Paleo running fuel – a subject I’m asked about often! And it’s funny, because even now that I’ve been eating paleo for almost two years and am currently training for my third “paleo marathon”, I still feel confused discussing this topic. Probably because I know that no two people are the same when it comes to nutrition in general, let alone fueling for marathon training with a way of eating that’s relatively new to them.
That said, I am very happy to share what currently works for me and what has worked for me over the past couple of years or so when it comes to paleo running fuel. I’ve changed my preferences over time and have experimented a lot, and at this point I have a good sense of eating in a way that keeps me replenished and feeling well during my runs and in general. I don’t believe paleo, or any diet, is a “magic pill” for running well, keeping weight off, or even maintaining optimal health. But, I do think it can help some people feel their best, just as it has for me!
I think that above all else, the most important thing to remember when training, is that if something doesn’t feel right, it’s probably not right FOR YOU. There are plenty of runners who feel fine and run to their potential eating all sorts of diets and there is certainly no one “right” way to fuel. We ask A LOT of our bodies when we train for and then complete a marathon, and we need to be mindful to treat them how they are asking to be treated, regardless if it fits into “guidelines” or “rules” of any kind. I’m only preaching because I feel like I’m constantly facing this and learning it for myself, again and again!
Today for WIAW I’ll walk through meals and snacks that are typical for me on any random day during marathon training (this was Monday), plus show you some of my choices for long run fuel recently.
If I’m not heading out for a long run I don’t eat at all before running. I run at about 5:45am and my stomach is not ready for food at that time. In the summer, I usually drink water or coconut water (if I have it) to replenish fluids when I walk in the door, then shower, then eat breakfast around 7:45.
Breakfast is sometimes my biggest meal of the day and by 7:45 I’m really hungry. This was some fresh spinach topped with about 3-4 oz pork sausage (leftover from dinner Sunday) with half a plantain fried in coconut oil and two eggs also fried in coconut oil. Lots of fat, protein, and some carbs here to round out the meal.
That breakfast keeps me full for 4-5 hours pretty easily. For lunch, I fried the second half of the plantain, threw in some spiced ground pork (maybe 3-4 oz again?) a small avocado, kalamata olives, and more spinach. Spinach and I are good friends lately as I said last week.
Of course this has zero to do with fueling, but I drank my kombucha as usual because it’s just awesome. I’m also in the midst of brewing my own and crossing my fingers that it will come out well!
Of course I made a new flavor of fudge! This one is vanilla maple nut and it’s a winner. I ate one square of this while taking pictures in the afternoon. I also had a banana but forgot to take a picture. Bananas are eaten daily when marathon training, usually more than just once too.
For dinner I roasted a bunch of sweet potatoes, made beef and lamb low FODMAP meatballs and cooked them in my favorite sauce – Rao’s Homemade Sensitive Formula Marinara Sauce 
Laura said the basically the same thing in a comment earlier in the week, which completely validated these cravings for me! Salt cravings seem to take over and I definitely find myself “generously sprinkling” my sea salt all over the dang place lately. That need for salt would also explain me standing over the pan eating leftover oil and sauce with a spoon while cleaning up the kitchen! Followed by that “OMG I’m thirsty and need water now” feeling.
A blurry picture of my “dessert”, eaten at about 8:30 – super exciting strawberries and dark chocolate. Actually, the strawberries were particularly sweet and delicious and that did excite me at the time. Happy at bedtime is a good thing 🙂
Paleo fuel on the run
A few of my favorite fueling options for long runs are:
1) Baby/toddler squeeze pouches! – yes, seems a bit odd, but they are awesome and really my go-to now. There are TONS of varieties nowadays since they’ve become super popular and there are even some with superfoods like chia added. Plus my kids think it’s hilARious that mommy eats these while running.
2) Bananas. Bananas are a runner’s best friend I think. I learned the hard way though that mine need to be pretty ripe to be digestible enough before a long run.
3) Coconut water. I think you either love or hate this. I love it! I usually drink some before a long run and then after, I don’t bring it with me since I don’t want it messing up my hydration pack.
4) Dates or raisins. If you can digest these well during a run they are awesome and easy fuel!
5) Quick bites like Yummari can work for some people especially on very easy paced long runs. For “technically paleo” bites larabars can be good – I ate these on my long runs while training for Boston 2014.
Right now the squeeze pouches are my favorite long-run fuel since they digest quickly and don’t taste too sweet or give me heartburn. They’re also super easy to twist open which is something I highly value on a long run! I stick to the basics and go with sweet potato or banana flavors.
