, fish, meat, soy or legumes, because it is not a complete protein.
Electrolytes help replace minerals lost through sweat, particularly sodium.
They are most relevant for:
True Electrolyte is a hypotonic formula, meaning it hydrates you rapidly, faster than water or sports drinks.
For easy runs under an hour, electrolytes are usually not necessary unless conditions are especially hot or the runner has high sweat losses.
As weekly mileage increases, energy and carbohydrate needs usually rise.
Many runners increase training load but do not increase food intake enough. Over time, this can lead to fatigue, poor recovery, reduced performance and higher injury risk.
Signs you may be under-fuelling include:
RED-S stands for Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport.
It occurs when an athlete does not consume enough energy to support both training and normal body function. Distance runners are one group at higher risk, especially during heavy training blocks or when body composition goals are prioritised too aggressively.
RED-S can affect:
The practical message is simple: when you run more, you usually need to eat more.
Rest days still require good nutrition.
Your body repairs muscle, restores glycogen and adapts to training between sessions, not only during sessions.
On rest days, runners should still prioritise:
You may need slightly fewer carbohydrates on a full rest day than on a long-run day, but aggressive restriction can impair recovery.
Here is a practical example for a runner training in the morning.
Banana, toast with honey or a small smoothie.
For longer sessions, eat a larger carbohydrate-rich meal 2–3 hours before training.
Smoothie with whey protein, banana, oats and milk, or Greek yoghurt with fruit and muesli.
Rice, pasta, wrap or grain bowl with lean protein, vegetables and olive oil or avocado.
Fruit with yoghurt, a protein smoothie, trail mix, a True Protein Bar or toast with nut butter.
Potatoes, rice, pasta or grains with fish, chicken, tofu, eggs or legumes, plus vegetables.
Milk, yoghurt or a small protein-rich snack to support overnight recovery.
The most common mistake is not eating enough.
Other common mistakes include:
Good running nutrition is not about perfection. It is about consistently giving your body enough fuel to train, recover and adapt.
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION: all content provided here is of a general nature only and is not a substitute for individualised professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and reliance should not be placed on it. For personalised medical or nutrition advice, please make an appointment with your doctor, dietitian or qualified healthcare professional.
