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FUELLING YOUR HALF-MARATHON

BEFORE. DURING. AFTER.Simple, scientifically-backed fuelling steps to help you perform, recover, and progress.

FUELLING YOUR HALF-MARATHON

Welcome to the distance where improvisation and poor preparation meet the harsh reality of carb availability. There are no shortcuts or quick fixes here. Only a disciplined approach will ensure you perform to your potential.

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THE HALF-MARATHON FUELLING DEMANDS

The half-marathon is predominantly an aerobic event, demanding sustained output from the body’s oxidative energy systems across 21.1 km of continuous effort. Running at a moderate 
to high aerobic intensity – often described as comfortably hard 
– the half-marathon sits at the challenging intersection where effort feels controlled yet purposeful.

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SO, HOW DO YOU GET YOUR
HALF-MARATHON FUELLING RIGHT?

The right products, in the right quantities, at the right time (or as close as you can get to it).
Let's break that down.

 

FUELLING method

[-24 HRS]

 

Your body stores only a finite amount of carbs – and at half-marathon intensity, you’ll be drawing on those stores heavily from the moment you cross the start line. This makes carb loading in the 24 hours before your race not simply a recommendation, but a critical component of your race-day preparation.

The day before is therefore all about stocking up your glycogen stores. Steady, structured intake of manageable carbs, without discomfort, 
is your goal. Over the day, aim for roughly 8–10 g of carbs per kg of 
body weight. For a 75 kg runner, this represents 600–750 g in total. Distribute this evenly across all your meals, snacks, and drinks.

Go for light, familiar foods low in fibre and fat. This helps with easy digestion and storage. Maintain your hydration with consistent fluid intake throughout the day.

Science in Sport products can be used alongside everyday foods to help you consistently hit your carbohydrate targets and arrive on the start line fully 
fuelled and ready to perform. Below is an example of of a high-carb daily meal plan providing approximately 680 g of carbs (around 9 g per kg of body mass for a 75 kg runner), alongside ~1000 mg of dietary nitrates for nitrate loading, with strategic use of GO TART CHERRY and GO REST & RECOVER SHOT to support recovery and sleep. This is an illustrative example only and not a one-size-fits-all plan. Portion sizes should be adjusted to suit individual body mass and energy needs. Foods can be swapped based on personal preferences, dietary requirements, and practicality.

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[DAY BEFORE]

BREAKFAST

100 g breakfast cereal (i.e., crisped rice cereal) with 300 ml milk + 1x toasted bagel with jam + 300 ml orange juice + 
1x GO NITRATES SHOT + 1x GO TART CHERRY

[DAY BEFORE]

MID-MORNING SNACK

1x GO FUEL ENERGY OAT BAR + 1x banana + 1x GO HYDRO STICK PACK in 500 ml water

[DAY BEFORE]

lunch

Large portion (250 g) cooked white rice + 1x cooked chicken fillet + sauce of choice + small garnish of veg/salad + 150 g low-fat fruit yoghurt + 30 g granola and chopped banana

[DAY BEFORE]

afternoon snack

1x BETA FUEL ENERGY CHEW + 

1x GO FUEL ISOTONIC SPORTS ENERGY DRINK

[DAY BEFORE]

training (shake-out run)

Sip on 1x GO HYDRO STICK PACK in 500 ml water

[DAY BEFORE]

dinner

Large portion (250 g) cooked white rice + 1x cooked salmon fillet + sauce of choice + grated beetroot + DESSERT: 250 g rice pudding + 1x tablespoon of jam + 1x GO NITRATES SHOT + 1x GO TART CHERRY

[DAY BEFORE]

pre-bed

1x toasted bagel with jam + 
1x GO REST & RECOVER SHOT

[race day]

 

Overnight, liver glycogen naturally falls. Restoring it is essential, regardless of how well you loaded the day before. On race day, calculate your carb requirements and meal schedule carefully, based on your body weight and the start time.

Your main pre‑race meal should prioritise easy-to-digest carbs, again with minimal fibre and fat. To avoid the risk of bloating, be strict with volume and timing so you arrive on the start line feeling light and comfortable.

At a recommended 2–3 g per kg, a 75 kg athlete is looking at around 150–225 g of carbs. This ensures your muscle and liver glycogen stores are topped up ahead of the race.

With a solid foundation in place, your hydration – including electrolytes – should be steady, not panicky, easing up in the final hour.

