Runners, especially marathoners, put significant thought into hydration and fueling during long runs and races.
But what you do before you run matters just as much. Nailing what to eat the night before a long run or big race helps set you up with full energy stores, a calm stomach, and the kind of steady effort you’re actually trying to practice.
And that’s the key: long runs, particularly in peak training weeks, aren’t just mileage, but race-day rehearsals. They’re your chance to dial in pacing, gear, hydration… and arguably the most important piece: nutrition.
What you eat the night before can significantly affect how you feel the next morning. So why not stack the deck in your favor and eat in a way that helps you run strong, steady, and confident?
Why Are Carbs Important?
Carbs have somehow become the villain in a lot of modern nutrition plans. Low-carb and no-carb approaches, like keto, are everywhere.
From personal experience, they can work for certain goals: they often help people lose weight and reduce body fat. But for most runners, that isn’t the main objective.
As a runner, the priorities are pretty simple: perform well and feel good doing it. And that’s where a runner-specific approach to nutrition matters.
If you want to train hard, recover well, and show up with real energy, carbohydrates aren’t optional. They’re your primary fuel source.
You can’t expect to run well (or enjoy your running) if you’re constantly under-fueled, stuck in a calorie deficit, or not giving your body the kind of energy endurance training demands.
What Are Carbohydrates, Glucose, & Glycogen?
I won’t bore you with technical details; instead, I’ll give you a quick understanding of what’s what.
Carbohydrates, more specifically glucose, fuel our bodies with the energy we need to run hard or run long, or both.
Glucose is stored in our muscles and liver as glycogen1Murray, B., & Rosenbloom, C. (2018). Fundamentals of glycogen metabolism for coaches and athletes. Nutrition Reviews, 76(4), 243–259. https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuy001 and called upon when needed. In other words, “glycogen is how the body stores carbohydrates for energy at the muscular level.”
Why Do Runners Need Carbs to Perform Well?
Glycogen is the primary fuel source when performing high—or moderate-intensity exercise, and fat is the second energy source.
So, whether you are running a marathon and focusing on endurance or pushing an all-out 3K, carbs will be key to performing at your best.
For endurance athletes, glycogen helps maintain consistent energy and prevents hitting the wall (bonking). It helps higher-intensity runners tolerate faster speeds for a longer period of time.
Any effort above 60% of your VO2 max will first draw on glycogen stores for energy. If they are adequately stocked, you’ll have a better chance of feeling great and running well.
If you do not have the necessary glycogen levels to fuel your running, you could experience muscle damage, fatigue, and even overtraining.
Increasing carbohydrate intake before a marathon or long run and consuming carbohydrates during it will help prevent weakness and fatigue. This can improve not only our performance but also our speed and recovery.
In contrast, low-carbohydrate diets show a decrease in performance because the body is trying to work with glycogen depletion.
A moderate– to high-carbohydrate diet is strongly recommended to achieve optimal results. We need to maintain our glycogen stores to have adequate energy for each subsequent training day.
We know we need to eat carbs, but what to eat the night before a long run? Simple? Complex? Let’s take a look.
Simple and Complex Carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates are great for general health and nutrition, but the night before a long run, all the rules change.
Simple carbs are easier to digest than complex carbs, which take longer to break down. Therefore, simple carbs can provide you with the energy you need to perform more efficiently.
In addition, many complex carbs are full of fiber, which we want to avoid the night before a long run or race.
I have provided a list of examples for each carbohydrate type to help us select the right ones for our pre-race carb-loading meals.
While I recommend simple carbs for your pre-long-run meals, you may be able to tolerate complex carbs as well. Trial and error is the way to determine the best foods for each athlete.
Simple Carbohydrates: (Fructose, Sucrose, Glucose, Maltose, Lactose)
- White bread, bagels, English muffins
- White rice
- Pasta
- Couscous
- Fruit
- Table Sugar
- Juice
- Honey
- Maple Syrup
- Dairy
- Sports Drinks such as Gatorade and Powerade (they also provide electrolytes)
- Energy gels, energy chews, and other sports-focused supplements
Complex Carbohydrates:
- Wheat bread
- Brown or wild rice
- Barley
- Legumes
- Beans
- Oats
- Starchy veggies such as sweet potatoes
I’d like to share some examples of what has worked for me over the years, such as pre-run dinners the night before events ranging from a half-marathon to a long-distance ultra.
