One of the oldest pieces of marathon advice is also one of the best:
Nothing new on race day.
Yet every year, runners line up for their marathon carrying gels they’ve never used before, planning to drink sports drinks they’ve never tried, or hoping that whatever is available at the aid stations will somehow work perfectly for them.
Sometimes they get away with it.
Sometimes they spend the second half of the marathon regretting the decision.
The marathon is a long event. Even relatively minor nutrition mistakes can become major problems over 42.2 kilometres.
That’s why your nutrition strategy should be practised in training, not discovered on race day.
Your Long Run Is A Dress Rehearsal
Many runners think of the long run as simply a way to build endurance.
That’s certainly part of its purpose, but it’s also the ideal opportunity to practise your race-day routine.
Every long run gives you the chance to answer important questions:
- Which gels sit comfortably in your stomach?
- How often should you consume carbohydrates?
- How much fluid do you need?
- What happens if you take nutrition slightly earlier or later?
- How does your stomach respond when running at marathon pace?
These are not questions you want to answer at 30 kilometres into your goal marathon.
The more familiar your nutrition strategy becomes during training, the more confidence you’ll have on race day.
Why Nutrition Matters
Most runners have heard of “hitting the wall.”
The wall is often associated with glycogen depletion, where the body’s preferred fuel source becomes limited and maintaining pace becomes significantly more difficult.
While proper training helps improve your ability to use fuel efficiently, race-day nutrition still plays an important role.
A marathon is simply too long for most runners to rely entirely on stored energy.
A well-planned nutrition strategy can help maintain energy levels, support performance, and reduce the likelihood of a dramatic slowdown during the later stages of the race.
Nutrition won’t make up for poor training, but poor nutrition can certainly undermine good training.
Find What Works For You
One mistake runners make is assuming that because a particular product works for someone else, it will automatically work for them.
Nutrition is highly individual.
Some runners tolerate almost any gel on the market.
Others have sensitive stomachs and need a very specific combination of products.
Some runners prefer liquid calories.
Others prefer gels or chews.
There is no universally perfect solution.
The goal is to find what works for you and then practise it repeatedly.
Consistency creates confidence.
Practise More Than Just The Product
It’s not enough to simply use a gel occasionally during training.
You should also practise the timing.
If you plan to take nutrition every 30 minutes during your marathon, rehearse that schedule during long runs.
If you intend to drink at aid stations, simulate that process where possible.
If your race provides a specific sports drink, consider training with it beforehand.
The closer your training resembles race day, the fewer surprises you’ll encounter when the starting gun goes off.
Race Day Is About Execution
By the time marathon day arrives, your fitness is largely already established.
You won’t become fitter during race week.
Your job is simply to execute the plan you’ve prepared.
That includes your pacing strategy.
It includes your warm-up.
And it includes your nutrition.
The runners who perform best are often not the ones making clever decisions on race day.
They’re the ones who made those decisions weeks earlier and simply follow the plan.
Final Thoughts
Marathon training isn’t just about running.
It’s also about preparing for everything that supports performance on race day.
Your long runs are the perfect opportunity to test and refine your nutrition strategy.
Use them wisely.
Find products that work for you. Practise your timing. Learn how your body responds.
Then when marathon day arrives, you won’t be experimenting.
You’ll be executing.