How to Fuel to Feel Better During Summer Running

We’ve all had some rough runs in the summertime – whether you bonk, can’t hold your paces or feel awful for the day post-run. We cannot control the heat, humidity or dew point, but we can control the fluid, electrolytes and nutrition that we put into our bodies. Let’s discuss what we can do to support our bodies and feel better during summer running. (Note: Even when we do everything we can with hydration and nutrition, you may still need to adjust your paces or training plan due to the heat & humidity!)

Hydrate

Stay on top of your hydration. You need to replace your losses from your runs/workouts + your baseline needs. This should be done before-during-after your run, while continuing to hydrate during the rest of the day.

Fuel

Yes, you need to surround your runs & workouts with solid nutrition, but please don’t forget solid daily nutrition. Often, the heat can decrease our appetite. If this is the case, be sure to schedule meals & not rely on appetite alone. Three meals per day, snacks when you need them, nail that protein, eat carbs.

Hydrate

Drink 8-16 oz of a sports drink 1-2 hours before your run to go into your run well-hydrated.

Fuel

Give your body the fuel it needs before your run. For runs <60 minutes, consume 25-30g carb before your run. For runs >60 minutes, increase your carb amount to 50-90+g carb (your weight in pounds divided by 2 equals the minimum grams of carbs you need). Add a little protein or fat with your carbs if you’d like.

Hydrate

Drink 10-24oz fluid per hour during your run. How much you drink will depend on your sweat rate. To calculate your sweat rate & learn more about how much fluid you need , check out our sweat rate calculator. Make sure that you are taking in enough electrolytes. Sweat composition is the amount of electrolytes lost in sweat. The more we sweat, the more electrolytes we lose and thus, need to replace. If you are not sure what your sweat composition is, a good place to start is a sports drink with moderate electrolytes (like Skratch Sport Hydration). If you are a heavy or salty sweater, you may need more electrolytes.

Fuel

For runs <60 minutes, you are probably ok without fuel during your run. If you feel like you need some extra energy – take a gel or some chews! For runs >60 minutes, you need 25-30g carb every 25-30min (about 60g carb per hour and up to 90g per hour for more seasoned runners & elite athletes). Don’t skimp on your fuel early in your run – as your heart rate and RPE increase later in your run, your tolerance for fuel may decrease.

Hydrate

Rehydrate with fluid + electrolytes immediately post-run and for the rest of your day. Good options for replenishment are Skratch Sport Hydration, Liquid IV or your favorite sports drink. You can also replace losses with higher sodium food + water.

Fuel

Refueling your body will help with recovery and replenishment of glycogen stores. This will help you to feel better for the remainder of the day and ready for you next run or workout. Aim for 20-40g protein + 50g+ carbs within 60 minutes of your run. After long runs and workouts, it is preferable to consume all your protein + at least some carbs within 30 minutes and then the rest of your carbs within the next 60 minutes. Good options are refueling are Key Lime Pie Overnight Oats, EBTB Egg Sandwich, or High Protein Vegan Tacos(tip: you may need to add extra carbs to these recipes!)

Tip: If you struggle with lack of appetite after summer runs, try a shower shake (in your Featherstone Nutrition Blender Bottle) to get some nutrition in quickly and easily. Snacking on something salty like pretzels will also help to give you some electrolytes, increase your thirst and help with hydration.