How to boost your energy 💥 during a run

You’re motivated, feeling strong and energized, and then suddenly, you ‘hit the wall’ – figuratively speaking, of course.

Preparing in advance by eating the right foods before your run is the best way to avoid this energy slump, but what do you do if it does happen?

We’ve all been there; it’s frustrating and often demotivating, but it is possible to boost your energy and get back on track while running simply by eating and drinking the right food.

☝ Firstly, let's understand why your energy can fail you.

If you run for less than an hour, you’re unlikely to need to eat or drink during this time, as most of your energy will come from glycogen stored in your muscles.

However, you might need to top up your fuel for longer runs, especially those over two hours.

Your body has a limited supply of glycogen available to fuel your muscles, and these reserves typically only last for up to 2 hours. During the first hour of exercise, most of your energy comes from stored glycogen in your muscles.

This all depends on the intensity of the exercise. In a high-intensity exercise, glycogen stores can be depleted after 20 minutes and during low-intensity exercise, they can last for up to 90 minutes. However, in a training run, you are unlikely to need to refuel during a 1-hour run unless the first part has been very high intensity.

After this, your muscles start to get fuel from your blood sugar, which again comes from stored glycogen, but this time from your liver. The glycogen from the liver is also a limited source (unless refuelled), so once it’s been used up, your blood sugar level falls, and so does your energy.

WHEN TO REFUEL DURING A RUN

There are several things you can eat and drink during longer runs to help prevent you from running out of energy and to help boost your performance.

Eat 30 minutes into exercise so that later in the run, the energy is already there to be called upon – be PROACTIVE rather than REACTIVE.

When it comes to drinking, you may drink little and often rather than gulping down a whole bottle all at once.

WHAT TO EAT DURING A LONG RUN

If you’re prone to energy dips during longer spells of running, carry with you and eat small amounts of foods that are full of energy and easy to digest. High-GI carbohydrates are best at this time as they will top up your blood glucose quickly, fuelling the muscles that need them.

ENERGY BARS

Energy bars, as the name suggests, are designed to give a good boost of energy whilst on the go. We’d recommend buying some that are free from junk like refined sugars and artificial sweeteners. Pulsin have some great protein bars, or you could try Squirrel Sisters for something even simpler – these bars contain just a few ingredients, such as dates, cashews, and cacao powder.

You can even make your own from similarly simple ingredients! Try tasty cinnamon and Chia seed energy balls – they’re easy to make and provide lots of energy for your run!

BANANAS 🍌

Bananas are popular among athletes for good reason. They’re quick and easy to eat, and they provide a good amount of carbohydrates without the tough fibre of, say apples. After all, you’re looking for something easy to digest, and soft, squishy bananas do just that!

RAISINS

High in calories and light on the stomach, raisins make a great snack for refuelling during a run. Their size means you can eat a couple here and there during your run rather than eating a whole piece of fruit, which could cause digestive problems if you aren’t used to eating on the go.

PRETZELS 🥨

Pretzels are high in refined carbs (which, in this case, is good because they release energy quickly), as well as some sodium, which helps replace lost electrolytes.

ENERGY GELS

Isotonic energy gels combine water and food and provide fast energy boosts. They provide glucose directly into your bloodstream and are an easily absorbed form of carbohydrates. They’re easy to carry in your pocket and snack on the way. However, they can contain lots of preservatives and artificial flavourings, so we wouldn’t advise you to consume these regularly!

WHAT TO DRINK

WATER 💧

Dehydration usually only occurs on runs lasting more than an hour, so you may find that you don’t have to drink during runs of less than an hour. However, if you do, plain water is a good choice.

If you’re running long distances or running in hot temperatures, it’s very easy to become dehydrated and consequently fatigued. That’s why staying hydrated is so important: it helps replenish the fluid lost from your body through sweating and maintains your endurance.

BALANCED MINERAL DRINK

If you’re running for longer than an hour or taking part in more intense runs such as a marathon, you may also need to replace electrolytes, which are lost when you sweat.

Electrolytes help you retain fluids, maintain hydration, and prevent muscle cramps.

Balance Mineral Drink provides a fantastic alternative to electrolyte-boosting sports drinks, which are often full of chemicals. It contains key electrolytes such as calcium, potassium and magnesium that can be quickly lost during longer runs.

It comes in handy sachets, so it’s easy to add to your water bottle to sip on during your run.

COCONUT WATER 🥥

Coconut water also contains electrolytes, making this another good substitute for sports drinks.

BEETROOT JUICE

Research suggests having some beetroot juice before endurance exercise could help to improve our stamina and oxygen uptake!