Fuel like an ultra pro: Megan Canfield's guide to eating before, during and after your run

From 100‑mile victories to coaching the next generation of trail and ultra athletes, Megan Canfield  (left) has spent decades learning exactly what it takes to run long – and keep coming back for more.

A US ultrarunning legend with multiple Western States finishes and a deep resume on trails around the world, Megan now coaches endurance athletes of all levels, helping them master the fundamentals that actually move the needle. In this blog, she shares her fuelling insights.

Pre-run Fuelling 

Giving your body some fuel before running is key to a successful outing. While there are many proponents of fasting - whether it be intermittent or fasted running - it is neither a good idea, nor a healthy practice.

Depending on your ability to “eat and run”, you can consume a carbohydrate-rich snack up to 2 hours before you go out.

Aim for easily-digestible carbs by combining simple carbohydrates (e.g. honey or jam) and very complex carbohydrates (whole wheat toast). The reason for combining the two is that if they lean too far into the 'simple' category, you might be in for a sugar rush followed by a crash, before you leave your house. 

If they’re too 'complex' (cruciferous veggies for example) - you might end up looking for bushes mid-run. A wholegrain muffin, or half a bagel with a little nut butter are examples of suitable snacks.  

Fuelling during the run 

For runs up to two hours, you should have sufficient glycogen stores, if you’ve replenished what your last workout consumed. 

Over two hours, plan on consuming 30-60 g of carbohydrates per hour with plenty of water, beginning 30 minutes into your run, for consistent fueling throughout your workout.

Figuring out the math for this can be easy or more challenging, depending on your choices.

Engineered sports nutrition – gels, blocks, chews, sports drinks - make the math easy, and generally are designed for maximum carb uptake in their formula, i.e. the glucose to fructose ratio is 2:1 which has been shown to provide optimal absorption.

However, the price is two-fold: 1 – it is expensive and, 2 – it can become tedious, laborious, nauseating, gross – you get the picture – over the several hours you may be on a race course or training run. 

There are also recipes to create your own sports nutrition – a quick Google search can give you the guidance you need to create your own gels, drinks, and bars, with nutritional information. It might be a little time investment up front, but possibly well worth the effort.   

Using real foods that work well for you is another option - such as bananas, peanut butter and jam bagels, potatoes, chocolate milk – it is more affordable, but careful planning, label reading, commitment to detail can become overwhelming and complicated.  

The nutritional protocol you develop for races should be entirely created around what you’ve trained with. Don’t leave this to chance.

Interestingly, the number one reason behind a DNF (Did Not Finish) in a race is a stomach that went south. Practice what you’ll use AND be open to trying something new on race day IF your plan, or your stomach, starts to sour.

And preload for a week before your race on CurraNZ – not only will it help with midrace recovery, there is emerging evidence that supplementing with CurraNZ protects against thermal stress and reduces GI symptoms in hot environments. 

Post Run Fuelling  

It is critical to feed your body after your workout. The first “meal” when you’re done should be within 4 hours as the body absorbs glucose without requiring insulin.

Additionally, the muscle cells are most receptive to amino acids to rebuild and repair the damage done from your run.

If you drove to your run and you’re 30 minutes or more from your kitchen, be sure to pack some replacement calories in the car, as well as water, or, drive to the closest Milk Shake shop (my favorite go-to!). This meal is not breakfast, lunch, or dinner! It is the meal that feeds the activity you just finished and will help you recover and be prepared to go out again the next day.

Your other meals still need to be consumed to help you recover and replenish your glycogen and get you out the door feeling good tomorrow.