How To Fuel For A 10k Running Race | What To Eat Before, During And After A 10k

[@marioandwes]

Just wanted to say thanks for all your help, not just this video. I did my first 10k (non timed) at 1 hour 14 tonight as part of my half marathon training, with the run being in 6 weeks. Thanks a million from Berlin :)

[@runningchannel]

Really glad our videos have been helping Mario 😊 Best of luck for the half marathon and please let us know how you get on!

[@bigmillsy7902]

Just started running 6 months ago and just signed up to a 10k . Found the running channel and its helped me with different aspects of my running . Keep up good work guys

[@PrfctPlyr]

How the running going?

[@Danny-ib6ew]

I've just got into running, and these videos are very helpful - plus very clear and easy to follow...subscribed !

[@runningchannel]

Thanks. Welcome Danny! 🙏

[@magicvibrations5180]

This is a great video to watch two hours before my race, after I've already had dinner and breakfast.

[@CarlstedtPlays]

Something you need to consider is that you dont need to fuel for a 10 k. You Are perfectly able to do a 10 k or a half-marathon on an empty stomach if you try. Longer distances than that, yes.

[@runningchannel]

Absolutely - we do say that right at the beginning 👍

[@CarlstedtPlays]

@@runningchannel I saw that and it made me really happ! :) I just wanted to put another reminder here for New runners of what their bodies can do. That there isn't really a need for nutritionplans or gear or... just stuff in general for distances up to a half-marathon. :)

[@Richard_Garza]

You can do anything on an empty stomach, just not as efficiently. I think for optimal performances, yes always fuel correctly before a proper race.

[@Dan-qk3mt]

I always drink a 2 litre bottle of scrumpy before a 10K

[@mctabish1001]

I just ran my 1st half marathon fasted (no water during). I generally run in the morning and feel more comfortable having not eaten. So i went with that. I did make sure I topped up carbs days before and electrolytes and on the morning with a coffee topped up with full cream. Ran on my own, weight 105kg and completed in 2Hr 10 Mins.

[@Marcin79W]

1:19 I love the face... Full of love for porridge :)

[@hairyairey]

My wife and I regularly have porridge with banana and/or grapes.

[@joeculligan8937]

Another awesome video!! 👍🏼😃😎. I am getting to run my first ever 10K race. So, this is a gigantic help. I really learned a lot. Being in America I really appreciate that you talk in miles as well as kilometers 👍🏼😎. Thanks again for the great content!!

[@runningchannel]

+Joe Culligan great stuff Joe! Good luck with the training and let us know how you get on 🙌🏼

[@MrBilo08]

Before: tea During: water After: ale

[@runningchannel]

Sounds reasonable to us! (Anna)

[@hairyairey]

@@runningchannel Duck Quacks Don't Echo researched this - rehydration was quicker with a pint of beer than a pint of water after a 10km run.

[@bigflat1238]

MrBilo08 lol ,yes I do my big run ,after I think I owe myself a couple of beers ,later down Dalkeith necking double rums ,last orders ,buckled

[@theodoreboyer2275]

0:48 why is the other burner lit?!

[@Blades-fm6ck]

Phew, glad you mentioned right at the start it's okay to do a 10k run (not a race, in my case) without breakfast so long as you have a high carb evening meal the night before. That's what I do👍. I just generally have a few gulps of water before setting off.

[@dwirajesh]

Absolutely ! I run 10 km much better on 20hour empty stomach then when I have had a meal 5 hours before

[@runningchannel]

Nice!

[@eado]

I don’t like to eat breakfast the day of a 10k either :)

[@northernninjarunner5506]

Post run scrambled eggs with spinach on a couple of crumpets add pumpkin seeds and mixed nuts on top done ✅

[@runningchannel]

+Northern Ninja Runner sounds amazing! 😋

[@honestlynate7922]

I make sure I hydrate. Starting the day before. Otherwise I don't eat until about 1 in the afternoon everyday so I don't change my eating habits and I always run in the morning except late in the summer as I live in Mississippi and I find it easier to run in the evening when the sun is going away after a hot day

[@runningchannel]

+Joe King Sounds like you’ve got your system well planned

[@Abspro50]

I absolutely love this channel and have found it incredibly helpful...

