{"id":19929,"date":"2026-01-14T16:30:59","date_gmt":"2026-01-14T16:30:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scienceinsport.com\/sports-nutrition\/?p=19929"},"modified":"2026-01-15T15:21:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T15:21:08","slug":"winter-marathon-training","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scienceinsport.com\/sports-nutrition\/winter-marathon-training\/","title":{"rendered":"Marathon Training in Winter"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Long<\/span>
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\n Written By<\/span>\n

Jonah Rosner<\/h3>\n

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5 Min<\/div>
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\n Marathon Training in Winter: Why It Feels Harder \u2014 and How to Train and Fuel Smarter<\/strong>\n<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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Introduction<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If winter running feels harder, it\u2019s probably not your fitness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cold quietly changes how your body moves, breathes, and uses fuel. The effort cost goes up before pace ever does.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most runners train straight through winter without accounting for that, then wonder why workouts feel off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s what the cold is actually doing to your body, and how to train and fuel in a way that fits the conditions instead of fighting them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Why Winter Training Feels Harder (Physiology, Not Motivation)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The mistake most runners make in winter is assuming cold only affects comfort, not physiology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blood flow shifts inward to protect core temperature. Less reaches the skin and working muscles early on. Oxygen delivery feels sluggish, even at easy effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Muscle temperature drops, too. Cold muscle is stiffer, slower, and less efficient. Early miles often feel awkward, like your stride hasn\u2019t fully turned on yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breathing cold air adds friction. Airways dry out. Breathing feels sharper. Effort climbs faster than expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This isn\u2019t mental. It\u2019s mechanical and physiological.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most runners notice the same pattern. Once they\u2019re warm, things improve. But the cost to get there is higher than it is in warmer conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s the winter tax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Cold vs Heat: How the Stress Profile Changes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Heat and cold stress the body in different ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In heat, the challenge is cooling. Heart rate climbs. Dehydration shows up fast. Mistakes are obvious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cold is quieter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heart rate often runs lower at the same effort. Muscles lean more heavily on carbohydrate. Running economy drops until muscle temperature increases. Energy cost rises even when the pace stays controlled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is where winter training often goes wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Runners keep using summer pacing and fueling rules, even though the physiological cost has changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Same workout on paper. Different bill at the end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Runner<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

3. What this Means for Training Execution<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Winter rewards patience early and intention later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Warm-ups need more time. Not harder. Just longer. Easy running, drills, light strides. Enough to raise muscle temperature before asking for quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Intensity works better once you\u2019re warm. That often means pushing harder efforts later into the run or keeping recovery jogs moving so muscles don\u2019t cool off between reps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Early effort needs context. If the first 10 minutes feel harder than expected, that\u2019s normal. Forcing pace before your system is ready is how winter workouts drift into the wrong zone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019d rather see quality show up late than be chased early.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Winter Fueling: Why Cold Still Demands Carbohydrate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Cold doesn’t lower carbohydrate needs.  It usually raises them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cold muscle relies more on glycogen. Add the energy cost of staying warm, and carbohydrate use climbs even when pace doesn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The issue is appetite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cold blunts hunger and thirst cues. Long runs feel manageable until they suddenly aren\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is where simple, reliable fuel matters. Gels, drink mixes, or chews are often easier than solid food in the cold. Not because they\u2019re special, but because they\u2019re easy to take when appetite is muted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Underfueling in winter usually isn\u2019t intentional. On long runs, a gel every 20 to 40 minutes still applies, even if you don\u2019t feel like you need it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fueling by feel doesn\u2019t work well in the cold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For longer winter runs, that might look like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n