Because I handle a significant weekly volume, I prepare these meals consistently. Some weeks, I may need to eat carb-rich meals on 2-3 evenings to ensure optimal performance for my speedwork sessions and back-to-back long runs in my training plan.
How To Fuel For Peak Performance On Your Long Run
We all have different dietary needs depending on body weight, metabolism, nutritional restrictions, and specific training.
Seeing a sports nutritionist can help you calculate how many portions of carbohydrates, protein, and fat to include in your day-to-day diet and pre-training run and race carb-loading meals.
I have not included specific portion sizes in the recipe ideas below for this exact reason. It is still important to calculate how much of each meal you will need to prepare.
#1: Giada’s Lemon Pasta
This is my all-time favorite meal I always eat before a race and often on nights before a long run. It is high-carb, low-protein, and low-dairy, making it easy to digest and absolutely delicious.
Of course, you can switch out the lemony sauce for a tomato-based sauce as well. However, I would avoid cream-based sauces, as too much dairy may upset your stomach.
#2: Pizza
Can I eat pizza the night before a long run?
Some of you may think this one seems unusual, but it works for me. If you are lactose-intolerant, you want to ensure you use lactose-free cheese or avoid it altogether. The last thing we want is a GI issue during our long run.
However, I make homemade pizza instead of ordering out. This way, I know every detail in it and can cater to my needs and preferences.
When adding toppings, use whatever your stomach is used to processing. This is where you could add a bit of protein if you’d like, but the main event is the simple-carb crust.
#3: Couscous
I love mixing couscous with a whole variety of things, but for carb-loading before a long run, I keep it simple. I add shrimp, parsley, and parmesan cheese to create a delicious, carb-filled skillet. You could add anything you like, or leave it all pasta.
Be sure it is “couscous heavy,” though, so the carb is the star of the meal.
#4: Sandwiches
This may seem a bit odd for dinner, but I’m talking about an absolutely delicious sandwich. Not just your run-of-the-mill PB&J.
Pick up a fresh, warm ciabatta from the bakery and fill it up with your favorites.
My favorite is a slice of prosciutto and manchego cheese, with a smidge of balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
The great part about this mix is that the flavors are so intense that you only need a tiny bit of filling, keeping the majority of your meal focused on fresh, yummy bread.
#5: Breakfast for Dinner
I absolutely loved it as a kid when my parents said we were having breakfast for dinner. Well, guess what? This works out great for us runners the night before a long run.
How about a nice big stack of pancakes and maple syrup to stock up on those carbs? And if you want to add a little protein, you can throw a couple of slices of bacon on top.
French toast, a bagel with nut butter (a healthy fat but delicious), or even cereal could work.
These are just some ideas that work for me, but as each of us is different, you’ll need to try out a variety of meals to see what works best for you. Here are a few final tips for selecting recipes.
My Final tips
#1: Avoid High-Protein Meals
Leave your high-protein meals for recovery after your morning run (but don’t forget to add carbs to your meals with lean protein; they aren’t just for before the run, but for during and after as well).
If you plan to fuel post-run with a protein powder shake, be sure to add some carbs or a healthy fat, such as peanut butter, to make it well-rounded and support recovery.
#2: Avoid Fiber
The last thing we want to worry about during our long run is an uncomfortable pit stop. There’s nothing better than going out on your run knowing your tummy will behave and your digestion is at its best.
High-fiber foods can provoke unwanted bathroom trips, bloating, and discomfort. Avoid beans, lentils, whole grains, broccoli, and other high-fiber fruits and vegetables the night before a long run.
#3: Eat Enough, But Not Too Much
When carb-loading, it’s essential to avoid both under-eating and overeating, as each has drawbacks. Undereating may leave you fatigued and low on energy, while overeating can cause GI problems.
Consult a sports nutritionist2Beck, K., Thomson, J. S., Swift, R. J., & von Hurst, P. R. (2015). Role of Nutrition in Performance Enhancement and Postexercise Recovery. Open Access Journal of Sports Medicine, 6(6), 259. https://doi.org/10.2147/oajsm.s33605 to help you out or calculate your estimated carb intake with the following equation:
8 x your weight in kilos = total grams of carbohydrates per day during a carb load
At the end of the day, the best solution to eating the night before a long run for maximum results is carbs, carbs, and more carbs.
Build up those glycogen stores, and let’s get running. For more information on carb loading, check out our guide here.