Below is an example of a pre-race meal plan providing approximately 185 g of carbs (approximately 2.5 g per kg of body mass for a 75 kg runner), alongside 500 mg of dietary nitrates for acute nitrate supplementation. 
This is an illustrative example only and not a one-size-fits-all plan. Portion sizes should be adjusted to suit individual body mass and energy needs. Foods can be swapped based on personal preferences, dietary requirements, and practicality.

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[-03 hours]

pre-race meal

100 g breakfast cereal (i.e., crisped rice cereal) with 250 ml milk + 1x toasted bagel with jam + 300 ml fresh orange juice + 1x GO NITRATES SHOT + 1x GO HYDRO STICK PACK in 500 ml water

[-01 hour]

pre-race snack

1x BETA FUEL ENERGY CHEW + sip on additional fluids

[DURING]

 

In the half-marathon, your mid-race fuelling makes a real difference. Wherever you are in the field, you’re out there long enough to need your energy stores topped up. This will help sustain blood glucose, maintain your dependency on carbs as your fuel source, and reduce the feeling of fatigue, especially in the later stages when the race really starts to get tough.

Your carb intake should be in the 60–80 g per hour range, with emerging research from Science in Sport suggesting you should be targeting the upper end of this range, closer to 80 g per hour, to deliver a meaningful performance advantage 
– supporting higher carb oxidation rates and better sustained energy output across the full race distance.

In practical terms, this means targeting approximately 40 g of carbs every 30 minutes throughout the race – a rhythm that is both physiologically effective 
and logistically manageable around the aid stations and fuelling points on course.

Energy gels are the tried-and-tested, go-to choice for good reason. They’re reliable, compact, and easy to take on the move. Ideally, you’ll have practiced your fuelling in training to find your preferred format and get comfortable with it.

Timing as always is key. Fuel early, keep it steady, and stick to your strategy. Waiting until you feel tired means it’s already too late. ‘Fuel the second half of the race before you get there’ is a helpful mantra.

ESolid hydration throughout the race is essential for all runners. For some, caffeine has a part to play too. It can help you hold intensity, reduce your perceived effort, and keep you switched on when fatigue starts trying to make decisions for you.

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[every 30 minutes]

Top-up

Every 30 minutes of your race take 1x BETA FUEL ENERGY GEL + 100-150 ml of water
For added focus make your first gel the BETA FUEL +NOOTROPIC ENERGY GEL + 100-150 ml of water

[after]

 

The moment you cross the finish line, your focus shifts – from fuelling to refuelling and recovery. What you do in the 30–60 minutes immediately after your race can have a meaningful impact on how effectively your 
body repairs and rebuilds.  Your three recovery priorities are to replenish glycogen, support muscle repair, and rehydrate with fluids and electrolytes.

A combination of carbs and protein is your goal during this window. Recovery drinks are the convenient way to make sure you’ve got 
these needs covered while your appetite returns.

 

[+30 minutes]

post-race

1x BETA RECOVERY POWDER
1x GO TART CHERRY

[+01 hour]

easy meal

Following your initial BETA RECOVERY POWDER drink, 
aim for a light, easily digestible meal to continue the recovery process. A target of around 1 g of carbohydrate and 0.3 g of protein per kg of body weight is recommended. For a 75 kg runner, this equates to approximately 75 g of carbohydrate and 20–30 g of protein. This meal will help further replenish glycogen stores, support muscle repair, and prepare you for your next training session. Continue to consume carbohydrate and protein regularly throughout the recovery period and maintain steady hydration to replace ongoing fluid losses.

[night]

pre-bed

1 x REST AND RECOVER SHOT

QUALITY. VOLUME. TIMING.

Fuelling to improve your half-marathon

A successful half-marathon is earned before you get to the start line. Fuelling is not a magic one‑day tactic – it’s a habit developed over weeks and months of training. Becoming comfortable with your fuelling plan allows your fitness to shine.

Getting your nutrition right enables you to train effectively, recover efficiently, and adapt to the demands of sustained threshold running. Over time, these adaptations stack up. The performance benefits are clear.

To turn fuelling into a competitive advantage:

  • Always think strategy: before, during, and after
  • Be accurate and strict with your calculations
  • Use training to build tolerance and practice race fuelling

When quality, volume, and timing align, you're in the sweet spot - fuelling yourself for a strong, controlled, enjoyable half-marathon.

half-marathon race & training pack

Running nutrition to support every mile

✓ hydro+
✓ beta fuel gels
✓ beta fuel + nootropics
✓ beta fuel chews