Hello Runner,

Welcome back to your weekly moment of endurance nutrition!

Happy Weekend!
How was your week?

I had a good week.
The weather has started to improve in Barcelona, and that helps me sleep better.
I feel like I’m performing better in my running workouts, too, which is great!
I discovered last week that I have a muscle knot near my Achilles tendon. I thought it might be something more serious, but thankfully it isn’t. Some days it bothers me, and other days it doesn’t. But anyway, all I can do is stretch and hope it goes away.
Other than that, I’ve been busy with work and studying.

Anyone who's been reading the newsletter for a while and/or follows me on social media knows I firmly believe nutrition needs to be personalized. This is especially true for endurance athletes.

All the recommendations I share are nutritional guidelines for endurance sports.

And these guidelines serve as a foundation for nutrition professionals to create meal plans that meet each athlete’s energy needs. But the reality is that we always have to adjust the numbers depending on each athlete’s specific situation.

When it comes to a runner's meal plan, you need to consider many details. Just look at the number of emails I’ve sent with all sorts of recommendations—from carb-loading to pre-run and post-run nutrition, gut training, and more.

I know that many runners either can't, aren't able to, or don't want to follow a personalized meal plan, yet they still want to improve.

Today, I’m sharing 5 small things that can improve your diet as a runner. These are simple tips that anyone can follow, and they’ll make a big difference.

You don't necessarily need a big meal before every run. But if you're heading into a hard or long session, having some carbs available beforehand can help support carbohydrate availability and training quality.

This could be a meal a few hours before, or a smaller, easier-to-digest snack closer to the run. The amount and timing should depend on the duration and intensity of the session, as well as what your stomach tolerates. For longer or harder endurance sessions, carbohydrate availability becomes particularly important.

Practical takeaway: Don't wait until you're already running out of energy to think about fueling your training session.

Recovery starts with replacing what you used during training.

After a demanding endurance session, carbohydrate helps replenish muscle glycogen, while adequate protein supports muscle repair and adaptation. According to my last email, after long runs is important to eat immediately after. Delaying food for several hours isn't ideal when you've just completed a hard session or have another demanding workout coming up soon.

If your next meal is still a few hours away, a simple snack containing carbohydrate and protein can bridge the gap.

Practical takeaway: Have a recovery option ready instead of relying on "I'll eat when I get home."

Long runs shouldn't be something you improvise at the last minute.

You should think the whole day: what you'll eat beforehand, what you'll take during the run, what you'll eat afterwards, and what you'll drink. For longer running sessions, carbs (gels, chews, food, sports drink) during exercise will help maintain carbohydrate availability and delay fatigue; current recommendations commonly fall around 30–60 g/hour for sessions lasting roughly 1–2.5 hours, with higher intakes potentially appropriate for longer events when well tolerated and trained.

Planning also gives you the opportunity to practice your race strategy before race day.

Practical takeaway: Your long run is a training session for your nutrition too.

This sounds almost too simple, but it can make a big difference.

If you regularly finish work hungry and your only options are whatever happens to be available nearby, your nutrition becomes dependent on circumstances. Keeping a few practical foods at work, such as cereal bars, crackers, dried fruit, bread, nuts, or other foods you tolerate well, can help you avoid going several hours without eating.

Everyone who exercises regularly should eat every 3 to 4 hours and avoid fasting for long periods of time.

This is especially useful on training days, when your energy and carbohydrate needs may be higher.

Practical takeaway: Make the better choice the easier choice.

Your body doesn't stop recovering just because you aren't running that day.

Rest days are when your body continues repairing tissue, adapting to training, and restoring energy stores. Your carbohydrate needs may change according to your training load, but that doesn't mean you need to drastically cut food simply because you didn't exercise that day. Adequate overall energy availability and appropriate carbohydrate intake remain important parts of supporting endurance training and recovery.

A rest day is not a "cheat day" or a “calorie deficit day."

Practical takeaway: Eat according to your overall training demands.

Any runner can do everything I mentioned above. It’s nothing revolutionary.

If you don’t have a personalized plan and don’t do any of the things listed above, I invite you to give them a try and then let me know if you noticed a difference.

If you already do everything I mentioned above and feel like you’re not making progress, a personalized plan is the best option for you.

If you want to improve and would like some support, let’s talk. Schedule a call with me.

Scientific References

Nutrition and Athletic Performance (2016). Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 48(3), 543–568.
 https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000852

Any questions or something you would like to share? Drop me an email

Wishing you a great weekend and week ahead!

Here’s to health and good runs⚡️

Ana Paula Alonso