What’s your best piece of fueling or nutrition advice for marathon training?
I love how even though you’re paleo, you don’t follow the low carb dogma and aren’t afraid to fuel up for training! I know that intense salt cravings can be a sign of magnesium deficiency, so it might be worth looking into some sort of supplement of you like!
I don’t see the benefit in being specifically low carb if there’s no medical reason to be. That said I love my fat and protein of course 🙂 I wouldn’t say I have intense salt cravings but I do prefer savory most of the time and don’t limit salt. I will look into magnesium though!
for a while for snacks late afternoon i have been having fruit….usually with a string cheese or bit of nuts, but was thinking that i feel so hungry just a bit after. i noticed that it seems like you are eating fruit later in the day and i was thinking…hmmmm maybe that would work better for me. sweet treat at night (which i CRAVE) and who cares if it doesnt fill me up or causes a spike in blood sugar since i will be going to bed. so i was telling my BF about this and all excited that maybe i figured something out on my never ending quest to figure out what works for my body and he was like “well then what do you eat for a mid day snack” and i just looked at him….i’m like well i didnt get that far : ) moral of this long story is i need to pay better attention to your snacks !
how do you keep yourself to just eating 1 piece of fudge ? i feel like i would eat one row at minimum. lately my sweet tooth is out of control.
Ive only half marathon trained. and during long runs i actually like gu but half a pack at a time. i pre-game with a buckwheat waffle with some pb and maybe a little jam. but if i do that i gotta wait a bit to run. after i like cocounut water or really watered down sports drink. maybe a few pretzels dipped in pb, banana or something like that eaten VERY slowly. and a bit later a small protein shake w almond milk.
For some reason I always leave the fruit for night – probably because I’m not really hungry at that point and just want something sort of sweet and refreshing. When I’m actually hungry I usually want more of a meal! Sometimes I’ll eat a little bit of leftovers from some recipe I made, lately I’ve been having fudge, which has sugar but is also really high in fat since it’s full of nut butter and coconut oil. Nut butter and a banana are easy too! And I don’t always eat one piece of fudge! But it’s actually pretty filling so you really don’t need a whole lot to feel satisfied.
The best fueling advice I’ve received for a > 10 mile run, including the full marathon, is to eat every 5 miles. At mile 20 I NEVER want something but I force it down and it has helped tremendously. I do not eat anything after mile 20, though 🙂 I also don’t take all the fuel in at one gulp. For example, I’ll start a GU or something at mile 5 but I might not finish it until 6 or 6.5.
I messed up during my last marathon and sucked the whole pouch down too quickly not once, but twice, and had terrible heartburn! So I think fueling slowly is really smart and I need to make sure to do that in training and for this marathon.
I love reading this and what fuels you as opposed to all the people I know who run marathons- So different but you all do well at it so clearly sticking to what you know works wonders 😀 And don’t get me started on the fudge…I just finished shooting a new batch. It must be an addiction!
Definitely an addiction. Once one batch is gone I miss it too much and think up another!
Like you, I focus a lot on refueling after a long run or a speed session. If that is neglected, your recovery will suffer and your next run isn’t going to be pretty. But this can be very fun! This morning I found myself dipping dates into almond butter and unsweetened cocoa powder. After 12 miles I needed all the fun recovery food I could get!
I agree the refueling after the long run is fun 🙂 Fueling during – I honestly wish I didn’t have to because that’s not fun at all!
Your dinner, though, I really want meatballs now! I have a love/hate relationship with WIAW because it makes me crave ALL THE FOOD.
I’m that way with Pinterest!
I am with you. No food before early running or anything really. I made that mistake once and I will not make it again! I will have to look at those squeeze packs. I’m sure they are cheaper than Gu!
Yes, they are! I always feel better saving most of the fueling for afterwards, running while eating is tricky.
Baby toddler squeeze pouches are definitely great for long training runs! I use them all the time during longer workouts! Your meals look delish especiallyannything with fried eggs or avocado!
I knew I couldn’t have been the first to discover this!
You have to eat what works for you. I applaud any food plan with a focus on whole foods. I’m not a big supporter of those same plans which also deny you specific whole foods. Whole food hating just isn’t in my wheelhouse.
Your day of eats looks fantastic.
Thank you! Can’t hate on whole foods! Expensive packaged crap is another story, that I find quite annoying 😉
OMG! This was super helpful. I love the kid squeeze punches idea! I’m going to try that as my guy doesn’t like the sugars in all those gels. Thank you for this post. ??