Marathon & Running
How to Fuel Your Runna Training Plan: The Complete Nutrition Guide
Runna builds your training plan — but who builds your fueling plan? Learn exactly what to eat before, during, and after every Runna workout so you stop bonking and start recovering faster.
Quick answer
To fuel your Runna training plan, match your nutrition to each workout type: light carbs before easy runs, 30-60g carbs/hour during long runs over 90 minutes, and a 3:1 carb-to-protein recovery meal within 30 minutes after hard sessions.
Runna is one of the best running apps out there. It builds smart, adaptive training plans that have helped thousands of runners hit PRs. But there's a massive gap in every Runna plan — and in almost every training app on the market.
Nobody tells you what to eat.
Your Runna plan says "Long Run: 18km" on Saturday. Great. But what did you eat Friday night? What's your pre-run breakfast? Are you taking in carbs during the run? And what does recovery look like after? These questions matter more than most runners realize — and getting them wrong is why so many runners bonk, feel flat, get injured, or plateau.
Why Your Training Plan Needs a Fueling Plan
Training is stress. Nutrition is how your body responds to that stress. Without proper fueling, you don't get the training adaptations you're working so hard for. You just get tired.
Research from the International Journal of Sport Nutrition consistently shows that athletes who match their nutrition to training load — not just daily calorie goals — recover faster, get injured less, and perform better on race day. Yet most runners treat every day the same nutritionally, whether it's a rest day or a 20-mile long run.
How to Fuel Each Runna Workout Type
Your Runna plan includes different workout types for a reason. Each one places different demands on your body — and your nutrition should reflect that. Here's a breakdown of what to eat for each session type.
Easy Runs (Recovery Runs, Shakeouts)
Easy runs are low-intensity and primarily burn fat for fuel. They don't require much pre-run nutrition unless you're running first thing in the morning.
- Before: A banana, toast with honey, or nothing if well-fueled the day before
- During: Water only — no gels or sports drinks needed
- After: Normal meal within 1-2 hours. No urgency to slam a protein shake.
The biggest mistake with easy runs? Overeating. Many runners reward a 5km jog with a 600-calorie smoothie bowl. Your easy run probably burned 300-400 calories. Keep it proportional.
Long Runs (90+ Minutes)
Long runs are where nutrition makes or breaks your training block. Your glycogen stores last roughly 90 minutes at moderate intensity. After that, you need external fuel — or you'll hit the wall.
- Before: A carb-rich meal 2-3 hours prior (oatmeal, toast with jam, rice). Aim for 1-2g carbs per kg of body weight.
- During: 30-60g of carbs per hour after the first 45-60 minutes. Gels, chews, dates, or a sports drink all work.
- After: Recovery meal within 30-45 minutes. 1-1.2g carbs/kg + 0.3g protein/kg. Think: rice bowl with chicken, or a bagel with eggs.
Critical: Practice your in-run fueling on training runs, not on race day. Your Runna long run is the perfect time to test gels and figure out what your stomach can handle at pace.
Interval Sessions (Speed Work, Track Reps)
Intervals burn glycogen fast. Even a 45-minute interval session can deplete muscle glycogen significantly because of the high intensity. These sessions demand that you show up fueled.
- Before: Carb-rich meal 2-3 hours before. Top up with a small snack (banana, energy bar) 30-60 minutes before.
- During: Water or electrolyte drink. Gels usually aren't needed for sessions under 75 minutes.
- After: Prioritize recovery. This is where protein matters most — 20-30g within an hour, combined with carbs to replenish glycogen.
Tempo Runs and Threshold Sessions
Tempo runs sit in the sweet spot between easy and hard. They're glycogen-dependent but typically not long enough to require in-run fueling.
- Before: Moderate carb meal 2-3 hours before. Similar to intervals.
- During: Water is usually fine. Consider electrolytes in hot conditions.
- After: Standard recovery meal. Don't skip this — tempo runs create significant muscle damage.
The Problem: Runna Doesn't Adjust Your Nutrition
Runna is excellent at periodizing your training. It varies intensity, volume, and recovery across your plan. But it treats every day the same from a nutrition standpoint — because it doesn't have a nutrition standpoint.
This means you're left to figure out: How many carbs do I need today? Should I eat more on this double-run day? How do I taper my nutrition alongside my training taper? Do I need to carb load before my race?
These are the questions that separate runners who bonk at mile 20 from runners who negative-split their marathon.
Attach a Fueling Decision to Every Runna Workout
The way to close the gap is to read your Runna plan as a fueling plan, because each workout type implies a different decision. An easy run usually needs nothing beyond your normal meals. A speed or threshold session needs carbs in the hours before and a recovery meal after. A long run over 75-90 minutes needs a pre-run breakfast, 30-60g of carbs per hour during, and a real recovery meal. Race week needs a carb load and familiar foods. Once you see the plan this way, fueling stops being a separate chore and becomes a single line attached to each session already on your calendar.
This is exactly what MAVR automates — connect your Runna calendar and every workout gets a fueling strategy attached, timed to its duration and intensity. But you can apply the same mapping by hand the moment you look at your week: name each run, and the fueling decision follows from its type.
Sample Fueling Day: Runna Long Run Saturday
| Timing | What to Eat |
|---|---|
| Friday dinner | Carb-rich meal: pasta, rice, or potatoes. This is your glycogen top-up. |
| 2-3 hours before run | Oatmeal with banana and honey, or toast with jam. 80-120g carbs. |
| 30 min before | Small top-up: half a banana or a few sweets. 20-30g carbs. |
| During (every 30 min after first 45 min) | 1 gel or equivalent: 25-30g carbs per serving. Sip water between. |
| Within 30 min after | Recovery shake or meal: 60-80g carbs + 20-30g protein. |
| Lunch / rest of day | Balanced meals. Don't restrict — your body is rebuilding. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I eat before an early morning Runna run?
For easy runs under 60 minutes, running fasted is fine if you're used to it. For any quality session (intervals, tempo, long run), eat at least a small carb snack 30-60 minutes before. Performance drops significantly when glycogen-depleted.
How many calories does a Runna long run burn?
Roughly 60-100 calories per kilometer depending on your weight, pace, and terrain. A 20km long run typically burns 1,200-2,000 calories. MAVR estimates this automatically based on your Runna workout details and body weight.
Do I need gels for every Runna run?
No. Gels are only necessary for runs over 90 minutes. For easy runs, intervals, and tempo sessions under 75 minutes, water and a proper pre-run meal are sufficient. Save gels for long runs and race day.
Can MAVR read my Runna training plan?
Yes. MAVR connects to your Runna calendar via the ICS calendar link. It imports all your planned workouts and generates personalized nutrition recommendations for each one, including pre-run, during-run, and post-run meals.
How does nutrition change during a Runna taper week?
During taper, your training volume drops but you should maintain relatively high carb intake to maximize glycogen stores for race day. Don't cut calories proportionally to your reduced mileage — this is when carb loading matters most.
Get automatic, personalized meal plans for every Runna workout. Download MAVR free.
Written by
MAVR Sports Nutrition Team
The MAVR sports-nutrition team translates peer-reviewed endurance research (Jeukendrup, Burke, the ISSN) into daily fueling for runners and triathletes.