[@runningchannel]

Great to hear! Thank you so much 😊

[@Clive22]

On a 10k race day I like to have for breakfast a small bowl of: greek yoghurt, fresh berries, flaked almonds, a few sultanas & a spoon of honey. This is light and tasty. But having watched your excellent video, I'm wondering if you think it's too low in carbs?

[@runningchannel]

If it works for you, no need to change! As long as you’ve practiced it beforehand. Berries are a good source of carbs too 👌

[@elvagar]

For 10k race as an amateur you don't need to do anything different as you do in your training sessions. Before race eat food that works for you well and stay hydrated.

[@francismitchell9226]

Running my second 10k sat. I used wine gums on a 10k in March and a 8k in may . Useful advice. Hope to do it 53 mins to a hour.

[@francismitchell9226]

Hiya. So I did 10k In 57 mins 2 weeks ago. Took 5 mins off previous 10k time. 63 mins to 58 mins. I have done a 8k in about 47 mins. I was thinking about a half marathon 21k. There is one in April next yr. I run 3 times a week between 6 and 7k. And do parkrun on sat. To get up to 21k what do I need to do.

[@emilymarry5415]

I have raspberries and nuts before lol, After I eat a tofu scramble with veggies

[@wazzere2024]

Nice and clear to understand 🤙

[@joshwoodward9083]

Morning. Just up for parkrun!

[@runningchannel]

+Josh Woodward excellent!Happy running🙌🏼

[@johnonyango3166]

These are really inciteful. Thanks for the info 🙂

[@discopot]

Was this filmed in Lincoln inn field? Great video

[@runningchannel]

Great spot!

[@hairyairey]

@@runningchannel lots of runners use that area. They film BBC Click there sometimes. There's an idea for a video. Interview Lara Lewington!

[@hassanmadni8133]

Excellent video.. so much learning,,

[@na-dk9vm]

Would a maximum 2litrs of water thr day before be enough ??

[@Mortalvis]

Can there be a video on Intermittent Fasting and Marathon training?

[@nickpellatt]

I only ran one marathon ... Vienna 2018, which was done from zero (I wasnt a runner) to marathon inside a year, and I intermittent fast 95% of the time. Damn, maybe I should do a video 😃

[@alanhillier1033]

Yep,nice and clear to understand 👍🏼

[@Scott-fi6ml]

Are this tips helpful for a 9k race or running event?

[@Scott-fi6ml]

I like to request that the running channel do a video on how to fuel for a 5k running race

[@nickyballantine]

I recently ran 10km a day for 6 days for a charity event. Each run was under 1 hour which was fairly strenuous for me. I pretty much followed the nutrition advice on this vid but is there something more specific for multiple longer runs?

[@robbiew73]

I never eat on the morning before a race or a run - just doesn't agree with me.. always refuel after, and have a decent meal night before.

[@carissafaye9273]

All this carb talk is so funny to me! Ran a training run this morning, 10k in 55 minutes. Only a bit if electrolytes and water before, another sip or two halfway, then fine the rest of the run. Meanwhile I haven't had more than 30 grams of carbs a day for over a year! I tried the carb loading thing and it just gives me cramps.

[@JeffreyADavis-vy5qy]

Great information! Thank you!

[@runningchannel]

Glad it was helpful Jeffrey! Do you have a race coming up?

[@DJChipsandGarlic]

i just drink 8 cans of cheap booze and a massive takeaway, im always fine (just kidding)

[@koober1]

I always get a headache after a hard run. Even when I’m hydrating the entire time. Any advice?

[@runningchannel]

Unfortunately aren't able to comment on why this might be happening! We suggest asking a medical professional, they will have a clearer idea and be able to help by knowing you history etc!

[@nosirrahm]

I’m a lower carb runner so the fats do work for me. So I may use fueling like UCAN since racing can burn thru glycogen stores and harder to access the fat stores. Otherwise, I don’t need anything if I’m staying in Zone 2.

