Marathon Fueling Strategy for a 3-Hour Finish

When an athlete decides to take on a marathon, they know they must follow a defined training plan for at least 12 weeks before the race and, of course, begin this specific period with good physical condition.

A very important aspect to consider throughout the entire preparation process —and one that not everyone takes into account— is recovery, a fundamental pillar in any training plan.

To achieve proper recovery, we must consider both rest and nutrition, and it is this latter aspect that we are going to discuss, specifically the period in which recovery actually begins for an athlete.

Many people think that recovery processes begin once the training sessions are over, or during sleep, etc. However, nothing could be further from the truth. When we are performing physical activity, carbohydrate intake is crucial both for performance during the session itself and for subsequent recovery.

Throughout the entire marathon preparation period, following an individualized nutritional strategy in line with the training plan —one that also includes training the digestive system— will enhance performance during workouts and ensure that all sessions are completed successfully by promoting recovery processes.

Training the digestive system will also allow us to design fueling strategies that align with the objectives achieved throughout the preparation phase.

The following is a proposal for an athlete whose goal is to run a sub-3-hour marathon and who has previously trained their digestive system and designed a nutritional strategy based on the marathon’s aid stations and any external assistance available.

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From 2 days before:

Try to drink approximately 1 liter of hypotonic beverage per day.
To prepare this drink, dilute one serving of Isodrink & Energy (an isotonic beverage) in roughly double the recommended volume, between 800 ml and 1 liter of water.

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During the warm-up (15–20 minutes before the start):

Take 1 Energy GUM Bar (gummy bar).

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From the start:

• Gradually drink about 500 ml of HyperDrink 45, continuing its intake up to km 21.
• At 30 minutes (~km 7) → take 1 Energy GUM Bar.
• At 75 minutes (~km 17.5) → take 1 HyperGel 30 with caffeine.
• At around 90 minutes, you should have finished the HyperDrink 45, and start taking Isodrink & Energy (the isotonic drink).

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Summary of carbohydrate intake up to the half marathon:

98 g in 90 minutes → 65.3 g CHO/h
By the halfway point, you should already have picked up the next 500 ml bottle of isotonic drink.

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• At 105 minutes (~km 24) → take 1 Energy Gel with caffeine.
• At 140 minutes (~km 33) → take 1 HyperGel 30.
• At 160 minutes (~km 37–38) → take 1 Energy Gel.

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Summary of carbohydrate intake during the 2nd half of the marathon:

106 g in 90 minutes → 70.7 g CHO/h

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Total carbohydrate intake for the marathon:

204 g CHO in 3 hours → 68 g CHO/h

These are highly tolerable intakes for the vast majority of runners.

In the case of an athlete who is more experienced or better trained in the intake of carbohydrates and higher amounts of fructose, the HyperGel 30 could be replaced by HyperGel 45 (or an additional HyperGel 30 could be added), which would provide an extra 30 g of carbohydrates (CHO).
This would result in an average intake of approximately 234 g in 3 hours → 78 g CHO/h (between 75–80 g CHO/h).