Fuel for a Marathon: Complete Nutrition Guide

Runner's World Award-Winning Fuel

Fuel for a Marathon: The Complete Guide

What to take, how much you need and how to carry 26.2 miles' worth of energy — marathon nutrition made simple, from carb loading to the finish line.

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Quick answer: for a marathon you need 60–90g of carbohydrate per hour, starting 30–45 minutes into the race. Two FTP Energy Pastilles deliver roughly 30g of carbs, so most runners carry four to six pastilles per racing hour. Rehearse the whole routine in training — never try new fuel on race day.

Why marathon fuelling makes or breaks your race

Your body stores a limited supply of carbohydrate as glycogen — enough for roughly 90–120 minutes of hard running. A marathon takes most people three to five hours. That gap is where "the wall" lives: glycogen runs dry, blood glucose dips, pace collapses and every mile suddenly feels like a hill.

The fix is not more willpower, it's more carbohydrate. Taking on fuel steadily from early in the race keeps blood glucose topped up, delays fatigue and protects the pace you trained months to hold. No amount of fitness can outrun an empty tank.

How many carbs per hour do you need?

For any effort over 90 minutes, sports nutrition guidance points to 60–90g of carbohydrate per hour. Newer runners should build up from the lower end; experienced racers chasing a time benefit from pushing towards 90g — which is only realistic with a fuel that blends glucose and fructose in a 1:1 ratio, since the two sugars use separate absorption pathways in the gut.

Marathon runner	Carbs per hour	FTP pastilles per hour
First marathon / 4:30+	30–60g	2–4 pastilles
Intermediate / 3:30–4:30	60g	4 pastilles
Experienced / racing for time	60–90g	4–6 pastilles

Choosing your marathon fuel

Gels, chews and drink mixes all deliver carbohydrate — the difference is how they behave at mile 18. Gels demand ripping open a sticky sachet with cold hands and often need a water chaser. Energy pastilles let you dose precisely, eat little and often, and stash a full race's fuel in one pocket with no wrappers to wrestle or drop.

FTP Energy Pastilles use a 1:1 glucose:fructose blend that supports absorption of up to 90g per hour, in a chew that stays easy to eat when your heart rate is high and your patience is low. One 1kg pouch holds around 30 servings — enough fuel for a full marathon build, not just race day.

FTP tart cherry energy pastilles bulk pack outdoors

One pouch. A whole marathon block.

Around 30 servings of award-winning fuel per 1kg pack — train and race on the same carbs.

Shop the 1kg pack

Before the race: set yourself up

Race-day fuelling starts before the gun. Eat carbohydrate-rich meals for the final 24–48 hours to top up glycogen, then a familiar carb-based breakfast two to three hours before the start. Everything you eat or drink on the day should have been tested on at least two long runs first — race morning is the worst possible time for surprises.

Afterwards, carbohydrate is your fastest route to recovery: restocking glycogen quickly eases the post-marathon slump and gets you back to easy running sooner.

Marathon fuel, sorted

Tart Cherry Energy Pastilles 1kg

Award-winning 1:1 glucose:fructose chews with real tart cherry flavour.

£42.99

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Mixed Fruit Energy Pastilles 1kg

The same fast-absorbing formula in a fruity mix that never gets boring.

£44.99

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Tart Cherry Taster Pack

Test your race fuel on a long run before committing to the big pouch.

From £5.49

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Common Questions

How much fuel do I need for a whole marathon?

Multiply your expected finish time by your hourly target. A four-hour runner aiming for 60g per hour needs around 240g of carbohydrate — roughly 16 FTP pastilles. Round up and carry a spare serving in case the final miles bite.

Can I run a marathon on water alone?

You can finish one, but you will almost certainly slow dramatically after 90–120 minutes as glycogen runs out. Water hydrates but contains no energy — carbohydrate is what keeps your pace alive in the second half.

What should I eat the morning of a marathon?

A familiar carbohydrate-based breakfast two to three hours before the start — porridge, toast with jam or a bagel and banana are classics. Keep fat and fibre low, and only eat what you have already tested before long runs.

Are energy chews as good as gels for a marathon?

The carbohydrate is comparable — the difference is practicality. Chews let you split each serving into small doses, are gentler on the stomach for many runners and leave no sticky wrappers to fumble at race pace.

Ready to fuel your best marathon?

Award-winning energy pastilles, made in the UK and built for the full 26.2.