[@wrusst]

You don't race in z2 , glycogen is stored at muscle level where fatty free acids need to be liberated which inherently means to slow in a race . Your comment touches on going for the carbs first before fat and this is an advantage not a disadvantage in a race .

[@nosirrahm]

@@wrusst - When I mentioned Z2, I wasn’t referencing racing. Although I’ve seen some pretty fast Runners in Z2. I’ve never heard anyone say that they were able to tap fat storage after they started using fueling with easy carbs. They usually have to stick to carbs once they started fueling with it in a race.

[@wrusst]

@@nosirrahm carbs and fat are burned at the same time in different percentages . Even if you only ran out of carbs and burned 0 fat this same glycogen needs to be refueled later that day so ultimately it doesn't matter as these calories can be pulled from fat maintaining Calories in v calories out. Z2 or people using fat max like in z2 researcher, millan presentation you can see by his slides that carbs and fat are being used . Non if this actually matters as the video says race and you commented about something that wasent the topic. Id be really interested to see how these racers actually measured ratio burn .

[@Hondafn]

Nothing I wake up cup of water and go lol

[@lamby1022]

Any tips to stop stitches?😩

[@runningchannel]

That is a good question and one we're working on a video on...watch this space! Ps, don't forget to hit 'Subscribe' and tap the bell icon so you get notified when we upload new videos about running - there's new stuff every week and it'd really help us out if you subscribed ☺️ (it is free after all! And you don't get much for free these days)

[@jimewelsh]

No Jack Daniel's before race day!?! Haha. Just kidding But in all seriousness I always throw a bit of extra salt on my food before long hours if activity. Helps my body retain water a bit. 😀

[@runningchannel]

Good idea 👍

[@Bubbiccek]

10k after wake up on empty stomach. Everytime

[@adamede9316]

Spag bol the night before any race is the way forward

[@runningchannel]

Love a bit of spag bol!!

[@dcawkwell]

Agree never need anything for a 10k. I do them 4 times a week and fasted with just a cup of tea before. I dont think people should need anything unless they are very badly carb dependent which is perhaps most of the population nowadays who can't last 5 minutes without eating.

[@jugnu361]

Much Needed Advice...........Thanks

[@logical-brain-]

You can run for pretty long distances if you have some fat on ya... Just run on normal days on a empty stomach and you'll be fat adapted

[@mad_wisdom]

Breakfast with bagel with peanut butter?! What about the: better avoid the fats the night before?? 😆

[@thrivinginNL]

Haha that bite of porridge looked so dejected

[@runningchannel]

😂

[@pinkflower6010]

before my first 10k race i had a bowl of oats and a piece of bread with some nutella 🙈

[@shubhamtandon6949]

Thanks mam

[@runningchannel]

Thank YOU!

[@andyhaochizhang]

You don’t need to fuel for a 10k, as long as you’ve been eating well. It’s a 10k not a marathon fgs.

[@andrewroberts8139]

Somebody told me that jelly babies are good while you run, true or false?

[@hairyairey]

As long as you aren't a vegetarian!

[@richardbenn5034]

True, sugar for quick energy realease

[@mintico]

10k is nothing. Don’t really have to eat anything special. Just eat a well balanced diet. Marathon on the other hand needs special diet before the race.

[@abeam91]

wait, you need to fuel for 10k?

[@mooseriderrik]

Good video. The statement that alcohol dehydrates you is a myth though. This is based on one study done with mice and was never replicated. Since then it has become somewhat of a persistent myth. That is not to say that drinking alcohol before a race is a good idea.

[@abdallahdalvi4581]

I am having nerves,4days left for 10k race.i have never ran more than 5k.idk y I signed up for the race .oh God😨

[@runningchannel]

Don’t panic!! If it’s your first ever one then learn from the experience and get yourself to the finish 🙌

[@jimmyjohn9041]

I just eat sandwich’s while I run so I have unlimited energy

[@runningchannel]

Nice!

[@kevindecoteau3186]

Boy talk about bad nutrition advice this is it.

[@Re020-f5q]

So no burgers? 🥹